THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO LIVE IN SIN? IN _chapter 5_ Paul showed us that man's sin provided a reason and a need for God's grace and mercy. Some said. _"If that is true, then the more_ we _sin, the more God can show his grace._" CERTAINLY NOT! [_God forbid_ is not in the Greek.] Paul makes this pla... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SURELY YOU KNOW THIS. He reminds them that they already know the meaning of baptism. WHEN WE WERE BAPTIZED INTO UNION. _John Wesley_ wrote: "In baptism we, through faith, are ingrafted into Christ; and we draw new spiritual life from this new root, through his Spirit, who fashions us like unto h... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WERE BURIED WITH HIM AND SHARED HIS DEATH. A burial implies death. Baptism is A burial. AS death and burial terminate physical life, Paul reasons, so should baptism into Christ terminate OUR "love affair" with sin. [The original _mode_ of baptism was immersion - a burial in water (and the Spirit,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF WE BECAME ONE WITH HIM. _"Being raised to life"_ is understood as a spiritual raising from death. The next verses show this. _"You were at one time spiritually dead because of your sins" (see_ Colossians 2:11-13). We reach out through faith to seize the sacrifice of Christ to make ourselves p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WE KNOW THIS. In our baptism we were crucified with Christ. THE POWER OF THE SINFUL SELF. Sin has taken possession of our bodies. When we are _"crucified,"_ sin can no longer make us its slave. As the crucified body of Christ was insensitive to external forces, so in our being crucified with Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEN A PERSON DIES. The claim sin has over a person, ends at death. The death of a slave terminated his period of slavery.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WE WILL ALSO LIVE WITH HIM. Paul returns to his main line of reasoning. In baptism, the burial in the liquid grave climaxes in EMERGING from the water. This is both a symbolic and a real resurrection from the dead.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE KNOW. When Christ raised from death, death had no more claim over him. He now lives forever!!! We who have shared his death, must also share his eternal life!!! [On the time factor, see 1 John 3:1-3.] Notice this also applies to the kind of life we live right now (_compare_ 1 Corinthians 6:15... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DEATH HE DIED WAS DEATH TO SIN. Before Christ died, he was tempted in every way that we are (Hebrews 4:15), and on the Cross was made to share our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21_; compare_ Leviticus 16:21-22). After he died, sin could no longer make him its victim. Note that Christ raised from death in... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME WAY. This is the application of the first part of this chapter. The ESSENCE of our faith is a union to _him_ in which _his experience_ becomes ours. We die to sin in Christ's death; we become alive to God in Christ's resurrection [_Sanctification_ is the believer _taking justification_ s... [ Continue Reading ]
SIN MUST NO LONGER RULE. This shows two possibilities: (1) one who has died with Christ and been raised to new life _could_ still return to being the slave of sin (_compare_ Hebrews 6:4-6); (2) one who is new in Christ _has the option_ of living a holy life. [Not the _ascetic_ life of human holiness... [ Continue Reading ]
ANY PART OF YOURSELVES. The New Testament teaches a _holistic_ view of man (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Greek thought viewed man as a _soul_ imprisoned in a _body of flesh._ The New Testament views man as a UNITY of body, soul, and spirit. It makes a lot of difference in our conduct, whether we view our... [ Continue Reading ]
SIN MUST NOT RULE. Law has no answer for the POWER of sin. It is not _restraint,_ but _inspiration,_ which sets us free from sin. But the way Paul says this raises the problem of Romans 3:8; Romans 4:1 again. He uses the rest of this chapter to settle this question.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT, THEN? SHALL WE SIN? Since we are not ruled by commandments of law, but by the SENSE of what we owe God for his free gift of grace, are we then to make a habit of sin??? Since God set us free at the Cross, are we to make a habit of sin??? BY NO MEANS! This is Paul's inspired answer for all time... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHEN YOU SURRENDER YOURSELVES. If we make ourselves _slaves_ to sin, death is the wage we receive! But if through obedience we make ourselves _slaves_ to God, we will be put right with him and receive all his promises!... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THANKS BE TO GOD! Paul gives thanks to God that his readers have already made their choice - to obey God! THE TRUTHS FOUND IN THE TEACHING YOU RECEIVED. Paul points back to their baptism as a _point of obedience._ All the apostles taught the same truths (the Good News), so we find a parallel to... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU WERE SET FREE FROM SIN. When they died to sin and were baptized into union with Christ's death (Romans 6:3-4). AND BECAME THE SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. _"You do not belong to yourselves but to God; he bought you for a price"_ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).... [ Continue Reading ]
I USE ORDINARY WORDS. He apologizes for using the slave-master relationship of human society to teach them a spiritual truth, but their moral weakness (as seen in their past lives) makes it necessary. SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. This means to take God's work in Christ to set men free from sin as a _ser... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN YOU WERE SLAVES OF SIN. It is a reasonable thing to devote yourself to God in righteousness, because when you were a slave of sin, you gave no obedience to righteousness.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT DID YOU GAIN? Results show true value. They are now ashamed of their sinful acts. Sin brings death (eternal separation from God)!... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW. Because you have died to sin and are no longer its slave. YOUR GAIN. The result of A life dedicated to God is eternal life!... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SIN PAYS IT WAGE - DEATH. The slave of sin earns his own death. BUT GOD'S FREE GIFT. Man has no ability to earn eternal life. What he cannot do for himself, God offers as a free gift through Jesus Christ. All have the right to come, and to accept the water of life as a gift (Revelation 22:17).... [ Continue Reading ]