Romans - The Letter, Chapter 6

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Lessons from Romans 6:

1. Grace and sin are connected but are not compatible.
2. The mechanics of salvation doesn’t allow sin to remain in charge.
3. We have been surgically separated from our sin nature – but it is still there.
4. We are free from sin so don’t live backwards – live forward.

Romans 6:1-7 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”

Grace:

• Grace is getting something we can’t earn.
• Grace is the forgiveness of the penalty of sin in place of the condemning sentence sin brings.
• Grace is living in a right relationship with God based on what Jesus did on the cross.

Power = Strength

Dominion = Authority baptism.

Romans 6:6-7 “6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”

A slave is:

1. Bound to his master until the death of his master
2. One whose will is swallowed up in the will of another
3. One who serves another to the disregard of his own interests

Romans 6:11-14 “11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

James 4:7  “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Romans 6:15-23 “15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Let’s finish what we started.

1. Grace and sin are connected but are not compatible. Grace is intended to free you from sin – not to dance with it. You will only experience limited power and joy in life if grace is just your safety net.

1. The mechanics of salvation doesn’t allow sin to remain in charge. Stop living like you are perpetually driving a clunker.

1. We have been surgically separated from our sin nature – but it is still present. So how are we to live? Submit to God – continually acknowledge the power of His grace that has freed you from the power of sin and offer yourself to Him and His Kingdom. Then resist the devil – don’t offer yourself to the enemy’s schemes and he will have to move on.

1. We are free from sin’s penalty so don’t live backwards – live forward. The backward life didn’t produce anything of value anyway. Leave it in the dust once and for all.