What about the past?

Jodi Cruz's picture
Submitted by Jodi Cruz on Thu, 07/19/2012 - 9:29pm
What about the past?

I was blessed to attend the baptism of an amazing young woman this past week. As I prayed for her in the days leading up to her baptism, I was thinking about how incredible it is that our sins are washed away when we are born again in Christ Jesus. Later, as I read my bible, I came upon Romans chapter 8:38-39 which emphasizes the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. I have heard debate about this portion of scripture highlighting the fact that the past is not referenced. This is interesting to consider. After all doesn’t everyone have “baggage” and “emotional scars”?

This may be true, however, one critical fact that is missed in this argument is found in the history of the writings. You see, the epistle to the church in Rome was written to believers who had already experienced the new birth. They had accepted Jesus as the messiah, repented, been baptized in his name and filled with his holy spirit. Their sins had been washed away and they were born again. I believe that this is why the past is not mentioned in Romans 8. It is truly a non issue, it was washed away.

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So where is your past? Do you carry it with you or is it at the bottom of the ocean floor?

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