Romans Part 9

GRACE

We have been learning that we are saved by GRACE -God’s Riches At Christ Expense.

Paul has been explaining that where sin abound that even so Grace abounds even more.

As we enter chapter 6 Paul now is circling around to discuss this even more.

Romans 6:1–4 MEV

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may increase? God forbid! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Do you not know that we who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:1-

It is important that we don’t take one part of scripture and leave the rest out. When interpreting scripture ever word counts.

We have seen throughout time that people want to make scripture fit their lifestyle. At small group Wednesday night I told everyone that we don’t interpret scripture by today’s world but by the custom and traditions the writers and readers were living in.

Now it appears that even the early church were confused. Today I believe that there is a lot of confusion in the Christian church because many churches have started pushing a Gospel that is not grounded in the Word.

You may have heard something like “Everyone is on a spiritual journey and some of us are further along than others so if a person continues in sin that is ok because they are on a journey.”

Now it is true that we are all on a spiritual journey. Some are on a journey to heaven and others are on a journey to hell.

Both paths have to do with your spiritual life but one leads to everlasting life and the other leads to eternal damnation.

It is wrong for me and any other pastor to say that you can continue to sin because where sin is there is grace. He said in verse 4 that we should walk in the newness of life.

When you get a new car does it look, smell, drive, or sound like the old car you got rid of? NO

Why would you want to spend the money on a new car if it was like your old, dirty, smelly, beat up car? You wouldn’t. That is not even logical.

The same is true with coming to Christ. Why would you want to stay in the old, beat up, stinky, nasty life that you were living?

When you come to Christ sin does not feel good anymore. It is foreign to your body.

The great thing is as Jesus was raised to life and we have that same assurance that when we come to him we bury that old man and live a new life in Jesus.

Have you heard the term “Belong before you believe.?” It is a new term in the Western church. The sad thing is that it is not true. Yes you can participate in Sunday service and Bible studies but you have to believe before you can belong.

You have to surrender your life to God.

It means that you can feel comfortable coming and participating in everything we do as a church family without

Yes you can go to church and play the Christian game but you have to believe so that you can belong.

You see the church is a family made up of believers. The church is not a building or a place you meet. It is individual believers that come together to encourage, pray, testify, witness, fellowship..

But without surrendering our sinful life to the Lord then we are like this story.

When I was younger I had an older friend who wanted to take me to the Country Club and play golf with him. The problem was I was not a member. Because of where I lived he was able to bring me as his guest.

Yes I was at the Country Club but I was not a member. I could play golf, eat at the clubhouse, ride on the golf carts but none of that mattered I was still not a member.

The same is true here. We can come to church. We can participate but without surrendering our life to Jesus we don’t get the joy of the benefits of the believers life.

Matthew 7:21–23 MEV

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonderful works in Your name?’ But then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice evil.’

Matt

Playing church will not get any one of us in heaven only us surrendering the old man, dying to the world and being raised a new person in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:5–7 MEV

For if we have been united with Him in the likeness of His death, so shall we also be united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we should no longer be slaves to sin. For the one who has died is freed from sin.

Romans 6:5-7

Romans 6:8–10 MEV

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death has no further dominion over Him. For the death He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life He lives, He lives to God.

Romans 6:8-

Romans 6:11–14 MEV

Likewise, you also consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield yourselves to God, as those who are alive from the dead, and your bodies to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:11-14