Romans 6

Friday, 24 May 2013

And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:13

Through the law is the knowledge of sin. We have been freed from the power of the law, thus from the penalty that it contains. We have moved from the death of Adam, to life in Christ. Because this is already realized in us, Paul introduces a contrast of what to not do and what we are to do –

1) “Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin.” Our members are the parts of our body. Let our hands be free from theft; let our tongues be free from profanity; let our hearts be free from evil intent; etc. Jesus’ work was that of righteousness and holiness. Because we have moved to Him, how can we think to commit wickedness when it is completely contrary to our new nature?

2) “But” – on the other hand, “present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead.” Sin brings about death. Because we have moved from death to life, we are asked to present ourselves in a manner comparable to our new state – “as being alive from the dead.”

A good example of this would be the state of marriage. When we are single we are free to date others. But when we get married we are to move from a single mindset to that of a married person. We can choose to ignore this, but it would be contrary to the state we are now in. This would lead to confusion in how we act and conduct ourselves. Likewise, now that we are in Christ, we are to act as if we are in Christ and use our “members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

Ephesians 4:25-32 gives us clear insight into the things we can do to fulfill this new state in which we live –

“Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

These are things that we willingly chose to do or to disobey. As Adam Clarke rightly states, “Satan cannot force the will, and God will not.”

Life application: Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Lord God, I am so thankful to You for the life You have given. I have family, friends, and food to build me up and sustain me. You’ve blessed me in ways that I don’t even know. Were I to search out all the good You’ve done for me, I know that the ages would come and go and I wouldn’t exhaust the list. Thank You Lord, thank You for Your care of me in this life. Amen.

Thursday, 23 May 2013

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Romans 6:12

“Therefore” is given to sum up everything Paul has said from 6:1 – 6:11. Because of everything which has been evaluated, “do not let sin reign in your mortal body.” If sin weren’t possible, this statement couldn’t even be made, thus it was noted in 6:7 that Paul has been speaking about sin’s, penalty, power, and presence. The penalty of sin has been completely death with. The power of sin is an on-going process which requires action on our part (as is noted now). And the presence of sin will be completely removed when we are glorified.

We can only go in one direction at a time, north or south for example. The same is true concerning our sinful nature. We can either please it and head towards the direction of having sin reign in us, or we can crucify it and have it die in us. When admonishing us to not let it reign in us, Paul uses the term “mortal body.” The reason for this should be obvious – we are not glorified yet and we are not free from either sin’s ability to work in us, nor from sin to completely reign in us once again. Our physical, mortal bodies are weak and must be kept in constant readiness to engage in this battle or we will succumb.

And the way this occurs? It happens when we “obey its lusts.” The weakness of our flesh is prone to temptation. At times it is more so than at others. When we are tired, we are weak in one way. When we are given too much commendation from those around us, it weakens us in another. When we are hungry, we are weakened in another. This is the reason that we need to always be on guard and always prepared to engage in this struggle which wars in our members.

Life application: Joseph ran from Potiphar’s wife when she tried to seduce him. That’s still a good idea today. When sin entices, remember that its consequences can be immense. Don’t let sin reign in your body, but glorify the Lord through holiness and right living.

Lord Jesus, You know the war which goes on inside me. There are things that I shouldn’t do and yet I’m tempted to do them. There are things which can only bring me sadness and regret, and yet these are the things which tempt me the most. Give me the wisdom and the fortitude to overcome these desires and to keep my eyes, my thoughts, and my heart on You alone. Amen.

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:11

Paul’s use of “likewise” is to show that what has been presented is now what is expected. Let’s take a moment to go back and read 6:8 through 6:10 to understand our “likewise” and thus what is now anticipated for us –

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”

Because of this beautiful train of thought which reveals what occurred in Christ, and because it occurred in us when we received Him, then the instruction is to “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin.”

Here it is in a simple-to-follow format:

1) We died with Christ; (6:8)
2) Death no longer has dominion over Him; (6:9)
3) His death that He died was “to sin once for all”; (6:10)
4) Therefore, we died to sin; now let us reckon that it is so. (6:11)

This is the logical progression that Paul is showing us. The law, by which sin is known to be sin, is fulfilled in Christ. It was nailed to the tree in His body. Therefore, because the law has no power over us, we are free from the law and can now “live to God” just as Christ lives to God.

