Two Ways to Live

Romans 6  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Why don't we want to get what we have earned? In every other realm but the spiritual one, the philosophy that says work hard and don't be ashamed to get what you have worked for is a principle we strive to live by; why is the spiritual realm different? Romans 6:23 shows us that we absolutely do not want to get what we earn.

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We have reached the end of one of my all-time favorite sections to preach: Romans 5 and 6. We did so much work to get to this point, and at times Romans 1 and 2 especially felt just brutal, as we were pounded over and over with who we truly are. Now, at the end of Romans 6, we get 21 of the most important words in the whole Bible. Words that summarize for us the whole of the argument that Paul has been making up to this point. Over and over again, he has been making a single point for us: there is really only two ways to live. You can live as a slave to God, and conform your life to His will, or you can live for literally anything else, and be a slave to sin. That’s it! Only two. Over and over again, we see this concept in the Bible:
Jesus says there are only two ways to build a house: either on the rock of Jesus, or on the shifting sand of literally anything else.
Jesus says there are only two gates: one is wide, and many will pass through it, all of whom have rejected Jesus as the way, and one is narrow, and only those who trust Him will come through it.
Jesus says you cannot serve two masters; you will serve one and despise the other.
Jesus says that whoever is not for Him is against Him.
You see friend? There is always only two ways to live. Today, we can see these two ways contrasted again, and that is how we break the sermon down today. I want us to examine what we have learned in Romans so far about these two ways to live, and then do some serious heart examining about which path we choose.

The first way: death

how did we get here? by being born we are all born in Adam and are therefore sinners Romans 5:12
Romans 5:12 ESV
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
We know there is a God and yet suppress the truth and rebel against Him Romans 1:19-23
Romans 1:19–23 ESV
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Not only do we know that there is a God, we have the law written on our hearts. Romans 2:15
Romans 2:15 ESV
They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
Against this backdrop, we can begin to see how horrific this way of life is.
- We are born into slavery to our master, sin. We are in a living death; a slavery to sin, with our will in bondage. Romans 6:20
Romans 6:20 ESV
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
This is true of every single person Romans 3:9
Romans 3:9 ESV
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
We were slaves to sin. We did precisely what we wanted to do:
suppress the truth Romans 1:18
Romans 1:18 ESV
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
sin, and approve the sins of others Romans 1:32
Romans 1:32 ESV
Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
And so we lived each rebellious day presuming on God’s riches Romans 2:4
Romans 2:4 ESV
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Under slavery, we were completely devoid of all righteousness Romans 3:10-12
Romans 3:10–12 ESV
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
- And so, we earned our wages. And what did we earn?
We store up wrath Romans 2:5
Romans 2:5 ESV
But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 2:12 ESV
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
3. What is the end result? Death.
Romans 6:21 ESV
But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
This is what we have earned. We have worked hard for that death. And it is a complete death in the end, if something doesn’t change
It is a physical death - Romans 5:12
Romans 5:12 ESV
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
It is a spiritual death Romans 5:16
Romans 5:16 (ESV)
For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation
Death exercises total mastery over us as slaves to sin Romans 5:21
Romans 5:21 (ESV)
so that, as sin reigned in death
And so, we stand at the head of our wage line, with our hands stuck out, waiting to get exactly what we deserve. And we will get it, if something doesn’t change.
Again: every one either is here, or was here. The beginning of the Gospel must be bad news. And this is it - The wages of sin is death. And all sin. So all get exactly what they have earned. Unless God intervenes.

