Romans 6:1 New King James Version (NKJV)
WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN?
6 What shall we say then? Shall we
continue in sin
that grace may abound?
continue in sin
that grace may abound?
One teacher comments this way, "what conclusion can we draw from this doctrine just taught in chapter 5, that grace covers all sin; the doctrine of justification: meaning that God declares us guiltless of all our sins, sins paid in full? Just because we have been eternally forgiven, why not sin?
What shall we say [from chapter 5] then? Just because grace covers all and we cannot out-sin God's grace of forgiveness, can a Christian casually continue to live as he used to in a state of habitual sinning?
Romans chapter 6 gives an emphatic explanation that it is impossible for a born-again child of God to continue in a state of sin as he did prior to salvation.
What shall we say [from chapter 5] then? Just because grace covers all and we cannot out-sin God's grace of forgiveness, can a Christian casually continue to live as he used to in a state of habitual sinning?
Romans chapter 6 gives an emphatic explanation that it is impossible for a born-again child of God to continue in a state of sin as he did prior to salvation.
But 1st, let's get an overview of what God wants us to know in the early chapters of the Book of Romans.
3 Sections of Romans
- Chapters 1-3 talk about everlasting life and God's judgment upon sin
- Chapters 4-5 talk about how God forgives all sins from the point of salvation till death
- Chapters 6-8 speaks about how to apply what God has done for us in regard to sin that we may enjoy the abundant life. The aim of these chapters is to show us that sin practiced stunts growth and creates a defeated life.
The Problem Stated in Verse 1
Can we continue to live in sin, continually, enjoying sin without consequences of conviction and oppositions from the Father?
The answer is "NO"
The answer is "NO"
been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God
was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.
If Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, ought that be a main
objective as well?
By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God.
It is the believer's new nature to love practicing righteousness which pleases our heavenly Father.
It is the believer's new nature to love practicing righteousness which pleases our heavenly Father.
lawlessness [ignoring God’s law by action or neglect or by tolerating
wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will].
1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually]
practices sin, because [a]God’s seed [His principle of life, the essence
of His righteous character] remains [permanently] in him [who is born
again—who is reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed,
and set apart for His purpose]; and he [who is born again] cannot
habitually [live a life characterized by] sin, because he is born of God
and longs to please Him.
10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are
clearly identified: anyone who does not
practice righteousness [who does not seek God’s will in thought,
action, and purpose] is not of God, nor is the one who does not
[unselfishly] [b]love his [believing] brother.
Summary: A born-again soul is adopted into the family of God. The Seed of divine Life [the Lord Jesus Christ] is planted in him. The Seed grows new thoughts, new desires, new motivations, new values and practices. He does not remain the same, though he may choose to grow as much as he should or as slow as he chooses.
But a real Christian does not want to practice sins. He may try. He may even become addicted to some sort of sin. Though his fleshly desires overpower him and seduce him to commit gratification of the flesh, guilt and extreme conviction overpowers him more. He remains a servant of sin as well as a servant of Christ. But trying to live 2 lives will not be allowed by Christ. The soul will undergo constant conflict until he changes his mind and chooses to repent and obey. Christ will make ever attempt to show him he cannot continue in these sins. A healthy self-image, confidence, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, and kindness, discernment of good and evil, wisdom and knowledge to live as he should--all become weakened and some all but disappear.
A Christian practicing sin will remained stunted, baby-like, selfish, blinded, opinionated, and proud. But God will not let him stay like this. God will send leanness to his soul, failure in his day-to-day walk, increased conflict in the soul, weakness to the body, inability to grow in human relationships, stagnation in Bible learning, boredom and unbelief about prayer.
God will bring much suffering into this Christian's life to bring him to brokenness to seek and surrender fully to Christ.
The believer can live this way an entire life-time and even die a slave to sin. He an miss the promises of freedom from the power of sin and the abundance of the Christian life. It is his choice.
But the fact remains: he may attempt to return to the vomit of sins and feel its awful results. Thus, he chooses to live the defeated Christian life which seems to be so typical of so many Christian. While doing this, his will is increasingly worn done and may grow to take on more sins. But all this robs him of very rich experiences with Christ.
He has the divine Seed [the life germination of Jesus Christ] abiding in Him that will affect his attitude and practice of any sin. No affect on his practice of sin is an indication he has not received God's Seed.
Which kind of life are you? Which kind of life do you want to live?
It is your choice? It is your road of life?
It is your choice? It is your road of life?
Will you journey the road with me to understand who you are in Christ and how you are delivered from the power of sin?
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