After a long pause, we’re picking back up in Romans today.  We’ve gotten through Romans 5, which is probably the weightiest chapter of the Bible or at least in the top 5 or so.  To recap, Romans 5 is basically setting out how we are identified by God, with the conclusion being that we are identified either in Adam, or in the second Adam – Jesus Christ.  Everyone who is born of Adam, born from him, inherits Adam’s sin nature and the judgment due Adam (this is referred to as “Federal Headship” in theological circles by people who like to come up with confusing names for things).  Everyone who is born again through faith in Christ, inherits the righteousness of Christ and eternity with Him in a fullness of joy.  To give an analogy (a poor one sadly) you can think of this as two trees, either you are a branch in the tree of Adam, or you are broken off the tree of Adam and grafted into the tree of Christ.  One tree will be delivered up to be burned/judged for eternity, and the other will bear fruit and be glorious for all eternity.

With that as a background, we’re going to jump into Romans 6 which begins with the practical applications of Romans 5.  Meaning, if Romans 5 is true and we believe on Christ, and are identified with Christ, how will our lives bear out that belief and identification?

Romans 6:1-11 – “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.  We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  For one who has died has been set free from sin.  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.  So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Now the self-righteous reader might look at the people suggesting that they continue in sin that grace may abound as foolish non-believers, but I want to be fair and offer grace to those people and assume they had a legitimate logical question.  Specifically, if as a believer, you are identified with Christ, and you are living to make much of the glory of God – then there could be a logical (but flawed) argument that sinning makes much of Christ.  Basically the logic pattern is this:  The fullness of the glory (Character and majesty) of God was displayed through Christ triumphing over sin and death on the cross.  If there was “more” sin for Christ to have triumphed over, then the glory of God would be seen as even greater.  Therefore, sinning more leads to making much of the glory of God.  This argument is flawed in many different ways, but hopefully you can at least better understand where the people were coming from as not being completely illogical.  

The answer to that argument goes to the heart of what it means to actually believe and be identified with Christ.  Basically the answer given in Romans 6:2-11 is that the glory of God is made much of by manifesting the death of and resurrection Christ (the gospel message) in our own lives, namely dying to self and sin and bringing to life righteousness.  Many people talk about being a “Christian” or a “believer”, but what does your life say about who Jesus is and what you believe?  Now from personal experience, I can tell you that no matter how tempting or alluring sin may seem, it always has horrible repercussions – not only immediate, but long-term, and eternal (for non-believers).  Each of us will make decisions today to either harden our heart against the truth of God and continue in sin, or we can trust Christ, and manifest our belief in the gospel through turning from sin to pursue joy in fellowship with Christ. 

Simply put, the offer to you from Christ is freedom from sin and eternal joy in worshipping God.  Christ came to put sin to death, that he might taste death for us, become a curse for us, that we might become the righteousness of God.  My encouragement to you today, is that if your soul is burdened by sin, look to Christ.  Isaiah 53:4-6 – “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”    If your soul hungers to be right with God, if you thirst for a joy that no sin can deliver, look to Christ.  John 6:35 – Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”   What a salvation we have in Christ!  He has the same call for each of us yesterday, today, and tomorrow – Whoever would come, come.

Grace and Peace,

Adam