1. v1 - Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?
• It’s an interesting question and unfortunately it comes up all too often among Christians.
• The thought that we can continue in sin and bring about some heavenly benefit through earthly means.
SOMEONE ONCE SAID that if you ‘truly understand the message of grace in Romans, then this question will eventually come up.’
• Being the ‘gospel of Grace’ Romans has really blessed us!
• Whether we learn of how Augustine was changed, or Martin Luther, or John Wesley, or just me & you, Romans message of God’s wonderful & powerful & glorious grace is overwhelming.
• 5 times so far in Romans the word “GRACE” has been used…
• 1:5, 1:7, 3:24, 4:4, 4:16
• Romans is teaching us to relate to God by what He has done for us, NOT what we do for Him.
NOTE: We’ve learned of our liberty in Jesus apart is from the Law.
• 1:16-17 - The Righteousness of God revealed in the gospel
• First to the Jews and also for the Greek.
• Men are born into spiritual slavery. No one is born free.
• Every human being comes into this world a slave to sin.
• So we need to be set from sin and become a slave of Jesus.
• And that is the message of Romans, really it’s the message of God through the gospel! You can be free, forgiven, & right!
• It’s absolutely LIFE CHANGING & LIFE GIVING!
NOW Look back for a moment in CH5:18-21
We’ve seen that SIN & LAW & DEATH once reigned.
• Adam’s sin plunged the entire human race into a freefall of sin.
• Every human being became a sinner because of Adam! Thanks!
• But before we blame Adam, we need to realize that given the same circumstances, we would have made the same decision.
• But v20 really jumps out doesn’t it?
Romans 5:20 (NKJV) 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
NOTE: That’s a glorious truth…
• Yes, so sin abounded and was out of control.
• It was destructive and devastating to everyone it touched.
• BUT… GRACE ABOUNDED MUCH MORE.
• Jesus came & provided a way out, forgiveness, blood to save
• Now in Him, GRACE IS REIGNING and RULING & LOVING!
NOTE: Paul knows there will be THOSE people who will twist the grace of Jesus Christ around to their own destruction…
• The argument goes something like this:
• “Well, since sin when it abounds, is covered with God’s abounding grace, THEN we can go out now and do whatever we want and sin to our heart’s content.”
• “Thanks Paul for teaching us that it doesn’t really matter how we live since God’s grace is going to cover it anyway!”
Well… Paul opens up with Romans 6:1-2 dealing a final death blow to any of that kind of thinking in the Christian’s life!
I. (6:1-2) YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT LIFE NOW
1. (6:1-2) How can we continue to live in sin?
a. So even if the question comes up, what we’ve learned so far leads us to the strong, emphatic answer: CERTAINLY NOT!
b. By no Means (NIV), Of Course Not (NLT), God Forbid (KJV)
c. The Greek could be translated, “MEGA-NO!”
d. The grace of God is not & never will be God’s permission to live a life that is disobedient & rebellious.
e. Turn to 1 Peter 2:16 as he too handled a similar attitude.
(1 Peter 2:16-17) Using our freedom not for ourselves!
• Yes, you’re free in Christ… oh what wonderful freedom!
• BUT don’t use your freedom to stumble someone else or to enslave yourself! It’s not for a cloak!
1 Peter 2.16 (NLT) You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God’s slaves.
FREEDOM is not to be used for ourselves, but for others.
• It’s not to be used as an EXCUSE for our sin, but as an EXAMPLE.
SO ALTHOUGH we have this tremendous freedom in Jesus Christ.
• It’s not a freedom that we can use to sin, to hurt, or to harm.
• It’s not a freedom to rebel or resist…
• It’s a freedom we exercise to express our love and adoration of God through obedience and submission.
• Look at Titus 2:11
SO we’ve been saved from the penalty of sin: Justification.
• And now Paul will begin to teach us how are also saved from the Power of Sin: Sanctification.
Justification, remember is an act. It’s a judicial pronouncement that your sins and mine are forgiven and we are saved!
• Sanctification is a PROCESS of CHANGE whereby God is working in our lives making us more and more like Jesus Christ.
