The Discipline of Grace -- Part 2

Romans 6:1–14 KJV 1900

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Text:

Introduction:

The Swiss Theologian named Frederick Godet states in his commentary on this passage, “As you die to sin, and yield to God, sin will not rule over you; sin can be overcome under grace – Grace is not less powerful to subdue sin than the law.”

Introduction: When I was a student in Bible College, an elderly pastor gave me several volumes from his library. One of these books was a commentary on Romans written in 1883 by a Swiss Theologian named Frederick Godet. As you arrive to his comments on verse 14, he states, “As you die to sin, and yield to God, sin will not rule over you; sin can be overcome under grace – Grace is not less powerful to subdue sin than the law.”

Note – Rather than viewing grace as a license to live according to our will – Grace has historically been viewed as a discipline to holiness. The fact that we are saved by grace does not give us an excuse to sin but a reason to obey.

Galatians 5:13 KJV 1900

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

– Use not your liberty as an occasion to the flesh.

Turn –

2 Corinthians 5:14–15 KJV 1900

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Turn –

Note – Last week we saw a major emphasis in is not Grace to be what I want to be, but grace to be a servant of God who bears holy fruit – vs 22

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

Romans 6:22 KJV 1900

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Note – Last week we saw a major emphasis in is not Grace to be what I want to be, but grace to be a servant of God who bears holy fruit – vs 22

Note – As we discussed the New Grace movement has two distinguishing characteristics…

Belittle a sanctified life

Very ungracious to spiritual leaders who believe in Grace as a discipline…

Note – is a challenge to identify with Christ…which drives us to ask the question – Does grace cause me to be more or less like Him?

The Reality Of Our Death With Christ

Romans 6:1–5 KJV 1900

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Note – vs 3 – Know ye not?

The Truth Of It

“we have already died to sin” = God reckons us dead to the promptings of sin –

Illustration – Death to Self — George Mueller

When a man asked George Mueller the secret of his service, Mueller responded: “There was a day when I died, utterly died; died to George Mueller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends; and since then I have studied to show myself approved only to God.”

Note – If we will be dead to sin – we must know what it is – Herein His difference between the new grace teachers and the Old Fashioned Preacher – Old Fashioned Preachers name sin! (List) (Leo Walther)

Note – If we will be dead to sin – we must know what it is – and we must be willing to call it what it is. We should not beat around the bush, or sugarcoat it, in order to lessen the risk of offending, sin is to be avoided, so we must be willing, and able, and spiritually minded enough to identify it!

We do not avoid sin to gain His acceptance but to conform to His image!

Illustration – –

— the just shall live by faith — the unjust spiral downward into sin

— sinners will increase, sin will become popular — but we live by doctrine, knowing that living godly for Christ will bring persecution, in the inspired word of God which perfects us, and furnishes us unto good works.

— there are acts and attitudes that God hates, but the wise son keeps his father’s commandment, and does not forsake the law of his mother

Note – Naming sin is now called Shaming

Preachers who label sin are called conspirators against your freedom.

Conviction is called shame – and the new grace teachers are marketing themselves to the “victims of shame.”

Now – Let me say – There may be situations where people are shunned – but the truth is thousands of people who are rebelling at God are gladly labeling their conviction as false guilt and strong preaching as shaming.

“One author says we ought not to make people ‘ashamed of their wrongs.’ Having positioned himself in this manner he goes on to criticize what he calls a “shame-based spirituality.” He includes a number of items under this. We look at two examples.

Shame-based spirituality, he says, believes that ‘having fun is sinful.’

the problem, however, centers, around the question, ‘How would one define, having fun’? Many pursuits that the world would classify as “fun” would (or should) be out-of-bounds for the believer.

In line with the general thrust of this book one gets the impression that even if a believer is engaged in the kind of ‘fun’ that would be contrary to God’s Word, other believers have no right to challenge that person and seek to ‘bring guilt upon them.’ A wild party with lots of liquor would be fun to a worldling. Is it legitimate for a Christian?

On the list of items characterizing “shame-based spirituality” is this: “Sexuality = sin.” Again we know of no fundamental leader who would say such a thing. Sexuality is a gift of God as is plainly taught in Scripture. Yet, God gave it with boundaries.

Intimacy was solely designed for marriage — and therefore, is restricted to marriage

Modesty is a scriptural principle in which, men and women, in order to be pleasing to the Lord, limit the attire within the realms of modesty

Frankly, there are some “fun” pursuits about which believers ought to feel a sense of shame.

God sometimes causes people to feel shame in order to bring them back into fellowship with himself. Preaching and teaching must of course be balanced.

