Crucified Resurrected Life
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Text: Romans 6:1-2
Intro: I think that sometimes it is easy to go about our Christian life with the assumption that we know, or that someone else knows exactly what God expects of us. In reality, that is often times not the case. Today, is about the crucified, resurrected life in Christ. My prayer today is that we can apply some very practical truths out of the Scriptures to help us in our moment by moment walk, and for us to realize more fully, that we are no longer dead, but alive in Christ!
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
That’s what we were, but lets consider what we are now.
Romans 6:1-2
We are going to see in our passage today that the words “know” or “knowing” appear 4 times and it is because there is something that we need to retain in this passage concerning the life that we now live. God is declaring some things that we should know and be aware of because they are things that should renew and transform our mind. These declarations from God are not concerning the lost, but to all that are saved, and they are concerning what He has done, what He is doing and what He is going to do, and not because we deserved anything but because He loves us!
vs. 3-5 (3) Is where we see the know… but what’s the therefore, therefore? It ties vs. 4-5 directly to the declaration of what we should know in verse 3.
Does the word should indicate a suggestion in verse 4?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I hope not… Sometimes we can get caught up on a word that is used differently than we are used to, but that doesn’t mean that God used the wrong word. We might think He should have used a word that expressed great certainty.... He did… When my understanding matches His word… the word “should” Biblically here is used to indicate an obligation, a duty, or a determination. It is used to indicate what God has determined to already be the case!
Back to Romans 6, because we are buried with him by baptism into death and raised in like manner by the glory of the Father, it is then a predetermined outcome that we should walk in newness of life!
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
But how? The key is found here in those things that we are to know, and when we come to the understanding of the absolute facts concerning what we were, and who we are now in Christ, then the “should” is never an issue. It is never the should that I use today but it becomes my most blessed duty.
Now that being said, God is never going to make us do anything. Jesus was not forced to die, He died willingly. He had every bit of power, to remove Himself, He was mocked, and tempted to remove Himself, yet, He hung there and died willingly.
For some of us here today, the fact that God is gracious, loving, and merciful is enough for us to devote and commit our life wholly to Christ. For others, it may be that the fact that God is gracious, loving, and merciful that an occasion is made for the flesh, but that should never be the case.
vs. 6-7
vs. 6 Is telling us that our old man is crucified with him… but we still have a body of sin that is very much capable to chose sin, and if we are not mindful of that then it will destroy you. It is imperative in this Christian life that the body of sin be destroyed every single day, and if not then we will serve sin…
I’m not talking about losing our salvation, I am talking about life! Jesus didn’t save us or heaven, but if your saved then that’s exactly where you will one day end up. He saved us for life! A life that is living only for heaven is a life that wasted the blessing of the crucified, and resurrected life in Christ.
Which is really what God is dealing with in the next few verses, and the foundation for what He is about to declare, is what we just covered in the first 7 verses.
vs. 8-10
In Romans chapters 6-8 the word life is used 19 times and the word death is used 32 times. And there is some amazing truth that we learn through these chapters about the two words. That they are two words that are absolute opposites, and this is not a case where opposites attract. The only connection is in the fact that in order for us to have life in Christ, we must die with Christ… Besides that there is no Biblical connection or correlation between life and death, or life and sin for that matter. They are never joined together, they do not hold hands, they are opposites. There is no box to check in this Christian life which says, The life that I now live in Christ, I live in sin.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
We tend to think of sin and death as separate issues, but may God help us amend our thinking because in reality you cannot have one without the other. For a Christian to live a life of sin, is to live a life that is dead.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
If Jesus, who is 100% God died in becoming sin, then who do I think I am, to think that I can live in sin?
Sin and death are eternally joined together, and when God casts death in to the lake of fire, which is the second death, sin will die right along with it. There is nothing more tragic in this Christian life, then when someone wastes a lifetime trying to unite two things that God has eternally separated.
As sin and death are bound unto eternal death, life and Christ are also bound but unto eternal life.
Sin brings death, not life, and Christ brings life, not sin…
vs. 11… We are not reckoning the declarations that God has made concerning our death and life in Christ. What we are called to reckon is that through this process of being united with Christ has made me dead to sin.
Notice we do not reckon ourselves alive, for we are alive, we do not reckon ourselves raised from the dead, for we are risen. We are not reckoning ourselves as possessing newness of life, for we have a new life in Christ. It is because of all of that, that I must reckon myself dead, to sin, which is only accomplished through the destruction of the body of sin.
We have to opportunity as believers that in every moment, every situation, every opportunity, and every choice, to be resolved in the fact that because we live by God, we will live for God.
I am alive by the grace of God.
I live through the power of God.
Therefore, it is now my honour and privilege to live for Him.
As we have been studying the suffering of Christ on Wednesday evenings, and that Great Salvation in Sunday school, I have found that the more I understand about what He has done for me, the more desire I have to reckon myself dead to sin.
Jesus bearing the righteous, and just anger of almighty God who hates sin, because He loved us and His desire in it all, was to offer us life.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
How can I do anything but live for the ONE
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Closing: What have you reckoned today? Did you eat to reckon your hunger, did you put gas in your car to reckon your gas tank? Do you realize that today, and tomorrow and every moment of your life, their is a call to reckon yourself dead to sin, that you might shew forth the life of Christ?
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The knowing, and reckoning is what leads us to the life that is yielding!
Romans 6:12-23 The life that is yielded on the basis of knowing, and reckoning is a life that has become a servant of righteousness. And what greater calling is there than that?
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Tabernacle pattern for entering into the presence of God!