INTRODUCTION:
This morning, I will talk of the resurrection of Christ. It will be in light of what the
resurrection has accomplished for those who are saved, and how it has completely
loosed the power of sin over the believer so that we might experience a life of holiness
that we would not other wise experience.
The guideline that we will follow for this morning’s message, Romans 6:1-14, is as
follows:
1. Grasp the text in their Town - what does it mean to the original audience, or why was
it written?
2. Measure the Distance of the River - what are the differences between the original
audience and us?
3. Cross the Principlizing Bridge - what theological principle speaks to the original
audience and us?
4. Grasp the text in our town - what does the text mean to us today and how do we
apply it?
GRASP THE TEXT IN THEIR TOWN
The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul, while he was on his third
missionary trip from Cenchrea around A.D. 57. Though Paul had never had a chance
to visit the Christians in Rome (1:13), he had heard of their faith (1:8).
Paul’s message to the original audience was that they should consider themselves
dead to sin, and alive in Christ. They were not to yield their members to
unrighteousness but to righteousness. They have been raised with Christ to a newness
of life, for the glory of God.
MEASURE THE DISTANCE OF THE RIVER
What are some differences that exist between the original audience and us? Their faith
was being spoken of all over the world. What distance does talks of New Life Fellowship
or Southern Heights Baptist in Fort Wayne reach?
There are also some similarities that cause the river we are crossing not to be that
wide. We have some that distort the gospel of Christ, and Paul’s letter to the Romans,
across the barriers of time, is still defending the faith. We also have those who struggle
with the “works theology”, unwilling to believe that salvation is obtained purely by the
Grace of God that flows from Calvary’s mountain. As Barnhouse says “Man will not
confess that faith in Christ is the only way, in order to do so he must admit total spiritual
bankruptcy...This, man is unwilling to do. Men will go all the way to Hell to avoid
admitting their depravity, yet will one day when the angel forces them to bow their knee
and proclaim that Christ is the only way; however, then it will be too late.”
Like the original audience some also claim that belief in Christ gives us a license to sin.
This thinking has plagued the church from the time of Paul’s letter in A.D. 57 until now
in 2007. As Calvin says “the flesh will always seek any excuse to indulge itself, likewise
Satan will invent all kinds of slander in order to discredit the doctrine of Grace.” It is this
idea that will make up our next point, the theological Principle.
CROSSING THE PRINCIPLIZING BRIDGE
Because of the death and resurrection of Christ, we who are believers have been
crucified with him and have been raised to a new life. We are dead to sin and alive to
Christ. This principle crosses the bridge of time. Paul in the first several chapters of
Romans outlined the predicament of the human race, all men are under the plight of
sin. We are slaves to a harsh and cruel master. The problem is not the committing of
sins as much as people are held captive by sin, Romans 3:10-12.
Paul begins chapter six with a question, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may
abound?” He promptly answers, “By no means” or in older translations “God forbid.”
Because of Paul’s statement in Romans 5:20, there were those who accused Paul of
holding to the teaching that people should live in sin so that they would experience
more grace. This is absurd, Paul said, for how can those who have died to sin still live
in it. It is by the grace of God that we have died to sin. Calvin says “He who sins
certainly lives to sin; we have died to sin through the grace of Christ; then it is false that
what abolishes sins gives vigor to it.” Grace kills the hold of sin in our lives and looses
its grip; it takes the foot of sin off our necks and gives us freedom to live holy.
Paul asks the question in verse 3 in light of the first question. The very nature of
Christianity is to free men from the grips of sin. Therefore when we were baptized into
Christ, united with him through faith, we were united to him in His death as well. We
were united with Christ that we may die to sin.
The death of Christ, verses 4 and 5, is sufficient to destroy the old man and His
resurrection is sufficient to renovate a better nature. Salvation is an act of God. It is the
divine hand of God that comes down through His sacrificed Son and plants (unites) us
together with Him.
The old self, verse 6, is the sin nature to which we were born. Since Christ is the climax
of history, history can then be separated into two epochs, Adam and Christ. With Adam
came sin, the law, flesh and death; however, with Christ comes righteousness, grace,
the Holy spirit and life. All men are born into the first epoch, and the only way to
participate in the second epoch is to partake in that which began this epoch, Christ’s
death, burial and resurrection. Our old man has been killed and buried and we have
been raised with Christ, enabling us to partake of this new epoch and all the riches that
come along with it.
In verses 8-14, the Apostle is driving his point by making contrasts and comparisons,
setting cause and effect, and changing verb forms from past to present and future
tense.
