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Carmel Baptist Church

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March 8, 2009

A Test in Romans Chapter 6

Question #1

What observations have we discussed about Paul’s writing style in Romans, give at least 2 and then explain your observations?

In Romans 6:1 and Romans 6:15 the apostle Paul asks the initial question to see if we understand grace and in Romans 6:2-10 and Romans 6:15-23 he writes to see if we understand regeneration

The apostle Paul follows a similar writing style in Romans 6 and Romans 7 in that he asks 2 primary questions in Romans 6 and 2 primary questions in Romans 7.

The pattern is as follows: Question-Answer-Reason-Explanation

Question #1

What observations have we discussed about Paul’s writing style in Romans, give at least 2 and then explain your observations?

Paul in Romans 1-6 gives us a series of indicatives which present us with one truth after the other regarding the Christian life. And then in Romans 6:11-13 Paul gives us for the first time 4 imperatives that exhort us to act in a way that is consistent with who we are in Christ.

We learn the ways of God by being able to evaluate the inspired word of God in that:

Doctrine always precedes application

Believing correctly precedes behaving correctly

There is the root of truth planted that brings the fruit of truth

Turn to John 8:32 and John 17:17

Question #2

The phrase “died to sin” is a key in our understanding of Romans Chapter 6:

What does it NOT mean? Paul doesn’t say that we are dying to sin, so he is not talking about a process here Paul doesn’t say we have finally died to sin, which would indicate that we have been dying and now are dead to sin Paul doesn’t say how shall we who “ought” to die to sin, still live in it We who determined to die to sin, Because we died based on what happened to us That the Christian no longer is having a problem with or isn’t affected by sin any longer

Question #2

The phrase “died to sin” is a key in our understanding of Romans Chapter 6:

What it DOES mean?

Well we can best understand what Paul means by keeping this in context with what he has been saying.

And for that we need to go back to Chapter 5:12-21 and look at the realm in Adam and the realm that is in Christ.

In the realm of Adam there is:

Sin

Condemnation

Death

In the realm of Christ there is:

Righteousness

Justification

Life

So what does it mean that I died to sin? It means is that a genuine Christian has died to the reign and realm of sin in their lives. Sin no longer has dominion over them to the point that they are enslaved to it or powerless to do anything about it.

Scriptural Support for passing from one realm to the next

From “in” the flesh to “in” the Spirit

Romans 7:5-6

Romans 8:3-4

From darkness to kingdom of Christ

Colossian 1:13 - For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

From slaves to sin and now slaves to righteousness

Romans 6:17-18 - But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Question #3

What word picture does Paul give us when talking about our union with Christ?

Explain and support with Scripture

Romans 6:3-5 - Baptism is the initiation of the Christian life and the testimony to the reality of what has happened in regeneration. It is a picture of the death and burial of the old man and the resurrection of our new man in Christ.

We don’t get the full impact of this picture because most people can’t hold their breath that long. But if they could go down in the water for 10 minutes and we could see this represents their death and then when they come up they are rising as a new person into a new life.

Colossians 2:11-12Col. 2:11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; Col. 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

What did circumcision symbolize? It is just like that of baptism.It never saved or regenerated anyone to get circumcised just like it never saves or regenerates anyone to get baptized. Baptism itself will not make you a new creature, it will make you a wet creature. Baptism is a pictorial testimony to the reality of what happens when we are regenerated, when our old man dies forever and we are raised up to walk in newness of life. It is at that time our old man dies forever and our new man is raised up to life in Christ.

Question #4

What are the 4 steps that Paul gives that we need to understand in Romans 6:6-7

Step #1- our old self was crucified with Him

Step #2 - that our body of sin might be done away with

Step #3 - that we should no longer be slaves to sin

Step #4 - for he who has died is freed from sin.

Question #5

What are the 4 imperatives that Paul exhorts us to in Romans 6:11-13? And then explain what these mean.

Imperative #1 - consider yourselves to be dead to sin

Imperative #2 - do not let sin reign in your mortal body

Imperative #3 - do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin

Imperative #4 - but present yourselves to God

Imperative #1 - consider yourselves to be dead to sin

Consider - reckon, conclude or count upon the fact that you are dead to sin and live unto God. This is absolutely true whether you feel it or not. Grace is now reigning and sin no longer fits into your life because you are a new person.

This statement must be understood in light of the context of Romans 6:10 - that Christ died to sinWhat does it mean that Christ died to sin?What does it mean that Christ lives to God? Paul is speaking in terms of realms at this point. He means that Christ passed out of the realm of the world in which He was exposed to sin and death.And in His resurrection He passed out of this realm and into the heavenly realm. Just as this has been true for Jesus in a physical sense this is now true for all Christians in a spiritual sense.

Imperative #2 - do not let sin reign in your mortal bodyNotice that Paul first gives a command that is in the negative or something that we are not supposed to do. He says that we are not to let sin REIGN in our mortal bodies.

There are two points we need to observe in Romans 6:12 Point #1 - Sin is still trying to reign which means as a Christian we face all kinds of battle, obstacles and temptations that are thrown to us by sin. Again being dead to sin doesn’t mean that we don’t battle sin, it simply means that we are no longer enslaved to sin ruling in our life. Point #2 - Notice that as sin does try to reign it tries to reign in those places of our mortal body that are not yet redeemed which we call the flesh. The flesh is not who you really are and yes the flesh is as corrupt as it ever was. But you the real you is the person you will be in a million years. The mortal body is going to pass away in a short time. Notice Paul doesn’t say “don’t let sin reign in you, but rather he says don’t let sin reign in your mortal body.”

Imperative #3 - do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin and

Imperative #4 - but present yourselves to GodWhereas in verse 12 Paul gives a command of what not to do, in verse 13 there is a command of what not to do but also a command of what we are to do.First Paul exhorts us NOT to present the members of our body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness

Then Paul exhorts in a positive way by telling us instead to present ourselves to God and also our members as instruments of righteousness.

Imagine going into a worship service on Sunday with a heart fully prepared and committed to present yourself to God as fully as you know how to do it. And in addition to that you present each individual member of your body to Him as a form of worship.

For example:Lord this morning I want to present my ears to you in order that I can accurately discern the word with you have for me today.

Lord this morning I want to present my eyes to you so that as I read your word I might be able to see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord this morning I want to present my heart to you so that I will be prepared to have the seed of your word intersect my life in such a way that it will grow 30, 60 and 100 fold to the glory of the kingdom.

Just think about this kind of presenting of your members to God in a way that brings glory to His name and demonstrates Him as great!

Finally look at Romans 6:14 which is the verse that brings the first half of Romans 6 to a close and we could say acts as a summary verse.

Actually we could go back to verse 1 and ask why should we not continue in sin and the answer is found in Romans 6:14, because sin is no longer master over you but instead you are now under grace.

This verse is Paul’s assurance that sin will no longer control or enslave a believer in Christ.Paul IS NOT saying that sin ought not to have dominion over you but rather sin WILL NOT have dominion over you.

Also it is important for us to realize that Romans 6:14 is not a conditional verse based on Romans 6:12-13.

This verse is a statement of assurance which means we simply need to believe it.

The truth of this summary statement should be an encouragement for all of those in Christ to behave consistent with Romans 6:12-13.