Sunday School Notes - Romans 6:1-14

“Dead to Sin / Alive to Christ”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 6:1-14

 

We have now spent 5 chapters of Romans answering questions related to our justification. Questions like, “Why does man need salvation?” and “What has God done to make salvation possible?” have been right at the center of the conversation. But now chapter 6-8 will continue the conversation through the lens of sanctification, the “setting apart” of ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. God’s plan of salvation does not stop at justification, it continues on in sanctification. (DRAW THE DIAGRAM ON THE BOARD RELATED TO JUSTIFICATION, SANCTIFICATION AND GLORIFICATION, NOTING THE POSITIONAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BELIEVER AND THE NON-BELIEVER)

I.                   What have we seen thus far?    Introduction

a.       We have traveled through our outline thus far:

                                                              i.      Romans 1:1-15 – Introduction

                                                            ii.      Romans 1:16-17 – Theme: The Righteousness of God

                                                          iii.      Romans 1:18-3:20 – The Unrighteousness of all Mankind

                                                          iv.      Romans 3:21-5:21 – Righteousness Imputed: Justification

b.      Now we will move along to the next theological section of Romans:

                                                              i.      Romans 6:1-8:39 - Righteousness Imparted: Sanctification

1.      It is important to note that God’s plan of salvation doesn’t stop at justification, but continues in sanctification and ultimately in glorification.

2.      God is not only concerned with the believer’s status but also in his state, his actual condition.

 

II.                Paul considers a possible objection    Romans 6:1-2

a.       Paul now begins the conversation regarding sanctification with another possible objection. He has utilized this methodology throughout the letter thus far and will continue to use it along the way. (3:1, 4:1, 7:1, 11:1)

b.      The thought from 5:20 was this: where sin increased, grace would abound even more. So if that is the case, than a logical conclusion for those hearing this for the first time would possibly be: If grace abounds more and God’s glory is demonstrated more in the face of sin, than perhaps the way to go was to sin even more.

c.       This thought demonstrates an antinomian (against law) mindset. If obeying the Law ultimately did nothing to secure one’s right standing before God, than to engage in sin to ultimately demonstrate God’s grace and glory would make sense, right?

 

III.             Paul answers this possible objection    Romans 6:2-4

a.       Paul has a quick and clear answer: May it never be! By no means! Away with the notion! Perish the thought! Paul has already taken this kind of approach in 3:8, but here it is really clear what he has on his mind in relation to this possibility.

b.      He continues by asking a question that will get right to the heart of his subject: How shall we who have died to sin still live in it? Think of it this way as you consider Verse 2b and Deb’s and my life here in North Carolina. The question is not whether California still exists (it was not made extinct by us moving), but whether Californian still has us in its clutches. There are good memories there (just like sin may afford you some “good memories), but we’re gone from there. We don’t live there anymore. It shouldn’t have power over us anymore, at least not in an ongoing way.

c.       In a similar way, Paul is not presenting the impossibility of committing a single sin, but he will talk about the impossibility of continuing in a life dominated by sin.

d.      Verses 3-4 are really neat. You may have heard words like this when you were baptized, “Buried with Christ in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life”. Theologians and commentators are not in agreement as to whether this “baptism” is spiritual or the actual water baptism that the believers experiences. While I think that both of these experiences can be seen in this passage, I lean towards the “baptism” being discussed here being the spiritual since to opt for our water baptism would seem to lean toward a view that would support baptismal regeneration.

e.       The spiritual reality here is that by faith believers are placed into Christ and are therefore identified with Him. This reality is demonstrated and witnessed to as a person is baptized in water at one of our churches. Just as in our natural birth we are identified with Adam and His sin; in Christ and death, we are identified and connected to Him. Because of this we can live a new life in Him.

 

IV.             So now what?    Romans 6:5-14

a.       As we consider Vs. 5, we encounter a word that is interesting to the entire conversation that will follow. That word is “if”. The logic of this sentence depends on perspective. The word “if” could be substituted by “since” as we consider the whole passage. That ultimately will be the truth that is taught here. But at this point, we are still considering the passage through the eyes of the unconvinced that are perhaps receiving this letter.

b.      With the assurance of the first 4 verses, we now can assume some things in light of them. Verses 5-6 tell us that as believers are united with Christ in His death, they are also united with Him in His resurrection. This act of death and resurrection made possible the continuation of Vs. 5. We are now no longer slaves to sin as we are in Christ. Vs. 6-7 continues the thought by saying that we are both alive in Christ and dead to sin at the same time! Not the possibility of sin, but the power of sin in our lives. This “old self” is our regenerate self, our pre-Christian self is dead. It is powerless to enslave us to sin.

