Free from the Dominion of Sin
The Glory of the Gospel: Studies in the Book of Romans • Sermon • Submitted
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· 12 viewsThose who are no longer In Adam will live in accordance with their new nature of being In Christ
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Those in union with Christ will understand the true nature of Grace and not abuse it (Rom 6:1-2)
Those in union with Christ will understand the true nature of Grace and not abuse it (Rom 6:1-2)
Explanation: In his concluding thoughts regarding the contrast between those in In Adam and those In Christ, Paul has declared the magnitude of God’s action through Christ to be much more. Paul states that Adam’s singular sin has resulted in condemnation to all men. He highlights the power of God’s grace in that as sin has multiplied and multiplied, His grace through the free gift of Jesus has abounded that much more!
As the conversation now moves to the arena of life for those In Christ, Paul makes use of a rhetorical question to frame the true nature of God’s amazing Grace. He asks the question to bring out the following: “since grace abounds (or increases) when sin is multiplied, then doesn’t it make sense for believers (those In Christ) to continue with sinning so that Grace will abound even more?
The answer to that question is a resounding NO. Those who have the mindset that it is okay for a Christian to continue in sin for the sake of grace simply reveal that they DO NOT understand grace. Paul sets forth a biblical understanding of the expected lifestyle for a person who is In Christ in v. 2 through the use of another question. He asks, “how can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom 6:2).
Illustrate: a couple gets married, and then the husband returns to his parent’s house (or his own house) and continues to live as a single man. He does not live with his new wife, but instead reverts back to his former lifestyle.
Argument: A profound change in identity has taken place for the believer. He or she has been transferred from the kingdom of darkness and been placed into the Kingdom of light and righteousness (Col 1:3). Just like we would say the husband who returns to the parent’s house does not understand marriage, the “Christian” who continues to live in sin does not understand the nature of Grace. A high probability exists that the person who continues in his or her former life is still In Adam.
Application: none of us will every fully comprehend the extent of God’s grace, but believers do have some level of understanding. Do you believe you have the right to do whatever you want to do, regardless of how it may affect others because you consider yourself a Christian? If so, you may want to have a serious talk with God about your relationship with Him. Those who are IN Christ are not perfected in this world, they have been transformed (2 Cor 5:17) and they do not intentionally abuse the grace of God that delivered them from sin.
Our union with Christ’s death has freed us from the power of sin (Rom 6:3-7)
Our union with Christ’s death has freed us from the power of sin (Rom 6:3-7)
Explanation: Following up on his rhetorical question, Paul gives details as to why a believer will not continue in a lifestyle of sin. Paul is stating that being transferred from being in Adam and placed In Christ breaks the power of sin in the believer’s life. He or she is no longer under the dominion of sin, but has been set free through Christ’s work on the Cross. Jesus delivers us - He frees us from the power of sin and we no longer serve the former master of Sin
He illustrates his teaching by discussing our water baptism and how it relates to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. For the believer, water baptism is the outward expression of an inward change. What Paul is teaching here is that in our union with Christ we share in the actual death He experienced. In the same way we will experience the resurrection of the body in the future. What this means for us in the present is that we have been freed from the dominion of sin so that we can live in a manner that pleases God.
Illustrate: A slave in 1865 who has been freed from slavery who still continued to wear a slave collar and remained in the slave quarters
Argument: Our old nature that we had while we were IN Adam has been put to death (v. 6) It has been brought to nothing. It is vital for us who are In Christ to understand this. This truth of being set free is what allows us to grow in personal holiness. The process of becoming more and more like Jesus is called sanctification.
God does everything in salvation; we contribute nothing. In the process of sanctification we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our growth in holiness. Being set free from the power of sin is KEY in sanctification. If we haven’t been delivered, we will not grow in holiness because we are still under the dominion of sin.
This area is where many struggle in their understanding of the Christian Life and is also an area that confuses many observers of Christianity. The world sees those who are still In Adam claiming to be In Christ, but the results are similar to those who are In Adam.
Application: Check up on your lifestyle choices. If you are still where you were when you supposedly “got saved” you need to reconsider who you belong to. If you are In Christ, then don’t go back to the slave quarters of sin - you have been set free, so live like it. That brings us to the final point of how we grow in holiness.
Our union with Christ empowers us to live in righteousness that pleases God (Rom 6:11-14)
Our union with Christ empowers us to live in righteousness that pleases God (Rom 6:11-14)
Explanation: Paul tells the believers how they are to live as those who have been set free. He has just taught that Jesus will never experience death again. Jesus died one time for the purpose of settling humanity’s sin debt and since He paid it in full, He will never have to go back to repeat the experience. His was what we call, “One and done!”
Even though we have been crucified with Christ (v. 8, see also Galatians 2:20) we still have to deal with the experience of living in a fallen world. While the entirety of our old nature was put to death with Christ, we must realize that we are the ones who died, not the force of sin. Sin remains in the world as do we. As John Wesley put it. “sin remains, but it no longer reigns in the believer’s life.
Argument: Our position In Christ comes with the Indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Believers are empowered to live for Jesus. We CAN do that which is pleasing to God. This is why Paul gives imperatives (command language) in verses 12 and 13. The believer is NOT to let sin reign, and he or she is NOT to present his or her members to sin. These are commands that can be followed by one who is empowered by the Holy Spirit. We CAN walk worthy of our calling in Christ (Eph 4:1)
Application: Verse 11 functions as the hinge between our identity in Christ (justification) and our growth in holiness (sanctification). Believers live in the tension of the “already - not yet.” We HAVE been transformed - we are no longer IN Adam, we are IN Christ. We WILL be glorified at some future point - but not yet.
This is where we are called to RECKON ourselves dead to the power of sin in our lives. Our choices are real and they are meaningful. We CAN choose to do that which is pleasing to God. We CAN choose to die to self and to live for Christ every day. This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)