Victory Over Sin!

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace (favor and mercy)? Of course not! . . . Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in (yield) to sinful desires (cravings, lusts, evil passions). Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right (good) for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master . . . . Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace (favor and mercy). . . . Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through (union with) Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:1-2, 12-14, 22-23 (NLT)

In Romans 3:21-5:21, the Apostle Paul has given us readers all the wonderful and grand blessings that come with genuine faith in Jesus Christ. These blessings included salvation, grace, fellowship (peace) with God, righteousness, joy, and many other gifts. Sadly, people were beginning to believe that their faith in God’s saving activity in Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection now also gave them the right or license to sin. In other words, some devious people believed “the more I sin, the more God has to forgive me, right? Then I can live any way I want and continue sinning!” The Russian monk Rasputin, for example, concluded, “I’ll sin more to earn more forgiveness.”  Rasputin lived a bizarre life of immorality and wickedness.

In every age, many people have criticized the doctrine of righteousness (justification) by alone faith in Jesus Christ on the incorrect belief that this doctrine leads to sin or a license to live an immoral lifestyle. Some people incorrectly guessed if we are treated as righteous with God by faith and we no longer have to follow the Old Testament Law of Moses, then evil works will not condemn us either. So, why then should we be concerned about our sin or attempt to live a godly life? Previously, the Apostle Paul taught in Romans 5:20: “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” Therefore, some believed that no matter how great our sin, God’s grace is greater than all our sins. In other words, the Apostle Paul’s enemies argued people can sin boldly and continually because God’s grace will always be available, despite their sinful and wicked lifestyle. Theologically, this belief is known as antinomianism.

The Apostle Paul was horror-struck and disgusted at the mere suggestion of continuing in sin and wickedness once we have experienced God’s grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. In Romans 6, the Apostle Paul reacts to the “Now I have an excuse to sin” line of thinking with shock and outrage. Starting with Romans 6 and continuing through Romans 8, the Apostle Paul teaches the true meaning of God’s grace and our victory over sin. Just because where sin abounded God’s grace super-abounded and forgave our sins (Romans 5:20), a true believer in Jesus Christ WILL NOT be drawn to a continue lifestyle of sinning and wickedness. The Apostle Paul teaches that the availability of God's grace (favor and mercy) must never become an excuse for careless living and moral slackness. According to the Apostle Paul, a true believer that has wholeheartedly accepted Jesus Christ naturally has an appreciation of God’s grace (favor and mercy), so that the end result in a surrendered and obedient life unto God out of a heart filled with gratitude and love. Through our genuine faith in Jesus Christ, God sends believers His Holy Spirit to live within believers’ hearts to empower them to live godly lives (see Romans 8). Through God’s Holy Spirit, believers live from a heart oriented towards God which naturally leads to living according the fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:16-23). “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT). Our genuine faith in Jesus Christ means we have died to sin and wickedness and alive through God’s Holy Spirit to live dedicated and committed to God (Romans 6:1-2, 22). The very best proof of genuine belief in Jesus Christ is a believer with a changed life. The Apostle Paul encouraged believers to “count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:11).

In fact, the Apostle Paul encouraged believers in Jesus Christ NOT to let sin rule in our bodies (flesh) (Romans 6:12). Sin must never be a way of life (lifestyle) for genuine believers in Jesus Christ because we have died to sin and no longer live in sin (Romans 6:2). The idea of a believer in Jesus Christ continuing in sin is entirely contrary to the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ. Sin is hateful, destructive, and deadly. To further illustrate this point, the Apostle Paul uses baptism (Romans 6:3-4). In our confession of faith in Jesus Christ, believers in Jesus Christ have been baptized into Jesus Christ’s death and united with Him (Romans 6:4; see also Acts 2:38).

Moreover in Romans 6:5-6, the Apostle Paul compares our genuine faith in Jesus Christ to slave imagery. As believers, our bodies are no longer to serve sin because God has graciously declared us righteous (justified, acquitted, declared not guilty) through our faith in Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Through our genuine faith in Jesus Christ, we have been united or joined with Him and given a new life (Romans 6:4-5, 11). Thus, our evil lusts (motives, desires, and goals), bondage to sin, and our love of sin also died with Jesus Christ through our genuine faith in Him. Now, united by faith with Jesus Christ in His resurrection life, believers have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin's shackles (see also Ephesians 4:21-24 and Colossians 3:3-15). Our “old self” and our sinful nature, died once and for all through faith in Jesus Christ. God has freed believers from sin’s power (Romans 6:6) and now we can choose to live for Jesus Christ (see Galatians 2:20). Even more, a genuine believer’s life is a life no longer oriented toward self, selfish desires and sins but towards God. In other words, genuine believers in Jesus Christ live for God’s glory and not self! Believers’ world view is different and is no longer slaves to sin (self) but toward God, heaven, and righteous living.

Therefore, the Apostle Paul calls ALL believers in Jesus Christ to become in practice what they already are in their status before God – dead to sin and alive with God (Romans 6:8-10, 12-13). Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul realized believers still live in a fallen and sinful world. For clarity, true believers are not sinless but we are free from sin’s shackles and power! So, the Apostle Paul encourages believers in Jesus Christ not to live a careless and selfish life but a new life oriented in godly living.

