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You died to sin, now alive to God (2)

Romans 6:1-10 (Pastor Heo)

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have 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 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. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free 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.

Another “how much more”: “Where sin increased (abounded), grace increased (abounded) much more”

• There is no sin that cannot be forgiven,
• no sinner that Jesus Christ cannot save.

If sin is powerful, grace is SOO much more powerful.

• Q: IF this is true: “where sin increased, grace increased much more”, then (v. 1) “shall we sin more and more to receive more and more grace”?
• A: NO! We are dead to sin, alive to God!

What does this mean? How is it possible?

Meaning: We are united in Jesus in his death, burial, resurrection. ID’d with Jesus in these things. Not only Jesus died for your sins, he died TO sin. Therefore, we are also DEAD TO SIN – because we are IN CHRIST. Whatever has happened to Christ, has happened to us. When he died to sin, so did we. When he rose to heaven, so did we.

What does this mean? Now, we must be able to see the reality of the invisible. Of course, everyone can believe in the visible. But, FAITH is the power to believe in the invisible.

2 Cor 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, because what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

There are 2 worlds:

1. Visible (Physical) World,
2. Unseen (Spiritual) World.

Phys world:

• Jesus came 2,000 years ago.
• Abraham lived 4,000 years ago.
• John the Baptist was months older than Jesus.

Spiritual world:

• But, John B said, “Jesus is greater than me, for he was before me.”
• And Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
• Paul said, “In Him, ALL things hold together and have their being.”

You can say, “how old are you? When did you become a Christian?”

1. You can answer in the Physical world “When I was 10.”
2. But in the spiritual world, “where were you 2,000 years ago at Calvary?” I WAS THERE WITH CHRIST ON THE CROSS. Your parents, your children, your descendants, yet to be born, were there.

This is a mystery, but historical (spiritual) reality. Do you believe this?

We read 10 verses, and in each verse (almost), we can see the word “death” or “died.”

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have 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 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. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free 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.

• “I died with Christ and no longer live. The life I live in the body I live to Christ….”

Our ID with Christ in his death, anything and everything that happened to Jesus in / after his death, the same will happen (has happened) to us.

• His death is my death
• His life is my life,
• His glory is my glory

We are coheirs with Christ.

v. 3-4 “baptism” – Did you receive water baptism? This is a physical/outward appearance of a spiritual/inward reality. Water baptism itself does not save us, nor ID us with Christ in his death and resurrection. Rather it is an outward signal of our inward reality – that we have been crucified with Christ and raised to new life in him.

There are 2 meanings of “baptism” in Greek.

1. “To sink deep underwater”
2. “To be ID’d with”

Baptism is a public announcement that “I AM UNITED WITH CHRIST” – are you baptized? This is very very meaningful. This means that you publicly declare “I’m Christian! – united with Christ in his death, burial, resurrection.”

And because of this new relationship with Christ, we also have a new relationship with sin.

v. 1-2 “1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”

Where sin increases, God’s grace increases much more.

Because of this, can you sin? Never. It’s impossible.

Ex: from the Bible.

1. Robber on the cross beside Christ

At that time, crucifixion was the worst penalty given to the worst criminals – we can assume he had lived a terrible, evil, wicked life.

• Powerless, he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
• This one short sentence says MANY things – “Jesus I’m a sinner. I need your help. You are my Savior. You are my Lord.”

Jesus answered only one sentence.

• “Today (now), you will be with me in paradise.”
• “All your sins are forgiven.”

What grace! He experienced that God’s grace is Soooo much greater than all his sin.

Where sin increased, grace increased much more.

But imagine, if he had lived longer on this earth AFTER that, would it be possible for him to GO BACK to his life of sin in order to receive this grace from Jesus on the cross again? NO!

2. Prodigal son

(bad, evil, wicked son) – left his father for his own life/freedom. He spent, lost all he had. He wanted freedom, but became a literal slave and beggar.

• When he came to his senses, he returned to his father. “I’m no longer worthy to be your son. Make my like one of your servants.”
• His father never mentioned his sin, nor past life, just filled with compassion, threw himself around him, kissed him, and said, “Quick! Bring the BEST robe and put it on him and a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Kill the fattened calf and let’s celebrate with a feast!”

Immediately, fully, his sonship was restored. This son experienced GREAT grace – where sin increased, God’s grace increased more.

But is it possible to leave his father AGAIN and go back to his old lifestyle in order to return and experience this grace again? NO!

He died to his old self! He cannot go backward to restoring faith/grace, but must go forward to developing faith/grace.

3. Apostle Paul

He was the biggest persecutor of Christians, and one day on the road to Damascus, Christ appeared to him and changed his life completely.

• “Saul, why do you persecute me?”
• “Lord, who are you?”
• “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

He experienced this great sin and greater grace.

But is it possible for him now to go back to his old life – hating and persecuting Christians again – in order to come back and experience this great grace from God on the road to Damascus again? NO!

So he writes, “I press on to the goal for which Christ has called me. I am what I am.” He cannot go backward for restoring grace, but must go forward for developing grace.

4. Lazarus

This story is a picture of our own salvation procedure – John 11-12 –

• Lazarus has been in the tomb for 4 days (and there’s a terrible smell). There’s no question about his death.
  • Like this, we also were once totally DEAD in our sins.
• Yet, one day, Jesus came to the tomb – Lazarus did not come to Jesus, but Jesus came to the tomb.
  • Like this, we did not come to Jesus, but Jesus came to us – for we were dead spiritually.
• Jesus said, “Lazarus, COME OUT!” He heard the voice of Christ and CAME OUT!

Immediately, unconditionally, this grace saved Lazarus.

But is it possible for Lazarus to kill himself again and go back into the tomb in order to experience this wonderful power of God again? NO! Of course not!

Instead, Lazarus was seated at the table with Jesus.

The process:

1. Death
2. Raised from the dead
3. Set free to work in the newness of life
4. Seated in heaven with Jesus

Ephesians 2:3, 6 “You were dead in your sins…. God raised you up and seated you in the heavenly realms with Christ.”

So, we do not want to go back into our sin any more than Lazarus wanted to go back into the tomb dressed in grave rags.

“If anyone is in Christ, the old has gone, the new has come.” Sin and death have no more dominion over Jesus Christ. Because we are in Christ, sin and death also no longer have dominion over us.

Please remember, if we are in Christ,

• We cannot go backward
• We must only go forward

We died to sin. How can we live in it any longer?

Let’s pray.