Some preachers may spend too much effort trying to put people on “guilt trips.” They do not balance their ministry with encouragement and edification. In this area, as in all areas of spiritual truth, we should seek to be balanced as is God’s Word.

God does shame people at times and, furthermore, He uses human instruments to do it. The prophet Ezekiel did not mince words when speaking to Israel: “Thou also…bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed…be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame…” () Paul, in seeking to correct certain wrong attitudes and practices in the church at Corinth, wrote, “Awake to righteousness and sin not [stop sinning]; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” ()

There are times when people should feel shame. Grace does not rid us of all legitimate feelings of shame. When we have grieved the Spirit and have sinned against the Lord we should be shameful. This is not to say that the major ministry of a Bible-teacher is to cause people to feel shame. It is, however, a part of their ministry. “Preach the word….reprove, rebuke [which may cause shame], exhort [which is the positive balance]” ()

We believe that the “new grace” emphasis is warped and has omitted what might be called the “discipline of grace” to which subject we now turn our attention.”

Note – The simple truth is, if we understand the reality of our death in Christ, we will not want to continue in sin.

The Triumph Of It

Romans 6:3–4 KJV 1900

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like 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 6:3–5 KJV 1900

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

*Here God introduces a believing sinner into a vital union with Christ, in order that the believer might have power over his sinful nature. The divine nature is enhanced through identifying with Christ.

Note – vs 5 – Planted = Grafted – We share His very life

(The Reality of Our Death With Christ)

The Reason For Our Death With Christ

Romans 6:6 KJV 1900

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Old Man Is Crucified

Old Man Is Crucified

God has broken sin’s stronghold

Note – Body of sin = “the body as the organic instrument of natural life – flesh”

ILLUSTRATION – Someone may say “I don’t feel dead to sin.”

A certain man was accustomed to rising at six o’clock to catch a train each morning at seven. His wife usually saw him off to work; but one night the little ones had been particularly restless and his wife was just settling down to a deep sleep when the alarm clock went off. “Oh, dear,” she groaned, “is that six o’clock?” When her husband told her it was, she said, “It didn’t feel like six o’clock but the sun, the moon, and the stars, the earth on its orbit, and the whole machinery of the heavens declared that it was six o’clock. But it didn’t feel like six o’clock! It is the same with this great biblical truth that the believer is dead with Christ. He may not feel very dead, but that is beside the point. God says that is he, and the whole machinery of redemption declares it to be a fact.

A certain man was accustomed to rising at six o’clock to catch a train each morning at seven. His wife usually saw him off to work; but one night the little ones had been particularly restless and his wife was just settling down to a deep sleep when the alarm clock went off. “Oh, dear,” she groaned, “is that six o’clock?” When her husband told her it was, she said, “It didn’t feel like six o’clock but the sun, the moon, and the stars, the earth on its orbit, and the whole machinery of the heavens declared that it was six o’clock. But it didn’t feel like six o’clock! It is the same with this great biblical truth that the believer is dead with Christ. He may not feel very dead, but that is beside the point. God says that is he, and the whole machinery of redemption declares it to be a fact.

Note – We must believe facts of verse 6 by faith

Illustration –

Pat and Mike found a turtle – Its head was severed from body – but it kept running around – argued over whether it was dead or alive – went to Fred Ed – He said – “It’s dead but it don’t believe it!” that’s the problem with many Christians – their old fleshly desires were crucified with Christ – but they don’t believe it!

(The Reality of Our Death With Christ)

(The Reason for our Death With Christ)

The Results Of Our Death In Christ

Romans 6:8–9 KJV 1900

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

We Appreciate it and live with Him –vs 8-9

We Appreciate

We appreciate what Christ has accomplished for us and live with Him

(Discipline by grace)

We appreciate it’s significance – vs 8 and magnificence – vs 9

Galatians 2:20 KJV 1900

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.

Turn –

Note – If I appreciate my salvation – I will serve my Saviour

We Appropriate –

“Count or Compute" – vs 11

Romans 6:11 KJV 1900

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

*We are delivered from the domain of death and dominion of sin.

Note – We yield ourselves to works of Righteousness –vs 11-13

Romans 6:11–13 KJV 1900

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Illustration – Again, the new grace teachers say – don’t make roles to define unrighteousness.

They believe hard preaching to be manipulative.

They believe preaching against sin, and for personal holiness and separation to be controlling

They believe that people ought to be left to make up their own minds about sin

“According to the advocates of the “grace” teaching we should refuse to dictate to others. Give people room to make up their own minds. All rules…should be self-imposed and not imposed by others. In presenting the case we believe he employs ‘catch phrases’ and ‘loaded words’ calculated to bias the reader against those whom he opposes. Such are the words ‘manipulate’ and ‘control’, for instance. The impression is received that those setting standards of service in a local church, as an example, are seeking to ‘manipulate’ or ‘control’ people. In other words, they are doing so for fleshly reasons. It does not seem to occur to the author that some who believe in requiring high standards for leadership are seeking to honor God and to obey his Word. They are not seeking to manipulate or control people for selfish purposes.

