Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?"
And here we have it, the apostle Paul here is addressing people who ridicule easy believism, they ridicule the true biblical teaching of today as they did then in Paul's time.
Here we have these false teachers creeping in saying stuff like, if Salvation is a free gift from God, given to us by his grace, does that mean we can continue to sin as much as we want?
Can we then go ahead and live our lives anyway we like?
Let me answer that for you, the answer is, it's your choice but be prepared to reap what you sow.
I have explained this time and time again using the bible, so I'll keep it short here.
When a person gets saved, they do not immediately change their outward appearance or attitudes, this becomes a process, called sanctification.
Our bodies did not change, this will happen when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, only our spirit has been quickened (made alive), we become born again of the spirit, our flesh (body) still wars against our spirit and through sanctification, we need to bring our bodies under subjection of the spirit.
Now we have a choice to live righteously, which is what the epistle to the Romans teaches, and we should serve the Lord to further the kingdom of God, we can take up our cross, forsake our father, mother, brother, sister, children, literally give up everything we have and be a disciple of the Lord, known as discipleship or, go on living like the world and face divine discipline.
The truth is, not everyone who gets saved will go on to produce fruit (another saved person), look at the apostles, they saved thousands of souls, did they (the saved) all go on producing more saved people?
No, in fact if they did, the world wouldn't be like the way it is now, full of hypocrisy and false religious institutions.
But if we do continue in sin, grace does abound, do you understand that you cannot lose your salvation you are completely covered by the blood?
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians the following:
Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
The flesh is at war with our born again spirit, think about it like this, our flesh is older or matured than our spirit (which is a babe) when we are born again, guess which one is going to win more often or have a stronger influence over what decision you are going to make in our spiritual infancy?
You can never reach a state of sinless perfection, Paul the Apostle says he dies daily, everyday he has to bring his body under subjection of the spirit. Have ye not read in the scriptures that they who say they have no sin deceives themselves and are a liar?
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Romans 6:2 "God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
God Forbid! One of the strongest statements one can make to deny or reject something or a statement. Notice this is a question that Paul is asking, we must be careful not to base a doctrine on a question, but only by clear statements should we derive doctrine from.
So Paul here is asking a question, he is asking that as we are dead to sin, how shall we live any longer in sin?
The next verse is also a question:
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Romans 6:3 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?"
Paul is asking a question here again, he is asking us if we knew that when we got baptised in Jesus Christ, we got baptised into his death as well.
Baptise means to immerse or submerge, it implies being "all in".
When we are baptised by the Holy Spirit, we are being immersed or put in Christ, completely covered in him. This is the baptism you receive when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a supernatural event and takes place spiritually, as you become born again.
Then after this (Salvation) happens, one should make the decision to get baptised in water, to get saved? To stay saved? No!
Being immersed in water does not save, FAITH ONLY in the Lord Jesus Christ as your saviour saves!
But water baptism is a public profession of your faith to man that you believe, it is to show the world that you are a believer in Jesus Christ!
So is baptism salvation?
The answer should be no, Salvation is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
Baptism by immersion in water is a picture of Salvation, not literal salvation. It is a picture of you going into the water dying and when you come up out of the water picturing the resurrection.
Noah on the Ark is a picture of Salvation not literal Salvation.
I'll say it again, literal Salvation is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved!
Here's another question for you baptismal regeneration believers (must be baptised to go to heaven), if you have to be water baptised like what John the Baptist did, was he baptising the people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?
He couldn't have baptised in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; why?
Because the Godhead was not yet made known, so how could John the Baptist baptise people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit if the Godhead were not yet revealed?
As a matter of fact, the Godhead was not revealed until Jesus himself came to be baptised:
Matthew 3:16-17 "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
In verse 16 we read that the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) descending on Jesus like a dove, and lighting upon him (Jesus being anointed with the Oil of Gladness): and then verse 17 tells us that a voice (The Father) from heaven can also be heard.
This was all done as a testimony or witness to show that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. The beginning of the Lords earthly ministry!
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Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
For this reason we are buried with Jesus by baptism into death, the old man, the carnal man; sin had died: and just like Christ was raised up by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. This is saying as the old you had been buried in the likeness of his death by baptism, we now emerge as the new man, the born again spirit child of God whom should walk in the spirit; the new life.
When Jesus entered Samaria he came to a well and spoke to a Samaritan woman by Jacob's well.
This woman says to Jesus, that the Samaritans worshipped in the mountain; but you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place you ought to worship, let's see what Jesus answers the Samaritan woman.
John 4:21-24 "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
In context, the woman is asking Jesus where they should be worshipping God, she is asking should they be worshipping in the mountain (most likely Mount Gerizim) or in Jerusalem (Solomon built temple).
Jesus says to her that the hour cometh (his death by crucifixion) when man will worship the Father neither in the mountains or Jerusalem.
