Alive to God in Messiah Yeshua

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who were immersed into Messiah Yeshua were immersed into His death? Therefore we were buried together with Him through immersion into death—in order that just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become joined together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also will be joined together in His resurrection— knowing our old man was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be done away with, so we no longer serve sin. For he who has died is set free from sin. Now if we have died with Messiah, we believe that we shall also live with Him. We know that Messiah, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies; death no longer is master over Him. For the death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So also continually count yourselves both dead to sin and alive to God in Messiah Yeshua. Therefore do not let sin rule in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. And do not keep yielding your body parts to sin as tools of wickedness; but yield yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your body parts as tools of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Sanctification

Over the next 3 chapters, Paul discusses the process of Sanctification. The word sanctification speaks of the process of making us holy before God. This is the work done by the Ruach HaKodesh in our lives over time.

Paul will also be discussing in detail: sin, death, the law and the flesh. Some of the questions will be: How do we overcome sin? What role does death have in our new lives? How does the flesh influence us? And what is “the flesh”? What role does the Torah now play in our lives, now that we are followers of God? Who will we now serve?

Through all of these topics and questions, Paul will help us to understand how we are supposed to live our lives now that we have been forgiven.

Should we sin?

In verse 1, Paul asks an interesting question. Should we continue sinning now that we have been given a new life, have been forgiven? What do you all think the answer to that question is? Absolutely not!

Saved from Drowning

[Tell story of drowning man, who goes immediately back into the water and is drowning a second time]

When we have been forgiven by Adonai, should we never forget the cost of our salvation. It is not that Adonai will not forgive us a second time, but rather, that that it might seem that the Grace of Adonai is cheep in our own eyes.

Now for those who have found yourself still struggling with a habitual sin, whether it be an addiction to anger, alcohol, or pornography, this is where we walk with you through our Recovery through Messiah classes. Where we learn to lay down the flesh and the past, and learn to walk in the newness of life, that Paul speaks about here in verse 4,

Discipleship and accountability are 2 sides of the same coin.

The freedom that is available to us, is lived out in the same way that we first received it. We are simply learning to trust in Yeshua, and the power of the Ruach HaKodesh on a daily basis, not just at the beginning for Salvation.

Adonai spoke through the prophet Ezekiel in Eze. 18:20-24

Ezekiel 18:20–24 TLV

The soul that sins, he will die. The son will not bear the iniquity of the father with him, nor will the father bear the iniquity of the son with him. The righteousness of the righteous will be on him and the wickedness of the wicked will be on him. But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all My laws and does what is lawful and right, he will surely live, he will not die. None of his transgressions that he committed will be remembered; because of his righteousness that he practiced, he will live. “Do I delight at all in the death of the wicked?” It is a declaration of Adonai. “Rather, should he not return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity and does according to all the detestable acts that the wicked man does, will he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered; for his trespass that he trespassed and for his sin that he has sinned, for them he will die.

So, how then should we live?

We learned there in a mishna that Rabbi Eliezer says: Repent one day before your death. Rabbi Eliezer’s students asked him: But does a person know the day on which he will die? He said to them: All the more so this is a good piece of advice, and one should repent today lest he die tomorrow; and by following this advice one will spend his entire life in a state of repentance.

In the same way, Paul is explaining the we now walk in this new and holy life, not by fleshly strength, but by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh moving in our lives.

Immersed in Messiah

Paul points out that immersion (in water) means immersion into the Death of Yeshua. The Hebrew word tevilah and its Greek equivalent baptizo mean to totally immerse. David Stern puts it this way:

The Jewish New Testament Commentary Romans, Chapter 6

The root meaning of “baptizô” is “dip, soak, immerse” into a liquid so that what is dipped takes on qualities of what it has been dipped in—such as cloth in dye or leather in tanning solution (see

We are called to take on the qualities of Messiah Yeshua.

Now with regards to Tevilah:

Tevilah is usually one of the first steps of our walk as believers in Yeshua. (Acts 10:43-48)

Although tevilah does not confer salvation, it is a wonderful outward sign, a pledge to follow Yeshua for our whole life. (1 Peter 3:20-21)

Yeshua instructed his talmidim to perform tevilah on new talmidim. (Mark 16:16)

Tevilah is part of following Yeshua’s example, and “fulfilling all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:13-17)

Tevilah is for teshuvah (repentance) and cleansing of sin (Mark 1:4-11)

Tevilah demonstrates a total commitment and surrender to Yeshua forsaking all other gods. In it we partake in His death, burial and new life! (Romans 6:1-11)

Through tevilah there should be an expectancy of tevilah b’Ruach ha-Kodesh, since in Scripture they often occurred at the same time.

Peter Preaches to Cornelius

Acts 10:43–48 TLV

All the prophets testify about Him—that everyone who puts his trust in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the Ruach ha-Kodesh fell on all those hearing the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone refuse water for these to be immersed, who have received the Ruach ha-Kodesh just as we did?” So he commanded them to be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

Noah was Immersed

1 Peter 3:20–21 TLV

Long ago they disobeyed while God kept waiting patiently, in the days of Noah as the ark was being built. In that ark a few (that is, eight souls) were brought safely through water. Corresponding to that, immersion now brings you to safety—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but a pledge to God of a good conscience—through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua.

Immersion is part our journey

Mark 16:16 TLV

He who believes and is immersed shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned.

