Understand Christianity

Introduction: The natural reaction to the good news of the Gospel is that it is too good to be true.  If God has bestowed His grace upon us without measure, what would keep us from taking advantage of it?  In fact God’s grace is so good that some think they can simply go on sinning because God will forgive it anyway.  Or at least God’s grace will cover my sinning.  Further than that, my sinning only produces more of God’s grace; so my sinning must be a good thing.  Paul’s response to such thinking is, “Certainly not!”  “God forbid!”  Paul then goes on to point out the irrationality of the argument.  He points out that we died to sin and uses the image of baptism to prove his point.  More on that in a moment.  In this next chapter we are not confronted with a new topic, but an extended explanation of the message just completed.  God’s grace is, in deed, greater than our sin.

Most often Romans 6-8 is spoken of as a development of the doctrine of sanctification.  In other words, since we are justified by faith and the abounding grace of God is far greater than my sin, how then should I live as God’s child?   

  I. We have a new beginning. (2-4)

1. Died with Christ – (Ao Ac In)

2. Buried with Christ – (Ao Pa In)

3. Raised with Christ – (Ao Pa In) 

This entire experience is expressed in Paul’s use of the image of baptism.  I have often mentioned that there is no water in Romans 6 when Paul speaks of baptism.  However, the image used in this passage is drawn from water baptism.  The water baptism that was practiced at this time was adult baptism and the mode was total immersion.  Please keep in mind that this is not a discussion of infant baptism versus adult baptism.  Nor is it a discussion about the mode of baptism with water.  Adult baptism versus infant baptism and whether one is to baptized by sprinkling, pouring, or being immersed face forward three time, or backwards one time are topics for another time.  Rather, what I am trying to do is to give some insight into the image that Paul uses to express the richness of our union with Christ.  Paul is using the picture of water baptism to teach us about the spiritual reality of our union with Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection.      

Baptism in the early Church was directly connected with one’s confession of faith.  These early Christians, you will remember, were converted directly from paganism.  So their baptism represented leaving an old life and entering a whole new life.  The image of total immersion in baptism beautifully pictures the spiritual reality of one dying on the cross with Christ, being buried with Christ when submerged below the water, and being raised with Christ when emerging from the water.  Thus, the pagan left his old life behind and entered a whole new life.   (Ill.)  Man baptized but made sure his wallet never went below the surface of the water.  

1. United with Christ in His resurrection  (Pf Ac In)

2. Crucified with Christ (Ao Pa In)

3. Freed in Christ (Pf Pa In)

4. Alive with Christ (Pr Ac Pt)

Since we have a new beginning, Paul then goes on to spell out in more detail what that new kind of life is like here in verses 5-10.  He says we have been united with Christ in His death; therefore, we will be united with Him in a resurrection like His.  Our old self was crucified with Him.

The old self, literally “the old man,” is the person as he was before he came to faith in Christ, and was still under sin (3:9).  In that condition he was powerless, ungodly, and an enemy of God.  This “old man” was crucified with Christ, and united with Him in His death.  The physical body was controlled by sin, but has now been set free from the power of sin.  In other words, you don’t have to sin.  You have been called to live according to the new life that is yours in Christ.  You have a new power.  Note the perfect passive indicative of “freed.”  Verses 8-11 basically state what has already been said in verses 5-7.  The sharing of the resurrection life begins at the moment of your regeneration, but continues on in the rest of his life.  Theologically, this is the life of sanctification.  

There is, however, one important addition in verse 10 that ought to be mentioned.  Christ died to sin ONCE.  This important detail is significant.  That one word serves to reject the doctrine of the perpetual sacrifice of Christ in the Roman mass.  Christ was sacrificed once, and once only.  He is NOT re-sacrificed many times each time the mass is observed.  This teaching does real violence to the finished work of Christ.

 III. We have a new set of commands. (11-14)

1. Consider yourself dead to sin. (Pr Mi Imp)

2. Yield yourself to God. (Pr Ac Imp) 

3. Obey God from the heart. (Pr Ac Imp)

4. Sin shall not be your master. (Ft Ac In) 

Consider yourself dead to sin.  Come to the logical conclusion that if you died with Christ, were buried with Christ, and were raised with Christ, then sin no longer has power over you, unless you yield to that temptation.  (Ill.) Man who was left $30,000,000, but continued to live like a beggar.   

Stop letting sin reign in your mortal body.  This implies that you are doing it.  STOP!   (Pr Ac Imp)  Also, stop presenting parts of your body to sin.  Rather, present yourself to God, as those who have been brought from death to life. (Ao Ac Imp) Do it once and for all!  Compare Romans 12:1  ESV  Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.