The Death of Sin in the Death of Christ

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Introduction

Perhaps the text I’ve chosen for this morning appears to be somewhat out of place.

This is a day that we remember and consider the day on which Christ our Saviour was put to death on the cross.

And very often we will go directly to the narratives that outline what took place on that day.

But today, my approach is a little bit different.

I want to really focus on the implications of what Christ did for us in terms of how we as believers should live our lives.

The death of Christ on the cross is obviously central to what we believe as Christians.

But we can sometimes be a little bit caught up with sentimental thoughts, and not really take these truths and apply them to our lives in a meaningful way.

And so this morning I want to draw our attention to the importance of just what has taken place on the cross, and the significance of that for our day to day lives as those who are in Christ, who believe in him.

Lead up to Romans 6...

Romans 1:16–17 (NIV84)

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

There is a righteousness of God in Christ

We are all in need of this righteousness

Without righteousness, no one will see the kingdom of heaven....

Romans 1:18-3:20

God's wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness

Paul then outlines that everyone is a sinner.

Romans 3:10 (NIV84)

10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;

There is no one righteous.

Paul states that all men are in fact, in their natural state under the just wrath of God.

The climactic point of that section is vv.10-20, where every person in all of creation is tarred with one brush - and rightly so... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 3:21-5:21

Paul begins in this section to unfold the amazing Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ

Romans 3:21 (NIV84)

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

God's love leads to forgiveness

People may be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Mankind, despite their sin and fallenness, may receive forgiveness and grace, and may be declared righteous.

Those in this position are "declared righteous"

They will no longer face the wrath and punishment of the Almighty creator due to that declaration of right standing before God.

Romans 5:12 (NIV84)

12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—

Romans 5:18–19 (NIV84)

18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

It is this background, with the Gospel and God's grace already having been explained and pointed out to the Romans, that Paul then raises a question that may have been raised in the minds of his readers.

A Question Raised (v.1)

Given this astounding grace... should we not then just keep sinning.

The more wrong we do, the more God's grace covers us, and so the more amazing God's grace is!?!...

I've heard of people doing this.

They say that they are "free in Christ" - so they can essentially live as they like.

Christ has redeemed me. I know His grace. So even if I sin, it's okay!

Most of you I trust would not be so bold in your assertion.

But don't we often continue in our sin, and minimize and play down the significance of that sin, because we're in Christ after all.

It's not about works, it's about grace.

They will say "I'm not under law, but I'm under grace..."

But the interesting point is that Paul uses that very phrase in this passage - verse 14 - and not as a license to keep on sinning and getting away with it, but as a declaration of fact which is why we ought to live holy lives.

Romans 6:14

For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Thus the reality is that because of grace we need not continue in sin.

In the Lord Jesus Christ we are enabled to live in purity and holiness

The Answer Given (v.2)

By no means!

This is one of the strongest negatives that you can get in the Greek language

Paul is saying "Absolutely not!!!"

There is absolutely no way!

NO, NO, NO!!!!!!

Because of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, there is no way that you as a believer are to continue in sin.

It's not even a question... not even a possibility in Paul's mind!!

Why? Why not go on sinning? (v.2b)

According to verse 2..."We died to sin"

There is a death that has taken place...

We have died to sin... how can live in it any longer?

Paul is asking: "Don't you realise who you are??"

But the question that arises is what does it mean that we have died to sin? What does he mean?

Firstly, what does he NOT mean...?

1. No longer responsive to sin

Meaning... if temptation comes, we are unresponsive... we don't give in, because we're dead to it

Romans 7:19 (NIV84)

19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

2. That we are dying day by day to sin...

Tense of the verb used speaks of that which is done.

The same is in the remaining verses... it speaks of something past.

While we certainly are to be putting (that also comes out in this passage)... it is not the message here in verse 2...

Association with Christ's death (vv.3, 5, 6, 8)

Here is the thrust then of what I'd like to point out to us today as we consider the death of our Lord for us.

The association that we have with the death of Christ.

Romans 6:3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Verse 5 confirms that we have been united with him in his death...

And then verse 6... powerful verse!

Romans 6:6 (NIV84)

6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—

Verse 8... "Now if we died with Christ..."

Some important truths for us

We are baptised into Christ's death (v.3-4)

Verse 3...

There is an inseperable connection between the believer in Christ and His death.

Paul directly links this unity with the picture of baptism.

Christ commanded that those who follow Him be baptised

Matthew 28:19 (NIV84)

19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

There is personal relationship

Baptism is a picture of the death and burial of Christ - going down into the water.

And also of resurrection with Christ - coming out of the water.

Paul says... as you were baptised into Christ.... this is what was happening (linked to believing in the Lord Jesus Christ).

Galatians 3:26–27 (NIV84)

26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Therefore 1st half of verse 4: "Romans 6:4 (NIV84)

4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

Christ's death was our death (v.6)

Verse 6 clearly teaches that we died with Christ

The question is "in what way?"

"Our old self"...

This old self is the nature with which we were born.

This is the sin nature (Romans 5:12ff)

Ephesians 4:22 (NIV84)

22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

Colossians 3:9 (NIV84)

9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

"...was Crucified with Him..."

Galatians 5:24 (NIV84)

24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Galatians 6:14 (NIV84)

14May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

"in order that..." - here comes the purpose statement... the reason...

"...the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin."

Our death with Christ's death means the death of sin for us.

Meaning, the death of sins rule over us.

That does not mean sinless perfection....

But it does mean that we are not slaves to sin.

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV84)

24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

His body was fixed to the cross.

On the cross, he bore our sins.... He carried our sins in his own body.

Let us live as those free from sin.

Romans 6:11

11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

This is something you do... if you are truly in Christ, count yourself as having been freed from sin.

Romans 6:12 (NIV84)

12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

Because of Christ's death, and the implications thereof, we should not let sin reign!

Sin is not our master if we are in Christ.

Psalm 19:13 (NIV84)

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

Psalm 119:133 (NIV84)

133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV84)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Romans 6:13 (NIV84)

13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

Romans 6:14 (NIV84)

14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Call to live your identity

Analogy of being freed from prison

In jail - locked up.

One day you hear that you're free.

The gates of the prison are opened.

You're now free to enjoy the sunlight, the beauty of creation - grass, flowers, trees, walks in the forest, on the beach, climbing a mountain.

Instead, you sit in the jail, and continue in this life of harshness... filth, dirtiness,

How absurd!!!

We have been freed!

Free to live in beautiful relationship with Jesus Christ

Freedom to come to the Father through Christ in prayer

Freedom to delight in this intimate relationship with God.

Instead, we sometimes sit wallowing in our old selves, in our former way of life....

Galatians 2:20 (NIV84)

20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Peter 4:1–3 (NIV84)

1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

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