We Follow Yeshua

Matthew 3:13–17 TLV

Then Yeshua came from the Galilee to John, to be immersed by him in the Jordan. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be immersed by You, and You are coming to me?” But Yeshua responded, “Let it happen now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” So John yielded to Him. After being immersed, Yeshua rose up out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Ruach Elohim descending like a dove and coming upon Him. And behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased!”

Mark 1:4–11 TLV

John appeared, immersing in the wilderness, proclaiming an immersion involving repentance for the removal of sins. All the Judean countryside was going out to him, and all the Jerusalemites. As they confessed their sins, they were being immersed by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothes made from camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. “After me comes One who is mightier than I am,” he proclaimed. “I’m not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals! I immersed you with water, but He will immerse you in the Ruach ha-Kodesh.” In those days, Yeshua came from Natzeret in the Galilee and was immersed by John in the Jordan. Just as He was coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens ripping open and the Ruach as a dove coming down upon Him. And there came a voice from the heavens: “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased!”

Joined together in life

For those of us who have followed Yeshua, our lives are now bound by covenant to to His. We experience the atonement of His death, and we experience the power of His life! Paul has many time pointed out that the “wages of sin is death.” Now he points out that because of the covenantal promise of Adonai (the New Covenant spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31) our lives are bound to Yeshua. Therefore, just as he died, so also “our old man was crucified with Him.” This means that the penalty for our sins is paid for, death has been paid. Now we are alive in Messiah Yeshua, and we get to live life to the fullest because of the power of Adonai working in our lives.

Should we Sin?

Going back to the first question, Should we sin? Here in vs. 12, Paul gives the response. We must not allow sin to rule or control our lives. We must not obey the lustful desires of sin. We must not continue enslaving ourselves to our sinful desires.

And we must yield ourselves to God. We need to allow God to work in our lives. Is it possible to be a follower of Yeshua for decades, and not allow Adonai to change our hearts? Yes. I am sure that we all know people who claim to have been following Yeshua for a long time, but their lives do not look like Yeshua’s life. Is it possible for a young person to be more spiritually mature than an older person? Absolutely. It all depends on whether or not we have allowed Adonai to continue to change our hearts. Do we continue to ask Adonai as King David did in Ps. 139:23-24

Psalm 139:23–24 TLV

Search me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me, and know my anxious thoughts, and see if there be any offensive way within me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Under Law vs. Grace

Joseph Shulam points out that Paul is explains that God enables us to serve Him in righteousness instead of being in slavery to our evil inclination. Remember last week I mentioned that “the flesh” as Paul uses the word, is synonymous to “the evil inclination.” Shulam goes on:

The verb “shall not” means “will not,” in the sense that the believer who has been baptized into Yeshua’s death and resurrection has been freed from sin’s “law” (cf. 8.2). Paul does not make the Torah and grace contradictory here, but demonstrates how when the believer frees himself from the punishment of the Torah (cf. 4.15, 5.13) in baptism, in which he puts his evil inclination to death, he is enabled to obey God’s commandments.”

We find ourselves bound to the law that states, “When you sin, you will die” because, in Messiah, we are already dead.

We are no longer under that law, we are now under the Grace of God!

Application

Now there are a lot of ways that this passage applies to us. I want to ask you all a couple of questions.

Do you think people should get what they deserve?

In general I think that people should. I think that Justice is an important part of any society, and when there are people within a society that do not get Justice, then that society can fall apart.

But let me ask you another question.

Do you think that people should get what they deserve because of what they have done to you?

Some of us have been seriously injured by others, and I know that in my heart there is absolutely a cry for justice, a desire to see others get what is coming to them. I have been thinking about this since I was assaulted 2 weeks ago.

Do I want that man to get punished for what he did to me?

Do I want him to get what he deserves?

Yeshua told this story, Matt. 18:21-35

Matthew 18:21–35 TLV

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Master, how often shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Yeshua said to him, “No, not up to seven times, I tell you, but seventy times seven! Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle up, a man was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But since he didn’t have the money to repay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. Then the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll repay you everything.’ And the master of that slave, filled with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt. “Now that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii. And he grabbed him and started choking him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’ “So his fellow slave fell down and kept begging him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ Yet he was unwilling. Instead, he went off and threw the man into prison until he paid back all he owed. “So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply distressed. They went to their master and reported in detail all that had happened. Then summoning the first slave, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave all that debt because you pleaded with me. Wasn’t it necessary for you also to show mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed mercy to you?’ Enraged, the master handed him over to the torturers until he paid back all he owed. “So also My heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you, from your hearts, forgives his brother.”

And again in Matt. 7:12

Matthew 7:12 TLV

So in all things, do to others what you would want them to do to you—for this is the Torah and the Prophets.

So let me ask you the same questions I asked before:

Do you want to get what you deserve?

Do you want to get just what you deserve because of what you have done to others?

Do I want to be punished for what you have done to others?

Do you want to receive justice or would you rather receive mercy from God?

I don’t know about you, but I can not afford to receive justice from God; I desperately need mercy! So should I show mercy to the man who assaulted me?

So ask yourself, are you giving others what they deserve, or are you giving them mercy?

I know that I desperately need forgiveness, am I forgiving toward others? I desperately need God’s love, how loving am I toward others?

How do I want my neighbors to treat me? Am I treating them in the same way?

Let’s pray.

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