c.       Verse 8 begins in the same way as Vs. 5. The same thought can be applied here related to the “if”. Resurrection followed death in the experience of Christ. In a similar way, a new life can follow the death of our “old self”. This is the reality of practical sanctification, that process that continues throughout your life after being justified in Christ.

d.      Verses 9-11 continue the thought with a powerful truth. When Christ died on the Cross, He died for sin the one and only time that He would ever have to do it. When He died for our sin, He died for all men for all sin for all time. He doesn’t ever have to do that again and death has no power over Him. Now He lives beyond the reach and control of that death. In a similar way, in Christ we are dead to sin and its power from now on! It no longer has to have its power over us and its hold on us.

e.       But we as believers are more than just dead to the power of sin, we are alive to Christ! We can now live for Him. The chains of sin that enslaved us are now removed. We now have a choice to live for Him and celebrate victory in Him!

f.       Verse 12 begins with the powerful word “therefore”. In light of the truth that precedes it, Vs. 12 tells us to live like a believer in our behavior and our practice because of the position that we have in Him.

g.      This new attitude of mind can now be lived out in action. The idea here is that from this position of “dead” to sin, we can actually say no to sin ruling our lives. The word “reign” is one of rulership. We are not to allow, because of the resourcing of the Holy Spirit in us, sin to continue to rule our lives. As we do allow this, we are not only testifying against the truth that has been shared with us in the passage above, but we will also allow ourselves to “obey” this ruler.

h.      The end of Vs. 13 reminds us that you don’t have to do this, making your live one of presenting yourself as an instrument of unrighteousness. Instead, you can present yourself to God as one prepared to demonstrate righteousness with your life.

i.        Verse 14 reminds us that the Law gave no enablement to resist sin; only grace can do that. Sin doesn’t have to be your master; in fact you and the accompanying Holy Spirit can actually master it as you move forward in your walk with Christ.

 

V.                An Application For All Of Us

a.       To continue in sin is to misunderstand and misapply the sacrifice of Christ.

b.      In Christ, we can actually live above the power of sin to dominate and rule our lives.

c.       Where the Law kept us enslaved to sin, grace breaks the chains of sin and allows victory to be celebrated in holy living.

Sunday School Notes - Romans 5:12-21

“Peace Lost and Regained”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 5:12-21

 

As we continue our study of Romans 5, we cannot take on this portion without consideration of the previous. The point of the chapter is: peace with God, both positionally and experientially, is the result of justification by faith. That peace is lived out in access to God and even a rejoicing in tribulation as growth occurs in the life of the believer instead of the despair of those without Christ. So how did this peace get lost to mankind in the first place? And how was it regained? That’s the subject of our passage today.

 

I.                    How was peace with God lost in the first place?    Romans 5:12-17

a.       As this portion opens, we are introduced to the cause of our “lost peace”. The theologians over the ages have discussed and argued over the “how” of this truth, but the truth itself is not in question for the one who believes that the words of Scripture are true.

b.      It is interesting to note that the identity of this “man” is not given until Vs. 14, where that “man” is named as Adam. The Scripture tells us that Adam’s sin had an effect on not just him, but also on all of us. This “original sin” had an effect on all generations to follow and will provide a powerful “comparison by contrast” to the “One” who will provide an opportunity for regained peace.

c.       There are 3 basic options for understanding the “how” this original sin of Adam (the head) affected us:

                                                               i.      Adam as the “example” of sin – This understanding would have Adam sinning and us simply following his bad example later on, thus losing peace positionally with God and deserving death. The problem with this view is that the passage itself seems to connect the sin of Adam with us much more dramatically than just “example”.

                                                             ii.      Adam as the “federal head” of the human race – In this understanding, Adam is appointed by God as the “federal head” of the entire human race and through a “covenant of works” with God he acted on behalf of all humankind. The conditions of this would be: Adam’s obedience would equal eternal life and Adam’s disobedience would equal corruption and death. Among other things, the problem with this view is that the Bible doesn’t discuss either the appointing of Adam to this position or the covenant in its pages.

