Living worthily as recipients of the best gift (2) (Romans 6:1-14)

Living worthily as recipients of the best gift (2)

 

 

 

[Romans 6:1-14]

 

 

If you look at the Korean news these days, you will come across news that several people are being investigated by the prosecution because of the list of ‘Park So-and-so’ and the late ‘Jang-so-so’.  On one list, it seems that key figures in the former regime who took bribes are being investigated.  And on the other list, it seems that because of the documents of a celebrity, the people involved in those documents are being investigated by the prosecution.  Meanwhile, while listening to Korean broadcasts on the radio last week, I heard a voice lamenting why there are so many lists like this in Korea.  What do you think?  I once thought about my list.  I thought about what my sin list would be like, where a list of such and such sins were recorded.  At the same time, I thought that the list of all sins was completely erased by the blood of Jesus on the cross.  I thought of the grace of the precious blood of Jesus, who erased all sins, blotted out, and covered them all.  On the one hand, when I think of my list of sins, I think I can understand the apostle Paul's confession that he is the worst sinner while being afraid and ashamed.  But on the other hand, when I think of the death of Jesus on the cross and the fact that all my sins have been washed away and forgiven, I cannot but confess that I am living today because of God's grace.  Therefore, the more I think about God's grace, the more I cannot help but ask myself how I should live.  The answer is that as those who have received the greatest gift of eternal life through God's grace, we must live a worthy life.

 

Centered on Romans 6:1-11, we have already been taught how to live as those who receive the greatest gift of eternal life.  One of the two lessons was to live as though we were dead to sin.  Living as dead to sin means no longer living in sin (v. 1), that is, a life in which sin no longer has dominion over us (v. 14).  In the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, we are also dead to sin, and sin no longer reigns in death.  Our old man was crucified with Jesus.  Therefore, we are no longer enslaved to sin (v. 6).  Today, I would like to learn the second lesson in terms of how to live as those who receive the greatest gift of eternal life, centered on Romans 6:1-14.

 

Second, it is to live counting ourselves alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 

                Look at Romans 6:11 – “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”  We must live by counting ourselves alive to God in Christ Jesus.   Then, how does it really mean to live as a living person toward God in Christ Jesus?  In today's text, the apostle Paul says two things:

 

(1)    To live as a living person toward God in Christ Jesus is to live while disobeying the lusts of the sinful body.

 

Look at Romans 6:12 – “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”  Here, the “mortal body” refers to the “body of sin” (v. 6).  According to Calvin, “the body of sin” refers to the lump of sin and corruption (Park).  Paul exhorts the saints in Rome, as well as us who believe in Jesus, to no longer let sin reign in our mortal bodies.  What does it mean?  It means ‘Do not obey the evil desire of your mortal body’.  What, then, does it mean to not obeying the evil desire of our mortal body?  This word means not to gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Gal. 6:16) and the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (vv. 19-21).  It means to stop living a life of doing these things.  In a word, a proper life as those who are justified through faith in Jesus Christ and enjoy the greatest gift of eternal life is to not obeying the lust of the sinful body.  The word that we live by counting ourselves alive toward God in Christ Jesus means that we should no longer do the acts of the sinful nature according to the lusts of the flesh.  So, Paul said in Romans 6:13a, “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, ….”  We must not present our members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin.  We must not continue to live with our bodies committing sins the way we lived in the old self.  Such a life is not a worthy life for those who have received the greatest gift, eternal life.

 

(2)    To live by counting ourselves alive to God in Christ Jesus is to live offering our members to God as if we were alive again.

 

Look at Romans 6:13 – “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.”  Paul writes to the Roman saints, telling them, and also to us, those who are united in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not to present our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but to offer ourselves to God as those who have been raised from the dead.  In other words, we must offer ourselves to God as an instrument of righteousness.  Having been justified through faith in Jesus Christ, we enjoy the gift of eternal life that God gives us on earth.  As we do so, we must not present our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but as those who were raised from the dead to God as instruments of righteousness.  In other words, we must offer our bodies, minds, and lives to God.  We are no longer slaves to sin, but as servants of the Lord, we must give our all to our Lord and live for Him.  Why should we not present our members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but to God as instruments of righteousness?  Why should we disobey the lusts of our sinful body and live by offering our members to God as if we are alive to God?  Why?  The reason is because we who believe in Jesus have received a new life through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In other words, it is because you and I who are united through the death and resurrection of Jesus have received a new life, so it is appropriate to walk in a new life.  Look at Romans 6:4 – “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.”  Those who believe in Jesus are those who have a new life.  So, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  Our old has gone.  We are a new creation in Jesus.  You and I have received a new life through the grace of Jesus Christ.  We have eternal life.  And we are living, at least partially, enjoying this eternal life.  Therefore, we must not live by obeying the lusts of our sinful nature.  We must not let sin to by our mater (Rom. 6:14).  The reason is because we are not under the law, but under grace (v. 14).  Rather, we must live a new life as those who have received a new life.  We must present our bodies to God.  We must devote ourselves to God and live according to His will.

 

                This is what the hymn “Lately the Life of Christ” says: (v. 1) Lately the life of Christ burst out alive in me!  Old things have passed away, even myself is new.  His life floods through me, like rivers towards the sea, His love shines on me like sun shining on the dew.  (v. 2) Life hid in Him makes my glad-ness of heart in-crease, I set no price on what pleas'd me in other days.  I'm tasting heaven's incredible joy and peace, My life the Lord's for an an-them of pray'r and praise.  (v. 3) Hill, stream and woodland and all that I see is new, Sinner and foeman are turned into friends I know.  This is eternal life tasted before it's due, Life with the Lord is a new heaven here below!  (v. 4) Rough though and long His way, All set about with strife, With hymns I'll follow on exuberant with praise.  I'll be with Christ my Lord un-to eternal life, Daily I'll walk with Him beyond the length of days.  (chorus) With Christ I'll savor life Unending ev'ry day; Now and forever I'll walk with Him all the way.  I hope and pray that you and I can live like this.