What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ² May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; ⁷ for he who has died is freed from sin.

⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. ¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹ Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:1-11

From where does the power of eternal life spring? How does life grow amidst death? The power of eternal life arises from traversing the various stages of “death” we face as Christians. As Christians, we “die” three times. We face these three degrees of death. In the initial stage, we recognize and accept Jesus died for us. We connect to His redemption. Empowered with this connection, we deny and kill our selfish desires. Then we offer ourselves as living sacrifices. We foster and nurture the life that grows amidst these stages of death to attain eternal life. 

First Degree

The first degree is a recognition we have died as a result of Jesus dying for us. His vicarious death is our death. He died on the cross for us. Therefore, we belong to Jesus. The first degree is a conscious recognition of Jesus’ merit. If we believe in His vicarious death and resurrection, the power arising from His life crosses over to us. We connect to this power! We are one with His death and resurrection. Without this initial recognition of His death and our reactive death, we cannot move forward as believers.

Second Degree

After we recognize Jesus died for us and connect to this power, we move to the second degree. The second degree of death is killing our sinful thoughts and actions. We destroy our sinful self. We deny ourselves. We kill desires, plans, and dispositions that stray from God. The second degree of death entails settling all matters and issues that will harm us in the kingdom of heaven. However, those who try to deny themselves reach an epiphany: denying yourself is impossible without God’s help. We try all kinds of tactics- fasting, making bold resolutions, and making promises- but in the end, many of us fail and revert back to our old ways. Strong desires planted in our bodies are stronger than life itself. For someone who has genuinely tried to deny themselves and change, they realize it is impossible without God’s help! They realize completing the second degree of death is only possible through God’s word and prayer. In the second degree, we learn fixing ourselves- our bad habits, our sins, our transgressions- is impossible without God’s help.

Third Degree

Without the effort to die during the second stage, we cannot proceed to the third degree. The third stage entails offering our lives as living sacrifices. You no longer belong to yourself. First, you recognize and connect to His death. Second, you kill and deny yourself with the help of Jesus Christ. And now, you offer yourself as a living sacrifice. We offer our minds and bodies as living sacrifices. The realization of this third degree comes when we sacrifice ourselves according to the Lord’s will. It is a stage realized through death. We must “lay down our lives for the brethren.” If we have connected to Jesus Christ and denied ourselves, we should not stand idle with our arms folded. We lay down our lives and sacrifice ourselves!

Eternal Life

Eternal life lies after passing the first, second, and third degrees of death. When we die the first degree and have connected to Jesus’ redemption, we reach the second and third stages through the power of His redemption. Eternal life gathers strength and grows during these stages! We foster and nurture eternal life through these stages. Eternal life grows at the first, second, and third degrees of death. The fourth stage is the manifestation of the lives we lead through the first three degrees. It’s a life that grows amidst death!

A conscious recognition of these three degrees of death and changing your life to meet the standards of these three degrees will change our lives dramatically. The power of eternal life stirs inside of us as we connect to Jesus, repent our sins, and sacrifice ourselves. Inject these degrees of death into your life right now and see how God changes your life!

Summary

1. First degree is recognizing Jesus died on the cross for us.
2. Second degree is denying ourselves. 
3. Third degree is offering ourselves as living sacrifices.
4. Fourth degree is eternal life. 

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