Romans 6:2: By No Means! How Can We Who Died To Sin Still Live In It?

Romans 6:2
[2] By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (ESV)

I live daily in awe of God's amazing grace. I love the doctrine of grace. It blows my mind that the Creator of the universe has declared me to be righteous in his sight in my very unrighteous condition. All of this is possible because of my faith in what Christ has accomplished for me at the cross. My righteousness is a gift of God's grace, received by faith.

So, why wouldn't everybody love the doctrine of grace? One of the main criticisms of grace is that people think it leads to a life of sinful excess. The Apostle Paul, who could easily be called the Apostle of Grace, preached about grace all the time. He knew he had critics. He also knew his critics did not like the doctrine of grace that he taught.

In the previous verse Paul sought to raise the question he knew his critics would be asking. He said, "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" That is the very question that critics of God's grace continue to say. The answer is found in today's verse. It is a resounding NO! Paul also gives the reason: "How can we who died to sin still live in it?

The fundamental error in criticizing grace is in misunderstanding salvation. When God saves a person he radically changes them. We die to sin. We are not the same person anymore. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul reminds us that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The new believer is now empowered by the Holy Spirit to battle against sin. Sin is a struggle for us, but we seek to defeat it, not live in it.

Don't be afraid to fully embrace the doctrine of God's grace. The freedom of knowing you are secure in Him will enable you to fight against that sinful nature with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

Search This Blog