Weekly Bible Study

Sunday Nov. 14

Jared's worship dongs

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This week Romans chapter 6:

We who died to sin

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Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ - What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

We who died to sin. Paul’s point is that believers have been really united with Jesus Christ in both His death and His resurrection, and that this has so altered their condition that for them to continue sinning as before is not only inappropriate but actually impossible.

Baptism, the sign and seal of initial union with Christ, is the burial service for the “old self” (v. 6) as well as the inauguration ceremony for the new person in Christ (v. 4). As such, it proclaims that those united to Christ have died to sin.

Our old self was crucified with him. While the “old self” includes pre-conversion life, it includes much more, and should be interpreted in the light of 5:12–21 to mean all that we were through our union with Adam. We are to think of all this as having been nailed to the cross to die.

Might be brought to nothing. Union with Christ in His death does not destroy the body as such, but it does end the Flesh’s role as the inescapable tool of sin by destroying the reign of sin in the body. Christians’ bodies are now dedicated to Christ and bear holy fruit in His service.

We will also live with him. This includes the idea of resurrection, but also implies present participation in the risen life of Christ as one who is “alive to God” (v. 11). Recognize that what has been said in vv. 1–10 is already the truth about yourself.

Let not sin therefore reign. Since the reign of sin has been broken, all attempts on sin’s part to recover dominion can and must be resisted. The body (v. 13), once ruled by sinful desires, must no longer be yielded to them.

Act of the new creation brought from death to life. All this is to be done in conscious awareness, and as a deliberate expression, of our new identity in Christ.

Not under law but under grace. The controlling principle in the life of the believer is the reign of grace that sets free from the reign of sin (5:21) and transforms into the likeness of Christ. That the Christian is not under law but under grace might appear to provide license for moral carelessness. This Paul denies, since under the reign of grace Christians have become slaves of God. The freedom of grace is therefore freedom for obedience and service, not for license to sin.

The triple contrast of wages, sin, and death, with gift, God, and eternal life, brings Paul’s argument to a memorable focus.

The Ultimate Equation

The Bible has so many markers, evidence of the redemption story. It provides answers to every question, even to those that seek to discredit it.

One of the most amazing scriptures I found is in Romans chapter five.

You see, we know that God is unchanging; he is absolute, no question asked. So when we find scriptures that convey God’s change of mind, we become somewhat confused until we find the answer.

Romans chapter five is one of those.

The scripture is clear on God’s intention to judge sin. Sin must be dealt with; more specifically, anyone that sins must die. According to OpenBible.info, 100 verses found in the Bible speak of the finality of sinners, “the soul who sins shall die.” God does not intend to have a new creation with any hints of error in the planned new world.

The evidence supports that; we all sin, and we all die.

So why did he change his mind and allow us to live again? He didn’t.

Romans 5:12-20 Clarifies the amazing equation by which God provided the reversal of the sentence. Here it is step by step; let’s walk it together:

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— 5:13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.

5:14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come*. This is a brilliant marker, a reminder that the first man, “Adam,” was made in the image of the second man, “Jesus.” Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

5:15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

5:16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

5:18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.

5:19 For 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.

5:20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now let’s look at the Amazing price paid for and the gift received from that REVERSAL:

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Sunday, October 31

Jared worship selection:

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This week Romans chapter 5:

The Great Equation; the only way by which God's pronounced judgment is revered.

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Peace and Hope - Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.