Romans - June 9, 2008

Section -- Three: Justification -- Romans 3:21-5:21 continued

C. Evidence Applied: What is the primary difference between what Adam did and what Christ did?
1. Adam’s act brought fear of physical death because mankind was spiritually separated from God, Christ removed fear of physical death because mankind was no longer spiritually separated from God.+..
a. Paul is writing to those who are saints (Christians), thus, it was not necessary to discuss how one became a saint, took advantage of God’s grace.
D. Conclusion — In this section Rom 3:21-5:21 Paul has shown one is not justified by what they do, i.e., any law of merit, but by God’s grace. Paul has not, nor does he, discussed what salvation by God’s grace entails. To suggest salvation by grace means one does nothing is to state a position on grace not supported by Paul, as seen in Romans and his other letters. The concept of salvation by grace, meaning salvation without any effort on mankind’s part, is a problem with those seeing The Law or Law as the means to make one be righteous by merit because, in their mind, salvation by grace will lead to unrighteous living. In the next section Rom 6:1-8:39 (Sanctification) and Rom 12:1-15:4 (Application of Sanctification) Paul will show why salvation by grace does what the laws of merit could not do — i.e., change the inward man not just the outward man.
Paul does not discussed in the book of Romans what one must do to be saved by grace, he just states as a fact what these Christians have done then builds on what they have done to be saved by grace. Remember the Law of Moses (merit) and the Law of Christ both require obedience. Difference is to be justified under Law of Moses (merit) demands flawless obedience to God’s will, to be justified under the Law of Christ demands obedience to flawless Jesus. [Mat 28:18]

SECTION --- Four: Sanctification (6:1-8:39)

1. To this point Paul’s argument or defense of the gospel has been...
a. All (Jew and Gentile) stand guilty before God of sin for all have broken whatever law they had [Rom 1:18-3:20]
b. All are justified, not because they kept any law with perfection, but by having faith as Abraham’s faith [Rom 4].
c. Paul also shows what was lost because of Adam’s sin is gain back in Christ [Rom 5]
Section Preview
1. [6:1-8:39] Paul now addresses a logical question: “How should one saved by grace through faith live?” or “Without Law to keep one in line why should one not sin — if they are saved by grace.”
a. In this section Paul is discussing the validity of the contention his gospel logically leads to a life of continuance of sin — c.f. his statement of Rom 3:31.
2. Paul is teaching (chapters 6,7,8) when you have been justified by your relationship with Christ, you are obligated to live differently.
a. He is teaching the kind of life you will life — you have a choice.
3. Paul is not teaching when you have been justified by your relationship with Christ, you now received the better “felt that told power” to break the hold of sin, i.e., you cannot lose you salvation
a. He is not teaching method or how you will life, i.e., not teaching you do not have a choice or control of how you will live for it is in the hands of the Holy Spirit (TULIP).
4. Sanctification defined — {ROM 6:19, 22} G38. hagiasmos; n. the effect of being separate from profane things and dedicate to God
a. KJV translates 5 times and holiness and five times as sanctification.
5. Paul has established Sanctification follows Justification; his readers are working under the concept Justification follows Sanctification —, i.e. when you have done enough or are good enough (Sanctified) you are then saved (Justified).
OBSERVATIONS:
1) The Pharisee did not began as bad guys but in the effort to keep people pure they added to the Law until what they added became more important than God’s word in keeping people pure.
2) Many writers see in chapters 6-8 Paul teaching one justified now lives with the power of Christ physically preventing them from living a life contrary to God's will (cannot sin) — for example...
Kenneth Wuest (paraphrased) “In chapters 6-8 Paul is not teaching the kind of life one will live, but the method or how he will live. God has so worked on the believer that it is a mechanical impossibility for a Christian to habitually sustain the same relationship to the evil nature that he sustained before God saved him [6:2].”