In summary, ALL PEOPLE (Jew and Gentile) are made right with God by faith alone in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-4:25; see also Galatians 2:16-17). Through our wholehearted faith in Jesus Christ, God has given us believers through His Holy Spirit a new life and sin's power is broken and buried (Romans 6:2-6; see also 2 Corinthians 5:17). God’s Holy Spirit gives true believers the desire and heart to WANT to live good and moral lives rather evil; therefore, believers in turn obey God’s moral laws (Romans 6:14-15). True believers choose God as their Master and to give themselves wholeheartedly (fully) to God – heart, soul, mind, and strength (Romans 6:16-18; see also Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). The Apostle Paul develops Jesus Christ’s words, “No person can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). Even more, God gives believers a new nature as we are now dead to sin (self) and made alive to God (Romans 6:5, 11). According to the Apostle Paul, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 20, NLT). Finally, God gives believers a new freedom to not let sin control us but surrender our hearts to God for God’s control (Romans 6:12-16). Yielding to sin ultimately brings death; while yielding to obedience to Jesus Christ brings life and righteousness. Through a true believers’ wholehearted devotion to God, a believer is no longer a slave to sin but a slave of righteousness that leads to life and death (Romans 6:19-23). Sin pays wages — death! However, God pays wages too — new life with God that begins on earth and continues forever with God (Romans 6:23).Therefore, believers are to “not treat the grace of God as meaningless” (Galatians 2:21, NLT).

Also, Apostle Paul’s enemies accused him of preaching a “cheap grace.” The Apostle Paul taught throughout the book of Romans that God’s grace eliminated our need for obedience to the Law of Moses (Jewish Law). Sadly, some devious people believed everyone can now live sinful, wicked and selfish lives. The Apostle Paul reminded the readers in Romans 6 that our genuine faith in Jesus Christ is a new orientation toward God and NOT a license for an immoral lifestyle! Our genuine faith creates a new set of values with a DESIRE to please God and not a requirement or demand to please God according to the Law of Moses. According to the Apostle Paul, believers either are a slave a righteousness or a slave of sin but NOT BOTH (see also Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). Whoever we serve is our god! Besides, the Apostle Paul knew nothing of a faith that causes a person to live careless and selfish (see Apostle Paul’s ethic section at Romans chapters 12 through 15). Believers are now slaves or instruments of righteousness and no longer slaves of sin (Romans 6:13).

Apostle Paul:  For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. . . . He (Jesus Christ) gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. Titus 2:11-12, 14 (NLT)

God’s grace has brought salvation and our righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection (Titus 2:11). Therefore, we are to say “NO” sin, ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and “YES” to self-controlled, upright and holiness (Titus 2:12).  Repeatedly, the Apostle Paul explained that genuine faith in Jesus Christ must be accompanied by godly living (see Romans chapters 12 through 15; see also Titus 2:1-2, 4-5, 10; Titus 3:8). The Apostle Paul taught continually that ALL believers in Jesus Christ are to deny sin and live righteous lives for good deeds. True salvation should always produce good actions (Romans 12:12:1-2; see also Titus 2:10, Ephesians 2:10).

Because Jesus Christ sacrificially died and redeemed (rescued) all humans – Jews and Gentiles) from our sin disease by faith (1 Peter 2:24), we are now free from sin's power and control (see also Mark 10:45). There must be in a believer's life that final and complete surrender of their whole bodies and hearts to Jesus Christ. In other words, we are “dead to sin” and “crucified with Christ” (see Romans 6:7; Galatians 2:20). But we are not only dead to sin; we are also ALIVE in Jesus Christ.

God sent His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) into the world that we might live through and be united Him by the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:9). As true believers, Jesus Christ now lives WITHIN US through the power of His Spirit (see Acts 10:34-38). God’s Holy Spirit gives genuine believers the power and understanding to live godly, upright and self-controlled lives that does good in the world and not evil (Titus 2:11-14). According to the Apostle Paul, believers are to use their bodies as “instruments of good” for God and not evil (Romans 6:13; see also 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Philippians 1:20-21).

Therefore, a true believer’s salvation involves the double work of redeeming (delivering) us from God’s wrath, judgment and guilt (Romans 3:24) and producing holiness, goodness, and love (Titus 2:14). True believers are not only free (redeemed) from judgment for our sins, but we are also purified or cleansed from sin's power and influence (Titus 2:12, 14). In other words, the same grace that redeems (rescues) us also reform our lives and make us holy and godly. Sin is no longer be a true believer’s master (Romans 6:14; see also 1 John 2:15-17). To help believers fight against sin, wickedness, and evil lust, the Apostle Paul reminds believers that God’s Holy Spirit is available for the calling to help believers to say “YES” to goodness and holy living for Jesus Christ (see Romans 8).

References

King James Version Study Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988.

KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1994.

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

New Student Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Loyd, Melton, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament. Columbia Campus: Erskine Theological Seminary, 2014.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.