Dead to Sin, Alive to God Romans 6:1-14

Transcription

1 Dead to Sin, Alive to God Romans 6:1-14 Have you ever heard someone say while they are involved in compromise, Not a big deal, God will forgive me? In our text today, Paul anticipates this question when it comes to God s grace in our lives. It comes from the statement he made in chapter 5 where Paul introduces the principle of: where sin abounds grace abounds. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21 (NKJV) Vs. 1 Vs. 2 After he wrote this, I am sure the Spirit of God prompted him to now qualify the statement. Paul can hear the believer taking this to an extreme: Hey, if grace abounds then let s just sin and not worry about it. God will forgive us. So they continue in sin, never leaving the old life for the new. Paul can also hear some of the legalists saying, If salvation is based on grace and not works, then won t Christians be prone to live any way they please? So Paul speaks out against this attack on grace To continue in sin is unthinkable. The phrase, certainly not can be translated, perish the thought, away with the notion. Paul reminds them: how shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? If we are not careful, we may only see grace as one dimensional; that grace is only for us when we fall flat on our faces. Thank God that is true but God s grace is not only for us when we stumble and fall, it is also for us to live a victorious life over sin! 1

2 Vs. 3 It would be cruel for the Lord to bring us out of the life that is bound by sin but give us no power to live victoriously. Paul reminds the believers that Jesus has died for our sin. It s impossible that God will come into a human life and it stay the same that life will change. Paul goes on to write in the rest of this chapter what he believes will substantiate his position here in verse 2, and a rebuttal to the false idea of Christianity in verse 1. He gives three instructions for how to walk in victory over sin: 1. Know your identification with Christ The repetition of the word know in verses 3, 6, and 9 indicates that Paul was making a point when we know this basic doctrine it will affect our Christian duty. Christian duty will have its foundation in doctrine. Without doctrine we will flounder; the Christian life will be foggy and unclear, we will find ourselves believing things that have no biblical foundation whatsoever. If Satan can keep a Christian ignorant, he can keep him impotent. Warren Wiersbe Paul then moves into baptism as a way for us to understand our identity with Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection. The word baptism in the Greek is baptizo which means to identify with. Vs. 4-5 Every time there is a water baptism, it s a symbol of death and resurrection of life. If it was just death, then when I take you down into the water I would just keep you there until you stopped thrashing. It s when you come up you hear me say, raised to walk in newness of life. 2

3 But Paul s point is clear: something dramatic and life changing happened in the life of the believer. You can t die and rise again without it changing your life. The believer has a real (although spiritual) death and resurrection with Jesus Christ. David Guzik Because Jesus died and resurrected and now that resurrected Jesus lives in us we have the power to live a different kind of life. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:14 (NKJV) Vs. 6-8 The phrase done away with in the King James Version is the word destroyed and in Greek it is katargeo which means, rendered inactive. It s still present it just doesn t have the power that it once had because a new power has come into your life a greater power. If I dropped a ball, the power of gravity takes over and that ball hits the ground. But if I put out my hand to catch the ball as it falls, then a greater power has taken over. Gravity is still present but my hand is a great power that kept the ball from hitting the ground. The pull is still there, it s still present, it s just not as powerful now that a greater power has shown up. We are no longer slaves to sin. The One that died for our sin has freed us from the power of sin. Vs Reckon the reality of our identification with Christ 3

4 The word reckon is an accounting term which means, to estimate, or to take an inventory, or to impute. To reckon simply means to believe that what God says in His Word about you is really true. Just as Jesus died on the cross for sin once He is not on the cross any longer, He is not going back again and again so death is not this ongoing deal He has to conquer; it s been done. Likewise reckon, take inventory, and you will find that you too can be dead to sin and alive to God. You don t have to go back to the old life that you were saved from. The word reckon is not just believing, it s acting on that belief. It s like endorsing a check and believing that the money is going to be deposited into your account. Reckoning is different than just believing the promise, or even claiming the promise, it s acting upon the promise. It is far too easy for many Christians to focus solely on the crucified life, failing to see that it is a part (and an essential part) of a bigger picture: preparation for resurrection life. David Guzik Not only should you believe you re dead to sin, but you should live dead to sin and alive to God. What this looks like practically: But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Ephesians 4:20-25 (NKJV) We are called to put off the old man, which has been put to death (don t raise him back up), and put on the new man, the one that walks in newness of life and bears the fruit of righteousness (Colossians 3:1-17). 4

5 Vs Present yourselves to God our response to our identification with Christ The word present in the Greek means, to exhibit, to aid, to assist, to stand, or yield. These are all words that give us the idea that our bodies are to be used to exhibit a newness of life; a new way of living. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) We are God s exhibit to the world of what He can do in a life that has been saved and rescued from sin and death. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3 (NKJV) The word dominion is used twice in this text. Death has no more power over Jesus (verse 9) and therefore, sin has no more power or lordship over us (verse 14). We are no longer in bondage to sin; now we are alive to God. So he exhorts present your bodies to the Lord for His purposes. you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light 1 Peter 2:5, 9 (NKJV) This is our identity now that we are in Christ we have been set apart for His special purposes. 5

6 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For the two, He says, shall become one flesh. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God s. 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (NKJV) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NKJV) 6