United to Christ thus Dead to Sin
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“God will forgive; that is his ‘business.’” —Voltaire
“I like committing crimes. God likes forgiving them. Really the world is admirably arranged.” —W.H. Auden
“Christians are by no means immune from the temptation to slip from a celebration of grace to an abuse of grace.” —Douglas Moo
Refutation: I would never abuse the grace of God! Have you ever debated with yourself while on the verge of sinning or even in the midst of sinning? Have you ever thought this, “I know this is wrong. I need to stop this, and I will stop this—just not yet.” In that moment you are guilty of abusing God’s grace. And it is this issue of understanding God’s wonderful grace that is greater than our sin, and instead of rejoicing in that grace, and being transformed by that grace unto godly living, we take advantage of God’s grace to wallow in our sin a little longer.
This is the issue the Apostle Paul wanted the Roman Christians to understand.
Let me take a moment and remind you of the flow of Paul’s argument in Romans.
The Apostles primary concern from of the letter was clearly detailed in chapter 1.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
The Apostle then proceeds to set forth the wonderful doctrine of justification from ch 1-4. In the beginning of chapter 4 we have a wonderful definition and explanation of justification by the Apostle.
4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.
Salvation is nothing that a person can earn- it is not a wage that you work for, it is a gift freely given by God. How do we receive this free gift of God?
5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
We believe- we receive God’s gift of salvation through faith. When we believe God justifies the UNGODLY! That is the miracle of salvation. God justifies not good people, or righteous people. God justifies ungodly people!
What does it mean that God justifies us?
Notice the end of the verse, “his faith is counted as righteousness.”
6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
Here it is again- when one believes God justifies that person- that means God counts that person righteous apart from works. You were ungodly. But then you put your faith in Jesus Christ and God counts you righteousness. In God’s eyes, once you have been justified by faith, you are as righteous as Jesus is, you are as righteous as God- that is the gift of salvation that God gives.
But it is not only that...
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
The flip side of the meaning of justification is this: your sins are forgiven, and God no longer counts sin against you. This is the great doctrine of justification. And the Apostle wants us to understand that glory of justification by faith in Jesus Christ is available for us, God will count us righteous just like He did for Abraham.
22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Paul concludes his theology of justification by faith alone at the end of chapter 4. In chapter 5 Paul moves on and begins to discuss the benefits of justification.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, now that we see quite plainly that justification is a gift of God, not of our own works, but something freely given by God to us when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, and now that we are justified by faith here are all of the benefits that flow out of that justification.
What are those benefits?
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 1)
We have access to a new realm of grace by faith (v. 2a)
We have the future hope of sharing in the glory of God (v. 2b)
We have great cause for rejoicing both in the future blessings of our salvation and even in our present sufferings (vv. 2b-5)
We have the love of God poured out abundantly in our hearts (v. 5-8)
In 5:9 Paul turns his attention to a very significant benefit of our justification. In fact it is so significant that this theme will carry on all the way to the end of ch. 8! What is this very important benefit of our justification?
9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Because we have now been justified (Our sins have been forgiven and we have been counted righteous)
by means of the blood of Jesus Christ !
HOW MUCH MORE (God has already done the hard part- He justified the ungodly! If God has already done that, how much more certain is it that God will do a much less difficult task? What is the less difficult task?)
We shall be saved from the wrath of God
by means of him (Jesus Christ)
This is what Paul wants us to understand that one of the sure and certain benefits of your justification is that is guarantees your final or ultimate and complete deliverance from the wrath of God. In other words because you are justified you can sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that one day you will be glorified, or you will experience the full measure of your salvation. What we have now in our salvation is wonderful! But, it is only a small portion of the final salvation that will be ours one day (God calls it merely a down payment). There is so much more in store for believers. And because you have been justified you are guaranteed to have one day the full measure of the salvation that God has promised to you and nothing that take that away.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Your justification makes absolutely certain your glorification. This is the great theme that Paul will be dealing with from chapters 6-8.
How do we know that we shall be saved one day by his life? The first answer Paul gives us to this question is because of your union with Christ!
In vv. 12-18 Paul develops the wonderful doctrine of the believer’s union with Christ. One of the benefits of our justification is that the believer is united with Christ. We are in Christ. And that makes all the difference!
Our union with Christ is one of the assurances that we will one day experience final salvation!
Because we are united to Christ, this new position that we have enables God to cause his grace to abound to us!
Now as Paul ends chapter 5 and begins chapter 6 he is going to deal with a common misunderstanding and misuses of the grace of God that is ours because of our union with Christ.
Paul wants us to understand something about our union with Christ so that we do not abuse the grace of God, but instead celebrate it.
Paul wanted the Roman believers to understand the realities of their union with Christ so that they would not continue living in sin.
Comprehending your union with Christ is essential for you to stop living in sin.
What must we understand concerning our union with Christ so that we can stop living in sin?
Several truths about our union with Christ.
The first truth we need to understand so that we might stop living in sin is:
I. Our union with Christ transferred us from the realm of sin to the realm of grace
I. Our union with Christ transferred us from the realm of sin to the realm of grace
Romans 5:20 (ESV)
20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass,
20νόμος δὲ παρεισῆλθεν,
Now law came in,
ἵνα πλεονάσῃ τὸ παράπτωμα·
in order that it might increase considerably the trespass
Law- God’s moral standard of righteousness
Increase considerably the trespass?
