The Full Reward of Grace: Sanctification Romans 6 The Full Reward of Grace: Sanctification

Follow Up Item: One Tree or Two? Gen 2:15-17 NKJV (15) Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; (17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Follow Up Item: Reconciliation Eph 2:14-17 NKJV (14) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, (15) having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, (16) and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (17) And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

Follow Up Item: Reconciliation Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on Eph 2:14-18 Jesus Christ made peace by the sacrifice of himself; in every sense Christ was their Peace, the author, centre, and substance of their being at peace with God, and of their union with the Jewish believers in one church. Through the person, sacrifice, and mediation of Christ, sinners are allowed to draw near to God as a Father, and are brought with acceptance into his presence, with their worship and services, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, as one with the Father and the Son. Christ purchased leave for us to come to God; and the Spirit gives a heart to come, and strength to come, and then grace to serve God acceptably.

The Full Reward of Grace: Sanctification Romans 6 The Full Reward of Grace: Sanctification

The Call to Sanctification (1-2) What shall we say then? How shall we respond? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? With more sin now that the previous has been paid for? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? No! If we are dead to sin, how can we live IN IT? Holiness is the right response!

Baptism, Crucifixion, and the Resurrection (3-10) Rom 6:3-10 ESV (3) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) 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. (5) 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. (6) 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. (7) For one who has died has been set free from sin. (8) Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. (9) We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. (10) For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Baptism (3-5) When we are baptized we emulate Christ’s death. In ritual, we put the “old man”, the descendant of Adam, to death. We submit the old man to burial with Christ so that we can share in the newness of a life, the life of Yeshua, that is free of sin, as raised by the glory of Yahweh. Sharing in his death to sin (Justification by faith) qualifies us to be united with him in life. Is Jesus sinning in life? How can we share in his life if our death to sin is incomplete?

Crucifixion (6-8) Our “Old Man” was crucified WITH him so that the body (the slave to sin) might be brought to nothing. The part of us that is dead to sin is now temporary. How can you enslave that which does not exist? – You can not. This is how the work of Christ in us is completed. We are freed from the slavery to sin through death. Faith in Christ, acted out through our baptism, is an act of our communion with His death and the point of our connection to His crucifixion and to His resurrected life.

Resurrection (9-10) Not only does sin not have dominion over the risen Christ, but neither does death, which was the result of sin – now defeated. His death was died to sin (ONCE FOR ALL!). His life is TO God. We are connected to his resurrection through faith, and grace gives us a fresh start and the opportunity to walk with him IN LIFE!

The Response to New Life (11-15) Rom 6:11-15 ESV (11) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (13) Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (14) For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (15) What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary Rom 6:11-15 - The strongest motives against sin, and to enforce holiness, are here stated. Being made free from the reign of sin, alive unto God, and having the prospect of eternal life, it becomes believers to be greatly concerned to advance thereto. But, as unholy lusts are not quite rooted out in this life, it must be the care of the Christian to resist their motions, earnestly striving, that, through Divine grace, they may not prevail in this mortal state. Let the thought that this state will soon be at an end, encourage the true Christian, as to the motions of lusts, which so often perplex and distress him. Let us present all our powers to God, as weapons or tools ready for the warfare, and work of righteousness, in his service. There is strength in the covenant of grace for us. Sin shall not have dominion. God's promises to us are more powerful and effectual for mortifying sin, than our promises to God. Sin may struggle in a real believer, and create him a great deal of trouble, but it shall not have dominion; it may vex him, but it shall not rule over him. Shall any take occasion from this encouraging doctrine to allow themselves in the practice of any sin? Far be such abominable thoughts, so contrary to the perfections of God, and the design of his gospel, so opposed to being under grace. What can be a stronger motive against sin than the love of Christ? Shall we sin against so much goodness, and such love?

Recognition and Acceptance (11-12) Rom 6:11-12 KJV+Strongs (11) Likewise3779 reckon3049 ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 3779 = οὕτω / houtō (hoo’-to)- in the same way 3049 = λογίζομαι / logizomai (log-id'-zom-ahee) – take an inventory (of yourself) And affirm it to be dead, but alive to God in Jesus Deny sin the right to reign over you, though the struggle remains, sin is defeated.

Dead Man Walking (13) Rom 6:13 NKJV (13) And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Are we separate from our members? Indeed! And… no longer should we present them to sin as tools for evil, but as we present ourselves (separate from our members) to Yahweh we offer the members as a living sacrifice (pure and holy) to do HIS will and to do his good in the kingdom we remain in.

The Responsibility of Grace(14-15) Rom 6:14-15 NKJV (14) For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Grace FREES US FROM SIN! It’s power is broken and though we will wrestle with it, it is like being under a diplomatic immunity – we are subject to temptation and accusation, but not to condemnation. (15) What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! So then how will we handle this? As corrupt politicians “disgracing” our positions? No!

Choose the Master of Life! (16-20) Rom 6:16-20 NKJV (16) Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (17) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. (18) And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (19) I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. (20) For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

If You Choose Not to Decide… (16) Rom 6:16 NKJV Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Paul makes the case that you ARE a slave, the only question is whether you will make yourself a slave of the one who gives you right to call him Father, and leads you to life, or whether you will “default” to being a slave to sin – leading to death

Paul Notes that the Roman Church HAS decided… (17-18) Rom 6:17-18 NKJV (17) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. (18) And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness Paul notes that there is an obedience “from the heart” to the teaching of the gospel. This is similar to what Christ predicted of His church. Freed slaves become slaves again??? Free Spirit, Free Mind, Subject of the King!

Willing Servitude – The Response to Freedom of the Spirit (19-20) Rom 6:19-20 NKJV (19) I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. Paul speaks to them in human terms because they will be able to understand the relationship of slavery and the product of work done for a master, and they will also recognize that slavery can truly be forced, it is only through willing submission that it has effect. (20) For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Inversely, now as willing slaves after righteousness we are free in regard to sin, our previously debasing and destructive master. Acts 17:30 NKJV - Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

The Spiritual 401K (21-23) Rom 6:21-23 NIV (21) What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! (22) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Contrast (21-22) Rom 6:21-22 NIV (21) What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! (22) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. Here we see death as the outcome of serving sin, and life as the outcome of serving God, which we can do (despite the struggle of sin while we remain in this form) because we HAVE been set free.

Set Free… Psalms 81:6 NKJV (6) "I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the baskets. John 8:30-36 NKJV (30) As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. (31) Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (32) And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (33) They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?" (34) Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. (35) And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. (36) Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Set Free… Hebrews 9:15 NIV (15) For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15 NKJV (15) And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Yields from Which We Must Choose (23) (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So if we do not choose the willing service of God, enabled through faith in Christ Jesus, and empowered by grace and the free gift of righteousness, we are destined for spiritual death. We can not “earn” life, but we can choose to accept it as the free gift of Yahweh, delivered to us through the obedience of Yeshua our Lord. Lord = κύριος / kurios (koo'-ree-os) From κῦρος kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, that is, (as noun) controller; by implication Mr. (as a respectful title): - God, Lord, master, Sir.

Romans 6 Summary We are called to sanctification We connect to the death and resurrection of Christ through our baptism We must therefore “reconcile” ourselves as renewed to life and free from sin We must commit ourselves willingly to serve God in life and to no longer obey sin We will not, and cannot be perfect, but the benefit of the right response leads to holiness and the result of eternal life