In pursuing the argument that we should ‘let others be’ he asks, ‘Why can’t a person be spiritual and enjoy expressions of music or art totally different from those you like?’ Some believers, he says, may appreciate ‘hymns and mellow songs,’ and others may prefer rock. Why can’t we just let everyone follow their own tastes.”

Note – So now if a preacher preaches against worldly music, he is a manipulative controller. The modern approach to parenting has crept into the pulpits — don’t tell anyone “no” so as not to wound their little spirits.

problem is these preachers have been reading too much Dr. Spock!

Conclusion

Those of us who believe that grace disciplines or leads us to the fruit of holiness believe that…

The Reality of our Death in Christ (to sin)

The Reason of our Death in Christ (old man crucified)

The Result – Disciplined By Grace – vs 11+14

The Free Grace Teachers = Grace to live how I want to

The Biblical Grace Teachers = Grace to live how I ought to

Finally, as our church teaches old fashioned values with a balanced and loving approach – People will misunderstand – they misunderstood Jesus.

Some will even call us legalists.

Misconception of Legalism –

Misconception of Legalism – “As already mentioned, some see a legalist as one who endeavors to set standards of living for other believers. Such persons are “grim-faced,” displaying “deep frowns,” and are “religious kill-joys.” “Be warned,” he says, “there are grace-killers on the loose! To make matters worse, they are a well-organized, intimidating body of people who stop at nothing to keep you and me from enjoying the freedom that is rightfully ours to claim.”

What is, a biblical conception of legalism? Let us examine the matter more closely.

In , Paul warns believers against legalism. “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [the reality] is of Christ.” “Eating and drinking” referred to the efforts of Judaizers to impose Old Testament dietary restrictions upon believers. The “holydays” were Jewish festivals such as Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The Sabbath was the weekly Jewish day of rest.

“The main purpose of placing such stress on all such regulations was to convince the Colossians that strict observance was absolutely indispensable to salvation, or if not to salvation as such, at least to fullness, perfection in salvation.” (William Hendricksen: New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon)

In other words, human effort to receive acceptance with God was prohibited. Some have the notion that any requirement to fulfill certain standards is legalism. However, as Ryrie has observed, this is fallacious. “It cannot be emphasized too strongly that having to do something is not legalism, but the wrong attitude is….Israelites had to bring their sacrifices, otherwise they would have suffered certain penalties. It was the attitude toward doing what they had to do that determined whether or not their action was legalistic….Having to conform to a law is not of itself legalism.”(Charles Ryrie, The Grace of God)

True Definition of Legalism – One theologian has defined legalism as “a keeping of the law, particularly in a formal sense, and a regarding of obedience as meritorious.” While fundamental, Bible-believing leaders have many flaws, I have never met one who believed that conformity to lists of “taboos” was “meritorious,” that is, earned you acceptance with God. This is a caricature put forth by those who would like a lower standard of holiness. They present strong, godly men who are seeking to maintain God’s standards in the midst of a wicked world as scheming, bitter, and vengeful souls. This is absolutely false.

This is not to say that such men are perfect. There have been errors made and some are guilty of unreasonable demands at times. The spirit with which even good rules can be administered can sometimes be offensive.

Ryrie’s definition of legalism is helpful. “Legalism may be defined as ‘a fleshly attitude which conforms to a code for the purpose of exalting self.’ The code is whatever objective standard is applicable to the time; the motive is to exalt self and gain merit rather than to glorify God because of what He has done, and the power is the flesh, not the Holy Spirit”

Here there are two attitudes attributed to legalism: (1) The effort to exalt self, and (2) the effort to gain merit with God.

We do not believe that the requirement of many Christian colleges that young ladies wear skirts to class instead of jeans, or that young men have traditional haircuts instead of long hair exhibits either of these attitudes. Such rules are not made for the purpose of exalting self or gaining merit before God. They are made for the purpose of training young people in decent and upright ways of living and of teaching them self-discipline. When a local church prohibits its pastors or deacons or staff from certain activities, or associations, this is not legalism. It is an earnest effort to keep the church of Christ pure and to keep out undesirable and unbiblical influences. To specify activities or pleasures that Christians should avoid is not legalism. It is an application of biblical principles to life.”

When it comes down to it, living your life based on what you want, or what you think, or your desires is not grace — it’s simple pride and selfishness. Disciplining your life based on what God wants, and what His Word says, and His desires for your life — that’s grace.