Romans 6

 

Romans 6:1
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Paul now handles some of the questions that were coming up in the home churches regarding Jesus Christ being our justification. Men just can't seem to accept that righteousness is free to us. Righteousness is not something we work for, it is something Jesus Christ gave his life for so we could have it. One of the arguments that came up back then just as it does today was people thinking that because they were righteous it was okay to carry on living their old lives and continue doing evil things once they were born again. Crime is a rather lucrative business after all, and pays well.

Roman 6:2
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Technically, yes, you can go on with your evil ways and you won't lose your justification because it is something Jesus Christ paid for with his life and we get it for free. When we believe we receive the gift of holy spirt as a gift, and with that gift comes the righteousness of God. So, yes, you can go on sinning if you want, but is that all Christ giving his life for you means to you? If we are dead to sin, why would we want to carry on living in it?

Romans 6:3
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

First of all, being baptised into Jesus Christ is a reference to the new birth. Water baptism was not part of the Old Testament law so being baptized into Jesus Christ has nothing whatsoever to do with water. Search and look, Moses wrote absolutely nothing regarding water baptism. In fact, there is nothing in the bible about it until John the baptist came along.

Matthew 3:1-6
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

John the baptist was a prophet and God told him to get out into the wilderness and water baptize people in the River Jordan. However, look at what John said to Jesus Christ when he came to him to be baptised.

Matthew 3:13-15
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [allow] it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered [allowed] him.

John refused to water baptize Jesus Christ, the son of God. John told Jesus he wasn't going to do it, and then told him that he had need to be baptized of him with something better. John the baptist himself knew that something better than water baptism was coming and that Jesus Christ would make it available.

Mark 1:8
I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit].

God told John to get out into the wilderness and water baptize people in Jordan. That water baptism was a symbolic illustration to prepare the people for the baptism with the holy spirit which Jesus Christ had come to make available. John the baptist himself taught his followers that Jesus Christ was the true way to God and that his ministry of water baptism would be replaced by something far better. Jesus Christ came to make baptism with the holy spirit available, which was something far superior to water baptism, and it first came on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

With the coming of the gift of holy spirit, water baptism had served its purpose and was no longer necessary. Water baptism was a symbolic cleansing, a ceremony John instituted to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. The actual receiving of the gift of holy spirit, which is to be baptized in holy spirit, cleanses you within and washes you entirely, making you righteous before God. No amount of washing in water can do that for anyone. To be baptized into Jesus Christ simply means to be washed and made righteous by the Christ in us which we receive at the time of the new birth.

Romans 6:3,4
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

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.

So just what did Jesus Christ go through so we could be washed clean of everything we've ever done? I think sometimes we skim past this and don't take enough time to think through what he actually did for us. Did you know he was tortured and whipped and beaten for two days? Did you know the word says that he was beaten more than any human being in the history of the world? The word says he was unrecognisable as human when he was dragged to his death and nailed to the cross.

Isaiah 52:14
As many were astonied [astonished] at thee; his visage [his appearance] was so marred [disfigured] more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

Jesus Christ was tortured and beaten to a pulp for two days. He was so disfigured he no longer resembled a human being. He was tortured more than any person who has ever lived on earth or ever will be. After two days he was dragged to his death and nailed to a cross where he hung for six hours until he died.

Now here's the thing, you see Jesus Christ didn't have to go through that. God told him he didn't have to do it and that there were 72,000 angels at his command if he changed his mind and decided to come down off the cross. Listen to what he said when he was arrested.

Matthew 26:51-54
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

A legion was 6000 angels, so he had 72,000 angels at his command who were ready to fight for him. However, he knew that if he didn't go through with it, nothing would change, the gift of holy spirit would never be made available, and we would all still be dead in this world without God and without hope. He even turned down an astonishing bribe from the devil so he could help us.

Luke 4:5-7
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

This second temptation was unbelievable in scope and power. The presidency of a one-world government? He was offered the power and glory of the entire earth. Do you think that was easy to resist? We break the word on paltry little things like going into debt for new computers, clothes, and cars. Jesus Christ was offered the whole world and he turned it down so he could help us. Do you think that was easy?

What makes this even more poignant is that he knew what was going to happen to him throughout his life and ministry. He would have known this verse in Isaiah by heart, and he would have known it referred to him.

Isaiah 52:14
As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

His visage, his form, his physical body was marred more than any other human being that has ever lived. He knew all through his ministry that he was going to be beaten more than any man in the history of the world. Do you think he wanted to go through with that? Do you think it was something he looked forward to his whole life? Here is the man in the garden just a few minutes before his arrest.