I. {Rom 6:1-7} Why saints are not controlled by sin
A. Introduction
1. Review — Those raise under a law of merit would not see the logic of Paul’s argument that salvation by grace is the only way one can please God, for grace offers, in their mind and experience, nothing to keep one on the straight and narrow.
a. A carnal mind sees a carnal law as the only means to control the desires of the flesh — as was the Law of Moses (e.g., a child needs a list of do and don’t’s).
2. Preview — A logical argument showing why a Christians does not need a system of do’s and do not’s.
3. Question For Discussion? Why does the Christian not just sin all he wants and count on the grace of God to “pull him through”?
B. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. (6:1) In the previous section (3:21-5:21) Paul has shown how one is justified, why would this be a logical question for one rejecting salvation by faith?
a. Without the do’s and don’ts of law there is nothing to keep one “in line”.
OBSERVATION: Based on what Paul said in 3:31 the question 6:1 is a legitimate question. If salvation is wholly of grace and there are no works of merit to keep one in line and one can sin without fear of consequences, thus, faith does not establishes the law, but destroys the law, i.e., there is nothing to cause one to live in a manner pleasing to God.
2. (6:2) What is required for Paul response to be an effective restraint to sin?
a. Must understand the moral obligation of being justified, i.e., the inward man is in charge — law’s function was to make one aware of what displeased God and what pleased God not to make one righteous (be justified) but to make one aware of what displeased God. [cf. Gal 3:24].
OBSERVATION:
1) “May it never be” = G3361. me (may); no, not the least; qualified negation (G3756. ou (oo) expresses an absolute denial). Paul, who had great respect for God, would never use the name of God in such a way as “God forbid”. Of the popular version only two have “God forbid”, perhaps stressing the translator’s incorrect idea Christians could not sin for God forbids such to happen
2) “died to sin” = (Active Voice) The actions is being accomplish by the subject of the verb — the Christian makes the moral choice not to sin. Not teaching one cannot live in sin for such is impossible by the saved because of some force outside of them self (Holy Spirit). Issue is not does a Christians have a desire to sin — but the Christians makes a moral choice not to continue in or be influenced by sin. In the battle with sin the tools used by the Christians are — Prayer, Word, and brethren.
3. (6:2) At what point in time did the Christians in Roman die to sin?
a. (6:3) Not when they heard, believed, repented, confessed, but when they were baptized.
b. Not telling these saints (Rom 1:7) they had to be baptized (Act 2:38), but building on the fact they have been baptized.
c. To suggest one must died to sin before he was baptized (you do not bury a lived person but dead person) is to allegorical for this section.
(1) Paul does not treat salvation as “five” steps — the whole process of turning to Jesus is one step.
4. (6:4) In this verse, what does Paul say is the significance, purpose, or result of being baptized?
a. Not what baptism does (remission of sins) but the significance of the reason for (meaning of) baptisms — so they can walk in newness of life.
(1) “newness of life” = stressing the quality of life
b. “Therefore” = G3767. oun; then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so.
5. (6:5) What do those united with Christ in baptism now have because of Jesus’ resurrection [see 6:9]
a. Now have a life of higher quality where death is not their master, not because of a “mechanical” reason but the person moral convictions.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A LOOK AHEAD
6. (6:6) What is the body of sin that was done away?
a.
7. (6:6) What is the old man that was crucified enabling them no longer be slaves to the body of sin?
a.
8. (6:7) Based on Paul’s arguments of 3:21 -5:21 does “freed from sin” mean one cannot sin for they have been set free from Satan? If not why not?
a.
C. Evidence Applied: Why does the Christian not just sin all he wants and count on the grace of God to “pull him through”?
1.
D. Conclusion —

II. {Rom 6: 8-11} The Christian’s purpose or immediate goal
A. Introduction
1. Review — Paul has shown a mature and maturing baptized believer does not require “laws of restraint” to not continue in sin — sin is no longer their master
2. Preview — The logic restraining one acquitted of sin under their new master.
3. Question For Discussion: What is the goal of those freed from sin?
B. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. (6:8) Considering the question Paul is answering (6:1-2) what is meant by dying with Christ one will live with Christ?
a.
2. (6:9) What, according to 6:9, is the significance of Jesus’ resurrection? (cf. Heb 2:14-15)
a.
3. (6:10) According to 6:10 why did Jesus die to sin?
a.
4. (6:11) Why does reckoning or considering apply to Paul’s response to Rom 6:1?
a.
5. (6:11) What does dead to sin mean — does it mean sin does not pull at them (has no influence)?
a.
C. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — What is the goal of those freed from sin?
1.
D. Conclusion —