ROM 6:1 -23 GRACE ABOUNDS IN CHRIST
LAST WEEK WE SAW THAT PAUL HAD TAKEN US THROUGH OUR ANCESTRY AND HAD SHOWN US ALL THAT WE WERE EITHER IN ADAM OR IN CHRIST THAT IN ADAM CAME SIN AND DEATH REIGN IN CHRIST GRACE AND ABUNDANT ETERNAL LIFE REIGN ... WE ALSO SAW THAT WHEN SIN INCREASES GODS GRACE INCREASES ALL THE MORE V20 ......
THIS GOT PEOPLE ASKING A SERIOUS QUESTION “DOES THAT MEAN THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH I SIN GODS GRACE IS GOING TO INCREASE TOWARDS ME?”
OF COURSE THIS WASNT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS CHARGE WAS PUT FORWARD TO PAUL 3:7 -8 SO PAUL BEGINS BY ANSWERING THIS CHARGE V1-2.
IN CHAPTER 6 HE UNPACKS THE WORK OF SANCTIFICATION (ONGOING WORK OF HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES BECOMING MORE LIKE JESUS ROM 15:16 ) FIRSTLY HE REFUTES THE ALLEGATIONS THAT GODS GRACE IS A LICENCE TO SIN V1- 2 HE THEN EXPLAINS THAT AS A RESULT OF GODS GRACE A BELIEVER IS DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE IN CHRIST – HE POINTS TO THEIR BAPTISM - THE DEATH OF CHRIST - AND HIS RESURECTION 3-5 AND INFERS WHEN CHRIST DIED - WE DIED - WHEN CHRIST ROSE WE ROSE ALL OF WHICH DESTROYS SINS CONTROL 6 -11 HE THEN LAYS DOWN THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS INWARD REALITY OF DYING TO SIN AND LIVING TO CHRIST AND ENCOURAGES US TO OFFER OURSELVES NO LONGER TO WICKEDNESS BUT TO GOD AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTOUSNESS V12 – 14 .
1. ABOUNDING GRACE IS NOT A LICENCE TO SIN V2
V1 “WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? SHALL WE GO ON SINNING, SO THAT GRACE MIGHT INCREASE?” LOOK AT HIS STRONG WORDS PAUL RELATES HERE V2 BY NO MEANS (GOD FORBID) PAUL RETORTS WITH A QUESTION OF HIS OWN V2 WE DIED TO SIN HOW CAN WE LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER?
WHEREVER JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH ALONE IS PROCLAIMED THIS CHARGE WILL BE FIRED AT YOU....IT WAS ONE I OFTEN HEARD IN THE OPEN AIR IN PARTICULAR BY MUSLIMS THEY COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND THE GRACE OF GOD - THEY ONLY EVER SAW IT AS A LICENCE TO IMMORAL LIVING RATHER THAN A LICENCE TO HOLY LIVING. AND SADLY MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE FAILED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE GRACE OF GOD – IT BECOMES A CHEAP GRACE WHICH THEYE USE AGAIN AND AGAIN TO JUSTIFY THEIR SINFUL ACTIONS AND IT IS ALL WRONG.... THEY MAY SAY THINGS LIKE “OH GODS IN THE BUISSNESS OF FORGIVENESS.” GODS LOVING HE WON’T JUDGE ME” “SIN AIN’T SO BAD, AFTER ALL EVERYBODY DOING IT TODAY.”
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER IN THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP, CHRISTIANITY TODAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1994, And P. 39 CHEAP GRACE IS THE GRACE WE BESTOW ON OURSELVES. CHEAP GRACE IS THE PREACHING OF FORGIVENESS WITHOUT REQUIRING REPENTANCE, BAPTISM WITHOUT CHURCH DISCIPLINE, COMMUNION WITHOUT CONFESSION. CHEAP GRACE IS GRACE WITHOUT DISCIPLESHIP, GRACE WITHOUT THE CROSS, GRACE WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST, LIVING AND INCARNATE. COSTLY GRACE...IS THE KINGLY RULE OF CHRIST, FOR WHOSE SAKE A MAN WILL PLUCK OUT THE EYE WHICH CAUSES HIM TO STUMBLE, IT IS THE CALL OF JESUS CHRIST AT WHICH THE DISCIPLE LEAVES HIS NETS AND FOLLOWS HIM.
