Romans 6:1-23

Paul would seem to say at the end of chapter 5 that the more sin there is, the more grace there is.

The sinner would jump on that statement as a license to sin.

Paul anticipates that question and the distortion of scripture.

Paul, in fact, asks the question and then answers it himself.

Shall we keep on sinning? (vs 1-2)

If you are a Christian, then you cannot think that way.

You are dead to sin and you must hate it.

The greatest problem in the evangelical church is “Antinomianism”

This is the belief that I am saved by faith don’t have to be concerned with obeying the law.

It is not just distortion of Christianity but straight out denial.

Works don’t give your salvation, Christ did that, but works prove your salvation.

If you do not have the works to prove your Christianity, then you may not have Christianity.

Paul is speaking on this when he ask “how can you live in sin any longer.”

That doesn’t mean you don’t sin at all. It means you are not in bondage to that sin at all.

You were baptized into Jesus’s death. (vs 3)

Doesn’t mean baptism plays a part in salvation, no more than circumcision in the OT did.

Baptism, according to Paul, means just as Christ was put in the ground, so is my old self.

Paul continues the analogy, Jesus died, he was buried, he was raised again. (vs 4)

We put to death the old man, the destructive life, and corrupt human nature.

We rise up with a new man, a resurrected life, and an incorruptible spirit nature.

Paul continues: How can we identify with His death and not His resurrection. (vs 5)

He makes it plain. We know that our old self was crucified.

What does Paul mean when he says “body of sin”?

It could have been a type of punishment

He could also mean the whole of sin.

He could also mean your flesh

So that we no longer are slaves to sin. (vs 7)

He doesn’t mean that won’t sin but that we don’t have to sin.

Every temptation we face, we have an escape. ()

If we died with Christ, we should live with Him. (vs 8)

This is not in a reference necessarily to eternity.

Christ is alive now, and we must live as though He is.

Christ is not mastered by death. (vs 9)

He cannot die again.

Which is why we display empty crosses.

Paul says we are to follow his example. We die once to sin but continuously live to God. (vs 10,11)

“THEREFORE” so because of all we just discussed do not what? (vs 12)

Stop allowing sin to reign

This word denotes power or ability

This is a commandment

Don’t offer your parts. (vs 13)

Another commandment and includes all parts

What we should do is offer our body and its parts to God as instruments of righteousness.

Our master is Jesus not sin. (vs 14)

He further answers the question that sin should have no place in you.

Don’t allow sin to be your master. (vs 15-16)

Whatever you obey becomes your master.

There is only a choice of two options: sin which leads to death or obedience which leads to righteousness.

Paul makes a point to talk again about obedience being the tell of a true heart conversion. (vs 17)

There are many who make a confession but aren’t true.

But if it is true, it is immediate. (vs 18)

Paul uses have been, twice.

Sin breeds more sin. (vs 19)

He says ever increasing sin.

The opposites are true: The more we sin, the more we sin. The more we obey, the more we obey.

Then Paul has a play on words. (vs 20)

You were a slave to sin and not free to righteousness.

If you are free from one thing, you are bound to the other.

What benefit is there? (vs 21)

Think about your life before Christ and now after?

You are ashamed of your past.

Now you reap holiness.

The wages of sin is death but the gift of life is eternal life. (vs 22-23)