Jesus says you don't know what you worship: but we Jews know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews, what does this mean?
Salvation is come by the way of the root and offspring of King David, of the tribe of Judah; Jesus is of the tribe of Judah, and Jesus is salvation, of the tribe of Judah; also known as the Jews of the southern kingdom of Israel.
Jesus says true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for that reason the Father seeks such to worship him.
Verse 24 is rather a smack in the face to Mormons who believe the Father is of flesh and bones like man, to deny this scripture is to call Jesus a liar.
From the mouth of Jesus himself, he says God is a Spirit: and they that worship him MUST worship him in spirit (born again) and in truth!
My friends, here is the answer to the question of how do we worship God?
Not in building made with hands, it is not the building or place of worship that matters, it is believers coming together and worshiping the Father in spirit and truth and the start of walking in newness of life!
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Romans 6:5 "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:"
Seeing as we have been planted together in the likeness, notice the word likeness it doesn't mean literally, in the likeness of his death, we shall also be raised up in the likeness of his resurrection, meaning we shall also receive a new body at the second coming of the Lord, glorified the same manner in how Jesus Christ's body was glorified at his resurrection.
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Romans 6:6 "knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Knowing that we shall be like him at the resurrection (2nd coming) that our old man (The flesh) is crucified with him (Jesus) that the body of sin (flesh, the spirit cannot sin because it is of God) might be destroyed, that henceforth, the word henceforth means "from this time on" or "that time on" we should not serve sin.
Notice it doesn't say "must not" it says we "should not" serve sin, as man, we are still prone to sin, whether it be wilfully or in ignorance, we will still sin.
Colossians 3:1-4 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
As believers we should set our affections or cares on things above (Heavenly), and not of things on the earth; John says it beautifully in his 1st epistle.
1 John 2:15-17 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."
Just beautiful!
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Romans 6:7 "For he that is dead is freed from sin."
When the body dies, as a believer we are free in Christ, free from sin, free from bondage to sin; the Apostle Paul says the following to the Corinthians:
2 Corinthians 5:8 "we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
Paul says he is rather willing to be absent from the body, so that he could be present with the Lord.
This scripture also punches in the face of false doctrine that teaches when you die you go to a sort of spirit prison to await the 2nd coming and judgement, and then there's the soul sleep crowd where when you die, you stay asleep in the grave to await the 2nd coming of the Lord Jesus Christ; these are false teachings because when we die (in Christ of course), we leave our bodies and go to be present with the Lord, and where is the Lord presently?
The Lord Jesus Christ is presently in heaven sitting at the right hand of his Father!
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Romans 6:8 "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:"
This verse can be taken two ways, an earthly interpretation of dying physically we believe that we will go to heaven to live with him as explained above.
And the spiritual interpretation of this verse would be because the old man has been crucified with the Lord, or the old man, the carnal man has been buried in baptism with him, then we are risen with him, as a new man of the spirit with him living in us also.
Our new life is in Christ, not in the flesh.
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Romans 6:9 "knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him."
Jesus was risen from the dead, he will no longer die; death itself has no dominion over him. If we die with Christ (believers) we are promised eternal life through faith in him, to never die ever again.
2 Timothy 1:9-10 "who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:"
And we read in 1st Corinthians the following:
1 Corinthians 15:54 " So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
And Jesus says the following in Revelation:
Revelation 1:18 "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
Jesus has the keys of hell and of death, they have no dominion over him.
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Romans 6:10 "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God."
Baptism is a picture of our old man, our old self put to death, and when risen, our new self now lives for God, we should walk in the spirit and do those things that are pleasing to God.
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Romans 6:11 "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Notice how Paul hammers the same thing over and over again?
He is saying here likewise meaning in the same manner reckon that you yourselves be dead to sin, but alive to God by Jesus Christ our Lord, our saviour; by his precious blood is it made possible to live unto eternal life.
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Romans 6:12 "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."
Because we are now living unto God, we should not let sin reign in our mortal body, our flesh, if we let sin reign in our mortal body then we are going to more than likely obey it according to our lusts.
James Chapter one illustrates this perfectly when we allow our lusts of the flesh reign in our bodies.
James 1:15 "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."
What is lust? Our desires, a sense of longing for something, ultimate what the bible calls covetousness, when we desire to have something that does not belong to us.
That beautiful beach mansion, your neighbours wife or husband, heck wishing your husband or wife was more like so and so is covetous, you get the idea.
And God here is saying that when lust has conceived, when we desire something that does not belong to us in our hearts it will eventually outwardly manifest itself in the form of sin: and when sin is finished, it brings forth death.
We should walk in the spirit so that we are not tempted to walk in the lusts of the flesh.
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Romans 6:13 "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."
