Sunday, 05 July 2009
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ROMANS 6;1-14
Sermon audio can be found at http://www.sermoncloud.com/sovereign-king-church/In every wedding that I’ve officiated and nearly every wedding that I’ve attended I’ve heard some sort of language about the husband and the wife being in union with one another.
o You will here the pastor say something like this: “Today, we are gathered together in the presence of God and these witnesses for the union of this man to this woman.”
o Now the basis of this language comes from Ephesians 5:31.
§ Ephesians 5:31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
o The reality of a marriage between a man and woman according to God is that the two become one: not one symbolically or hypothetically. The two become one in union.
· That explains why the risks are so high in marriage. The highest of highs occur when both share in the joys, and the lowest of lows occur when they share in the sorrow.
o One of the intentions in marriage is that you can tell your spouse about something exciting that has happened to you like a promotion, a graduation, an achievement, and your spouse will enjoy those things as if it is their own because the two are one.
o Of course, if one spouse is hurt and sad, the other spouse is hurt and sad with them because the two are one.
o These things are part of the incredible blessings of marriage in God’s intention.
· Now why is that? Why do the two share in such joy and sadness to each other’s joy and comfort? Because marriage requires the trust that the other person is not just seeking the best for themselves but seeking the best for their spouse.
o Because of that, your joy can be your spouse’s joy, and your sorrow can be your spouse’s sorrow.
· I’m afraid things work the other way as well though. If one spouse willfully does something that is hurtful or violates trust, then both spouses are hurt.
o If one spouse is not seeking the best for the other, then trust is broken and because of the union, the pain is great.
· In light of that, you can see why concepts and commands about purity and remaining chaste and virginal until marriage and within marriage are not just God’s way of killing your buzz. The physical union of a man and a woman is part of the intention of and the reflection of the spiritual union of marriage. Violating that by pre-marital sex , and the other related activities close to it violates the intention of God’s will for marriage and therefore causes great pain when indulged outside of God’s plan.
o So many couples have to work through prior sexual relationships and the physical union of their spouses with someone else.
o So much of marriage counseling is about helping one spouse work through the hurt that the other spouse has inflicted when one spouse places their interests above another.
o Or sometimes, one spouse’s achievements don’t cause the other spouse to join in celebration but actually causes them to be jealous. When that happens, the union is damaged.
· I remember speaking to one couple one day. They are not part of the Sovereign King family. Her husband was succeeding in most every area of his life (professionally, spiritually), and the family was thriving. Yet over time, the wife grew more and more depressed because she could no longer enjoy the success of her husband vicariously. The accomplishments of her husband were not a joy to her. They caused her to begin to resent her husband and take advantage of him ultimately leading to an affair. She could no longer see that her husband’s thriving and succeeding was hers.
· This idea of being united and in union is exactly what Paul is going to talk about this week in Romans. Paul is going to expand the idea of being in union to discuss the believer’s union with Christ and the idea of having grace reign over you because of that union. Paul is going to explain how we live in this union with Jesus and what practically the life of being ruled by grace looks like.
o Sadly however, just like the spouse who can no longer take joy in the achievement and work of the other spouse, you sometime no longer take joy in the fact that grace reigns over us and that you are united to Christ.
o When that happens, you begin to abuse grace and begin to live a life of wanton disobedience thinking, “Why should I obey when grace reigns anyway?”
· In light of that, this is our Big Picture Question for this week:
Big Picture Question: If grace reigns, if it is the pouring out of God’s affection, if it abounds with sin, if I am united with Christ, what motivation would I have to quit sinning?
5:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
· Paul begins with this great question: What shall we say then? That’s the first century equivalent of duhhh. He obviously feels like the things that he is teaching should silence some argument that folks have.
· You see last week we saw Paul emphasize that each person is either in Adam and a slave to sin or in Christ and a slave to righteousness. In light of that, Paul asks this logical question: Should you continue to sin so that grace may abound?
o Now before we answer this question, we have to understand why Paul would ask it.
o The logic is simple: if God’s grace reigns over you, and grace reigning is God’s response to sin, and God’s grace is His pouring of affection onto you because of His son, why wouldn’t you want more grace?
o So, some folks began to abuse grace thinking, “Well, I’ll just do what I want because there’s grace, grace, grace greater than my sin. I’ll just keep on sinning so I can experience more grace.”
· Now, at first glance that sounds preposterous. Who would think such a thing? Sadly, I would say each person in this room thinks such a thing. For example:
o If you presently tolerate any ongoing sin in your life without actively pursuing repentance, then you are actively abusing God’s grace.
o Let me use probably the most common example. Let’s say you have a habit of speaking down to or even yelling and screaming at your spouse, your children, your brother or your sister. Or more specifically, let’s just say you use abusive language, are always sarcastic, and you use words as weapons with the intention of hurting and wounding. Everybody with me? Even if you don’t say these things, you have wonderful conversations in your head where you win every argument.
o At times, you have felt convicted about your sin, and perhaps you even asked God to help you with your sin. But now, your harsh, sarcastic, wounding tongue has become part of your personality. You can’t imagine communicating any other way. You barely even notice it anymore much less ask God to help you repent and walk in forgiveness.
o By these actions, you are by default just saying, “I am going to continue to sin so that grace may abound.”
