These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
Romans 6:1-11
- Final section:
- The book of Romans in broken up into THREE sections:
- The Doctrine of GRACE – Romans 1-8
- The Example of GRACE – Romans 9-11
- Living by GRACE – Romans 12-16
- In the FIRST section [Doctrine of Grace] we have already seen that:
- 1st – All have sinned – Chapters 1-3
- Having established God is NOT partial – He will JUDGE everyone [Jew and Gentile]
- It does NOT matter what LABEL we give to ourselves [what religion]
- And the ONLY purpose of the LAW is to establish that we are SINNERS – Romans 3:20
- 2nd – Saved by faith alone – Chapters 4-5
- Therefore the ONLY way to be JUSTIFIED is by FAITH…
- We must put our TRUST in the one who DIED to pay for our SINS…
- Whose GRACE is more than enough to forgive EVERY sin – EVERY time – Romans 5:20
- 3rd – Victory over sin – Chapters 6-8
- Now as Paul concludes this FIRST section about the Doctrine of GRACE…
- He is going to who us THREE things as it pertains to SIN in our lives as believers:
- FIRST – we should NOT continue to live in SIN – Romans 6
- SECOND – even as believers we still struggle with SIN – Romans 7
- THIRD – the only way to have VICTORY over SIN is by walking in the SPIRIT – Romans 8
- 1st – The Choice… vs. 1-2
- 1st – Abundant Grace… vs. 1
- The Question…
- What shall we say then?
- Paul opens up by asking the question – what shall [future] we say [about sin]
- In light of the truth that where sin abounds – grace is MORE abundant – Romans 5:20
- Meaning ALL our sins – every one – is covered by the GRACE of God…
- And there NO sin God cannot forgive – GRACE can overcome them all…
- Therefore what should we do about SIN once we are saved?
- If I were to ask – how many of us here still struggle with sin…
- Not a single hand would be left down – even though we believe in Jesus…
- All of us still struggle daily with sin in our lives!
- Abiding in sin…
- Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
- Therefore – should we [future] CONTINUE in the [τῇ] SIN [singular]
- This is NOT talking about a particular SIN – but continuing to live in our SINFUL nature…
- CONTINUE [ἐπιμένω] – from the root word for ABIDE [μένω]
- Should we CLING to [abide in] our SINFUL nature – so that GRACE might ABOUND!
- Since our salvation is NOT based on our works…
- Because NO matter how much we sin – GRACE covers our sin…
- Why not go ahead and SIN a LOT since it is covered by GRACE…
- We are NOT talking about making mistakes – the occasional slip up…
- But ABIDING [ἐπιμένω] in our SINFUL nature – being defined by our FLAWS!
- 2nd – God forbid… vs. 2
- Dead to Sin…
- Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
- Paul hoped [optative] this would NEVER be the way we live…
- Because whoever [ὅστις] has DIED [aorist] to [τῇ] SIN [singular] nature…
- How could they [future] continue to live in SIN!
- I John 3:9 – “Whoever has been born of God does not [continue in] sin for [Jesus abides] in him!”
- There is a BINARY option [two possibilities] when it comes to what we ABIDE in…
- We are either going to ABIDE in the SIN nature – or we are going to ABIDE in Christ…
- The way we can tell where we are ABIDING by our FRUIT [works]!
- Galatians 5:19 – “Now the works of the flesh are evident.”
- If we ABIDE in the SIN nature – we will be DEFINED by the works of our FLESH…
- But if we ABIDE in Jesus – we will be DEFINED by the FRUIT of the Spirit…
- If we are wondering where we STAND – we should EXAMINE ourselves – II Corinthians 13:5
- Kingdom of Heaven…
- Galatians 5:21 – “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!”
- Why is it important to EXAMINE our lives – see what we are ABIDING in…
- Because those who PRACTICE [present] the works of the FLESH [sin nature]
- They will NOT inherit the Kingdom of Heaven [not saved]!
- If we are living CONTINUALLY [present] – a life defined by the FLESH [sinful nature]
- Then we are NOT abiding [present] CONTINUALLY in the SPIRIT…
- And the RESULT means we will NOT make it to heaven [Kingdom of God]
- Danger of Sin…
- Hebrews 3:13 – “Exhort one another daily while it is called today lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
- Sin is NOT what will keep us out of HEAVEN…
- Because Jesus DIED on the cross to pay the price for all of our SIN – I Peter 1:19
- But living [abiding] in the SIN is very DANGEROUS because it can HARDEN our hearts!
