January 14, 2014
THE LAW REVEALS, BUT GRACE HEALS!
Romans 6:1-14
Jeff Sanders
Central Truth
Scripture tells us the law highlights the fact that we are sinners in need of a Savior. The law reveals we are sick, but has no power to heal our disease. Grace transforms, inspires, and gives us the power to live out God's mission.
Key Verse | Romans 6:12–14
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.(Romans 6:12-14)
Romans 6:1-14
Dead to Sin, Alive to God
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.
5 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. 6 We know that our old self 1 6:6 Greek man 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. 7 For one who has died has been set free 2 6:7 Greek has been justified from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Dive Deeper | Romans 6:1-14
A number of years ago, I was having some uncomfortable feelings in my chest. I decided I would swallow my pride and ask my doctor friend about it. The doctor sent me in for a nuclear stress test. I figured it was better to be safe than, well, dead. I was not too keen on the words "nuclear" or "radioactive," but I kept the appointment. In short, the fluid makes your blood "glow" to check your heart. It is expensive, cutting-edge technology and very effective in revealing problems, but has no power to heal or repair the problems.
That is what the apostle Paul is trying to explain in Romans 6 concerning the Law. God's Law (rules to live by) is perfect and reveals our sinful heart, but the Law has no power to heal, inspire, or transform our hearts. If we are trying to live by rules, we will always be on the defense, and sin will master us. When we live by grace, we are on the offense. We live forgiven and free to live out God's calling in our lives. This changes how we look at Christian accountability. Our accountability is no longer rule-based, but rather spurring each other on to live out the grace of God. Paul is clear! If we see God's grace as a license for sin, it is a sure sign we really don't understand grace.
Living a spiritually healthy life means:
1. Transparency and accountability. Transparency and accountability are extremely important, but they are only the first step toward spiritual health. Transparency is opening ourselves up for a checkup.
2. Confession and repentance. Transparency must lead to confession and repentance from sin. Confession and repentance mean moving from the checkup to a lifestyle change.
3. Healing and mission. The grace of God brings healing and a new sense of God's mission. The Christian life moves from rule-keeping to living on mission with Christ in a fallen and broken world.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you experienced the difference between "rule-keeping religion" and the true life-giving gospel of Jesus? How has that changed the way you live life?
2. In 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul says that the letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life. How does rule-keeping bring death in yourself and the relationships around you?
3. How would your relationships be different if you and everyone around you really understood the grace of God?
4. With whom could you share the Good News of God's grace today?
P.S. And just so you know, my heart is fine, but if you want to hear a good story, ask my wife. She'd relish in filling you in on the details.