Sin and Grace
Notes
Transcript
Shall we Continue to Sin?
Romans 6:1-14
Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567
The essence of our salvation lies in both grace and faith. Grace means we did not get
what we deserve, condemnation and death, because a sinless Christ got what He did not deserve,
God’s righteous wrath! He who holds the “keys of heaven, earth and hell”1 died once and for all
and in doing so “His grace delivered us not merely from punishment but from sin’s power.”2 In
his letter to the church of Rome Apostle Paul states that the law was brought in so that trespass
might increase, when sin increases, grace increases even more (Romans 5:20). While it would
be “foolish” to place oneself under the works of the law (Galatians 3) does this mean that Paul is
suggesting that the believer is now free to go on sinning so that grace might increase and further
display the glory of God? Also, if the law and its righteous decrees are not to be followed what
then is to be the Christian’s benchmark on how to live a holy life, pleasing unto God? In
Romans 6:1-14 Paul states the answer to these questions are to be found in knowing what it
means to have union with Christ in His death, resurrection and walk.
Not Under the Law
Imagine for a moment what it must have been like to be a Gentile believer during the
time of Apostle Paul. How would one feel hearing Paul and Barnabas at Syrian Antioch argued
with the “Judaizers” 3 over their teaching that
grace and faith were not enough to become
saved, one must also be “circumcised
according to the custom taught by Moses”
(Acts 15:1)? Wouldn’t one be worried that if
this one command could be added what would
stop some of those Pharisee believers (15:5)
from enforcing the full 613 commands of the
Old Testament? What a glorious day it would
have been for the Gentiles to hear the results of
the Jerusalem council that only required them
to follow four commands: “to abstain from
food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the
meat of strangled animals and from sexual
immorality” (15:29). Any Gentile that tried to place themselves back under the works of the
C. H. Spurgeon, “Death and Life in Christ,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 9 (London:
Passmore & Alabaster, 1863), 197.
2
Craig S. Keener, Romans, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2009), 79.
3
Richard N. Longenecker, “The Acts of the Apostles,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts, ed.
Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 442.
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Law for Paul was cursed for it was by faith that Abraham was credited as righteous in God’s
sight (Galatians 3:6) long before he was circumcised and under the law (Romans 4:11).
License to Sin?
This brings us to the crux and main question Apostle Paul is trying to answer in today’s
passage: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase (6:1)”?
While union with sinful Adam brought us condemnation and death, union with a sinless,
resurrected Christ brings us justification
to be eternally adopted into God’s
family (1 Corinthians 15:21). God does
not reckon us “righteous” or acceptable
as a member of His family based on our
deeds (Titus 3:5) but on Christ’s
(Romans 5:18)4 who has never sinned
and fallen short of His glory! Critics,
who considered Paul to be an
antinomian (3:8; Acts 2:21), 5 feared
that his view of grace would lead to
rampant sin and an utter disregard for
holiness! After all, if the basis of our
forgiveness, salvation and acceptance
into God’s family is solely based on the
deeds of Christ then why not indulge in the short term pleasures of sin and in doing so let the
grace of God shine even brighter? To keep Christians from distorting grace and making it a
license to sin, Paul reminded believers that their union with Christ in death and resurrection
means they are obligated to walk as He did!
Union with Christ in His Death (verses 6:2-3, 6-7)
2 By
no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any
longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into His death? 6 For we know that our old self was crucified
with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we
should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been
set free from sin.
4
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2014).
Craig S. Keener, Romans, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books,
2009), 79.
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Grace is not a license to sin because of our union with Christ in His death.6 “When
Christ died, believers in some crucial sense died in and with Him.”7 Even though baptism is not
the means of obtaining union with Christ8 it symbolically attests to our “old self” being crucified
on the cross with Jesus.9 Those who are
united with Christ are no longer
condemned10 and have been freed from
the entanglement and power of sin. 11
Even though the old self has been
crucified it is a “slow and agonizing
death”12 that leaves the believer open to
being influenced by their old nature.
While it is possible for believers to still
sin13 they are to rejoice that in their
union with Christ in His death the claim
of sin to rule over our lives has been
eternally broken.14 Since those who are part of this new creation order (2 Corinthians 5:17)15
have died to sin they are not to go on living in it16 because the “I” of the life of Adam no lives
inside the believer, 17 only Christ (Galatians 2:20)! The reason why we do not sin so that grace
might increase is because when Christ died, we died and therefore are not justified to continue
living sinful lives.18
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 69.
7
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2014).
8
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 69.
9
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” 70.
10
C. H. Spurgeon, “Death and Life in Christ,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 9 (London:
Passmore & Alabaster, 1863), 199.
11
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 70.
12
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 162.