- God sent Moses to warn Pharoah that he needed to let Israel go…
- At FRIST Pharoah HARDENED [כָּבַד] his heart – Exodus 8:15
- But there came a point the Lord HARDENED [חָזַק] his heart – Exodus 9:12
- HARDENED [חָזַק] – to set in place – the Lord confirmed the choice of Pharoah!
- Genesis 6:3 – “The LORD said My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.”
- When we SIN – the HOLY Spirit comes and CONVICTS us – John 16:8
- Then we have a CHOICE – do we choice to ABIDE in that SIN – or REPENT…
- If we REPENT – then the SIN is forgiven and we CLEAN – I John 1:9
- But if we REFUSE – and instead ABIDE in our SIN – we start to HARDEN…
- The danger is we can end up getting so HARD – we prefer our SIN over God…
- We can end up REJECTING our salvation – because we LOVE our SIN!
- John 3:20 – “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light.”
- 1st – Abundant Grace… vs. 1
- 2nd – What we Know… vs. 3-11
- 1st – Baptized… vs. 3-5
- What we KNOW… vs. 3
- Do you not know!
- In light of the CHOICE that we have of WHO we ABIDE in [sin or Christ]
- Paul gives us THREE things we should KNOW…
- THREE things will help keep us from living in SIN!
- Death to life… vs. 3-4
- As many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
- Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death.
- That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.
- Even so we also should walk in newness of life!
- FIRST – we should KNOW [ἀγνοέω] our OLD man is dead…
- Paul uses the picture of BAPTISM asking – do you NOT [ἀ] KNOW [νοέω]
- Whosoever [ὅσος] was BAPTIZED [passive] into Jesus – was BAPTIZED into His DEATH…
- Our old SINFUL nature was BURRED with Him [συνθάπτω] – Colossians 2:12
- Then even as Christ was raised up [resurrected] from the DEAD by the GLORY of the Father…
- So also we should [subjunctive] walk in a NEW life!
- We are commanded as believers to be WATER baptized – Acts 2:38
- Water baptism does NOT save us [the thief on the cross] – Luke 23:43
- It is the outward confession of what takes place within us when we believe in Jesus!
- Water baptism shows the change that occurred INSIDE when we believed…
- We were BURIED with Jesus [taken under the water]
- Our old man [sinful nature] was crucified and buried with Christ….
- We were then raised up with Jesus [taken out of the water]
- We were raised from the DEAD – NO longer the SINFUL person we once were…
- We were given NEW life – freed from our SIN nature – free to live for God!
- II Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation – old things have passed away behold all things have become new.”
- Planted… vs. 5
- For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death.
- Certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection!
- SINCE [indicative] we were PLANTED together with Christ [only here in NT]
- We were buried with Jesus in the likeness [ὁμοίωμα] of His DEATH…
- BUT [ἀλλά] that DEATH was not the END – it was the beginning…
- Because we will also certainly [indicative] be RESURRECTED with Christ!
- The image of being planted is intentional…
- We do NOT put a seed in the ground – and expect to get seeds as a result…
- We PLANT the seed – and expect something NEW to come out!
- God did NOT crucify our SIN nature – just so that we could KEEP living in it…
- We were NOT resurrected to NEW life – just to keep living the OLD one…
- God desires that our NEW Life should be DIFFERENT – our lives CHANGED!
- Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed [μεταμορφόω].”
- 2nd – Freed from sin… vs. 6-8
- Crucified… vs. 6
- Knowing this – that our old man was crucified with Him.
- SECOND – we KNOW that we are set FREE…
- We KNOW [γινώσκω] our OLD man was CRUCIFIED [passive] with Christ…
- Setting up the CONTRAST between who we WERE [old] and who we ARE [new]
- When we put our FAITH in the Lord – when put our OLD man to death…
- We are to see our OLD man as CRUCIFIED [passive] with Christ – we DIED – Luke 9:23
- But the DEATH is NOT was we focus on – it is how we now LIVE…
- The life we now LIVE is NOT ours – but Christ who LIVES in us…
- Our life on this earth [in the flesh] – we LIVE by FAITH in the Son of God!
- Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ – it is no longer I who live – but Christ lives in me. The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.”
- If I give you my address and ask you to come over to my HOUSE…
- But when you show up and ask for DAVID – you are told he NO longer lives here…
- The HOUSE is the same – but the person who lives inside has CHANGED!
- We are NOT the same person we were before we came to Christ…
- People come knocking on our door – and get an alarming response…
- David NO longer lives here – this is the residence of Jesus…
- WHY – because he has been given a NEW life through the work of the CROSS!
- Set free… vs. 6-7
- That the body of sin might be done away with – that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
- For he who has died has been freed from sin!
- Why did we CRUCIFY our OLD man – to set us FREE from him…
- That we might be [subjuntive] SET free [καταργέω] from the BODY of SIN…
- While we were still alive – SIN had DOMINION over us…
- Because before we had faith in Jesus – we were slaves [δουλεύω] to sin…
- But because we DIED – we have been set FREE from our [τῇ] SIN [singular] nature…
- Set FREE [δικαιόω] – we have been [perfect] JUSTIFIED!
- There was a Etruscan punishment called the CORPSE penalty…
- A criminal was tied to a DEAD rotting – decaying body…
- They were to carry it until it inevitably lead to their death!
- Before we came to Jesus we were SALVES [tied] to our SIN…
- We were tied to our ROTTING nature – that would inevitably lead to our DEATH – James 1:15
- But when we accepted Jesus Christ – we were set FREE…
- That ROTTEN sinful nature was taken away – we NO longer have to carry it…
- The SINFUL desires of our heart were crucified – so we were FREE to live for the Lord…
- Grace is NOT the freedom to SIN – it is FREEDOM from SIN…
- We are NO longer bound to SIN – we are free to live for the Lord!
- Heaven… vs. 8
- Now if we died with Christ we believe that we shall also live with Him!
- And since [indicative] we [our old man] has died with Christ…
- We also have FAITH [πιστεύω] we will [future] LIVE with Him…
- How do we KNOW that we will ONE day be with Jesus in Heaven…
- Being set FREE from our SIN nature – is the PROOF that gives us FAITH – Hebrews 11:1
- If we raise our hand – confess our sin – and believe in Jesus…
- Only to find that NOTHING in our lives has changed – we are the same OLD sinner…
- Then we would have good reason to DOUBT the message of the Gospel…
- But because we have CHANGED – our OLD man is gone…
- Because we are NEW creations – it gives us the confidence we will one day be with Jesus!
- 3rd – Living for Jesus… vs. 9-11
- No more power… vs. 9-10
- 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!
- THIRD – we KNOW [εἴδω] death has NO power over us…
- We SEE [participle] that because Jesus was RAISED [participle] from the dead…
- He will never DIE again [indicative] – DEATH has NO lordship [κυριεύω] over Him…
- Jesus died ONCE to defeat the [τῇ] SIN [singular] nature…
- But in His NEW life He is FREE to LIVE [present] for God!
- John 12:24-25 – “I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone. But if it dies it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it – and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
- The greatest tree in the world is the RED wood – grows to be HUNDRED meters tall…
- But it starts out as a LITTLE seed – that has to DIE and be planted!
- If we take a SEED and hold onto it – nothing happens…
- If we let it go and bury it – if it dies – then it becomes what God intended…
- Too often we cling onto our life – thinking we cannot afford to give it away to God…
- But ONLY when we are willing to let our life go – do we truly find life in Jesus…
- Then we will find the ultimate reward – an ABUNDANT life in Jesus!
- Dead to sin…
- Likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin.
- But alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord!
- Likewise – we must [imperative] continually [present] also COUNT ourselves [λογίζομαι]
- DEAD indeed to our OLD man – to [present] the [τῇ] SIN [singular] nature…
- But ALIVE unto God – in Christ Jesus our LORD [κύριος]!
- Just as an athlete does NOT happen by accident – and does NOT happen overnight…
- They have to get up early every day and practice – it takes years of training!
- Living for Jesus is a daily choice [present]
- We CHOSE to abide in Him – counting OLD man as dead…
- We CHOSE to live for Him – no longer a slave to our SIN…
- Not that we will be perfected in a day – we will be perfect the day we see Jesus!
- 1st – Baptized… vs. 3-5