Contrasts and Comparisons:
1. those not crucified with Christ: in the old life, servants of sin, in sin, under sin, and
dead in sin
2. those crucified with Christ: raised with him, a new life, serve righteousness, do not
live in sin, no longer under sin, and have life
3. the old man: contrasted with Christ and compared to sinners
4. the new man: died to sin and can no longer live in it, contrasted with sinners and
compared to Christ
5. Christ died: we die; He lives: so we live
6. The life he now lives he lives to God: the life we now live we live to God
7. Because of Christ’s resurrection death no longer reigns over him: Because we have
been raised with Christ sin no longer reigns over us
8. Christ died and rose to die no more: we died and are raised to no longer be dead in
sins
9. Christ resurrection shows the world that God was satisfied with his sacrifice of death:
Our being raised also shows that God was satisfied with Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf
Cause and effect:
1. Cause: dead, or die. Effect: Freed from sin
2. Cause: We die with Christ. Effect: We live with him
3. Cause: We die with Christ. Effect: We are no longer ruled by sin
4. Cause: Alive from the dead. Effect: We yield ourselves our members to righteousness
5. Cause: Christ sacrifice on Calvary applied to our hearts. Effect: We are no longer
under the law but Grace.
Lastly, to make sure that the point is clear, in verse 11, Paul changes the verb tense.
He moves from the past tense, speaking of what Christ has done, to the present and
future tense. He says consider yourselves, let not sin reign, and do not present your
members to sin as instruments, BUT present yourselves to God. We must consider
ourselves dead to sin. The grace of God through the sacrifice of Christ has killed sin.
We who have died to sin ought to cease from those actions which sin exercised during
its life. We must present ourselves to God as those who have been brought from death
to life.
GRASPING THE TEXT IN OUR TOWN
Now that we have examined the text, how do we apply these great truths to our lives?
1. We must first mortify sin in our lives daily. Do not use your eyes to look at sinful
things; do not use your ears to listen to vile music and perverse language. Do not use
your mouth to speak perverse language or lies, or to gossip or tear down people. Do
not use your hands to take things that are not yours or to strike someone. Do not use
your feet to walk into sin.
2. We are to live unto God. Can we truly say that we are living our lives to God? We
must resemble Christ, Romans 8:29. Do you resemble Christ?
3. Lastly, we must guard against believing anything other than Christ as the remedy for
man’s sin. It is IN CHRIST ALONE that sins are forgiven, Romans 5:17. Nothing can
loose the power of sin but Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:4-9.
This morning, I will talk of the resurrection of Christ. It will be in light of what the
resurrection has accomplished for those who are saved, and how it has completely
loosed the power of sin over the believer so that we might experience a life of holiness
that we would not other wise experience.
The guideline that we will follow for this morning’s message, Romans 6:1-14, is as
follows:
1. Grasp the text in their Town - what does it mean to the original audience, or why was
it written?
2. Measure the Distance of the River - what are the differences between the original
audience and us?
3. Cross the Principlizing Bridge - what theological principle speaks to the original
audience and us?
4. Grasp the text in our town - what does the text mean to us today and how do we
apply it?
GRASP THE TEXT IN THEIR TOWN
The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul, while he was on his third
missionary trip from Cenchrea around A.D. 57. Though Paul had never had a chance
to visit the Christians in Rome (1:13), he had heard of their faith (1:8).
Paul’s message to the original audience was that they should consider themselves
dead to sin, and alive in Christ. They were not to yield their members to
unrighteousness but to righteousness. They have been raised with Christ to a newness
of life, for the glory of God.
MEASURE THE DISTANCE OF THE RIVER
What are some differences that exist between the original audience and us? Their faith
was being spoken of all over the world. What distance does talks of New Life Fellowship
or Southern Heights Baptist in Fort Wayne reach?
There are also some similarities that cause the river we are crossing not to be that
wide. We have some that distort the gospel of Christ, and Paul’s letter to the Romans,
across the barriers of time, is still defending the faith. We also have those who struggle
with the “works theology”, unwilling to believe that salvation is obtained purely by the
Grace of God that flows from Calvary’s mountain. As Barnhouse says “Man will not
confess that faith in Christ is the only way, in order to do so he must admit total spiritual
bankruptcy...This, man is unwilling to do. Men will go all the way to Hell to avoid
admitting their depravity, yet will one day when the angel forces them to bow their knee
and proclaim that Christ is the only way; however, then it will be too late.”
Like the original audience some also claim that belief in Christ gives us a license to sin.
This thinking has plagued the church from the time of Paul’s letter in A.D. 57 until now
in 2007. As Calvin says “the flesh will always seek any excuse to indulge itself, likewise
Satan will invent all kinds of slander in order to discredit the doctrine of Grace.” It is this
idea that will make up our next point, the theological Principle.