· Knowing that so many struggle with this, Paul explains not only why you shouldn’t continue in sin but also why you don’t have to anymore. Look at the end of verse 2, How can we who died to sin still live in it?
o Paul’s point is that if you are in Christ Jesus you have died to sin? How? Well verses 3-4 explain that.
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.
· Theologically, what Paul is talking about here is called “Union with Christ” – and it describes the relationship between Jesus and each person that has faith in Him. If you have faith in Jesus,
o When Christ died, you were baptized and buried with Him in His death.
o When Christ rose from the dead by the glory of God the Father, you were raised as well so you could walk in newness of life.
· There is a lot we need to unpack here so let’s eliminate a few things first of all.
o The baptism here does not speak of water baptism.
§ If that was the case, baptism would be necessary to be saved and people like the thief on the cross could not be with Jesus in heaven because he was never baptized.
§ So baptism here must speak of something else. What does it speak to hen?
o Here the word speaks to identification or union.
o You see, this is an example of the word baptize or baptizo in the Greek meaning something other than immerse.
§ For example, it says you were baptized and buried with Jesus in His death. Folks at first read that and think that it has to mean immersed because it says buried.
§ But where was Jesus buried? He was not laid in the ground. He was buried in a tomb, in a cave or in side of a mountain if you will with a side entrance.
§ If you took your modes of baptism from this verse, you would need to have a baptisty with an entrance from the bottom side walking into water which would be pretty messy.
o Baptism here speaks to identification with and union with. It is used here the same way that Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 10:1: For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
o The story of Moses and the Children of Israel crossing the Red Sea is specific to say that no one got well at all much less were immersed.
o They children of Israel were in union with and identified with Moses.
· Paul is emphasizing that we are baptized and therefore identified with and in union with Christ by faith. And what are the benefits of that?
o When Christ died you were baptized and buried with Him in His death.
§ Therefore your penalty has been paid. You owe God nothing for your sin. I want you to hear that: In Christ, you owe God nothing for your sin. You could not even if you wanted to, add something to the merits of the righteous death of Jesus on your behalf.
o When Christ rose from the dead by the glory of God the Father, you were raised as well so you could walk in newness of life.
§ Therefore you have a restored relationship with God and can now walk in obedience.
§ The resurrection of Jesus is the surety of the promise that you can now obey and not abuse grace by continuing to sin.
· So in light of all of that, why do you continue in sin? I’m not asking and neither is Paul, why you sin. There are still remnants of your sinful self residing even after knowing Christ. His question is, why would you continue to sin? Why do you allow or not struggle against the sin that besets – the sin that is ongoing and the one you re return to most often?
· Because if you are united to Christ, you can now obey and live a new life of obedience. Here is real hope. Look at verse 5.
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. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
· Paul wants to make sure that you do not lose focus. It is very tempting to always talk about Christ dying for our sins, and we should always celebrate it, but there is power in the resurrection as well. Paul emphasizes both.
· First of all, your old self was crucified with Jesus. What does that mean? The second half of verse 6 tells us.
o Your body of sin might be brought to nothing and you would no longer be a slave to sin.
o You see before you came to know Christ or if you do not know Christ, then you were or are a slave to sin. You cannot, will not and do not choose God, to glorify Him, or to do anything for the sake of God’s glory.
· But the resurrection of Jesus, a physical, bodily death brought to life is the gurantee that sin can be overcome.
· Okay, let’s unpack this.
o Your old self was crucified with Jesus. What is the old self? The old self is the nature you had before knowing Christ. It was the nature that was a slave to sin without a desire to glorify God. You were spiritually dead.
o Your body of sin being brought to nothing means that the sinful nature that made you God’s enemy no longer exists. You are no longer a slave to sin; you can choose righteousness.
· Christ’s resurrection means He will never die again. And if Jesus will never die again because death has no power or dominion over Him. He conquered death. He does not need to die again to sin because He lives to glorify and serve God.
· Now here is the big therefore and takeaway. Because Jesus died to sin and that death was sufficient once and for all not needing anything to be added to it, you need to remind yourself that you are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus as verse 11 says. Practically it looks like this:
o You don’t have to continue doubting and despairing. Why?
§ Because you are dead to sin a live to God in Christ Jesus.
o You don’t have to continue yelling and screaming at the people you love. Why?
§ Because you are dead to sin a live to God in Christ Jesus.
o You don’t have to continue looking at pornography. Why?