WE MUST BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO USE GODS GRACE AS A CLOAK FOR OUR OWN SINS TO FLOURISH - OF COURSE WE ALL SIN - NO BODY IS PERFECT - YET SCRIPTURES STATE V2 WE DIED TO SIN HOW CAN WE LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER?
WATCHING A TRAPEZE SHOW IS BREATHTAKING. WE WONDER AT THE DEXTERITY AND TIMING. WE GASP AT NEAR-MISSES. IN MOST CASES, THERE IS A NET UNDERNEATH. WHEN THEY FALL, THEY JUMP UP AND BOUNCE BACK TO THE TRAPEZE. IN CHRIST, WE LIVE ON THE TRAPEZE. THE WHOLE WORLD SHOULD BE ABLE TO WATCH AND SAY, “LOOK HOW THEY LIVE, HOW THEY LOVE ONE ANOTHER. LOOK HOW WELL THE HUSBANDS TREAT THEIR WIVES. AND AREN’T THEY THE BEST WORKERS IN THE FACTORIES AND OFFICES, THE BEST NEIGHBORS, THE BEST STUDENTS?” THAT IS TO LIVE ON THE TRAPEZE, BEING A SHOW TO THE WORLD.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SLIP? THE NET IS SURELY THERE. THE BLOOD OF OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST, HAS PROVIDED FORGIVENESS FOR ALL OUR TRESPASSES. BOTH THE NET AND THE ABILITY TO STAY ON THE TRAPEZE ARE WORKS OF GOD’S GRACE. OF COURSE, BUT WE CANNOT BE CONTINUALLY SLEEPING ON THE NET. IF THAT IS THE CASE, I DOUBT WHETHER THAT PERSON IS A TRAPEZIST AT ALL. BIBLE.ORG
YOU SEE PAUL HAS STRONG WORDS: A PERSON WHO IS USING THE GRACE OF GOD AS A COVER TO HABITUALLY SINNING IS CONTRARY TO GODS WORD AND IS FAILING TO PUT SIN TO DEATH WILL BE CONDEMNED ROM.3:7-8. AND THERE CONDEMNATION IS DESERVED. THE EARLY CHURCH WAS RIDDLED WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD NOT DIED TO SIN AND THOUGHT THAT GODS GRACE WAS A LICENCE FOR THEM TO SIN.... JUDE: V3 - 4. READ WHOSE CONDEMNATION WAS WRITTEN ABOUT....
IN FACT PAUL STATES THAT GENUINE GRACE WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT IT WILL LEAD TO A LIFE OF GODLINESS TITUS 1:1 V13 OFFER YOU BODY AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTOUSNESS A HOLY LIFE IS WHAT CHRSTIANS ARE ALIVE TO . YOU WILL INDEED BE THE TRUE TRAPEZIST OF CHRIST.
2. ABOUNDING GRACE MEANS WE ARE DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE TO GOD 3- 11.
PAUL HAS ANSWERED THE ARGUMENT THAT GRACE ENCOURAGES SINFUL LIFESTYLES PAUL IS INFANTIC V2 WE ARE DEAD TO SIN (PAST) - HOW CAN WE LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER.(FUTURE) YOU CANT BE DEAD AND LIVE IN IT AT THE SAME TIME IT’ S NONSENSE... PAUL IS NOT SAYING THAT CHRISTIANS CANNOT SIN (OUR OWN EXPERIENCE) PAUL IS POINTING TO THE INCONGRUITY OF IT. (IT’S IN APPROPIATE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS ALIVE TO GOD.)
