Weekly Reflection 2/7/23

“Dead to Sin, Alive to God” Gospel Reflection for Sunday message on 2/5/23

Romans 6:1-14

How do we live like that?

By no means continue in sin (verse 1-2), the body of sin might be brought to nothing (verse 6), no longer be enslaved to sin (verse 6), set free from sin (verse 7), dead to sin (verse 11), let not sin reign (verse 12), sin will have no dominion over you (verse 14).
As believers in Jesus how do we live in that reality?
Paul’s answer is that the pathway to victory over sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil is fundamentally coming to understand who you are in and with Christ.
- Verse three, we’ve been “baptized into Christ Jesus.”
- Verse three, we’ve been “baptized into his death.”
- Verse four, “We were therefore buried with Him.”
- Verse five, “We’ve been united with Him in a death like his.”
- Verse five, “We will certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like his.”
- Verse six, “Our old self was crucified with Him.”
- Verse eight, “Now we if we have died with Christ.”
- Verse eight, “We believe that we also will live with him.”

Consider yourselves dead.

Consider it, reckon it, meditate upon it, let it sink deeply down in your soul. You REALLY ARE dead to sin and alive to God.
You must not go on living the life you used to live because you’re no longer the person you used to be.
Volume one (life before salvation) of your biography is closed and you are now living in newness of life in volume two of your biography (verse 4).
Verse four says, “we too might walk in newness of life”. Paul is talking about the opportunity we have TODAY to live in newness of life.

Sin is no longer king.

I love the way Paul personifies sin. Think about sin as if it were a person and not just a person, but a king, a lord that wants to rule your life. He demands to be obeyed.
There is a war for the soul going on. Sin is fighting for the throne of your soul.
Jesus and His righteousness is now King.

Not under law but under grace.

Verse 14 is not a command it’s a statement. In other words, the truth of verse 14 makes possible the expectations of verses 12 and 13.
What does it mean to be under grace?
Ezekiel 36:26-27, Jeremiah 32:37-41
With the New Covenant there are still commands but God says I’m going to put my law in your heart, I’m going to put my Spirit in your life, and I’m going to move upon you and cause you to walk in obedience.
Hebrews 13:20-21
How are we supposed to do everything good? How are we supposed to do His will? It’s the God of peace who equips us to do that. He works in us that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ.
That’s where we find the power and the incentive and the strength to present our members as instruments of righteousness.