A New Way of Thinking
Romans: Unashamed - Building the Church through the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted
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What is the OBJECTIVE of this Sermon? To think about how we are dead to sin and alive to God - because of the finished work of Christ on the cross.
What is the DESIRED RESPONSE for this Sermon? To change the way we think as Christians. To meditate on the beautiful reality of our position in Christ and how this should change our actions.
TENSION - Where does the tension lie? It is too easy to think in the B.C. rather than the A.D..
Me - So, what happens when you take a piece of white fabric and put it into a vat of water with red dye in it? Every fiber of the white fabric is permanently changed from white to red.
This is what happened to me in October of 1991 when confronted with the gospel...
I was “baptized” or submerged into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. I was forever altered/changed.
We - We who are saved have been changed - our baptism into His death, burial, and resurrection have forever altered the very fibre of our being.
I’ve Been Changed by Cleavant Derricks
Well, I’ve been to the river, I’ve been baptized.
I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb.
I’ve been changed from the creature that once I was
And redeemed is now my name.
Chorus:
I’ve been changed, I’m newborn now,
All my life has been rearranged.
What a difference it made when the Lord came and stayed in my heart
Oh, yes, I’ve been changed.
We were immersed in Christ and it forever changed us.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
This is our reality, Christian friends!
Why then the struggle with sin?
This is why!
Your thinking must catch-up to your reality!
Why?
God -
The bible has a lot to say about how we think, our mindset.
“As a man thinketh so shall he be.” - Proverbs 23:7
“Set your mind on these things.” Phil 4:8
“Have this mind in you that was in Christ Jesus.” Phil 2:5
So remember this. You didn’t change you, God did! God is the one who says that you are a new creation so - BELIEVE IT!!
Dr. Tony Evans makes this point so well...
Who are we, as Christians? We are the people who were co-baptized with Christ, co-buried with him, and co-resurrected with him. So when all of us…were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death (6:3). When he died two thousand years ago, we died two thousand years ago. When he was buried, we were buried with him (6:4). What is true of Jesus physically is true of us spiritually.
So my Christian friend, this is your new reality!
Main Idea - You are Alive In Christ! Think Accordingly!
Folks, this isn’t a seminar on “The Power of Positive Thinking!” This is the TRUTH because this is what the BIBLE says about you!!
So, write this on the tablets of your hearts.
Set your minds on this truth.
As you meditate on this reality, your reality will begin to reflect this beautiful truth!
In the passage we are focusing on today, Paul is continuing his argument that he started in verses 1-4. His argument is regarding believers relationship with sin.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
In verses 5-11 he adds to his argument by offering three powerful ideas to help the church at Rome focus on a believers proper relationship with sin. Truths that will help reorient a believer’s perspective on sin and keep them from its powerful grasp.
1. You Are Alive and Free (vs. 5-7)
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Believers are united in His death
This becomes a guarantee that the believer will be united with Him in His resurrection. This means believers are ALIVE just as much as Jesus is ALIVE!
The believers Old Self/Body of Sin = The sinful inclinations we continue to wrestle with. Hear me - Your sinful inclinations, the fact that you wrestle with sin in a SIGN OF LIFE. Unbelievers do now wrestle with sin the way a believer does. The unbeliever doesn’t really care about there sin unless it hurts them in some way or the Spirit of God is bringing them under convictions.
This is a helpful way to think about our struggle = The new nature is incarcerated in an old body - the Bod of Sin. And this body of sin is dead.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
The bottom line? You are no longer a slave to sin! In fact, two thousand years ago when Christ died to sin, so did you.
and as Paul says in verse 7. Look at the NLT...
For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.
Illustrate - Did you know that cadavers can do some pretty odd things? Morticians will tell you that their muscles will sometimes twitch!
One mortician said he even saw a twitch that catapulted the dead body off the table!
This particular mortician said, “That stuff doesn’t bother me, because I know that dead is dead, even when it acts alive.”
It’s the same with our body of sin. Sure, it’s still moving around and even trying to act like it is in charge!
The reality is, in this life we will still sin.
But do you know the difference? We are no longer slaves to that sin! We are dead to it!
Dead people are dead and useless as slaves!
The power of sin is broken and so you are no long bound by it. This is our reality - we are set free and alive!!
Apply - Set your mind on this and your life will change! What you think will determine what you do.
Meditate on your freedom in Christ and you will start to act free in Christ
Meditate on the fact that you are dead to sin, and you will start to act dead to sin.
Meditating on biblical truth is the first step to lasting change!
Review - You are alive in Christ! Think accordingly!
You Are Alive and Free
2. You Are Alive like Christ (vs. 8-10)
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
It is not just about sin being dead.
Just as we died with Jesus, we will live with Him. How is this possible?
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
Jesus is alive because He was raised from the dead. The first fruits of the resurrection
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Being raised from the dead means He will not die again!
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Death has no power over Christ.