AFTER ALL THE BIBLE STATES ANYBODY IN CHRIST HE IS A NEW CREATION. THE OLD HASS PASSED AWAY AND EVERYTHING BECOMES NEW .. HE HAS BECOME A COMPLETLY DIFFERNT PERSON HE HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN. OF COURSE A CHRISTIAN STILL STRUGGLES WITH SIN, BUT WHAT PAUL IS GETTING OVER HERE TO US IS THAT WE ARE IN A COMPLETLY NEW POSITION TO WHAT WE WERE ... THAT WE HAVE DIED TO SIN AND ARE ALIVE TO GOD OUR NEW POSITION.
MISUNDERSTANDING : DEAD TO SIN : THIS PASSAGE DOES NOT MEAN THAT A CHRISTIAN IS NO LONGER RESPONSIVE TO TEMPTATION AS THOUGH HE IS CORPSE, AND ALL STIMULI IS DEAD, BECAUSE IF THAT WERE THE CASE HE WOULDNT CALL US IN V12 NOT LET SIN REIGN IN OUR BODIES V13 DO NOT OFFER YOUR BODIES TO SIN . 8:13 FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE YOU SHALL DIE. BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY YOU WILL LIVE IF OUR FALLEN NATURE WAS DEAD IN THAT SENSE THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR PAUL TO WRITE THESE EXHORTATIONS TO DEAL WITH SIN. IF YOU HOLD THIS VIEW.....A GREAT DANGER:
• BECASUE MANY CHRISTIANS CAN FALL INTO A SENSE OF FAILURE - DISALLUSIONMENT WITH THEIR CHRISTIAN WALK BECAUSE WE NO IN OUR HEARTS - WE ARE NOT UN RESPONSIVE TO SIN OFTEN RESPONSIVE AND WE FALL INTO SIN.... AND SO WE ARE TORN BETWEEN WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS AND WHAT WE EXPERIENCE AND CAN CAUSE US TO DOUBT GODS WORD OR RESORT TO DISHONESTY IN REGARD TO OUR EXPERIENCE.
SO IN WHAT SENSE ARE WE DEAD TO SIN? WELL ITS IN CONNECTION TO OUR UNION WITH CHRIST WHICH GOES RIGHT BACK EVEN BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD EPH 1:4 HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD
IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
WHEN AND HOW DID WE DIE? - BELIEVERS ARE UNITED WITH CHRIST IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION THERE IS A UNION V5 THE CROSS IS NOT ONLY A PLACE WHERE WE ARE FORGIVEN BUT IT IS A PLACE WHERE WE UNDERGO OUR OWN DEATH V6 UPON THAT CROSS OUR OLD SELF WAS CRUCIFIED - TO OUR OLD MASTER OF SIN V7, AND A RESURRECTION TO A NEW LIFE TO SERVE OUR NEW MASTER GOD. IT IS IN THIS SENSE V11 WE ARE TO COUNT OURSELVES DEAD TO SIN BUT ALSO ALIVE IN CHRIST. – V8 – 11
SO SIN HAS NO LONGER ANY AUTHORITY OVER US BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER OUR MASTER, WE NO LONGER NEED TO SUBMIT TO IT, BECAUSE WE ARE IN CHRIST WE ARE TO COUNT OURSESLVES DEAD TO SIN V11 AS A RESULT OF OUR UNION TO CHRIST. WHEN CHRIST DIED AT THE CROSS GOD RECKONS TO OUR ACCOUNT THAT WE DIED ALSO AND WHEN CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD GOD RECKONS TO OUR ACCOUNT THAT WE ROSE FROM THE DEAD ALSO . V11 IN THE SAME WAY COUNT YOURSELVES DEAD TO SIN BUT ALIVE TO GOD IN CHRIST JESUS EPH 2:5 GOD MADE US ALIVE IN CHRIST WHEN WE DEAD IN OUR TRANSGRESSIONS.
AND OUR BAPTISIM IS A PICTURE V3 -4 THE OUTWARD SIGN OF THIS INWARD REALITY - WE ARE IDENTIFYING OURSELVES WITH THE DEATH AND BURIEL AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. AND AS WE GO UNDER THE WATER WE ARE SYMBOLICALLY DYING TO OUR OLD SELF AS WE GO UNDER THE WATER WE ARE BEING BURIED - AND AS WE COME UP OUT OF THE WATER WE ARE BEING RESURRECTED THIS IS A VISIBLE PICTURE OF A SPIRITUAL REALITY OF US BEING UNITED WITH CHRIST IN HIS DEATH BURIEL AND RESURRECTION.