13
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 68.
14
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 159.
15
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 70.
16
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2014).
17
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 69.
18
John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2014).
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This still leaves us with a perplexing question to answer: did Apostle Paul define the sin
based on just the four prohibitions of the Jerusalem council or did his definition of sin also
encompass both Old and New Testament commands? To answer this question, one must first
understand that the council chose the four abstinences not to be a “cannon” of commands for
the Gentiles19 but for the sake of
promoting commonality and JewishGentile fellowship.20 The Jews would not
associate with anyone who willingly ate
food sacrificed to idols, consumed blood,
ate meat of strangled animals or were
sexually immoral. To promote the union
of both Jews and Gentiles for Apostle
Paul his cannon of laws included the four
recommended by the council but also
those mentioned in Christ’s teachings.
While it might appear that Paul’s
statement that a Christian “died to the
law” (Romans 7:4) suggests he “threw
out” all Old Testament commands, similar to Christ Paul upheld the authority of the OT right
down to the “least stroke of the pen!”21 Even though Christ fulfilled the law and removed the
need to make sacrifices this did not mean for Paul that the law was sinful (Romans 7:7) but
when its intent was internalized and obeyed22 made external restriction to the OT laws
theoretically unnecessary.23
Union with Christ in His Resurrection (verses 6:4-5, 9-11)
We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too
may live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we
will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. 9 For we know
that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer
has mastery over Him. 10 The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the
life He lives, He lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin
but alive to God in Christ Jesus
Richard N. Longenecker, “The Acts of the Apostles,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts, ed.
Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 448.
20
Richard N. Longenecker, “The Acts of the Apostles,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts, ed.
Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 448.
21
D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein,
vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 145.
22
Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing
House, 2004), 228–229.
23
Robert H. Mounce, Matthew, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 44.
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Grace is not a license to sin also because of our union with Christ in His resurrection.24
On the third day Christ, who did not live for self but to
do the will of God the Father,25 in His sinlessness26 He
rose from the dead and forever conquered the grave
and the mastery of sin and death.27 In doing so Christ
paid our debt and provided the means in which those
who believe in Him might have new life in Him.28 Those
who participate in Christ’s resurrection29 are born of the
Spirit and now have God’s assistance to grow into the
likeness of His Son.30 Since our old lives have been
crucified with Christ31 Paul states the believer is not to
continue to live as if nothing happened32 but is to obey
the intent of the law not to secure the salvation they
already have but so that their deeds might reflect
thanksgiving for grace and point the world to God the
Father in heaven. 33 Surely, He who died once and for all34 has the right and expectation that
believers would be holy as God is holy?
Walking with Christ (verses 12-14)
12 Therefore
do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil
desires.
not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been
brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an
instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because
you are not under the law, but under grace.
13 Do
24
Craig S. Keener, Romans, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2009), 81.
C. H. Spurgeon, “Death and Life in Christ,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 9 (London:
Passmore & Alabaster, 1863), 196.
26
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 164.
27
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 160.
28
Craig S. Keener, Romans, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2009), 80.
29
F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 6, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 140–141.
30
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 164.
31
R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994),
111.
32
R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994),
111–112.
33
C. H. Spurgeon, “Death and Life in Christ,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 9 (London:
Passmore & Alabaster, 1863), 197.
34
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 163.
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Paul finished this section of his letter by concluding that grace is not a license to sin but
the means of justification and sanctification! Even believers are still “diseased, irritable,
excitable, and inclined to self-assertion and demoniacal self-distraction,”35 this does not mean
that sin has mastery or is to be the
lord of the believer’s life.36 The death
and resurrection of Christ has broken
the power of sin37 and as such has
freed the believer to choose which
master, Satan or God that they want
to serve (Matthew 6:24).38 Even
though “sin wants to capture and rule
over” the believer,39 through the
power of the Spirit one can chose to
surrender one’s mind, heart, body and
soul40 to faithfully obey one’s Creator!
While the law demanded
righteousness but could not produce
it, grace removes condemnation and
He who is for (Romans 8:31), faithful (2 Corinthians 1:18) and has freed us (Galatians 5:1)41 has
enables us to be holy as He is holy. Considering Paul’s teachings will you continue in sin or will
you resist the passions and “subtle suggestions of evil,” 42 embrace faithful obedience and draw
nearer to God so that He might draw hearer to you? Will you choose to live your life dead to
sin and alive in Christ?
35
John Peter Lange et al., A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Romans (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software,
2008), 210.
36
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 165.
37
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 164.
38
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 165.
39
R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994),
114.
40
R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994),
115.
41
James R. Edwards, Romans, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
2011), 165.
42
Everett F. Harrison, “Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians, ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), 71.
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