In the last days of the Civil War, the Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia, fell to the Union army. Abraham Lincoln insisted on visiting the city. Even though no one knew he was coming, slaves recognized him immediately and thronged around him. He had liberated them by the Emancipation Proclamation, and now Lincoln’s army had set them free. According to Admiral David Porter, an eyewitness, Lincoln spoke to the throng around him: "My poor friends, you are free— free as air. You can cast off the name of slave and trample upon it...Liberty is your birthright."
But Lincoln also warned them not to abuse their freedom. "Let the world see that you merit [your freedom]," Lincoln said, "Don’t let your joy carry you into excesses. Learn the laws and obey them."
That is the message Jesus gives to those whom he has liberated by his death and resurrection. Jesus gives us our true birthright—spiritual freedom. But that freedom isn’t an excuse for disobedience; it forms the basis to seek and submit to God’s plans. It is direction for action. OYBT Rom 6 (read 5:20 first).
I. INTRODUCTION
1. In 6:1-14, Paul corrects those who may misinterpret his statement (5:20). Some will assume a more sin, the more grace God pours his on them, releasing the believer from his obligation to Christ.
2. Believers are called to experience life free from sin. It’s not the end of the pursuit of holiness, but rather the beginning of such a pursuit.
A. A significant shift comes in this part of the letter. Paul moves from the subject of “justification”, to a new subject“sanctification”. Let’s compare the two.
B. Justification, or righteousness imputed, occurs when God assigns a portion of his righteousness to us, though we have done nothing to deserve it. It is an event, not a process; because it requires nothing of us but the faith that brings us to Christ.
C. Sanctification, or righteousness imparted, occurs when God grants us the ability to pursue righteousness through the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is a process, not an event. It is, in fact, a twofold process:
(i) First, God sets us apart for his will and purpose. In other words, he has a plan for me and sets me apart for his use in that plan.
(ii) After this, God draws me, through the Holy Spirit, to change my lifestyle, my attitude toward sin, and its resultant behavior.
3. Paul begins a treatise on sanctification. OYBT Romans 6, as we consider two foundational truths of our freedom from sin: [1] why sin no longer has dominion over the believer, and [2] the resulting effect – the pursuit of holiness.
[Jesus’ death and resurrection frees us from sin. Liberty breeds responsibility, the basis for seeking and submitting to God’s plan.]
II. WHY WE ARE FREED FROM SIN
1. When Christ died, our sins died with Him (5-7)
A. If God intended us to be slaves to sin, he would not have sent Christ to die in our place. Imagine the grief God experiences when believers continue to cling to our sinful past.
B. Sometimes we rationalize our spiritual dormancy by saying things like “God doesn’t expect me to be holy…that lifestyle is for others (preachers, missionaries, etc.). I just do what I can as I struggle along” (poor, poor, pitiful me) OR “God understands me; he knows I’m not perfect.”
C. Know this. Every excuse slanders the name of Jesus and discounts the sacrifice he made on our behalf. God knows Adam’s sin contaminates us. He does not however, allow us to escape responsibility for or sinful attitudes and behaviors. Each of us will give an account of his life before God one day.
2. When Christ conquered sin, we conquered sin (8-11)
A. Sin and death could not hold Christ in the grave. Likewise Paul says, when he rose from the dead, we also rose from the dead.
B. Paul draws the comparison of death through Adam, life through Christ; the divine solution for a depraved people.
C. For this reason, count yourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (11).
D. Don’t give sin a position of prominence in your life. Sin is a defeated enemy, unworthy of its opponent. If Christ could conquer death, how much more capable is he to conquer sin (specifically in our lives)?
III. THE EFFECT OF FREEDOM: THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS (12-23)
1. Serve righteousness instead of sin (12-14)
A. When you choose to serve any master, you become a slave to that master…whether sin or righteousness. Paul says, “Choose righteousness”. There is no middle ground; we serve either God or our sinful desires.
B. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin. IOW, do not offer any capacity of your being to sin. When you compromise, you surrender yourself completely to the sinful nature.
C. Sanctification demands obedience. When we pursue our own lusts and desires, we are out of fellowship with God. We can’t pursue holiness while out of fellowship with God.
2. Hold to the teaching you were entrusted with (17)
A. The Bible is the owner’s manual of the pursuit of holiness. Beware of anyone who declares the scriptures [1] inappropriate for our time, [2] not applicable to modern civilization, or [3] inadequate for instruction in moral behavior (2 Tim. 3:16,17).
B. Every time we submit to sin, we are aware of our doing. (cf. Paul’s teaching on the law as a looking glass into the sinful nature of man). The law (and thus scripture) is the benchmark for our behavior. Without this benchmark, we are lost. Therefore, hold to the teaching you were entrusted with.
[Jesus’ death and resurrection frees us from sin. Liberty breeds responsibility, the basis for seeking and submitting to God’s plan.]
IV. CONCLUSION
1. When we choose to follow Christ, we must move forward in the pursuit of holiness. God does not expect us to stand still, or cling to the life we once led.
2. Instead, he expects us to grow in our knowledge of him and obey his direction as he leads us in the path that HE HAS chosen.
3. If sin fills us, God can’t plant seeds of righteousness in us. We live fruitless, uneventful lives amidst the most incredible power the world has ever known—the power over sin and its resultant death.
4. This is a special time, as we prepare for Holy Communion. It is a time of reflection, self-evaluation, and renewed commitment to follow Christ enthusiastically. Why not make this day the turning point in your walk with God?
A. Consider the liberty Christ’s sacrifice grants you; then assess your performance and your pursuit of holiness that God intends.
Rediscover the teachings with which you have been entrusted. Come to the Lord’s Table expecting a spiritual miracle; he delights in giving them to us.