STORY TIME THE TWO MASTERS
THERE WAS ONCE A SLAVE WHO WAS KEPT IN A CASTLE BY A HARD TASK MASTER - WHO MADE HIS SLAVE LIFE A MISERY - OCCASSIONALLY THE SLAVE TRIED TO ESCAPE AS HIS LIFE WAS ONE OF UNCEASING MISERY HE WOULD MAKE A ROPE OUT OF OLD SHEETS AND SCALE DOWN THE CASTLE YET EACH ATTEMPT FAILED THE MASTER WOULD CATCH HIM , HE COULDNT FREE HIMSELF, NO MATTER HOW HAD HE TRIED . THE TYRANT OF A MASTER MADE HIS LIFE A LIVING HELL...
ONE DAY A KING WHO LIVED NEARBY HEARD ABOUT HIS PLIGHT AND OUT OF LOVE SET ABOUT TO RESCUE THIS SLAVE, TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT THE KING HAD THE SLAVE CRUCIFIED . THE SLAVES MASTER CAME LOOKING FOR HIM AND FOUND HIM DEAD - HE WAS FURIOUS AS HE COULD NO LONGER MAKE THE DEMANDS HE ONCE DID THE SLAVE WAS DEAD - THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THEY ONCE HAD AS MASTER –SLAVE WAS OVER FOR EVER.
WHEN THE SLAVES BODY WAS BURIED THE KING RAISED HIM UP FROM THE DEAD AND TOOK HIM INTO HIS OWN PALACE AND TREATED HIM LIKE ONE OF HIS OWN. THE SLAVE WAS FILLED WITH THANKFULNESS AND JOY AND SERVED THE KING WITH ALL HIS HEART. HIS OLD RELATIONSHIP WAS OVER IT HAD ENDED AT HIS DEATH.THE SLAVE NOW SERVES A NEW MASTER WHOSE GIVEN HIM A NEW LIFE, THERE WAS ONLY ONE THING HE COULD NOW DO SERVE THE KING! HE WAS DEAD TO HIS OLD MASTER (SIN) AND ALIVE TO HIS NEW KING (GOD). ADAPTED FROM ‘THE GOSPEL AS T REALLY IS. STUART OLYOTT P76, 77.
THATS WHAT GODS ABOUNDING GRACE HAS DONE FOR US IN CHRIST WE ARE DEAD TO THE OLD MASTER OF SIN AND ALIVE TO THE NEW MASTER GOD FOR IN CHRIST HE HAS RESCUED US FROM THE TYRANT OF SIN.
3. ABOUNDING GRACE MEANS SAY NO TO SIN, AND OFFER US TO GOD. V12 -14.
AS A CONSEQUENCE OF ALL THIS PAUL TELLS US ‘THEREFORE’ DO NOT LET SIGN REIGN IN YOUR LIFE, DO NOT OFFER YOURSELF TO WICKEDNESS (DO BATTLE WITH IT) LET GOD REIGN AND OFFER YOURSELF AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT GENUINELY REFLECTS WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE RISEN FOR HIS GLORY AND PRAISE...LIVE IT!.
LETS GO BACK TO OUR STORY CONTINUED.....REMEBER THE SLAVE WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN IS NOW SPENDING HIS DAYS SERVING THE KING WHO SAVD HIM FROM THE OLD MASTER’S POWER. ONE DAY WHILE DOINF AN ERRAND, HE MEETS HIS OLD MASTER! THE OLD MASTER TRIES TO INSTIL TERROR INTO HIM, AND GIVES HIM COMMANDS, JUST LIKE HE USD TO DO. HE EVEN THREATENS TO BEAT HIM IF HE DISOBEY’S . WHAT IS THE SLAVE TO DO?
