The Good News of God Series
By Greg Johnson
October 22, 2006
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
Romans 6
Romans chapter six tells us how we can live a life of victory over the sinful nature that we are born with. God intends for us to live in victory. The devil wants us to continue to serve sin and our sinful nature. We will live in victory as we know our position in Christ, as we are fully persuaded of God’s promises and as we submit to the Lordship of Christ.
KNOW YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST
The first part of Romans Chapter 6 describes the Christian’s position in Christ. God’s Word says (Romans 6:1-10 NIV) "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? {2} By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? {3} Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? {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. {5} If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. {6} For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- {7} because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. {8} Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. {9} For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. {10} The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God."
What a wonderful position that a follower of Christ has in Him. The devil does not want Christians to know or understand their new position in Christ. He knows that if a Christian understands their position, they can gain victory over the flesh.
The word of God speaks of being “baptized into Christ.” The follower of Christ is baptized into Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. Your position is in Christ. This is very important for you to know and understand. You see, Christ not only died for you; you died with Him. Christ not only rose from the dead; you rose with Him.
In John Chapter three, Jesus refers to it as being “born again.” Jesus said (John 3:5-7 NIV) "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. {6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. {7} You should not be surprised at my saying, ’You must be born again."
Water baptism illustrates our new birth in Christ. We die to sin as Christ died for sin and we are placed in a water grave. We come up from the grave a new person having been washed clean by the blood of Jesus and reborn by the Spirit of God. The old nature that operates in the flesh stays in the grave. The new creature that operates in the Spirit lives! The Spirit baptizes us into Christ.
Beloved, it is so important for believers to follow Jesus’ example in water baptism. True saving faith will compel an individual to be baptized in water. It is not what saves us, but it is an expression of saving faith.
BE FULLY PERSUADED
You must be fully persuaded that the promises of God in His Word are for you. You must be fully persuaded that the old you has died and the new you is alive in Christ. (Romans 6:11 NIV) "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Counting yourself dead to sin is being fully persuaded that the old nature has died. Counting yourself alive to God in Christ Jesus is being fully persuaded that you are found in Christ and you no longer are controlled by the flesh. Now you are controlled by the Spirit of God that resides within you.
Does that mean that you will never have to deal with the old nature again? No it does not. The old nature will continue to try to gain victory over the new nature. That is why you have to know your position in Christ and reckon the old nature dead. Count it dead! Be fully persuaded that it died on the Cross with Christ! Be fully persuaded that you rose from the grave with Christ and the Spirit of God resides in you! Resurrection power resides in you and it is greater than the sinful nature. Sin and death have already been defeated in you! Be fully persuaded! God’s Word is truth!
SUBMIT TO THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST
As we know our position and as we are fully persuaded, we will submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ. (Romans 6:12-23 NIV) "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. {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. {14} For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. {15} What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! {16} Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? {17} But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. {18} You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. {19} I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. {20} When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. {21} What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! {22} But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. {23} For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Praise the Lord beloved! We are no longer slaves to sin. We have been set free from sin and no longer serve it. We serve God. Jesus is our Lord and we submit ourselves to His Lordship. We follow Him from earth to Glory. While on this earth, we continue His ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are foreigners in this world, but Jesus is leading us home. We have been born again. Our sinful nature died on the cross with Christ. We have risen with him into new life. Our citizenship is in heaven! Victory over the flesh has been won through Christ!
Beloved, know your position in Christ. Be fully persuaded that the old nature has died. Serve Jesus with everything you have. You will live in VICTORY!
