Living As Instruments II
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Turn to Romans 6. I’m going to read the first 11 verses from the New Living Translation. A little lesson here - most modern translations are really good and accurate. I think it’s important to read from various translations (ESV, NIV, KVJ etc.) to help our understanding of the text.
In my opinion, the NLT doesn’t make a great exegetical Bible (nitty-gritty / specifics)- but it does make a great practical or devotional Bible (general idea / application).
Again, Romans 6:1-11 so we can pick up where we left off last week.
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.
And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.
When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.
So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
To summarize, when Jesus died to sin, He secured for us the ability, the authority, the legal right to turn our backs on sin - turn our backs on this evil power. In doing so, Jesus empowered us to say, “No! I don’t have to listen to you. I don’t have to obey sinful desires! I do not have to sin.” In
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus said, “All authority in heaven (spiritual realm) and on earth (physical realm) has been given to me.” Jesus has authority over every spiritual and physical being and power - good or evil. And because of that, He says, “Go therefore ….”
He has shared or covered us with His authority - and in the authority and power of Christ Jesus, we can say “no” to sin, “no” to evil spiritual forces, and “no” to the sin nature. Do I need I to repeat any of that? All of that can be wrapped up in the word freedom.
In verse 12 and 13, there is a slight shift. The idea behind 12-13 is the reality of what Christ has accomplished (vv 1-11) must be enacted upon -
We must put Christ’s victory into our action.
Read from NLT and the ESV (how the 2 translations cooperate) then stick with the ESV for the rest of the message.
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Again, the idea is to put Christ’s victory into our action. And the first thing Paul says is Do not let sin reign. Last week we mentioned the idea of two kings or two powers or two natures or two masters - the Bible reveals there are two powers at work in our world (not equal), but two powers that in essence desire our allegiance. Sin, which ultimately wants to destroy us and God, who ultimately wants to save us and give us life - relationship. Jesus is clear, we cannot serve both. We will serve one or the other. The big question from last week was to whom do we give our allegiance?
So Paul says
Do not let sin reign = Do not allow sin to be king.
Believe me, it wants to be king. In Disney’s The Lion King, the young Simba, who was the heir to the kingdom, had a streak of arrogance and he sang -
I’m gonna be a mighty king. I'm gonna be the main event, like no king was before. Oh, I just can't wait to be king.
No one saying, "do this.” No one saying, “be there.” No one saying, “stop that.”
Free to run around all day. Free to do it all my way. Oh, I just can't wait to be king.
That is sin. Sin wants to be our king and even though sin was defeated by Christ and has no authority over the person in Christ - it wants to rule, and it will find a way into our lives and usurp our liberty in Christ. Sin is sneaky, subtle, and patient and when given the opportunity, it will pounce. That’s why Paul wrote,
For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
That’s a whole sermon there - but remember, this - sin desires to be king, and it will if we let it.
David wrote,
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Again, because of the victory of Christ over sin and death, we have the authority to reject sin and live under the authority of the true King. Now, “do not let sin reign” in the Greek is a verb written in the active, present, imperative. Meaning, it is a continuous action that we must play a part in. This is working out our salvation - putting into action what Christ has done.
Because Christ has done His part and defeated sin, we must continuously and actively do our part in keeping it defeated.
How do we do that? Here’s one way according to the text we’re in.
Let’s do some exegesis – let’s pick it apart and then reassemble and apply it.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Ok, let’s pick it apart.
Present: means to place myself at the disposal of another to use however they see fit. To present is to yield - to offer - here I am, use me. From the passage, we can either present ourselves to sin or to God. Let’s make something clear –
We will (intentionally or unintentionally) offer ourselves to someone or something by how and for whom we live.
There is no getting around it. We will either be slaves to someone or something in the spiritual or physical or both. We will give ourselves away. Look at the motivation …. I’m doing this for …. I’m doing this because ….
Most people don’t consciously say, “I am presenting myself to such-and-such or so-and-so - so use me.” The main point is don’t put yourself in a position (mentally, physically, spiritually) where sin will have the upper hand, where it can gain control. But, do put yourself in a position (mentally, physically, spiritually) where the Spirit of God will have the upper hand - where He has control.
It is imperative that we become aware of to whom we yield. Why? Fact of life: We will be used one way or the other. There’s no getting around it. There are human and spiritual forces at work in our lives, both evil and good and they will use us for evil or good.
Evil will use us as pawns to achieve its own evil desires and our destruction and they will do it with or without our consent.
God, however, will also use us but only in partnership and with our consent. In God’s family, His children (those in Christ) are never pawns - but always partners.
Instruments: We can place ourselves, intentionally or unintentionally at the disposal of sin or of God to be used as instruments - hoplon (hoopla - connected to Greek soldiers, Hoplites). Hopla is a tool, weapon, sometimes armor – depending on the context.
An instrument is something used to perform a certain task. It could be a hammer, knife, a pencil - whatever. An instrument has a primary purpose. Now, in and of itself the instrument doesn’t do anything. However, in the hands of a person, any instrument can be a mighty tool for good or for evil.
We’re going to be used - who do we want to use us and what kind of instruments do I want to be?
Instruments of Unrighteousness – means wickedness, wrongdoing, injustice or that which deserves condemnation. Chaos. Death. Destruction. Harm …. Or instruments of Righteousness – justice, fairness, uprightness, healing, peace, truth, rescue …. What kind of instrument do you want to be?
Let’s put all that together. Read the verse first, then paraphrase.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
Paraphrase: Do not place any part of my body (mind, heart, eyes, hands, emotions) at the disposal of sin to be used as an instrument for destruction, for harm, for evil toward someone else, but offer my whole life to God to be at His disposal to be used however He sees fit for justice, fairness, goodness, life, healing, truth, peace.
Right now, would be a good time to evaluate the content of our prayers.
We’re good at asking God to do things - especially when it comes to our comfort and our plans. How often do we ask to be an instrument in His hands? How many of us ask simply to be used? There’s a lot of “God do this and do that. God tell me this and tell me that.” But how much “God, just use me. I’m yours.”
A little morsel to chew on - There is a difference between doing for the Lord and being used by the Lord.
Problem: some don’t really believe God can use us. The entire Believe series was about believing - Believing in God, His Word, and believing in who He has called us to be and what He wants us to do …
Think about an instrument in the hands of God - what are the possibilities? What could God do with a hammer? A paintbrush? A guitar? A ________? What are the possibilities?
Are not God’s hands capable of doing great things with an instrument which is yielded unto Him?
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Imagine the possibilities!
Have you been saying, "I can't. I'm not qualified?” Good, because you’re not. No instrument is qualified! Jesus said apart from me you can do nothing.
What has paralyzed you? The past? It’s not about the past.
Imagine what God can do with and through you … when it’s not about you!