                                                            iii.      Adam as the “seminal head” of the human race – This view seems to reflect the passage before us the best. In this understanding, all of us sinned with Adam in that when he sinned all of sinned because we were in him. We will all come from him and we inherit this sinful nature because of who we are connected to.

d.      While all of this is probably as “clear as mud”, it becomes incredibly important to not only understanding sin, but ultimately understanding the work of Christ. Part of our difficulty in understanding is our individualistic western mindset that makes all of this “unfair” in some sense. The mindset of the one reading this in the ancient world would not struggle with it nearly as much because of their understanding of the solidarity of the race.

e.       For our understanding, let’s say it this way: when Adam sinned, the race sinned because the race was in him. What Adam did, the whole race did, because the whole race was in him. If you are troubled by the “unfairness” of all of this, you will have to reconcile also the “unfairness” of all being potentially reconciled by the “One” who makes regained peace a possibility.

f.        Let’s see if we can move forward. A discussion of the Law follows in Vs. 13 that even makes the passage seem that much more difficult. In the period between this original sin and the Law there was clearly a penalty for sin: death. But until the Mosaic Law came along, the understanding of this in the individual was not there. In Romans 7:7-12, we have Paul discussing this in some detail as it relates to his own life.

g.       With all of this “mud” before us, let’s see what Paul is trying to say in overview. He is saying that when Adam, the head of the human race sinned, the whole human race sinned because it was in him and is therefore guilty before God. On the other hand, Jesus is the spiritual head of a new race, those that trust in Him, and in Him is regained peace apart from our actions or inactions beyond belief in Him.

h.       We are introduced to the word “type” in Vs. 14. Adam is a type, or picture, of the One who was to come: Christ. How is he a picture in that what he brought to mankind was the opposite of what Christ will bring? He is a type in that Adam will communicate to those he represents what belongs to him (sin and death). Jesus Christ will also communicate to those He represents what belongs to Him (grace and peace regained)

i.         Beginning in Vs. 15-17, we have some comparisons by contrast being made regarding Adam and then Jesus Christ. It is important to remember that in Christ we are not just simply brought back to a neutral position. Instead we are actually gaining much more than neutrality before God. Let’s look at each of these in more detail:

                                                               i.      The sin of Adam is contrasted with the gift of Christ – Paul’s focus on Adam’s sin is that it brought death to all men. Therefore, if Christ’s obedience only reversed what Adam had lost than all men would simply live forever and not die. But much more than that happened: peace, access to God, hope in the future, and eternal life all delivered through the gift that Christ gave us at the Cross.

                                                             ii.      The timing of Adam’s condemnation with the timing of the gift of Christ’s righteousness – God’s judgment of Adam followed only one sin and brought condemnation. But after thousands of years and millions of sins, God still by His grace gave the human race the gift of justification through the death and resurrection of Christ.

                                                            iii.      The  reign of death is contrasted with the reign of life – Adam’s reign of life only lasted until his sin in the garden. After his sin, death reigned in that all of his descendants died. But in Christ, death has been swallowed up! Death does not have to frighten the believer, for it has been handled by Christ once for all.

 

II.                 How was peace with God regained?    Romans 5:18-19

a.       In Vs. 18, we have the answer to the “peace lost” of Vs. 12. As much as the sin of one man (Adam) resulted in loss of peace for all mankind, one act of righteousness resulted in the potential justification of all mankind.

b.      The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ made justification by faith a possibility. Once we were at war with our Maker, but now we can be reconciled to Him because of the work of Christ at the Cross.

c.       When looking at Vs. 19, we have to be careful to not end up with a “universalist” approach to all of this. One might be led to believe that since the sin of one man put all in condemnation, than the “righteous act” of Christ would make all men to be in right standing again with God. But Vs. 17 offers the answer to a “universalist” approach when it says that those that “receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness” are the ones that have the peace that was lost restored.

d.      In a very real sense, the thoughts of Vs. 12 and 18 are a culmination of the entire book of Romans thus far. Chapters 1:18 – 3:20 told us that man is sinful and separated from God. Chapter 3:21 – 5:11 tell us that this “lost peace” can be regained in the person of Jesus Christ through justification by faith.

 

III.               But what about the Law?    Romans 5:20-21

a.       Thus far, we have heard Paul say that those from Adam to Moses are just as guilty as those living after Moses. But the Jew saw the giving of the Law and it impact on the people as the most important distinctive of their nation. So what did the giving of the Law do that wasn’t already done before? Verse 20 tells us that the giving of the Law brought attention and recognition to the sins that were committed against God and their ramifications.

b.      But Verses 20-21 go on to share an incredible thought. With this knowledge of sin and it ramifications, grace is abounding even more. Sin and its knowledge increased, but grace increased even more! That point will be critical as we move on into Chapter 6.

 

IV.              An Application For All Of Us

a.       Through Adam’s sin all mankind was affected and infected with death and separation. (Loss of peace with God)

b.      In Christ and His death and resurrection, the answer to “peace lost” was given.

c.       Knowledge of sin and its ramifications are only part of the story; grace has been made available to all who receive Him with all of the benefits of “peace regained”!!!!