Romans - Chapter 6

Romans 6

Paul continued discussing God greastest gift - Grace in chapter 5 with Hope being at the top of spiritual maturity.  Does that mean we should keep sinning?   

Paul writes in vs. 1 - What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  This is where Ed McCaffrey picked it back up and we went studied further what Paul is communicating through his letter to the Romans.

We are dead to sin and alive in Christ.  Vs. 3-4 "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.

We have a new life.  A life that we can live for God and is free from sin.  I had to think very hard and long about what free from sin means.  Sin does not have control over us, Satan does not have control over us.  We can live a life that is pleasing to God.  Will we sin still? Yes, but do we have to keep sinning? No, we can now choose through the power of the Holy Spirit the right things to do to glorify God.

Ed brought up a great verse to cross reference this concept.  Galations 2:20 - I actually learned this verse by singing a song that was taught to me and many others at a Christian camp.  Here is that song/scripture verse - I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God who loves me and delievered himself up for me.

One of the hardest things to do as an American Christian is give God full control of our lives.  In America we are taught to be in control, live for the American Dream and wealth equals success.  But God wants control of our lives, He wants Christ to live in us and through us.  Because Christ paid the price and only Christ is perfect, so when we live we want God to see Christ so that we may be made righteous.

Paul finishes Chapter 6 by saying "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I want to live like a slave to God, doing everything and anything he asks of me, including not doing things out of obedience to him.

The 3 questions that were left for table talk:

1. Understanding the freedom from death and the gift of new life, should make it easy to appreciate.  Do you appreciate your free gift?  Is there anything worse than someone at Christmas who does not apprectiate your gift to them?

2. God's gift to us is founded on His love for us, what we do with that gift is our way of thanking Him for His gift of love.

3. Our faith in Christ is something to be shared with others, our gratefulness to God can be seen by how we live our lives.  By how you live today will God be able to see how grateful you and I really are?  Are you willing to share with others?