Since the last episode, “Sin: Killer of Mankind,” I have received questions about Romans 6, especially verses 5-11. This is probably one of the New Testament’s most misunderstood and misinterpreted passages. Romans 5 states, “We are justified by faith, and we have peace with God.” Paul says our sins are forgiven because of one man’s obedience, Jesus Christ. He explains that just like we were all reckoned unrighteous through the unrighteous act of one man, Adam. So we are reckoned righteous by one man’s righteous act, Jesus.
This action by God to justify believers in Jesus Christ is a gift of God’s grace and love for humanity. This is seen at the end of Romans 5:18-19. Does this mean sin lives in you? No, it means we were under the jurisdiction of sin. I was born an American… You may have been born in Canada or Mexico. We live under the jurisdiction of the country we’re born in. The same is true of Sin. Through Adam, the creation came under the rule of sin. But we’ve left the country of Sin and been moved to the country of righteousness through faith in Christ. Does this mean righteousness lives in us? No. We are made righteous by our new country.
Previously, I said sin is a powerful outside influence that lures mankind to do what we shouldn’t do. We live in a world dominated by the power of sin. Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 15:56 that the power of Sin is the law. Sin uses laws against everyone, whether you follow religious rules or not. Everyone has rules sin utilizes to punish us with guilt.
Well, then, why do we have rules? Rules and laws are bad, right? Paul explains in verses Romans 5:20-21 why God gave the law. I didn’t do what Adam did. But the law shows we act upon the influence of sin just like Adam, so sin was multiplied. If sin was multiplied, then grace was super-multiplied. Sin ruled or caused death because its power came from the law, so also grace will super-rule, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The power of Sin is the law, but the super-power of grace is the righteousness of Christ.
Now we come to Romans 6:1-4. Should we continue to be influenced by sin so grace will multiply? Not! How can you continue under sin if we don’t live in that country? We live in a new country. The country of Grace. We died to the rule of sin, so we no longer live under that jurisdiction. But when did we die to the rule of sin? When we were baptized. When we were baptized, we were united in the physical death of Jesus. How are we united with him? Not physically. We didn’t physically die with Jesus. We were united in his death spiritually. Why? Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory (the praise), we too would walk in newness (a renewed) of life. What is this renewed or resurrected life? It’s a life free from the rule of sin, so we can now serve the rule of Grace from the Father. How do we live resurrected under the rule of Grace? Just as the Father raised Christ by His glory, we live our renewed life in Christ by the glory of the Father. What does that mean?
Moving further through Romans 6:5-11. What does it mean to live the new life we have in Christ by and for the glory of the Father? It means we live our renewed lives by faith as believers in God’s plan to reconcile all creation. We live believing and trusting the promise of God in Christ for our justification, sanctification, and glorification. This means living by and for the glory of the Father and the Son.
Let’s look at Romans 3:23-26. Who is glorified here? All who believe in Christ. Paul uses the visual of the Mercy Seat to explain how believers are justified in Christ. The Mercy Seat was on top of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. On the day of Atonement, the High priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice for the sins of the people on the Mercy Seat. God’s Glory would appear between the Cherubims on the Mercy Seat.
In the same way, God’s glory is seen in his forgiveness of our sins. By the righteousness of the Father and Son, he passes over our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus. God’s glory is seen in his gift of justification through Christ. And it’s seen in the redemption of all creation through Christ. Paul says that Jesus is the Mercy Seat. This reference to the Mercy Seat was not an accident by Paul.
How do we live without Sin? (4 L’s)
Leave the body/dead carcass that was ruled by sin in the ground.
Live the renewed, resurrected life by faith through grace and God’s glory.
Light the world with God’s glory by testifying about Jesus and his righteousness, redemption, and sanctification of believers. Not as a law, but as a gift!
Love is the fulfillment of all laws (Galatians 5:13-14).
I hope this study benefited your faith and your confidence in Christ. If you feel this study can help others, please share this video. I want to leave you with 2 Corinthians 3:17 to consider when feeling down with yourself.