FIRST OF ALL HE MUST CALL SOMETHING TO MIND, AND MUST REMIND HIMSELF THAT IT IS TRUE. THAT IS OLD MASTER HAS NO AUTHORITY TO COMMAND HIM, NO RIGHTS OVER HIM, NO POWER TO MAKE HIM DO WHAT HE SAYS. SINS IS NO LONGER HIS MASTER, DESPITE THE CLAIMS THAT HE MAKES. THE SLAVE HAS ONLY ONE LEGITAMATE MASTER - HIS NEW ONE. TO EACH COMMAND HE MUST SAY NO! YOU HAVE NO CLAIM OVER ME AT ALL YOU ARE USURPER. YOU ARE COMMANDING ME TO DO THINGS I NO LONGER BOUND TO DO. YOU HAVE NO HOLD OVER ME WHATEVER. I WILL NOT GIVE IN. IWILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU. I REFUSE! ADAPTED THE GOSPEL AS T REALLY IS STUART OLYOTT P79
THIS TEACHING IS VERY PRACTICAL V12 -14:
IN A TWOFOLD MANNER 1) LOOK IF I FIND THAT SOMETHING THAT I AM DOING IS CASUING ME TO SIN. I MUST CUT IT OUT ITS CALLED MORTIFICATION LITERALLY MEANS “PUTTING THE FLESH TO DEATH.”
IF THE TV IS CAUSING ME TO SIN – MORTIFY IT - PUT IT TO DEATH. IF ALCHOL IS CAUSING ME TO SIN – MORIFY IT PUT IT TO DEATH. IF A RELATIONSHIP I AM IN IS CAUSING ME TO SIN - THEN MORITFY IT PUT IT TO DEATH. IF PEOPLE I’M AROUND ARE CAUSING ME TO SIN - THEN MORITFY IT! SAY NO PUT IT TO DEATH.
AFTER ALL YOU ARE DEAD TO IT HOW YOU CAN LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER?
FOR EVERY SIN THAT REVEALS IT UGLY HEAD IN OUR LIVES THEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MORTIFY IT, TO PUT IT TO DEATH, TO SAY NO, BECAUSE SIN NO LONGER HAS ANY JURISTRICTION OVER YOU ANY MORE ......WE HAVE A NEW MASTER IN SO DOING WE WILL BEGIN TO GROW IN OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH AND WILL MOVE INTO VICTORY OF LIFE......
VIDEO SLOT.. PUTTING TO DEATH THE SINFUL NATURE.
2) BUT MORE THAN THIS WE NEED ALSO TO BE PRO - ACTIVE NOT ONLY REFUSING THE OLD MASTER BUT SERVING THE NEW ONE OFFERING OURSELVES - OUR DAILY PRAYER MUST BE “HERE I AM LORD WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO TODAY FOR YOU?” AS ONE WHO IS INDEED IS ALIVE TO GOD WALKING IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD GAL 5:16 . WILL ENABLE US NOT TO GRAIFY THE DESIRES OF THE SINFUL NATURE.
AS WE OFFER OURSELVES TO GOD - WE ARE GOING TO BE KEEPING OURSELVES IN JOYFUL SERVICE TO GOD AND THIS IS WHERE THE BLESSING ARE ...YET WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES DISTANCING OURSELVES FROM SERVING GOD WE ARE PUTTING OURSELVES IN GREATER RISK OF COMING UNDER ATTACK AND FALLING INTO THE OLD WAYS..
WRAPPING IT UP
SO WE HAVE SEEN THAT GRACE ABOUNDING IS NOT A LICENCE TO SIN BUT INFACT JUST THE OPPOSITE A LICENCE TO HOLY LIVING - AN OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER OURSELVES TO GOD. ABOUNDING GRACE MEANS WE ARE ACTUALLY DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE TO GOD IN CHRIST WHICH HAS DEALT A FATAL BLOW TO THE OLD LIFE (ITS DEAD ). THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST AS IDENTIFIED IN OUR BAPTISM IT WAS CRUCIFIED, WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUT IT TO DEATH WHENEVER IT REVEALS ITS UGLY HEAD BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW RISEN LIFE IN CHRIST. WE CAN SERVE HIM IN FREEDOM.
FOR THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS ROM 8:1.