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
οὗ δὲ ἐπλεόνασεν ἡ ἁμαρτία,
but where sin increased considerably,
ὑπερεπερίσσευσεν ἡ χάρις,
grace increased to an extraordinarily greater degree
Remember Paul is wanting to show us that because of your justification and your union with Christ you have an assurance of your final salvation. Here is one of those great assurance.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
Because of your union with Christ much more has the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one many Jesus Christ abounded to many! To what degree does God’s grace abound to us?
Where sin increased (even increased considerably),
grace abounded all the more (grace increased to an extraordinarily greater degree)
Illustration: Rich uncle who always covers your debt, where your debt increased his pocket book increased to an extraordinarily greater degree)
Romans 5:21 (ESV)
21 so that, as sin reigned in death,
21ἵνα ὥσπερ ἐβασίλευσεν ἡ ἁμαρτία
So that, just as sin reigned
ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ,
in (the dominion[1]of) death,
[1]Dative of sphere- Paul often thinks in terms of “spheres” or “dominions,” and the language of “reigning” is particularly well suited to this idea. Death has its own dominion: humanity as determined, and dominated, in ADAM. In this dominion sin is in control.
For those who are connected with Adam, and thus with the corrupted sin nature that they inherited from Adam, they are under the dominion of death, because they are still under the realm or the reign of sin.
21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
οὕτως καὶ ἡ χάρις βασιλεύσῃ
so also grace might reign
διὰ δικαιοσύνης
through (the dominion of) righteousness
εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον
unto eternal life
διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν.
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For those who are united with Christ you have an entirely new position. You have been transferred out of the realm or the reign of sin. You are no longer under the dominion of death. What dominion are you in now? The dominion of righteousness! And what realm or reign do you belong to now? The realm or the reign of righteousness! For those in the realm of grace it will ultimately lead them to eternal life! How? Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
It is by means of our union with Christ that we are transferred into a new realm- the realm of grace. In this realm of grace no matter how great our sin- God’s grace increases to an to an extraordinarily greater degree!
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
This is your present reality. It has already happened in the mind of God. If you are a Christian, if you have been justified by faith, and united with Christ- then you have already been transferred out of the domain of darkness- the domain of death- out of from under the reign of sin. And you have already been transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son! It is a dominion of righteousness under the reign of grace.
How does this knowledge help us to stop living in sin?
Illustration: Under the reign of Communist China- one child. Now under the reign of America- why would you still limit your family to one child? You are under a new reign, you are in a new realm. You are no longer under the dominion of dictators, you are under the dominion of a democratic republic. Live like it!
Refutation: I don’t feel like I’ve been translated into a new realm. I still feel like I’m living in the realm of sin and under the dominion of death. And it sure looks like it! Have you seen the news lately?
This is the power of your union with Christ. It is so wonderful and sure that in the eyes of God your position is that you are right now living in the realm of grace and under the dominion of righteousness.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Made us alive- aorist tense, something that has already happened in the past.
With Christ- In Christ, united to Christ! same doctrine!
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Raised us up with Christ- aorist tense, past action.
Seated us with him in the heavenly places- aorist tense, past action. In the eyes of God your salvation is so certain that the moment you were saved by grace, at that moment you were also (in the mind of God) seated in the heavenly places!
How is this all possible? IN CHRIST! It is one of the benefits of being united to Jesus Christ! And it gets better!
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Comprehending your union with Christ is essential for you to stop living in sin.
Our union with Christ transferred us from the realm of sin to the realm of grace.
Application:
If you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ alone for you salvation, if you know nothing of what it means to be justified by faith, then you are still in realm or the reign of sin and under the dominion of death. You have no part in the grace of God. What you need most of all is for your sins to be forgiven and for God to count you righteous. This is only possible through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus has provided for you the gift of salvation. You cannot work for it or earn it by your own good works. You must receive it by faith as a gift. Right now you can cry out to Jesus and ask Him to save you. Ask him for the gift of salvation. Put you trust in Jesus alone to save you and He will.
Friend, if you are Christian, if you have been justified, if you have been united with Christ, then you must realize something this morning. Because of your union with Christ you have been transferred out of the realm of sin and into the realm of grace. You are right now part of a new kingdom, a kingdom characterized by grace and righteousness. Live like it! Comprehending this truth is vital for you to stop living in sin. No longer live like you used to when you were a citizen of the realm of sin and death. Live like a citizen who is in the realm of grace and righteousness. And stop taking advantage of God’s grace by continuing to sin. Don’t abuse God’s grace, but rather celebrate it by living godly righteous lives.
What a privilege is ours. What a hope, what glory. We are now under the realm of grace and the dominion of righteousness that leads to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.
II. Our union with Christ caused us to share in the benefits of his death, burial, and resurrection
II. Our union with Christ caused us to share in the benefits of his death, burial, and resurrection
III. Our union with Christ rightly understood compels us to godly living
III. Our union with Christ rightly understood compels us to godly living