But more specifically, we are alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have moved from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ.” The move is complete and therefore we are no longer bound to the sin-nature.

The amazing beauty of what God has done in Christ is not to be underestimated. This plan which was conceived in the mind of God before the foundation of the world, is revealed in the Person of Jesus. Nothing is missed, nothing has been forgotten or overlooked. It is perfect in how it deals with our sin, both inherited and committed, and it is complete in and of itself. There is nothing we can add to it and there is nothing that can cause us to lose what transpires.

Life application: God has sent His Son into the world to accomplish for us the victory over sin that we need to be reconciled to Him. How could we add to what He has done? How could we presume that His work is somehow deficient or insufficient to either save us or keep us saved? Have faith that God is fully capable of accomplishing your salvation, from beginning to end.

Heavenly Father, Your word shows that You have done all that is necessary to bring about salvation for Your people through Your Son. I know that I can add nothing to this and so I receive His work, by faith. Strengthen me in my times of weakness and remind me that I stand justified, free, and forgiven of all my failings. Thank You for the full and unmerited pardon which came at such a high cost. Amen.

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Romans 6:10

Paul has been speaking throughout this chapter of our uniting with Christ and thus sin no longer has mastery over us. In 6:9, he stated, “…knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.” This then is the reason for his use of “for.” Because of this, “the death that He died, He died to sin once for all.”

If Christ died to sin, meaning for our sins (Paul is speaking of His death as a substitution for our sins because it is evident He was sinless) He died once for all. The clear intent of this is that sin is dead in us because of His work and therefore death is dead for us because “the wages of sin is death.” The power of death is vanquished.

Christ died “to sin once for all.” This is the state that we are now in when we receive His work, “but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” The use of “but” is intended now to show a contrast. “Yes, Jesus died to sin once for all, but…” Now that this has happened will He die for sin again? No, it is once for all. Therefore, He lives in a state where death can never enter again. And in this state, “He lives to God.” The obvious connection Paul is making is that as He died to sin for us and He is now living “to God” that we should likewise be living “to God.”

Paul’s thoughts are not random and disconnected. They are all being tied together to show us our state in Christ and therefore how we should conduct ourselves in Christ. The next verse will explicitly state this. Each step of Paul’s thoughts progresses toward an ultimate goal which is to teach us of the work of Christ and how it then relates to the believer in Christ.

Life application: Christ died to sin for all, therefore we are dead to sin. Why would we want to reenter the life of sin that we have died to? And now Christ lives to God; let us endeavor to emulate our Lord and live to God as well. Let our lives be holy, honorable, and acceptable to God through our Lord Jesus.

Lord, grant me calm in the storms which blow around me, contentment in the times of lack, sharing in the times of abundance, joy in Your presence, and wisdom from Your word. Give me patience through life’s trials, wonderment at Your creation, and acceptance of Your sovereign decisions. O Lord, allow my life to be one which brings You glory and in whom You delight. Amen.

Monday, 20 May 2013

…knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. Romans 6:9

“Knowing that” is used here as an indication of absolute surety based on the words of 6:8 –

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him…”

Christ, in fact, did die in His human body. Our faith in this causes us to die with Him to sin. When we die in this way, the power of sin dies with us. But the event doesn’t stop there. “Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.” Yes, He died, but He died for sins not in sin. Because He was sinless, death could not hold Him. In fact, Peter explained to the people of Israel that it was impossible for the grave to hold Him –

“…whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Acts 2:24

Our faith in His work causes us to die with Him. Because He is sinless, He resurrected. Because we died to sin with Him, we have become sinless in Him. In other words, sin no longer has power over us because the power of sin has been nullified. Christ dies no more and “death no longer has dominion over Him.” Because we are “in Christ” this is our state as well. Death no longer has dominion over us. When Christ returns we shall be resurrected. This is as sure as the resurrection of Christ Himself. It is a 100% guarantee and it is the hope of all the faithful.

Life application: Because we have died to sin in Christ, let us endeavor to live apart from sin in Christ.

Lord God, to know You and to think on Your majesty is my highest joy. Your hands which set the galaxies in place also fashioned man. Your power which ignites the stars with heat also breathed the spark of life into us. And your wisdom which brings about the seasons of life also endowed us with the ability to contemplate You. Help me to use this life of mine for Your glory. Amen.