God is saying here don't let sin be the master of you, don't let it control the various members or body parts that you have, don't let them be under the control of sin; rather yield or give over your members, yourself to God, as those that are alive whom are no longer dead, yield your members as instruments or tools of righteousness to God.
It is in our own power or freedom of choice to decide whether we want to yield ourselves to sin or to God, either your master is sin or the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Romans 6:14 "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
If we yield our members over to God, sin will no longer have dominion over us: for we are NOT under the law, but under grace.
The law was never meant to save us, man could not keep the law it was impossible under the Old Testament, the law itself was holy and righteous, therefore the law cannot be broken as in James chapter 2 it says that whosoever offends in one point of the law, has offended in all. For man it was impossible and it became a curse for man.
Since it cannot help anyone to keep God's moral standard; it can only show the standard, and thus rebuke, convict and condemn those who fail to keep it.
We are under grace, by grace we are saved through faith, and it is not of our works lest any man should boast. It is by God's grace we have been saved through faith, by the goodness and righteousness of God, salvation is a free gift, it is not earned by any man. Even though we do not deserve it, God has freely given it to those who believe on his Son.
We have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ, it is Jesus' blood that washed away our sins and inequities, and he will remember them no more.
By grace when establish the law, and begin the process of sanctification.
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Romans 6:15 "What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."
Paul continues on in his train of thought about us being under grace and not the law, and asks the question, because we are not under the law but under grace shall we continue in sin?
Paul says God forbid!
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Romans 6:16 "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
Again Paul is repeating what was said before, his question he is asking is do you not know to whom you yield yourselves to obey, is your master sin which is unto death or of obedience unto righteousness?
As a believer, after salvation, if you are living for sin, in the flesh you will face divine discipline, God will scourge and punish EVERY son he receives.
And just because you sin, and nothing happens immediately don't think that recompense isn't coming.
Think not that God has not killed people and taken them home (Heaven) because they consistently refused to obey, and live according to God's will.
So chose your master, sin or God?
For believers, this can mean being removed sooner from this earthly life or living a long fruitful life in serving the Lord to further the kingdom of God.
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Romans 6:17 "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you."
BUT GOD BE THANKED! PRAISE THE LORD!
We believers used to be servants of sin, we read in Romans chapter 5 that all men have sinned.
Thank God we do not have to remain in sin.
We who believe in Christ have taken on the righteousness of Jesus Christ and no longer serve sin.
We obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine, Faith on the Lord Jesus Christ who imputes his righteousness to you, a sinner who is now clothed in the righteousness of the Lord.
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Romans 6:18 "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."
We are made free of sin by the blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ who died for all our inequities, if it were not for the selfless sacrifice the Lord had done for us, we would all still be in bondage to sin, and we will all be appointed wrath; for there is none righteous, no not one.
But now we have been freed from our bonds, we have now become the servants of righteousness, since Christ has clothed us in his righteousness we are able to become his servant.
The Corinthian's are told the following:
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
On Salvation, the believers has become a new man in Christ, a new creature!
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Romans 6:19 "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness."
Paul is speaking after the manner of men or in human terms, most found it difficult in grasping divine truth so Paul would use this master/slave analogy to try to convey what he is saying with more clarity.
Our members was explained in verse 13, our different body parts that we have in our physical bodies, and that before we yielded these body parts as a slave to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity: in other words like a vicious animal when you feed it, the appetite to sin only grows when it is being fed.
Even now we should give our members over to be servants of righteousness and from righteousness to holiness.
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Romans 6:20 "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness."
Notice how Paul just keeps on hammering this down hoping it hits home with everyone?
When we were servants of sin, before Salvation we were in bondage to sin, free from righteousness. We were living in the flesh.
1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."If we are living in the flesh, we are living in the world, and James states that if any therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
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Romans 6:21 "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death."
The life you lived before in sin, what fruit did you have, that fruit that you are ashamed of?
Living in sin and iniquity only leads to death. James put it well:
James 1:15 "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."
Sin begins with the thoughts of our hearts, our desires and when it has conceived in the heart it will manifest out in the form of sin, and when you follow through with that sin, it will bring forth death.
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Romans 6:22 "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."
A servant obeys his master, obedience is better than sacrifice. God wants our loyalty and our love, and the very reason for creating us, for fellowship with him.
1 Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
We see here the problem is not the offerings but the disobedience of God's commands and the desire for approval of people rather than the approval of God.
We are servants of God, and our fruit unto holiness, we should be soul winners, a soul winners fruit is another soul won to the Lord. At the end everlasting life.
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Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Great soul winning verse to explain after telling someone that we all fall short of the glory of God, and that there is none righteous, no not one, they have all gone out the way.
And the wages or payment for sin is death, not any death as we might know it, but the second death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Salvation is a FREE gift, Amen.
