When You’re Joined to Jesus

08/16/2026

Sometimes we think of following Jesus mostly in terms of what He can add to our lives, peace, purpose, forgiveness, hope. And He gives us all of that. But Paul takes us somewhere deeper in Romans 6. He says Christianity isn’t simply Jesus improving the life we already have. We have been joined to Him. His death changes what we are leaving behind, and His resurrection changes what we are becoming.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

Romans 6:5 ESV

There is a word in this verse that we can read right past: united.

Paul isn’t describing someone who admires Jesus, agrees with Jesus, or even tries hard to live like Jesus. He is describing someone whose life has been joined to Jesus.

And the surrounding verses make that even clearer. Paul is talking about baptism and what it represents. In Romans 6:3–4, he says that we were buried with Christ through baptism into death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, “we too might walk in newness of life.”

That’s bigger than getting cleaned up.

Jesus didn’t die and rise again so we could become slightly nicer versions of ourselves. He came to give us new life.

I think sometimes we want resurrection without death. We want Jesus to give us something new without asking us to let go of anything old.

We want peace, but we still want control.

We want freedom, but we still want to hold onto the habits that keep putting chains around us.

We want a closer relationship with God, but we don’t necessarily want to surrender the things that keep creating distance.

We want Jesus as Savior, but we struggle when He starts putting His finger on the things He wants us to surrender.

Paul says being united with Christ means both are involved; death and resurrection.

Something dies.

Something new begins.

And that sounds heavy until you realize what is dying.

A few verses later Paul says, “We know that our old self was crucified with him” (Romans 6:6).

The old Jeff doesn’t need rehabilitation. He needs a funeral.

And so does the old you.

The part of us controlled by sin. The part that has to win every argument. The part that lives for approval. The bitterness we keep feeding. The secret habit we keep excusing. The pride that makes it difficult to admit we were wrong. The need to control everything because trusting God feels too risky.

Jesus didn’t come to help us manage those things better.

He came to set us free from them.

Now, does that mean the moment you follow Jesus you never struggle again? Of course not. Anyone who has walked with Jesus for more than about fifteen minutes knows better than that.

There are still battles.

There are still temptations.

There are still mornings when the old you tries to crawl out of the grave.

But here is what has changed: the old you doesn’t own you anymore.

That is where Romans 6 becomes incredibly practical.

Because when temptation comes, you’re not fighting for freedom as though you’re still a slave trying to escape. You’re learning to live in the freedom Jesus has already given you.

When your temper starts rising, you can say, That doesn’t have to control me anymore.

When bitterness starts creeping back in: I don’t have to live there anymore.

When the old habit starts calling: That’s not who owns me anymore.

When shame reminds you of everything you’ve done: That’s who I was. Jesus is changing who I am.

That is resurrection life.

And notice Paul’s confidence:

“We shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

Certainly.

There is hope for today in that statement, but there is also an incredible promise for eternity. Because we belong to Christ, death does not get the final word over us either.

The resurrection of Jesus isn’t simply something Christians celebrate once a year.

It’s the guarantee of where all of this is headed.

We have been joined to Christ.

His death means sin doesn’t have to rule us.

His resurrection means death will not ultimately hold us.

And between those two realities, we get to spend our lives learning what it means to walk in newness of life.

Not perfectly.

But differently.

And maybe today the question isn’t, “Do I believe Jesus rose from the dead?”

Maybe it’s:

Is there evidence of His resurrection showing up in the way I live?

Action Steps

* Identify something that belongs to the old life. Be specific. A habit, attitude, resentment, temptation, or need for control that you keep allowing back into your life.
* Stop treating what Jesus died to free you from like it still has authority over you. When it surfaces today, intentionally remind yourself: I belong to Christ. This does not own me.
* Practice one act of new life. Forgive somebody. Apologize. Tell the truth. Walk away from temptation. Serve somebody. Choose generosity. Do something today that looks like Jesus is alive in you.

Challenge for the Day

Identify one thing from the “old you” that keeps trying to come back, and refuse to give it authority today. Then replace it with one action that reflects the new life Jesus has given you.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You that You didn’t just forgive my old life; You gave me a new one. Help me recognize the things I keep trying to carry out of the grave with me. Give me the courage to leave them there. Teach me to live today like someone who has truly been joined to You—free from the power of sin and alive in the hope of Your resurrection. Amen.

Pastor Jeff

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