Luke 22:41-44
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

You've heard the expression sweating blood, right? Well, there was a man in agony who was sweating blood. He was just a few minutes away from being arrested, knowing that he would be tortured and beaten until he was unrecognisable as human and then be crucified and die the most horrible death any man has ever experienced. He also knew there was no other way to help us. It was a man that got us into this mess, Adam, and he knew it would take a man to get us out of it. He gave his life for us. It wasn't taken from him, he gave it. He didn't have to, he wasn't forced into it, he had 72,000 angels on call if he changed his mind, yet he chose to give his life for us.

Romans 6:3,4
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

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.

Think about this from a human point of view as well. How would you feel if you knew you were going to die today? How would you feel if you knew you were going to be tortured and beaten for two days and then nailed to a cross until you were dead? Jesus Christ wasn't God, he was a man, he had feelings just like we do. He didn't want to go through that, and he begged God to find another way. He was in agony and sweating blood in the garden just before his arrest. There was no other way, so he allowed himself to be arrested and then walked to his death. It was his choice. He gave his life for you and me. Jesus Christ went through all that so we could have the righteousness of God and be justified. Yet you want to just carry on in your old ways after you're born again? God forbid, if he went through that for us, we should strive to walk in newness of life.

That's not just all he did for us either. When he returns to earth to gather the saints, as recorded in Thessalonians, those of us who are born again will get new bodies to live in, bodies just like his resurrected body, bodies that will live forever. We have eternal life.

Romans 6:5-8
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

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.

For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

When Jesus Christ died, he died for us and we died with him. When someone is alive they are responsible for the consequences of their actions, which is why all men were guilty of death. When Jesus Christ died, we died with him. Dead people are no longer responsible for the consequences of their actions while they were alive. You cannot take a dead person to court and sentence him to prison for crimes he did while he was alive. Once you are dead, you are no longer responsible for your crimes. When Jesus Christ died we died with him, and because we were dead we are no longer responsible for the crimes we have committed, we have been freed from them. When Jesus Christ was raised from the dead we were raised from death with him and that's why we can now believe to receive the righteousness of God and have eternal life. That's what Jesus Christ accomplished for us by his death and resurrection.

Look, eternal life is not something we can earn because there is nothing a dead body can do to raise itself from death. All we have to do is believe. A man got us into this mess and it took a man to get us out of it. There was no other way. Jesus Christ was flogged and whipped and beaten until he had no skin left on his body. He was homosexually gang raped all night by Roman soldiers. He was spat on and humiliated and beaten for two days. Then he was dragged up a hill and nailed to a cross where he hung for six hours until he was dead. He didn't deserve that. He hadn't done anything wrong. He wasn't a criminal. He had a beautiful heart and only wanted to help people. He gave his life for us.

Romans 6:9-11
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, he never has to go through all that again. God raised him from the dead and now he has eternal life. Just as Christ will never have to die again, neither will we once we have our new bodies at the return. Jesus Christ took care of all our evil and sin, all the nasty stuff we've ever done, and he died for us so we could be dead unto sin but alive unto God. Our response then shouldn't be to carry on living in our old ways, it should be to change and live the word so we can help others.

Romans 6:12-16
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

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.

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

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?

What this is basically saying is we should want to change. Sure, we can get born again and have the righteousness of God and just carry on living our old garbage lives, but we should be thankful enough for what Jesus Christ did for us to want to change and help people.

Romans 6:17-19
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.

Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

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.

Before we were born again and received the gift of holy spirit we were dead. Do you know what dead means? Sure we were walking around with a few years of breath, but we were dead. We were all those people Paul mentioned earlier in Romans, you know, the people with vile affections, those who worship and serve the creation rather than the creator, all those filled with unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, the whisperers, the backbiters, the haters of God, those who are despiteful and proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, those who are disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, the implacable and the unmerciful. Jesus Christ gave his life for us when we were all sinners. He died the most horrendous death any man has ever experienced, and he did it because he wanted to help us. What's our response going to be? We should want to give up our evil ways and clean up our lives and change and do something constructive by helping people and teaching them the truth. Eternal life is a gift to us, but it cost Jesus Christ his life. I should have been dead in 1977 in the Gulf of Aqaba, but God saved me when I asked him for help and since then I've given my life to studying the scriptures and teaching the bible like it hasn't been known for nearly two thousand years. What are you going to do with your life now that you know the truth?

Romans 6:20-23
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.