Romans 6:1-7 New American Standard Bible
Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God
6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 [a] Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become [b]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [c]in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old [d]self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [e] done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for the one who has died is [f]freed from sin.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Romans 6:1–14 explores how Christians should think about and respond to sin now that we are in Christ and our sins are forgiven.
In explaining this, Paul reveals new information about what happened when we put our faith in Christ. In a spiritual sense, we died with Him, and to our sin.
What does it mean to let sin reign in your body?
Sin remains in the body and if it is not kept in check, it will reign in the body.
Sin is not dead, but the Christian must be diligent to remain dead to sin.
The Christian is encouraged to yield the body as a slave to righteousness and holiness and not allow sin to reign, for God provides a way out.
What does Paul mean when he says we are dead to sin?
Being “dead to sin” means we renounce it once and for all.
This is called “repentance,” or changing your mind toward sin.
It means you were once the lord of your own life.
However, from this point forward, you are going to do a 180 degree about-face, follow Jesus as the Lord of your life. Repentance is the essence of conversion.
What does Romans 6 verse 4 mean?
Paul means to communicate a real spiritual transaction took place when we were saved.
On a spiritual level, we experienced death and burial with Christ.
Then God gloriously raised us from that spiritual death just as He raised Christ from physical death.
I. A Whole New You
What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “a whole new you”.
What if we were to type that phrase into an online search engine?
What kinds of sites do you think we would be directed to by that phrase?
Well, I did just that the other day and I bet you can guess the kinds of subjects, the kinds of services, that were being promoted with that very phrase.
There were sites, of course, about health and fitness and dietary wellness.
There were sites about all manner of cosmetic surgeries.
There were sites recommended having to do with continuing education, and time-management, fashion, an idea called “the power of conscious breathing”.
But why…why are people interested in discovering “a whole new you”?
And will any of those things I just mentioned from those search results, will anything of those things really, authentically, produce “a whole new you”?
Let’s bring these very questions to God’s word this morning.
Turn with me back to Romans 6.
II. The Passage: “Walk in Newness of Life” (6:1-7)
Romans 6:1-7 Christian Standard Bible
The New Life in Christ
6 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness[a] of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be[b] in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self[c] was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin[d] might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed[e] from sin.
One of the most powerful truths of the Christian faith is that we don’t have to stay the same.
Through Jesus, we have been given the gift of new life—right here, right now.
We are not just slightly improved versions of our old selves.
We have been made new from the inside out.
Paul’s words in Romans 6 remind us just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we too are invited into resurrection living.
That means the habits, thought patterns, and shame that once held us back no longer have to define us. The past no longer has the final word.
Grace does.
Of course, walking in newness doesn’t always feel instant.
Often it means taking one small step of faith at a time.
But every step forward in obedience is a declaration that you belong to the risen Savior Christ and that your life is a living testimony to his transforming power.
Have you ever felt “undone” in the presence of God?
If so, what happened or what came as a result?
Is there a space for you that feels holy?
Where and what is it about that space?
HEART
How can we live a life which is more sensitive to the holy that is all around us?
Why do you hold the site of true Godly holiness may cause a fear response in us?
When we feel undone, unworthy before the almighty, how should we respond?
HANDS
If love and holiness are tied together, how may you be able to seek to be more loving like Jesus is loving (turning the other cheek, praying for those who will persecute you/your enemies, forgiving, involvement ministry and mission?
Matthew 10:1-8 New American Standard Bible
The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service
10 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; and [a]James the son of Zebedee, and his brother [b]John; 3 Philip and [c]Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; [d] James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the [e]Zealot, and too Judas Iscariot, the one who also betrayed Him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on a road [f]to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, [g]preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.
The 1981 movie The Blues Brothers, small-time criminals Jake and Elwood Blues receive a vision in church to reunite their band in order to save their former orphanage. To convince some of the band members to join them, they have only one message to convey: “We’re on a mission from God.”
In a sense, Jesus was doing the same with his disciples. He gathered them together and told them they were on a mission from God.
What was the mission?
They were invited to change lives in the name of Jesus.
Jesus empowered those twelve disciples to do amazing things in his name..
They were authorized to drive demons away and heal people from all kinds of sicknesses.
Jesus was not interested in making a name for himself, or building up his poll numbers.
He was announcing that the kingdom of God was on the move.
It was time for God’s agenda to be known in the life and actions of the Savior.
He gave his followers a mission from God, and the world will never be the same because of it.
That includes you and me too.
We have been sent into our neighborhoods to share the story of forgiveness in the name of Jesus. We have been sent into the places of trouble and despair to model the life-affirming witness of the Savior. We are on a mission from God!
Who in your life needs a gesture of God’s love this week to strangely warm their souls, how will you participate in helping God communicate HIs love for them?
You are not who you used to be.
By God’s grace, you are becoming more of the person he has called you to be.
“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”
Praying ….
Psalm 15 New American Standard Bible
Description of a Citizen of Zion.
A Psalm of David.
15 Lord, who may reside in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your holy hill?
2 One who walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
3 He does not slander [a]with his tongue,
Nor do evil to his neighbor,
Nor bring shame on his friend;
4 A despicable person is despised in his eyes,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;
5 He does not [b]lend his money [c]at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things will never be shaken.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 