Romans Chapter 6
There is a thing in Scripture about repeating a concept or topic over and over. In Romans it is the Gospel of justification, repentance, sin and death, baptism, life, resurrection, the law, grace and faith-over and over. In Romans, Paul says the exact same thing many ways, in order to ensure that no one reading this epistle misunderstands it. This means that this is important to God, so therefore it should be important to us.
(Romans 6:1)What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
- Think about the foolishness of that question, "Shall we sin?"
- Grace can and will abound over any sin
- It is not a reason, a license to sin
- God made us, saved us and is our eternal Father...we should not break his heart
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
- That was my answer, this is God's-a resounding "NO!!!"
- The "God forbid" is not an idea, a suggestion, a mention, an answer...it is a "thou shalt not" command!
- We died to ourself to get saved, we are then considered dead to sin in God's eyes
- We are not there in sin in God's eyes, therefore we should "relocate" our mindset to where sin is not in our lives
- The area, the neighborhood, the walking with the world, the standing with the world, the sitting with the world. We are called to separate from it all
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Romans 6:3)
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
- Jesus died to pay for our sins, we are to die to our sins
- The act of baptism itself represents us dying and coming back to life resurrected as a new creature
- This is the baptism of the Holy Ghost at salvation, Who enables us not to sin
- We are free to not sin, and enabled to not sin
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
- Baptism is a representative of the death, burial and resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ
- We die going into the water, we are buried in the water, we are raised from the dead when we come back up...
- This "newness of life" is our new creature of 1 Corinthians 5:17
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
- "Planted"...interesting choice of words here
- Water is below ground in a pool, pond, lake, river or the sea
- As a seed planted, once baptized, we should grow as a plant
- When we leave this earth, we will be like Jesus in His Resurrected, glorified body
- Therefore, we should walk now like we already are like Jesus in His glorified body
- To set in the ground for growth, as a young tree or a vegetable with roots.
- To engender; to set the germ of any thing that may increase.
It engenders choler, planteth anger. - To set; to fix.
His standard planted on Laurentum's towers. - To settle; to fix the first inhabitants; to establish; as, to plant a colony.
- To furnish with plants; to lay out and prepare with plants; as, to plant a garden or an orchard.
- To set and direct or point; as, to plant cannon against a fort.
- To introduce and establish; as, to plant Christianity among the heathen.
I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 1 Cor 3. - To unite to Christ and fix in a state of fellowship with him. Psa 92.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
- Our old body, our old self, our old life, is crucified with Christ-we need to let it stay dead.
- This is not our fleshly body of bones, skin, hair, organs, teeth, but that part of us that is us, our mind, soul, behavior, conversation
- Our body of sin is to be destroyed, not beaten down, suppressed, held under, arrested, locked up-it must die!
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
(Romans 6:7)
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
- A dead person can no longer sin, saved or not (the dead in hell are paying for their sins, forever)
- A person dead to self cannot sin. We are alive in Christ, in the spirit (walking with Jesus Christ) or alive in our flesh(sinning)
- We are alive in Christ, dead to the world
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
- We live with Him in our every day walk here, we will live with him forever in Heaven, and this life is the beginning of that
- Therefore, we need to acts like it in our daily lives
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
- Because he was sinless, He paid it ALL, so there is nothing left for Him to do for sin that He has not already done
- Because He was sinless His entire life, until death, Jesus was resurrected
- We are not sinless in the flesh, but sinless before God (justified and declared righteous), so we, like Him, will also be resurrected
- Everyone will be raised from the dead, even the lost, but they rise to the judgment and eternal death, us to eternal life
- This Resurrection to a glorified body is an example to us, as though we have that same body available, to live in, to live by the example
- In other words, we are dead, so we cannot serve sin as a dead person
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
(Revelation 20:13)
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
(Romans 6:10)
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
- Jesus lives because He is God, and with God, and one with God the Father
- Jesus died one time, whereas the Roman Catholic "Church" teaches that Christ dies every time there is a mass-LITERALLY
- Jesus who is God was raised by the Father who is God, via the Holy Spirit who is God, to live with God the Father forever
- In the same way, we have been declared, as Jesus Christ, sinless by the death of Christ Who is God, before the Father Who is God, to walk in the Spirit Who is God
(1 Peter 3:18)
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
(Romans 6:11)
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- "Reckon", to reason, to think, consider, deem, count as, etc....
- Dead to the world, alive to God, because of Jesus Christ
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
- Whatever reigns and rules is what controls everything, like a king
- Only one king rules at a time, the King the LORD Jesus Christ, or us ruling our lives as our own little king
- One throne, two possibilities
- Sin has lusts in it, contained in it
- Our flesh inherently has lusts in it, contained in it, trapped inside it
- ONLY the LORD Jesus Christ releases us from them, and can rid us of them
- The Word "lust" appears dozens of times in Scripture
- It is very similar to envy (James 4) coveting also (Romans 7:7)
- ALL wars of mankind (small, large, countries, spouses, family members, etc.) are from lusting and that is due to not believing God as provider, and not even believing in God at all
- Lusts are deceitful (Ephesians 4:22, Mark 4:19)
- Lusts are foolish and hurtful (1 Timothy 6:9)
- Lusts start when we are young, in our youth, "youthful lusts", also youthful as in immature (2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Peter 1:14)
- Lust is internal, innate, a part of us, to be killed wherever found
- Lusts are also associated concupiscence
- Some of the promises to Israel were that God would give them good things, that "their soul lusted for"
We know even secret concupiscence to be sin.
Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. Rom 7.
(James 4:1-2)
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
(James 1:14)
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
(James 1:15)
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
(Exodus 15:9)
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
(Numbers 11:4)
¶ And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
(Numbers 11:34)
And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
(Psalms 78:18)
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
(Psalms 78:30)
They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
(Psalms 81:12)
So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
(Psalms 106:14)
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.
(Proverbs 6:25)
Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
(Matthew 5:28)
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
(Mark 4:19)
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
(John 8:44)
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
(Romans 1:24)
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
(Romans 1:27)
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
(Romans 7:7)
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
(Romans 13:14)
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
(1 Corinthians 10:6)
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
(Galatians 5:16)
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
(Galatians 5:17)
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
(Galatians 5:24)
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
(Ephesians 2:3)
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
(Ephesians 4:22)
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
(1 Thessalonians 4:5)
Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
(1 Timothy 6:9)
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
(2 Timothy 2:22)
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
(2 Timothy 3:6)
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
(2 Timothy 4:3)
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(Titus 2:12)
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
(Titus 3:3)
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
(James 1:14)
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
(James 1:15)
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
(James 4:1)
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
(James 4:2)
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
(James 4:3)
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
(James 4:5)
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
(1 Peter 1:14)
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
(1 Peter 2:11)
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
(1 Peter 4:2)
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
(1 Peter 4:3)
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
(2 Peter 1:4)
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(2 Peter 2:10)
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
(2 Peter 2:18)
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
(2 Peter 3:3)
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
(1 John 2:16)
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(1 John 2:17)
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
(Jude 1:16)
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
(Jude 1:18)
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
(Revelation 18:14)
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
(Romans 6:13)
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
- "Yield" here means to surrender, cede, resign, permit, etc.
- Our members are our limbs, arms and legs (for both doing and going), ears, eyes, as well as passions
- Instruments can be used as both tools and to make music, for God or for the enemy
- We are to live as though we were resurrected....because we were
MEM'BER, n. [L. membrum.]
- A limb of animal bodies, as a leg, an arm, an ear, a finger, that is, a subordinate part of the main body.
- A part of a discourse, or of a period or sentence; a clause; a part of a verse. Harmony in poetry is produced by a proportion between the members of the same verse, or between the members of different verses.
- In architecture, a subordinate part of a building, as a frieze or cornice; sometimes a molding.
- An individual of a community or society. Every citizen is a member of the state or body politic. So the individuals of a club, a corporation or confederacy, are called its members. Students of an academy or college are its members. Professed christians are called members of the church.
- The appetites and passions, considered as tempting to sin. Rom 7. Col 3.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
- This seems a paradox, and backwards to our finite minds
- To say one is not under the law but is not ruled seems odd, but we are under the law of grace
- This means we are free not to sin
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
- Our free will and salvation in our flesh tells us that, if we sin, we are still going to Heaven by grace through faith in Christ
- That said, it is not a license to sin, as we are to live our lives as though we owe Jesus Christ our life-because we do!
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
- Freedom means to not be under control...slavery to sin or slavery to God
- Whoever we place on the throne of our lives controls us and our fleshly destiny, in the way of consequences
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
- Because of the work of the Cross and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, we can NOT sin by choice
- Without that leading by and of the Spirit, in the flesh, we are incapable, as is the world in their sin
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
- This servitude is a choice to make, by our own free will
- Being declared righteous and justified before God, we already have been made free from sin
- Therefore we should walk as though we believe this truth
- We are free to sin and free not to sin, but because we are free not to sin against the One who saved us, we should not sin, live in sin, be a slave to sin
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
- This sickness, disease, "infirmity of our flesh" is our fallen nature, carnality, walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit
- Paul is pointing out their problem, walking in the flesh
- He is pleading with them to walk not in the flesh, but in the Spirit
- Since the request is made and, since the request is in God's Word, then it must be possible for us to do, as God would not ask us to do the impossible
- God would not ask us to do the impossible!
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
- It cannot be both. Either it is sin (unrighteousness) or righteousness
- When unrighteousness dominates, righteousness is gone
- This is not talking about positionally in Christ, being still justified, but rather our walk
(Luke 16:13)
¶ No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
- The implied answer is, "NO FRUIT!"
- Salvation leads to shame, godly sorrow, which leads to repentance
- Having repented, we need to walk away and never return into those sins
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
(Romans 6:22)
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
- Since we are saved, we can live for God, we will bear fruit, we serve a new Master Who is not our flesh, ourselves
- As was said earlier, we are freed from sin, as in "free to not sin"
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Sin could have sent us to hell forever, but Jesus saved us from our sin, saved us from our eternal death freely
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
(Ezekiel 18:20)
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