§ Because you are dead to sin a live to God in Christ Jesus.
o You don’t have to continue being bitter and unforgiving. Why?
§ Because you are dead to sin a live to God in Christ Jesus.
o You don’t have to continue whining and complaining about what you think you really really need. Why?
§ Because you are dead to sin a live to God in Christ Jesus.
· I could go on and on. But Paul explains it better than I do. Look at verse 12.
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.
· Verse 12 is a command with a promise. It is not just Paul saying, “Do this or don’t do that.” Paul says, fight. Don’t be lazy. Live in light of the realities of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Do not let sin reign in your body anymore. Don’t obey sin and its passions because you have a different Lord and King now…Jesus not sin.
· He reiterates that command in verse 13. Do not present your members or your body as an instrument of sin for unrighteousness but instead present yourself to God. Now, we’ll come back to the latter half of verse 13 in a minute, but before then I want to explain this command.
o Paul is commanding you to present your whole self to God for righteousness and goodness and not let sin reign.
· How many of you ever consider the sins of your body? I think one deception of many believers is to think that the only sins you commit are things you say or things you think, but you can willfully sin with your body.
o The first and most obvious way is sexually. If you are having a sexual relationship with someone outside of your marriage, if you are engaged in sexual activity prior to marriage, if you are fantasizing and masturbating, these are all ways in which you can sin with your body sexually.
o But many folks overlook their physical health. I’ve heard a million sermons on how smoking is a sin, but they’ve always been delvered by overweight pastors who dig ¼ pouders with cheese. We are too honor and glorify God by taking care of bodies by eating right, exercising, losing weight if necessary.
o You can sin with your body if you know that there is a physical ailment that could be treated and you just don’t because you don’t like going to the doctor.
o You can sin with your body if you physically violent with others. You can sin with your body if you are too rough or manhandle your children.
o Unfortunately, way too many believers treat their body like a rental car as if our bodies were own to mistreat.
· But Paul commands to stop letting sin reign in our bodies. The sin you are aware of, you are to come before God asking forgiveness and begging Him to enable you to walk in the power of the resurrected Christ.
· And you know what, you can’t stop there. The heart is still deceptive and has remaining sin to which you are blind. Each and every one of us should pray the last two verses of Psalm 139.
o Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
· Part of not letting sin reign in your body is asking the Holy Spirit to examine your heart and teach you where you are sinful and blind. Then, you pray to ask God to kill reigning sin in your life.
· God is asking you to do just as the second half of verse 13 commands:
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.
· You are to live your life as a Holy offering or presentation to God. You are to live your life saying, “Here God is the wonderful fruit of Jesus’ work on my behalf. I offer you my entire self as your instrument, your tool for righteousness and goodness.
o What is a tool or instrument’s purpose? To be used by the craftsman.
o And Jesus, the great artisan desires for you to walk in repentance and obedience asking God to use for Kingdom, Christly purposes.
· Folks, when you came to know Christ, if all that was presented to you was, “Believe in Jesus and you won’t go to hell,” then you don’t have the full picture. And if I have never presented the Gospel in that narrow of a pictures, please forgive me and let me clear up any misconceptions that you might have.
· In Christ, you are dead to sin. That doesn’t mean that you don’t sin anymore because you will still sin. But unlike everyone other human being in the world, your union with Christ enables you to be alive to God and dead to sin. There is real, honest hope that you can repent, stop sinning, and live as God’s instrument of righteousness.
· But here is what I have learned about our little congregation in the last few weeks. Some of you, though passionately believing in Jesus for salvation have never in reality experienced victory over sin. Let me explain.
o Some of you feel incredible guilt about your ongoing sins. Some of you have just grown accustomed to you. They are like weekend guests that at first you wanted to go away but now you have just let them stay.
o Part of you really would like to stop sinning but part of you really loves it and part of you can’t imagine living without your lust, jealously, anger, bitterness, and fill in the blank.
o And because of this, you live weak, ineffective lives for the kingdom that are covered with showy, sloppy displays of affection of fake outer righteousness.
· But, real power is here. The power of life over death. The power to reverse the curse of the fall of Eden. And if God can raise Jesus from the dead. If God can overcome the curse of Eden, if God can make your heart that was once dead to sin but now alive to God, if God can do all that, then He can enable, empower, and cause you to repent and obey.
· Your whole person, your thoughts, your beliefs, your habits, your desires, your eating patterns, your exercise regimen, your work schedule, your prayer life, your bible study, your finances, your proclivities, your temptations, your longings, your dreams, your fears, your skills, your strengths, your weaknesses, they can all be transformed into instruments of righteousness for the work of the Kingdom.
· Can you imagine what hope you could possess and what hope you could offer to your friends, coworkers, and neighbors, if you live each moment in the reality of the Christ’s power over death and its enabling power given to you? Let’s pray for that.
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