In death we live - (Revised)

Grace entered through One man, Jesus (5:15-19) - - - but we did not finish this section, so we need to go back and look at the previous passage and finish up there.

God’s grace

Consider (Rom5:20-21 again) now going from death in one to life, grace through One.

Romans 5:20–21 GNB

20 Law was introduced in order to increase wrongdoing; but where sin increased, God’s grace increased much more. 21 So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God’s grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through one act many became sinners (5:15)

Romans 5:15 NLT

15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.

Through another One’s act, made righteous (5:18)

Romans 5:18 NLT

18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.

Now, you need to consider 5:18, is there a requirement to have the right relationship with God?

By One, through the One, many were made righteous (5:19-21)

Romans 5:19–21 NLT

19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. 20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

By one brings condemnation (5:16-18); by One brings commendation (5:18, 3:24-25, 8:1)

Romans 5:16–18 NLT

16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.

Oh, let me bring in just a little more

Romans 8:1 NASB95

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

By one favor lost with God (5:15); by One God well pleased (5:16-18; Mt3:17, 17:5)

We have read 5:15-18 already but here is another well pleasing verse

Matthew 3:17 NASB95

17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

By one sin reigned (5:13-14); By One righteousness reigns (5:15-17, 21)

Gee, context, we just keep backing up to reinforce the context and content of the context about God’s abounding grace over sin

Romans 5:13–14 NLT

13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.

By one caused abundance of sin (5:20); by One a super abundance of grace (5:20-21)

Romans 5:20–21 NLT

20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Grace reigns through righteousness, the one righteous act of the One who gave it all for us! Jesus Christ.

Grace reigns through Jesus, There is a kingdom, and there is a king and that king is Jesus who is over the kingdom. A life of grace is all about Jesus and loving, serving others, it is not about you. A life of grace doesn’t look to self, it looks to Jesus and to serve as Jesus served. Grace doesn’t reign through self, but through Jesus.

Abounding sin or abounding grace?

It’s your choice now! What are you going to abound in?

We are all born in Adam

We choose to stay in Adam (sin) or to be reborn and live in the reign of grace. God’s abounding, grace is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ and hear and obey His call.

Choose today what are you going to abound in today? If it is Christ, be committed, get engaged and let’s impact the kingdom for Jesus.

One more pass at the scripture then will close out

Romans 5:14–15 NASB95

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

Romans 5:16–17 NASB95

16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:18–19 NASB95

18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:20–21 (NASB95)

20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The question before us as we start this morning, who reigns, sin/death or righteousness/Christ? How do you know?

So, with that in mind, Paul has told them, taught them that grace abounds more. He will pick up on that tonight, so here is the plan.

Purpose of the law - abounding sin? (5:20-6:2)

Death and rebirth (6:3-7)

Freed from sin (6:7)

Purpose of the law - abounding sin?

Who wants more grace? If grace abounds through increased sin, should we sin more?

Romans 5:20–21 NASB95

Romans 6:1–2 NASB95

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

What observations do you make?

What is the theme of this section?

Is this law, history, prophesy, poetry, promise?

Law, history

What was the purpose of the law (v.20)?

So that transgression (sin) would increase.

Sin reigned in what? What did grace reign through (v.21)?

Sin reigned in death

Grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life

Look at (v.1), is this a rhetorical question or a real question?

It is more rhetorical than literal. it is like “since you already know the answer”

Who is the we in (v.2) and what did they do?

The “we” is the Roman Christians, but it can be to anyone can’t it?

They died to sin

(Insert Toe Tag picture here)

Have you been to a cemetery lately? There is one thing you normally will not see at one, security guards. There is no point, no resident there is going to be doing anything illegal.

This is the position of a dead person, they cannot do anything anymore, they are dead, no longer have the ability to do anything.

As we look at our passages tonight you will see Paul use “dead” several times. He not only will deal with death, but with life too through baptism.

Law does not justify (5:20)

The law does not make us sinners (Adam did), but makes us aware of sin (our own).

Purpose of the law is that the offense (sin) might abound

Good works are good, but good works cannot save you, cannot justify you. We were helpless, but not hopeless under the law, but through grace that brought righteousness we have life through Christ’s works, not our own.

