Dead Men Walking

Dead Men Walking; Romans 6

Three buddies were discussing death and one asked the group: “What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?” One said: “He was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community.” Another said: “He was a great husband and father, who was an example for many to follow.” The third said: “I’d like people to say, … Look, he’s moving!!”

Did you know that because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ there are dead men walking all over the earth. They are not zombies, they are not the undead, they are not men on death row; they are born again believers in Jesus Christ. Look at what Paul said in vs. 2-5…

In Galatians 2:20 He writes, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 5:24, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

You see those who have accepted Christ, as their Savior and Lord are dead men walking, because they are dead to sin, but alive in Christ vs. 8-11… Because we serve a living savior, a savior who was once dead, a savior that is now raised, a savior that lives forever more, we too will live in eternity with Him. So, how do we live in Him? To answer that let’s consider…

1. Our Position in Christ

A. Sin was our former way of life. We were Alive to sin – dead to Christ, we walked according to the desires of the flesh, we walked in the nature of the old man, we walked in sin, and we were called the enemies of God. We were not in Him we had turned our backs on Him.

We chose to walk according to our own will, and our ways rather than His will and His ways. And because of our selfish desires and our fleshly walk and because of our disobedience we brought death upon ourselves. The Bible is clear that sin brings death. Ephesians 2:1, “You… were dead in trespasses and sins.”

B. But in Christ our position has changed, our situation is now reversed, Ephesians 2:1, “He made you alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” we are no longer alive to sin – dead to Christ, we are dead to sin – alive in Christ! We are no longer enemies of God we are the children of God. We are no longer servants of sin we are saints.

Christ has changed our position and because of the new life He has given us we are to walk in the newness of life, no longer walking in sin according to the desires of the flesh but walking in the spirit.

An Argument - it is based upon 5:20, “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Romans 6:1, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” That is one of the many deceptive tactics that the devil uses. (The serpent & Eve – you wont die…) Go ahead live in sin & grace will abound. Sadly, that’s the philosophy far too many Christians live by!

Paul’s answer to their argument is brief and clear – Vs. 2-3 KJV, “God forbid, how shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Don’t you know that when you were baptized in Christ you died with Christ? Don’t you know when you were baptized in Christ you died to sin?

In the introduction I said that because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ there are dead men walking all over the earth. Actually, in Christ we are able to truly live the way God intended for us to live. We are able to experience life like we have never experienced it before because as Acts 17:28, says, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being;” Apart from Christ we are dead in our sins.

So our position in Christ is “LIFE.”

2. Our Practice in Christ (vs. 11–14)

In the book of Romans Paul makes his case for the necessity of salvation: He tells us that we are all sinners, the wages of sin is death, the only means of salvation is through Christ, in Christ we are given a new life, and in vs. 4 he tells us that we are to walk in the “newness of life.”

By God’s grace our position has changed: From Alive to Sin to Dead to Sin! From Dead in Christ to Alive in Christ! We are no longer instruments of wickedness but instruments of righteousness.