Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. (Ephesians 4:25)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You have a new life in Christ. That is the gift of your Baptism. Christ’s Cross has been brought to you. His victory over sin, death and the grave has been splashed down upon you in the wet Word of the font. You have been buried into His death and raised to new life in His resurrection. This is who you are. It is done. You are a righteous, holy, justified, saint in Christ.

And as such, sin has no place in your life. How could it? The ways of the Old Man are now dead to you. Christ has killed them. Nailed them through His hands and feet and buried them in the cold dead ground. Put away those old ways. Speak the truth, for that is who you are. Love your neighbor even as Christ has loved you, even when your neighbor has made himself to be your enemy. Absolve those who have sinned against you. Do it now! Do it today! Do not let the devil have any opportunity to breed hate and vengeance within you.

But the Old Man is still alive within you. He wakes up each and every morning with the rising of the sun. That is why it is good to begin each day with the sign of the Cross and to remember your Baptism. For the Old Man still rages and must be put to death daily, hourly, minute by minute.

It is a battle to be sure, but it is a battle that has already been won. That is the key to it all: The victory is yours! You have been baptized. You are of Christ. Of that, there is no doubt! His death on the Cross, His empty tomb, His ascension into heaven with all things placed under His feet, all of that has been given to you. You are washed and wetted and spoken clean in Christ. You are a New Man in Christ!

And so when you fail in the things of the New Man, fear not. Return to your Baptism. Drown the Old Man once again. Receive the forgiveness of your sins. And live your forgiven life in Christ! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

“You shall not murder, hurt, nor hate; Your anger dare not dominate. Be kind and patient; help, defend,
And treat your foe as your friend.” Have mercy, Lord! 
“You shall not steal or take away What others worked for night and day, But open wide a gen’rous hand
And help the poor in the land.” Have mercy, Lord! (“These Are the Holy Ten Commands”  LSB 581, st.6, 8)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch