A New Way to Walk

Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-14

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a loop? You want to follow God, but old habits and sins seem to follow you everywhere. Sometimes, trying to be a "good Christian" feels like a heavy chore rather than a joy. We often tell ourselves, "God saved me, so now I have to work really hard to fix myself."

But there is a much better way to live. In the book of Romans, we learn that our relationship with God isn't based on how hard we try, but on who we already are in Jesus.

A New Identity

When we put our trust in Jesus, something radical happens to our identity. The Bible says we have been united with Him (Romans 6:5). This means that when Jesus died on the cross, our old selves were crucified with Him so that we would no longer be slaves to sin (Romans 6:6). And just as Jesus was raised back to life, we have been raised to a brand-new life right now (Romans 6:4).

Think of it like a branch on a grapevine. The branch doesn’t have to grunt and groan to produce grapes; it just has to stay connected to the vine. The life and energy flow from the vine into the branch, and the fruit grows naturally.

Breaking the Power of Sin

The Bible reminds us that because Christ was raised from the dead, death and sin no longer have mastery over Him (Romans 6:9). Since we are in Him, sin is no longer our boss either. It might still try to "shout" at us or tempt us, but we are instructed to no longer let sin reign in our bodies or obey its desires (Romans 6:12).

When you feel tempted to go back to an old habit, stop and remind yourself of what God says is already true: "I am dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11).

Walking Together

Our personal walk with Christ is, by design, a shared walk with one another. The Bible tells us that we are all parts of one body, and we need each other to grow. For example, Ephesians 4:16 says that when every part of the body does its work, the whole body grows and builds itself up in love.

To help us grow, God gives us "means of grace"—simple pathways like reading the Bible, praying, and worshiping together. To be honest, there are days when participating in these things might feel like a duty or an obligation. This happens because our "flesh"—the part of us that wants to go our own way—is still being crucified with Christ. But as we stick with these habits and offer ourselves to God as "instruments of righteousness" (Romans 6:13), the means of grace offer us the power of new life.

In this new life, freedom from shame and guilt begins to bloom. What once felt like a chore turns into the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is God’s great desire for His people—that we wouldn't just "try harder," but that we would live under grace rather than the law (Romans 6:14). When we share this life together, we become a living witness of God’s love to the world.

If you stumble today, don't just try to "work harder" tomorrow. Instead, run back to God’s grace and reach out to your church family. Remember that you are already loved, already forgiven, and already raised to a new way of walking.

This devotional is based on a sermon titled “A New Way to Walk” preached by Pastor Paul Becker of the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown. Click Here to view the sermon.