CROSSING THE PRINCIPLIZING BRIDGE
Because of the death and resurrection of Christ, we who are believers have been
crucified with him and have been raised to a new life. We are dead to sin and alive to
Christ. This principle crosses the bridge of time. Paul in the first several chapters of
Romans outlined the predicament of the human race, all men are under the plight of
sin. We are slaves to a harsh and cruel master. The problem is not the committing of
sins as much as people are held captive by sin, Romans 3:10-12.
Paul begins chapter six with a question, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may
abound?” He promptly answers, “By no means” or in older translations “God forbid.”
Because of Paul’s statement in Romans 5:20, there were those who accused Paul of
holding to the teaching that people should live in sin so that they would experience
more grace. This is absurd, Paul said, for how can those who have died to sin still live
in it. It is by the grace of God that we have died to sin. Calvin says “He who sins
certainly lives to sin; we have died to sin through the grace of Christ; then it is false that
what abolishes sins gives vigor to it.” Grace kills the hold of sin in our lives and looses
its grip; it takes the foot of sin off our necks and gives us freedom to live holy.
Paul asks the question in verse 3 in light of the first question. The very nature of
Christianity is to free men from the grips of sin. Therefore when we were baptized into
Christ, united with him through faith, we were united to him in His death as well. We
were united with Christ that we may die to sin.
The death of Christ, verses 4 and 5, is sufficient to destroy the old man and His
resurrection is sufficient to renovate a better nature. Salvation is an act of God. It is the
divine hand of God that comes down through His sacrificed Son and plants (unites) us
together with Him.
The old self, verse 6, is the sin nature to which we were born. Since Christ is the climax
of history, history can then be separated into two epochs, Adam and Christ. With Adam
came sin, the law, flesh and death; however, with Christ comes righteousness, grace,
the Holy spirit and life. All men are born into the first epoch, and the only way to
participate in the second epoch is to partake in that which began this epoch, Christ’s
death, burial and resurrection. Our old man has been killed and buried and we have
been raised with Christ, enabling us to partake of this new epoch and all the riches that
come along with it.
In verses 8-14, the Apostle is driving his point by making contrasts and comparisons,
setting cause and effect, and changing verb forms from past to present and future
tense.
Contrasts and Comparisons:
1. those not crucified with Christ: in the old life, servants of sin, in sin, under sin, and
dead in sin
2. those crucified with Christ: raised with him, a new life, serve righteousness, do not
live in sin, no longer under sin, and have life
3. the old man: contrasted with Christ and compared to sinners
4. the new man: died to sin and can no longer live in it, contrasted with sinners and
compared to Christ
5. Christ died: we die; He lives: so we live
6. The life he now lives he lives to God: the life we now live we live to God
7. Because of Christ’s resurrection death no longer reigns over him: Because we have
been raised with Christ sin no longer reigns over us
8. Christ died and rose to die no more: we died and are raised to no longer be dead in
sins
9. Christ resurrection shows the world that God was satisfied with his sacrifice of death:
Our being raised also shows that God was satisfied with Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf
Cause and effect:
1. Cause: dead, or die. Effect: Freed from sin
2. Cause: We die with Christ. Effect: We live with him
3. Cause: We die with Christ. Effect: We are no longer ruled by sin
4. Cause: Alive from the dead. Effect: We yield ourselves our members to righteousness
5. Cause: Christ sacrifice on Calvary applied to our hearts. Effect: We are no longer
under the law but Grace.
Lastly, to make sure that the point is clear, in verse 11, Paul changes the verb tense.
He moves from the past tense, speaking of what Christ has done, to the present and
future tense. He says consider yourselves, let not sin reign, and do not present your
members to sin as instruments, BUT present yourselves to God. We must consider
ourselves dead to sin. The grace of God through the sacrifice of Christ has killed sin.
We who have died to sin ought to cease from those actions which sin exercised during
its life. We must present ourselves to God as those who have been brought from death
to life.
GRASPING THE TEXT IN OUR TOWN
Now that we have examined the text, how do we apply these great truths to our lives?
1. We must first mortify sin in our lives daily. Do not use your eyes to look at sinful
things; do not use your ears to listen to vile music and perverse language. Do not use
your mouth to speak perverse language or lies, or to gossip or tear down people. Do
not use your hands to take things that are not yours or to strike someone. Do not use
your feet to walk into sin.
2. We are to live unto God. Can we truly say that we are living our lives to God? We
must resemble Christ, Romans 8:29. Do you resemble Christ?
3. Lastly, we must guard against believing anything other than Christ as the remedy for
man’s sin. It is IN CHRIST ALONE that sins are forgiven, Romans 5:17. Nothing can
loose the power of sin but Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:4-9.
| Easter Sunday Morning, April 8, 2007 Sermon Outline THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION Romans 6:1-14 Rev. Louis Love, III |
New Life Fellowship Church
Romans 6:1-14
Romans 6:1-14
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