The Second Way: Life

How do we get here? Grace! God, in His grace, has made a way for those who are slaves to sin and headed for death to be freed from sin and given eternal life!
Romans 3:23–24 ESV
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Grace. A “Free Gift,” Paul calls it. And it reverses all the death that being in Adam wrought:
Romans 5:18–19 (ESV)
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
Now, we can truly Know God, because we have peace with God. Romans 5:1
Romans 5:1 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This promise cannot come through law, or through adherence to the law
Romans 4:14 ESV
For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
So, in our new life, who is our new master? God!
By grace, we are freed from the slavery of sin, and made into slaves of God
Romans 6:22 ESV
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
As our new Master, God gives us new affections, new loves, and a new will.
We have died to sin! Romans 6:2
Romans 6:2 ESV
By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
We are freed as slaves to God to live lives of obedience! Romans 6:17
Romans 6:17 ESV
But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
- What are the new conditions? When we were under the slavery of sin, we got what we earned. We worked hard at sinning, and so we received our due wages: death. But how about now? What are the conditions of living under grace?
Slavery to God comes under different conditions. When we were slaves to God, we got exactly what we deserved - death. We were paid our wages. But now, as slaves to God through Christ and in Christ, we get something totally different: a free gift!
This has always been the way of salvation! Romans 4:4-5
Romans 4:4–5 ESV
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
This free gift was accomplished, and then given by Jesus!
Romans 5:16 ESV
And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.
It was the mean by which the wrath we deserved was turned aside. Romans 3:25
Romans 3:25 ESV
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
- What is the end? Eternal life!
Now! We have eternal life now! Not simply when we die. In fact, let me point us to a fascinating passage out of the Gospel of John. This is the only passage outside of the book of Romans I’ll be referencing today. Look with me at John 17:3
John 17:3 ESV
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Look carefully. What is eternal life? To know God, the only true God, and Jesus Christ who was sent by the Father! Did you catch this? This is Jesus, in the high priestly prayer, defining for us what eternal life is. There were any number of ways Jesus could have described eternal life for us.
He could have said this is eternal life: heaven, which you have prepared for them. But He didn’t.
He could have said this is eternal life: the new heavens, and the new earth, which are coming. But He didn’t.
He could have said this is eternal life: being with your saved family members forever. But He didn’t.
Instead, He said eternal life is knowing God, and knowing Christ! When we are saved, our knowledge changes. We “knew God,” but we refused to acknowledge or give thanks to Him. We “knew” His commands, but we found them burdensome. But then, we were rescued by grace, and given over to be in Christ. And now? We KNOW God. We have the power of the resurrection, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. We have constant access to come boldly before the throne of grace, not because of what we have done, but because of the finished work of Christ and His intercession for us! We have the righteousness of Christ, counted to us, and are free from the wrath of God.
And when does all that take place? Now! AND, we get more! We get heaven, we get the new heavens and the new earth. We get new bodies, and no sin. But all those things are added to Jesus’ definition of eternal life: to know God, and to know Christ!
And how did we earn this? Oh yeah: “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
And all that is required? Faith. Romans 1:16
Romans 1:16 ESV
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
And that is it. There are only two ways to live.
In Adam, or in Christ.
A slave to sin, or a slave to God.
Earning the wages of death, or receiving the free gift of God and having eternal life.

What is Romans 6:23 telling me to do?

Receive eternal life by faith, by repenting of your sins and trusting in Christ. Every person in this room is in one of these two categories. You are either a sheep, or a goat. Either headed to death, or living eternal life. That’s it. If you have never repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ, you are hell-bound right now. There is nothing stopping you, except for God’s kind providence, which is allowing you to hear this message yet again, so that maybe this time you will repent and believe. What are you holding on to?
The hope that you may be pretty good by your works? Romans 3:20
Romans 3:20 ESV
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The idea that because you were born in a Christian home, or raised in the Bible belt, you can squeak by? Romans 3:9
Romans 3:9 ESV
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
How about that you are a “pretty good person,” and that God may let you in because of your being a good citizen, or a good worker, or a good family man? Romans 3:23
Romans 3:23 ESV
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
There is no hope, zero hope, and zero chance of eternal life if you are hoping that being born into it or earning it is the way. Romans has shown us this, as we have studied 6 chapters together. If you do not have Christ, you are lost. Doomed. Without hope. Slave to sin and subject to the lifelong slavery of fear of death.
But friend, there is such good news. If you turn from the sin that has enslaved you, if you submit yourself to God, you will be saved! How? Simply confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead. Today, friend. Right now. Do not delay. Do not look back. Repent and believe the Gospel.
Now, if you are in here, and you know Jesus, and you believe that everything that the book of Romans is true, let me ask you another question. Who are you telling this to? Who are the people in your life who need to hear about the reconciling work of God to free us from the slavery to sin? Somewhere, at some point in your life, you are intersecting with non-believers. What keeps you from sharing this message of hope with them?
Now, let me tell you a story about me. I can distinctly remember a time in my own life when I thought, and maybe even said out loud “I don’t know what I would say!” Maybe that’s you too. Listen friend, we make this too hard. We try to be clever, we create these presentations that can definitely be good, but they can also be really tough to memorize, and even harder to remember when you are nervous. So, here is some good news: everything you need to communicate the Gospel is right here in the book of Romans! Watch this:
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against sin (1:18)
Every person is a sinner, and falls short of God’s glory (3:23)
The sins we commit earn us eternal death (3:23)
God demonstrates His love for mankind in Jesus paying the penalty we deserve (5:8)
What must we do? Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord; meaning, turn from your sin and submit to Jesus as King; and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead; meaning, trust in the work of Jesus alone to save you.
Benediction: Romans 5:1
Romans 5:1 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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