September 18, 2000
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Oct. 8 Lesson
Abundant life is result if death to sin is reality
_Romans 6:1-14; 20-23
___1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
___5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. ...
___20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have becomes slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
___By Alan Lefever
___Sam Houston is almost a mythical figure in Texas history. His exploits and accomplishments make him seem larger than life; if not, the 67-foot statue of Sam Houston on I-45 south of Huntsville certainly will. While many people know he served as president of the Republic of Texas and as governor of Texas, few may be aware that in his later years he was also an active Texas Baptist.
___It would have been hard for anyone who knew Houston in his early years to have imagined he would one day become a Baptist! He had established a well-deserved reputation for being a troublemaker and a heavy drinker. In fact, his nickname at one time was "Big Drunk." However, in 1840 when he married Margaret Moffette Lea, a strict Baptist, he slowly began to make a change. Houston stopped drinking and started attending church. It was in 1854 that Houston was converted and baptized by R.C. Burleson near Independence. As Burleson brought Houston out of the water, he told Houston that his sins had been washed away. Houston's only remark--"I pity the fish downstream."
___The believer and sin
___In Chapter 5, Paul has told us that we are free from the guilt and penalty of sin through the actions of Christ. He states "where sin increased, grace (as a result of Christ) increased all the more" (Romans 5:20). Aware that some readers might misunderstand what he said, Paul quickly points out in Chapter 6 that grace gives us no excuse to sin. It is through grace that the Christian has died to sin (v. 1-2). If we are "dead" to something, we will not or should not experience it.
___In spite of this clarification, some have continued to view the abundance of grace as an "I can get away with sin free card." This type of person might say, "I'm forgiven. I'll do whatever I want, when I want and God will always forgive me--no matter what." To this attitude Paul replies, "By no means!" It is not because we as Christians have not been forgiven and or will never experience the forgiveness of God, but it is because of the grace that sin should no longer be the controlling factor in our lives. Why? It is because we are dead to sin due to the grace of Christ and his sacrifice.
___When I was a boy, I had a pet turtle named "Tickles." I was responsible for feeding Tickles and cleaning his tank. One afternoon, my father called me in from playing to inform me that Tickles had died. I was free from the responsibility of owning a pet. I no longer was "controlled" by the pet--Tickles was dead to me. Likewise, the Christian is free from following through on temptation--sin is dead to the Christian.
___To further illustrate this point, Paul compares the symbolism found in believer's baptism to Christ's death and resurrection. Believer's baptism is the symbolic act of what occurs in the believer's heart and life and is a remembrance of what Christ did for the believer. Sunday after Sunday in Baptist churches across the state of Texas, the words "buried with Christ, raised to walk in newness of life" are spoken as new believers are baptized. The act of baptism does not create a new person and it has no saving power. Believer's baptism symbolically and powerfully illustrates the new life we now live in Christ.
___Even though the sinful nature is crucified with Christ (v.6), Matthew Henry notes that in its dying state our old nature "struggles for life, and even victory." Yet we should no longer be slaves to sin. For even as our sinful nature struggles for survival, the outcome has been revealed--our sinful nature is dead. And remember--why feed a dead turtle?
___Christ's relationship with the believer
___In the first seven verses of Chapter 6, Paul discusses the believer's relationship to sin, noting that we are dead to it just as Christ died for us. Paul then turns his attention to the result of Christ's death--life. Now that we have died with Christ--he for our sins, we to our sins-- we are free to live with him.
___The American justice system uses the term "double jeopardy" to mean a person cannot be tried for the same crime twice. Once guilt has been determined and a sentence has been handed down, the case is closed. In verse 10, Paul makes it clear that with Christ's death our debt was paid "once and for all." F.F. Bruce said it best, "In his death he dealt effectively and conclusively with sin, winning a victory that needs no second fight, and leaves no second foe." We will not be "tried" twice for our sins. Christ's death fulfilled the ultimate sentence for our sin. It is because of Christ's victory over death that we are able to experience a living relationship with God.
___The believer and temptation
___Paul has shown us that as a result of Christ's death and resurrection the believer can be dead to sin. The operative word is "can." Paul admits this when he says in verse 11 "be dead indeed to sin." Although sin may be on its deathbed and the end is inevitable, we continue to struggle daily with the temptation to sin.
___During this dry and hot summer, bugs of all types have invaded my house on the hunt for a cool place and moisture. I am not partial to bugs and upon meeting up with one, I attempt to rid my home of them. After "ridding" my home of the bug's life, I leave the crime scene for cleaning materials. Often, I return thinking the dead bug will be where I left it; however, a "dead" bug may not be dead at all--just stunned. The bug has been revived and left the scene. Although it appeared to be dead, in reality it was only injured. I would smile--the end would come soon enough for the bug. If we give ourselves over to the grace of God, the sin in our lives will meet its end "soon enough."
___As Paul calls us to be dead to sin he says, "reckon yourselves." (Do you think Paul may have been the first Texan?) What Paul means is "think about it." Christ conquered sin in his death and resurrection, so why should we let it control our lives? Sin has been conquered! It was defeated! Paul knows that even for the Christian the temptation to sin is strong and he therefore calls us to focus our attention on the righteousness of God. When our attention is focused on that which is right, it becomes harder to see that which is wrong and be tempted.
___In verse 14, Paul reiterates that Christians are no longer under the law but under grace. The law demands an obedience that we are incapable of giving due to our sinful nature. Grace gives us the power to be obedient and thereby conquer sin.
___The believer's future
___Like any good teacher, Paul closes this section with a review statement in verses 20 through 23 that encapsulates the entire lesson--follow sin, find death; follow God, find eternal life. The path each one of us would take if our sinful nature controls us leads to death. But it is in Christ that a new trail has been blazed and we have the freedom to choose this new path. We may stumble along the way, but we will survive, we will enjoy the company and we can look forward to the destination.
For thought and discussion
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