2. (2-5) Do you not know?
a. Mark the word “KNOW” in v3.
b. Notice right away that Paul doesn’t used the word FEEL.
APP: The truths that we’re about to learn have nothing to do with how you feel at the moment. They are concrete facts.
• Truth is truth, no matter how we wake up in the morning.
• Today, people, & even a few Christians make their feelings king.
• And what is real for people is what they are feeling at the moment.
• So you’ll hear, well if it feels good to you it must be right. NO!
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
• And so the idea of KNOWING SOMETHING to be true is used at least 4 times in this chapter.
• These are things we need to KNOW!
ONE MORE THING… we are engaged in a spiritual battle and most of the time it’s a battle for the mind!
• You can be sure that what you believe will always 100% determine your behavior.
• And so the value of Bible study and learning is that as you learn new truths, your life and behavior changes!
• That’s why wrong doctrine & false teaching destroys lives.
The truth is we have IDENTIFIED WITH CHRIST’S LIFE BY FAITH.
• You are one with Christ, in unity with Him.
• Look at v4-5, we have become united in the likeness of his death and also in the newness of his resurrection.
• Baptism simply means to be ‘immersed’ and by faith, you and I were immersed in the death & life of Jesus Christ.
• The Holy Spirit immersed us in Jesus and now the life of Jesus Christ is my life.
Colossians 3:1-4 (NKJV) 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Isn’t that wonderful! Maybe that’s the first time you’ve heard the truth that I’ve died and my life is New in Christ.
• The old Ed, the Old Gladys, the Old Henry… died with Jesus.
Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
• Did you hear that?
• It’s no longer I WHO LIVE but Christ who LIVES IN ME!
• I’m living with the power of Jesus in me.
• We’re not puppets doing what God wants us to do with no free will to cooperate or resist…
• I’m still living. I have a mind. I think, I decide.
• But God has placed a new mind, a new spirit, a new nature within me and we’re new people in Jesus Christ!
• Flip back to 2 Corinthians 5:14-17.
The LOVE OF Christ controls us, compels us!
• We are new creatures in Christ! Old things passed away!
LOOK BACK at Romans 6:4…
Romans 6.4 (NIV) We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Romans 6.4 (TLB) Your old sin-loving nature was buried with him by baptism when he died; and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought him back to life again, you were given his wonderful new life to enjoy.
These are the facts in your life as a Christian!
• You and I have a new life to live, right here, right now.
BUT PASTOR ED… I don’t feel like it.
• My husband doesn’t believe it. My mom doesn’t think its true.
• Listen… from my heart to yours…
• These things Paul is teaching us are true, no matter how we feel.
• Think of it this way. What is 2+2? 4!
• Is that true on a good day? YES? A bad day? YES.
• These facts that you are a new person in Jesus Christ never, ever, never change!
NOTE: I’m sorry that you’ve had a bad day, or week.
• That the circumstances of life have undermined your feelings and now it’s all you can do to avoid a bummed out day.
• But when it comes to this truth, it’s not dependent on how you are feeling or doing. It’s simply to be believed!
If this truth gets a grip on you, and I pray it does,
• It’s changes everything about you and me, especially how we identify ourselves…
• Our culture wants you to identify with your problem.
• They want you to say, “I’m A _____” and fill in the blank with your problem.
• That even if I’ve been clean, sober, and changed for 25 years in Jesus, the world still wants us to be tethered to our past!
• Always looking over our shoulder… watch out for the past!
• I’m a RECOVERING this and a RECOVERING that…
• But guys… we have a NEW IDENTITY in Jesus Christ, old things have passed away, all things have become new.
HIS LIFE IS IN ME AND IN YOU! I can have victory in Jesus and I have His power to keep me from any sin.
• Believe it without feeling it. Take these precious truths to heart and yield yourself to the very life of Jesus in you.
• If you’re struggling with sin right now, remember there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
• You are NEW & FRESH & FULL OF LIFE in Jesus Christ.
• Let’s close with Philippians 4:10-13
