Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 12 - Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?)
2Cor.6:11-13 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. (12) Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. (13) Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
In the passage above, Paul is urging the Corinthians to be more open and receptive to his message. He expresses his affection and fatherhood towards them, desiring to bless and educate them, but points out that their hearts are closed and restricting them from fully receiving his teachings. Paul emphasizes that the restriction is not from his side but from their own hearts and attitude, and he encourages them to open up and respond to the love and openness he has shown, so that he can speak to them without limitations and have them receive the truth he could provide.
We have come to a point in Romans where this same open heartedness and faith is necessary to fully benefit from what Paul is going to teach us. We are about to step up in spirit. We are about to go into deeper spiritual truth. We are going to start receiving information that requires our obedience and our commitment if we are to advance in our Christian walk and in our faith. Is your heart enlarged? Make sure that in no way are you restricted in your reception of the inspired truth that Paul is about to give.
Abounding grace
We have spent time in Romans 1 to 5 concerning justification, the first part of salvation, and utterly saturated in God’s grace. If it were not for God’s grace, and the work of Christ done through grace, we as believers, would have no chance to be recipients of salvation. All the way through Romans 1 to 5, Paul has mentioned the grace of God in the gospel of His Son and our absolute dependency upon it. As a reminder, here are the verses concerning ‘grace’ in Romans 5,
Rom.5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this GRACE wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom.5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the GRACE of God, and the gift by GRACE, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Rom.5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of GRACE and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Rom.5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, GRACE did much more abound:
Rom.5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might GRACE reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Corrupt thinking
With grace being so prominent in Pauls message, it should not surprize us that Paul starts chapter 6, which contains deeper spiritual truths, with a question to counteract and neutralise the reasoning mind of the believers at Rome. It’s as if Paul, through the Spirit, anticipates the way that a carnal mind would think, and he effectively interrupts this line of thinking with the following,
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
In the context of the many mentions of grace in chapter 5, this is not an unreasonable question, but it is a question that reveals ignorance and carnal influences of the person who might ask it. I personally have encountered this type of response many times on social media and in comments on my blogs when I post articles on this topic. People just default to thinking this way. Their reasoning naturally veers in this direction, either in ignorance, having not been exposed to the truth, or in negligence of accepting this truth. This reasoning is most common amongst other believers who use this line of questions when trying to defend their traditions, or denominational views. It's sad when believers question God’s grace and belittle the value and power of the cross work of Christ, thinking that they need to work for that grace and add to the doctrine that Paul has so clearly presented.
God forbid
It’s Paul himself that confirms this corrupt line of questioning, or reasoning, when he answers the question with a resounding, “God forbid!”. What does God forbid mean? Well, let me interpret it with a very modern English twist,
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? “Are you kidding me!!! Do not even consider going down that path of corrupt thinking!! Stop thinking that way! It is forbidden and absolutely unacceptable.”
Dear reader, Rom.6:1-13 is giving us our first lesson in sanctification. Where justification was a free gift, given to us by God’s grace through the work of Christ, it is now that we start to see that sanctification requires a commitment: it is something to be obtained with work, with effort, with activity. It is something that one must develop in by means of increasing knowledge and obedience.
Lets take note what Paul writes in the passage below,
Rom.6:3 KNOW YE NOT, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so WE ALSO SHOULD walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (6) KNOWING THIS, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth WE SHOULD not serve sin. (7) For he that is dead is freed from sin. (8) Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: (9) KNOWING THAT Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. (10) For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise RECKON ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (12) LET NOT sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (13) NEITHER YIELD ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: BUT YIELD yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Knowledge and application
It is clear that for sanctification, there is an emphasis on learning. We are encouraged to know some things, and through that knowing we are expected to apply them. “Know this”, “know ye not”, “reckon ye”, all speak of learning and being renewed according to doctrine. Similarly, “we should”, “let not”, “neither yield”, “but yield”, are all phrases that encourage us to apply that learning. These are the crucial ingredients of sanctification; involving the commitment of obedience to the doctrine of grace that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Buried with Him
Buried with Him is a positional statement. It is quite obvious that we are still alive in the flesh. So, the only way to understand this statement is to accept it by faith and to believe it. This is why Paul can say, “For he that is dead is freed from sin.” We are buried with Him and truly freed from sin in our positional state. God sees us as absolutely righteous, but it is this positional reality that should now start to reflect in our functional, or conditional reality. Before we can live it, we have to believe it. Besides our introduction to this positional fact in Romans, Paul writes much about it in other letters,
Col.2:12 Buried with him in baptism**, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (13) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col.3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Gal.2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (21) I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
** A spiritual baptism, not a water baptism
1Cor.12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Eph.4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Dead to sin
The phrase "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" is a rhetorical question. Paul is not expecting an answer but is making a point to emphasize a truth for the believers at Rome, stating that those who have accepted Christ and are 'dead to sin' should not continue living in sin. The fact is that it is inconsistent for someone who has died to sin (positionally, through their faith in Christ) to continue living in sin. A transformation should occur in a believer's life, moving away from sinful behaviours and living in accordance with their new identity in Christ. This is not something we can do in our own strength. It is a work of God, through His written word, that washes us and renews our mind, and begins to influence our lives, our speech, our thoughts, our actions, and our responses in life. It is the written word that causes us to begin to die to our own carnal nature and begin to take on the character of Christ as He is formed within us.
