Spiritual Transformation

Romans 6:1-23

I stole this title because it is perfect for the 1st section of this chapter. Spiritual transformation is what John MacArthur called this and that is what Paul is referring to here.

The question posed is a rhetorical question where Paul already has the answer. The question is based on what Paul has laid out previously, which is our salvation is not of human effort or law keeping, it is a gift of God by Grace....undeserved favor, nothing done by us, everything done by God!

So, in Paul’s mind, he assumes (rightly) that in some folk’s mind they would say if we have nothing to do with our salvation it is only by the grace of God then can we just go on sinning?

The answer in verse 2 is “God forbid” or “May it never be”.

How shall we, who are dead to sin live any longer in sin?

This is the spiritual transformation!

We know from the last chapter that we are born into this sinful body...... “body of death”, so what brings us out of that sinful life?

Dying to sin is the very act of repentance! Better yet: 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Listen, as Paul declares the spiritual transformation in verses 3-11......This explanation of this is exactly what Jesus was talking about to Nicodemus in John 3:3-11..........Being Born again.....made new.......made for God! John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” ......says it best.

Putting the old man to death with Christ.......is recognizing the transgression/rebellion against God and the desire to not transgress

Understanding the Jesus was made to be sin for us, in that He died the penalty of the sinner, that is the lot of the sinner and the penalty is paid and has come up from the grave by the power of God through the Spirit to live forever.......so we also will live in a right state with God cleansed from all unrighteousness, because of Jesus!

Through the union with Christ we are dead to sin, therefore free from sin and its grip!

Jesus died in 2 senses

He died for the penalty of sin....He met it’s legal demands

He also died to forever break sin’s power over those who belong to Jesus.

Also, Jesus’ death will never to be repeated! It is finished!

The newness of life mentioned in verse 4 is being born again.

It is lived raised in the Spirit, just as Jesus was raised from the dead....

And even though we are still in a sinful body our spirit desires to live unto God

That just means that sin does not have dominion over us!

Dead to sin, alive unto God!

Verses 12-14..........Verse 12 could read this way: “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires”

Verse 13 “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”

Verse 14 “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Something to be said about your master.....when you examine yourself I believe you can see what dominates or drives your life!

Sin or righteousness?

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

That is about money but applies here very well!

Also Jesus said in John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”

Peter in his discussion on false teachers said this in 2 Peter 2:19 “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”

“They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.”

Verses 15-23....This section continues Paul’s discussion of sanctification by reminding his readers of their past slavery to sin and their new slavery to righteousness. He wants them to live in submission to their new master, Jesus Christ, and not to be entangled again with the sins that characterized their old life, sins which no longer have any claim over them.

Having established that the Christian cannot take up the position that it is all right to continue in sin with a view to making grace abound, Paul proceeds to his second rhetorical question in this section of his argument. This proceeds from the point the apostle had reached at the end of his answer to the first question, namely that the believer is not under law but under grace. Then does that mean that sin does not matter? His answer......... he establishes that Christians are not slaves to sin but rather to God.......

Verse 19........Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

The most powerful part of this last section is verse 21 and 23...........For the end of serving sin is death....the wages of sin is death.......nothing fruitful will ever come from serving sin, living in sin

The fruit of holiness is everlasting life....remember life being not being a time thing but of value .........it last forever as well!

A life with Christ for eternity!