The reign of grace (5:20-21)

Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.

We may think where sin abounded that anger or judgment of God, wrath of God would abound, not grace.

Barclay said” If grace super-abounds over sin, then we know that it is impossible to out-sin the grace of God. We can’t sin more than God can forgive, but we can reject his grace and forgiveness.”

The reign of grace happens through the righteousness of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

Kuzik said” Many people have the idea that where grace reigns,there will be a disregard for righteousness and a casual attitude toward sin. But that isn’t the reign of grace at all. Paul wrote in another letter what grace teaches us: for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Tit2:11-12) Grace reigns through righteousness, and grace teaches righteousness.”

So, do you think more sin = more grace?

In the Greek it means “by no means”

Exampled in Rom3:5 “not at all; Rom3:6 “certainly not” and Rom6:2 “by no means”

We are dead to sin, that is our position, past action, singular, Aorist tense, completed action.

If our position is dead, how could we live in sin, you know in present, future tense repeated action.

How about a few simple questions

When did we die?

How did we die?

Where did we die?

Death by baptism

Remember, keep in mind, Paul is writing to Christians, to believers.

Romans 6:3–4 NASB95

3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:5–7 NASB95

5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

General observations?

Pay attention to the “tense” is this past, present or future tense?

Past tense, completed action (aorist tense, indicative)

What do you think the major point of this section is?

You are dead to sin!

When you were baptized what are you baptized into (v.3)?

Baptized into His death

Christ was raised so we could do what (v.4)?

Walk in the newness of life.

Likeness in His death and likeness in His what (v.5)?

In the likeness of His resurrection

According to (v.6) we are no longer slaves to? And why?

No longer slaves to sin, since our body of sin is done away with, the old self has been crucified

Why are you no longer slaves to sin (v.7)?

You died! and dead people are freed from sin

Paul is writing from baptism, not to baptism. Who died? All who are in Christ, who were baptized into Christ (Eis to onima ) which means into the possession of.

Paul is addressing to the Romans a fundemental thing they all should know, hence the verbiage he uses (v.3). There was not a question on if someone should be baptized or were baptized, they should, they would, there was no question about it.

F. F. Bruce states “From this and other references to baptism in Paul’s writings, it is plain that he did not regard baptism as an “optional extras” in the Christian life.”

Now, some read these verses and think that Paul is speaking metaphorically vs. figuratively about baptism. Now, scripture defines itself. Baptism is the place that we become united with Him, in death and in resurrection.

Drawing some conclusions from the passage:

Baptism was done to be joined/united with Christ

Baptism was not an option, it was a location, a place where the uniting happens

It was not questioned then, it was done by believers.

Some other good reminders:

It was believers who were baptized

The only baptism defined in the bible is “immersion”

Who was baptized? Those who had faith, placed faith in Christ Jesus so to have sins forgiven

Baptism is the place where the grace of God, gives the mercy of God to the child of God by faith a new life, being born again.

Don’t forget repentance, there are scriptures covering that too. Nor confession, confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior. Oh, one more, don’t forget we are called to be obedient unto death.

Without all of the above then the person is just getting wet.

(transition) - So, Paul had a great reminder to the believers, the faithful, the repentant, the obedient who had confessed Christ Jesus of the place of baptism regarding salvation. Now this leads to the result of baptism.

Freed from sin

Results, who loves good, great results? OK, maybe a rhetorical question. We all do. So let’s finish with the results of baptism.

Romans 6:7 NLT

7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

Some good questions on this (baptism):

Who died?

The believers who were baptized

Where did those who died, die?

They died when they were baptized into Christ Jesus

Why did they die?

They realized they are sinners because of the law and that Jesus fulfilled the law and made way for them to have the penalty, wages of sin (death) that Jesus took on the penalty for us, so we could be born again, having died to sin through baptism.

In death we are justified (past tense with future results)

In death we are declared righteous, and can become the righteousness of God.

In death we are united with Christ in likeness of His death and His resurrection.

In summary, what were you reminded tonight, what are you walking away with?

(Prayer) (exit)

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