Paul deals with the Corinthians on this very topic of dying to sin,
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. … (10) Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (11) For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. ... (16) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2Co 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Yield (Newness of life)
It cannot be clearer that our transformation in sanctification is connected to the mind. It is a process of learning and adopting a new doctrine, increasing in its knowledge and understanding and becoming more and more influenced by it in our lives. We have a form of doctrine which must be informed in us. By it our minds are transformed so that we become more and more conformed to the image of Christ. This is the work of God in us. We do not change by our own desires or will power. We cannot be more righteous by our traditions or our discipline or our mental assent. The power to overcome sin and increase in godliness is by the power of the written Word of God renewing our minds and influencing our lives as we submit in obedience to its workings in our inner man. Paul will still reveal much about this topic in Romans 7, which we will still work through, but it is not exclusive to this letter. Here are a few other well-known scriptures that inform about this transformation,
Eph 4:17-24 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, (18) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (19) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (20) BUT YE HAVE NOT SO LEARNED CHRIST; (21) If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (22) That ye PUT OFF concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (23) And be RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Col 3:8-10 But now ye also PUT OFF all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (9) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have PUT OFF the old man with his deeds; (10) And have PUT ON the new man, which is RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE after the image of him that created him:
Our position in Christ is perfect and unchangeable; Christ's own righteousness having been imputed to us. Our condition, however, is quite another matter, requiring a new mind and a new doctrine. God justifies and accepts us on the basis of our position in Christ, but He patiently, relentlessly, works in us (Phil.2:13), by means of His Word, to bring our condition into conformance with our position.
Summary
The first 13 verses of Romans 6 can easily be related to the Corinthian church. This church, as Paul's first letter depicts, is known for their carnal behaviour, and Paul calls them babes in Christ for this sake. The Corinthians were saved by God's grace, and Paul called them saints, 1Cor.1:2, but they did not grow in knowledge to the doctrine that Paul had taught them,
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
There was strife, and envy, and divisions amongst them, 1Cor.3:3, and their walk was that of world men. The question of, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?", could easily have been posed to them, as this was the behaviour they portrayed. In light of this, we learn that this lackluster attitude towards sin, and their ignorance of grace doctrine was a primary cause of their spiritual depravity. The Corinthians had to 'wake up' to righteousness. Grace was theirs in God's abundance, but their mindset needed to be changed. They needed a foundation of sound doctrine and to understand that their functional (or conditional) reality had to come in line with their positional state. They needed to learn about and start to apply sanctification, not by their own strength and willpower, but by the working of the written word of God changing and influencing them unto godliness. It was not just a matter of knowing what the cross of Christ had done for them, but it was also knowing what the power of His resurrection could do for them. They needed to tap into the life of Christ in order to grow up and start to bear the fruit of righteousness.
Although we are only starting the topic of sanctification, one can already sense that we have stepped into a deeper spiritual matter. The content we are studying clearly portrays that we are beyond the free gift of justification where the work was done for us through Christ. Now we are inundated with instructions to learn some doctrine and apply it in order to obtain something. This will be the trend throughout Romans 6 to 8. Paul will get deeper and deeper into this second part of salvation; the part that earns reward, the part that is honoured with varying measures of the glory of Christ, the part that looks forward and reaps the benefits of the life of Christ and His resurrection power.
Additional reading:
https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-does-book-of-romans-tell-us-about.html
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