Buried With Him

Buried with Him

Romans 6:1-11

Good morning,

There was a man named George who attended a church service and heard a message about Jesus and the cross, which convinced him he needed to receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

George went to the pastor after the sermon, who led him in the sinner’s prayer, and George believed he had accepted Christ.

But that was a long time ago and now George doubts he is saved because he does not feel any different than he did before he said the sinner’s prayer.

George now wonders if his confession was simply an emotional response to a well-orchestrated speech by a polished speaker.

George wonders why he is the only one in the world who doesn’t hear from the Lord or why he is the only one who does not have all the cool stories he hears other Christians have.

Please open your Bibles to Romans 6, as we take a couple of week break, from our Gospel of Mark series.

Even though our Christian faith can be backed up by historical, archeological, and even scientific proof…

…Christianity is not about head knowledge; it is about having a real-life relationship with the Almighty Creator of the universe.

At the moment someone receives new life in Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit, Who comes to live inside of them and also provides the supernatural power they need to live for the Lord!

I. New life begins with death.

Read Romans 6:1-2

Paul spoke about the Law and Grace within Romans 5 as he explained that Grace was not an addition to God’s plan but that it was a part of God’s plan from the very beginning of creation.

Once the Law was made known, sin increased and man’s awareness of sin increased as well, along with the reality that sin separates man from God.

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. NKJV

Warren Wiersbe said, “But as the law made man’s sins increase, God’s grace abounded even more. God’s grace was more than adequate to deal with man’s sins.

Even though sin and death still reign in this world, God’s grace is also reigning through the righteousness of Christ.”

Up until now in Romans, Paul had been teaching that believers are justified by faith in Christ, not by the Law or by good works.

As Paul started Romans 6, he began to answer some potentially illogical, rhetorical questions. Some things Paul addressed are:

1. If God’s grace overflows (abounds) when we sin, then why shouldn’t we continue in a sinful lifestyle and allow His grace to overflow more?

2. If we are no longer ruled by the Law of Moses, then we can live any way we see fit.

Paul addressed the Law of Moses in Romans 6, but we still should always use scripture to interpret scripture, as well.

Paul also said in Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. NKJV

The question in verse 2 if we should continue in sin, Paul says, certainly not, or may it never be. This is a very strong reaction!

It was as if Paul was saying, how could you even think that way.

The third illogical question comes up in Romans 7.

3. Some thought that Paul was claiming it was the Law’s fault sin abounds so, Paul was claiming God’s Law is sin.

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

Romans 7:8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. NKJV

Of course, Paul knew that prior to us going to heaven, Christians will still sin at times, but what he was talking about within these verses, was a lifestyle or an unrepentant heart towards sin.

In fact, John said in 1 John 1:8, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. NKJV

II. Baptized into His death.

Read Romans 6:3-5

There is a lot of doctrinal truth in these verses, and we could probably teach a month on the Biblical truth of these few verses.

What I would like to concentrate on our new position in Christ!

Warren Wiersbe said, “The basic truth Paul was teaching is the believer’s identification with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection.”