No DOMINION - this word in the greek is a version of the english word - LORD. The sense of the word here is to dominate completely.
Death is dead. It has no power over Christ. and therefore has no power over you!
For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why? How is this so?
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
Jesus died to sin as a substitute “once for all”
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
And because He substituted Himself for you, you are free!
Illustrate -
Did you know that during the Civil War it was legal for men who wanted to avoid the draft to pay for a personal replacements? In one particular instance, a man paid for another to go into battle for him, and that individual was killed. A few months later, the man who paid for the replacement received a second draft notice. But he took the legal agreement to the draft board, saying, “The second draft is invalid. Someone already went to war and died in my place.” T. Evans pg 1125
Whenever satan or self tempts you to redraft you into sin, remind them that because of the gospel, because Jesus died in your place, you are no longer bound to follow sin!
What is the result of being dead to sin according to Paul? “but the life he lives he lives to God.”
Jesus lives to God = Jesus lives for God’s glory! So we are alive with Jesus and therefore are alive LIKE Christ!
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
Apply - Get it? We too are to bring Glory to God just like Christ did!
How did he? By following the will of the Father each day he lived and ultimately by following the father’s will to the cross.
We too must die to self and live like Christ.
Review - You are alive in Christ! Think accordingly!
You Are Alive and Free
You Are Alive like Christ
3. You are Alive to God (vs. 11)
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
There is a key word in this verse that really is the point of chapter 6 so far.
CONSIDER -
λογίζομαι (logízomai) - reason, word, account. To reckon, impute, number.
Actually, the verb logízomai means to put together with one’s mind, to count, to occupy oneself with reckonings or calculations. - The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament
We, as followers of God have a daily choice to make if we want to live like Christ.
We need to change our thinking!
“Our main problem with sin is not a lack of willpower, but a lack of vision. We take our eyes off of the cross, and Paul wants us to look back there.” Tony Evans
If we think B.C. (Before Christ) - Sin will gain an unnecessary and harmful foothold. It will not take away your salvation (if indeed you are saved), but it will still produce death and even damage the name of Christ and our testimony of him in our lives.
And remember this about sin, Christian friend...
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go,
Keep you longer than you want to stay,
And cost you more than you want to pay.” - Unknown
The moral of the story? STOP living in B.C.
If we think A.D. however, then we will experience the power of God in a fresh and encouraging way.
Warren W. Wiersbe
Too many Christians are “betweeners”: they live between Egypt and Canaan, saved but never satisfied; or they live between Good Friday and Easter, believing in the Cross but not entering into the power and glory of the Resurrection. Romans 6:5 indicates that our union with Christ assures our future resurrection should we die. But Romans 6:4 teaches that we share His resurrection power today. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above … For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1, 3, niv).
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 531–532.
Sin is dead to you! You are ALIVE to God! Think
Illustrate - If the crack cocaine or meth addict is ever going to survive, they must CONSIDER themselves dead to the drug that initially brought them pleasure. Why? Because it will kill them.
Remember folks, sin brings death! And so, we must CONSIDER ourselves dead to it so we can in fact live to God’s glory!
Apply - You, my friend, are alive to God in Christ Jesus. In other words, because of what Christ accomplished through the gospel, you can and do have an everlasting relationship with God.
So, what should you do? Do everything you can to grow in that relationship!
Grow in godliness!
How?
Get discipled!
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
A disciple maker will teach you to observe all that Jesus commanded you.
Jesus commanded us to pray, grow in the word, serve one another and the poor, give, love, be kind, compassionate and tenderhearted. This bible is full of what Jesus commanded. Find someone who is willing to teach you so you can grow in Christlikeness. Also, for those who are mature in the faith, be willing to make disciples!
Review - You are alive in Christ! Think accordingly!
You Are Alive and Free
You Are Alive like Christ
You are Alive to God
You -I want to encourage the believer today. You are born-again! And because you are you must think like it!
How does a born-again believer think? They think like Jesus!
What did Jesus think about sin?
What did Jesus think about legalism?
What did Jesus think about bringing glory to God?
You think this way too!
Keep your eyes on Christ and your vision will be clear!
We - Think of the impact ABC could have if every born-again believer here and within the sound of my voice shook off the anger at our society and the apathy that can settle into our hearts and purposed to change their thinking and live our what God calls us - Alive! We are ALIVE! Because He is ALIVE!
The impact would be profound.
I’ll leave you with this quote from Samuel Smiles...
“Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.”
― Samuel Smiles, Happy Homes and the Hearts That Make Them
The way we think affects our destiny.
Do you think like Jesus? Please, you “MUST CONSIDER yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus!!”
This kind of thinking will not only change your destiny, but potentially the destiny of those around you!
Set your mind on this!
Connection Group Reflection Questions
How has what you think about affected your life?
What are some benefits of knowing that you are alive and free in Christ?
What is the significance of being alive like Christ is alive?
Discuss some ways that this mindset can glorify (make famous) God.
5. With whom can I share these truths?