Monday, June 26, 2017, 2:02 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Your Grace Divine.” Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. I read Romans 6 (ESV).
Died with Christ (vv. 1-11)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that
grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do
you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into
death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like
his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know
that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be
brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who
has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we
believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from
the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the
death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to
God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ
Jesus.
When we are baptized with
water, subsequent to our faith in Jesus Christ, it symbolizes our death with
Christ to sin and our resurrection with Christ to newness of life, “created to
be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). Yet, this death
with Christ to sin, and resurrection to newness of life, does not take place in
the waters of baptism, but in the heart of man. When we are baptized into
Christ and into his death, this is speaking, not of water baptism, but of the
baptism with the Spirit of God, which is done by Jesus Christ (Matt. 3:11). It
is a spiritual, not a physical baptism. And, it is an immersion (participation,
engagement) with Christ into his death to sin and into new life in the Spirit.
We die with Christ in death to sin, and we live with Christ to newness of life,
to be lived to Christ and to his righteousness.
Because Jesus Christ put sin
to death on the cross, and by faith in him, we, too, are able to die to sin.
And, because he was resurrected from the dead back to life, we, by the Spirit,
are able to live new lives in Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God. This is God’s grace to us. This is his
free gift to us, not just that he took our place on the cross, and thus he took
our punishment for sin so that we could go free from eternal damnation and have
the promise of eternal life with God.
God’s grace, which brings
salvation, is not just forgiveness of sins, and freedom from punishment (hell
for eternity), but it is death to sin; it is deliverance from slavery (bondage,
addiction) to sin, and it is freedom to now walk in his holiness and
righteousness in the power and working of God’s Spirit now living within us.
His grace instructs (commands) us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly
passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we await
Christ’s return (Tit. 2:11-14).
In this baptism (immersion,
participation) into Christ and into his death to sin, our old self (flesh
nature) was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought
to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. So, how is it that
so many preachers are telling people that believing in Jesus is nothing more
than an acknowledgment of him and of what he did in dying for our sins, and that
it is a mere acceptance of his forgiveness of our sins, but they do not teach
death to sin or living to righteousness, which was the very reason for which
Jesus died? (See: 1 Pet. 2:24).
If Jesus died that we might
die to sin and live to righteousness, then why are they telling people that God
requires nothing of us? – no repentance, no obedience, and no submission to
Christ or to his cross? Their false grace gospel is giving its adherents free
license to continue in willful sin against God, and that is wrong!
Slaves to Sin or Obedience (vv. 12-19)
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to
make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments
for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been
brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for
righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under
law but under grace.
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law
but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to
anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of
sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But
thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient
from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and,
having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am
speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you
once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to
more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness
leading to sanctification.
So, if we have truly believed
in Jesus Christ with God-given faith, and we have, thus, been crucified with
Christ in death to sin, and resurrected with him to newness of life, sin should
no longer reign (rule, govern) our lives. We should no longer obey the lusts of
our flesh, but we should now walk (in lifestyle) according to the Spirit of
God, and in the power and strength of God’s Spirit, whom we were given when we
trusted in Jesus Christ. Jesus delivered us out of slavery to sin, so we are no
longer under its power.
If we are still living as
though we are still enslaved to sin, we have to understand here that this leads
to death, not to eternal life with God. If we say we have fellowship with God,
but we still walk (in lifestyle) in darkness (sin), we are liars. If we still
walk according to our sinful flesh, we will die in our sins (See: 1 Jn. 1:5-9;
Ro. 8:1-14; Lu. 9:23-25). It is obedience which leads to righteousness. So, we
are now to become slaves to righteousness which leads to sanctification
(purification, holiness).
Set Free from Sin (vv. 20-23)
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in
regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the
things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But
now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the
fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages
of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
If we are still living as
though we are enslaved to (addicted to) sin, we are free from the control of
righteousness. We can’t serve two masters. So, if Jesus set us free from all
that, why continue in sin and sin addiction? Don’t you know that will lead to
death? If we continue to practice sin, and if we continue walking (living) in
sin and according to our flesh, we will die without Christ and without the hope
of eternal life (See: Lu. 9:23-25; Ro. 8:1-14; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph.
5:3-6).
So, don’t play around with
sin. For, if we truly have been saved of our sins, by God’s grace, via Jesus
Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, we should now be slaves to God/Christ, and to his
righteousness, and he should be our ONLY Lord (owner-master).
Your Grace Divine
An Original Work / November 6, 2011
All I have is Yours, Lord.
You gave all to me,
When You died at Calv’ry
On that cruel tree.
Crucified for my sins;
You paid what I owe,
So I’d be forgiven;
My God come to know.
All I have is Yours, Lord.
You gave all to me,
When You died at Calv’ry
On that cruel tree.
Lord, I am so thankful
For Your grace divine.
I invited You, Lord,
In this heart of mine.
I have been forgiven
For all of my sins,
So I’d live with Jesus;
His grace flow within.
Lord, I am so thankful
For Your grace divine.
I invited You, Lord,
In this heart of mine.
Growing in Your grace, Lord;
Live for You each day;
How I love to worship
You throughout my day.
Sitting at Your feet, Lord,
List’ning to You speak,
Leads me to love You, Lord,
More throughout the week.
Growing in Your grace, Lord;
Live for You each day;
How I love to worship
You throughout my day.
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