Chapters 6 Part 1   September 20

        Newness of the life in Christ: don't feed the dead; feed the living!.

Romans 6:17 Reminds us that this epistle was written to Christians.

·        They obeyed the Gospel

6:1, 15 ¶ Two questions concerning choosing to sin while under the grace of God.  Read Romans 5:19-21

·        These are really some questions! Could it be God had Paul ask this question because He knew these "baby" Christians could mistake the teaching about God's abounding grace as a license to continue living as they did before they were saved?

V2,16 Paul's answer to both questions, God forbid.

·        V2 How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

·        1Peter 2:24 once dead to sins, now healed through Christ.

·        V16 "to whom ye yield yourselves servants to" Christians must make a conscience choice to live in bondage of sin or freedom of righteousness

·        What power do we have over someone who is dead?

·        What power does sin have over someone who is dead to it?

Some of the 'baby" Christians in Rome had lived under Jewish tradition their entire life. Some may have been involved in worshipping pagan gods for years. Salvation through grace gave them freedom that they never thought possible. They were being coerced into returning to the burden of the law: the Holy Spirit through Paul is telling them you do

not have to return to the burden of the law, you are free indeed in Christ.

·        Galatians 3:13 tells us that  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. making John 8:36 possible

Vs3-4 baptized into Jesus Christ, baptized into his death,  should walk in newness of life,

·        At the moment of salvation we are fully immersed into Jesus Christ. "In Christ" is not a picture it is a literal place. It is a one time event. This is a specific action of the Holy Spirit  immersing the Christians into the body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27)     Not water baptism !!!

·        We were also fully immersed in His death. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins.

·        We can walk in newness of life 2Corinthians 5:17 Galatians 6:15 we are a new creature - at salvation we do not have to wait to be resurrected from the dead to experience  newness of life.

V5 explains 3-4 this is a likeness. Philippians 3:10-11

·        Our physical body will die and it will be resurrected as He was; in the mean time we can and should walk in newness of life.

·        We were spiritually dead unto God we have been made spiritually alive unto God

V6 Paul is beginning to teach the fact that Christians have two natures. The new and the old. See

·        Romans 7:22-23; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:21-24

V7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

·        John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed

V8 dead with Christ, we shall also live with him:

V9-10 See Revelation 1:18; Hebrews 7:27, 9:28

·        Death reinged from Adam until the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

·        1Corinthians 15:54-56 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 13:14

V11 reckon (come to this conclusion) that you like all Christians are dead indeed unto sin, alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Vs 12-20 Sin and death no longer has dominion over those in Christ.

·        Christ's death removed the sting of death which is sin: His resurrection defeated death itself.

·        Those in Christ go from being free from righteousness and under sin to be from sin and under the righteousness in Jesus Christ