Romans 6:1-14
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.
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.
I would like to spend some time this week drawing your attention to the tremendous passage in the center of Romans calling us to live godly in Christ Jesus. I’m inspired, encouraged, and filled with hope every time I read it! I’m a sinner and need to be reminded of what Jesus has done and accomplished for me on the cross. In Christ, I am a new creation and have been joined with Jesus in His new life by the gracious new birth of God. Every person who truly believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of the world is in this same position. We need to be reminded of these truths and have them firmly fixed in our mind.
Every person that has been baptized by immersion following salvation has entered into the beautiful symbolism that this passage speaks of. By this baptism we are spiritually, symbolically, and physically joining with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. Since the time of Jesus, followers of Jesus have joined with Him in immersion baptism and have been blessed in their obedience.
We are powerfully reminded here that grace must never be abused as a license to increase sin. Through new spiritual life in Jesus, we have died to the old ways and enslavement of sin. In a mysterious, but real way, we have been joined with Jesus in His death to sin and raised with Him to walk in newness of life. In Jesus we’re not slightly improved, or turning over a new leaf, or entering into a new fad. In the salvation of Jesus, we are brought from death to life, from slavery to freedom, from the kingdom of darkness into the glorious Kingdom of God. We have been united with him in his death, and we will also be united in his resurrection.
The sins of the past have been forgiven in Jesus. Our sins were atoned for on the cross, and have been confessed by us unto Him who is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. We have now been set free from the enslaving power of sin and the final penalty of death. But we have not been pardoned to remain in a neutral state. We now partake in the resurrection life of Jesus. Because He lives, we also shall live! Sin does not have dominion over us. We have eternal life in Jesus! We will never die eternally, but pass from death unto life. In the life that we live, we live unto God. As Christians, we are followers of Jesus. We are disciples of Jesus, hearing His words, studying His ways, and obeying His commands to the full.
In this new life, we have not yet been made perfect. There is still corruption and sin in our lives; however, we are making progress to cast off sin and increase in the ways of Jesus. We must remember who we are and our standing in the Kingdom of God. We must consider ourselves dead to sin. We must know who we are in Jesus and live according to our new faith and godliness. We must resist temptation, flee sin, and not be overrun by evil. We must not present ourselves to evil and so give an open door to temptation. Do not enjoy the company of evil people. Do not long for evil things. Do not place yourself (present yourself) in evil, tempting, or compromising places. John Murray writes, “‘Sin shall not have dominion over you.’ (Romans 6:14b) This is not exhortation. It is categorical assurance and means that the person who is under grace is not and cannot be the bondservant of sin.”
Instead, let us daily present ourselves to God that we might be used of Him for good and for God’s glory. Literally, when you arise in the morning and your feet hit the floor, pray and commit yourself and your ways to God’s holy service. Pray that Jesus will fill you with His Spirit that you may be wise, godly, loving, and self-controlled. That you may be used of God as an instrument for righteousness and good in the day. There is greater and lesser faithfulness during the varied seasons of life, but there is no going back to spiritual death! There is no losing one’s place in God’s kingdom. Salvation came to us by grace and the working of God, and it is sustained in sanctification by the gracious work of the Holy Spirit in us. We are not passing back and forth between an old person and a new person. We have been made new and now we must recognize who we are, consider ourselves in this new light, and be intentional to live in new life.
We are not under law but under grace! Jesus did not destroy the law but fulfilled the law in His own perfect ministry. We are now the beneficiaries of grace!
Present yourself to God for righteousness today!
Pastor Vic