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Articles 2014-2017
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
God’s solution to increased sin and trespass was to release among men an abundance of His grace (Romans 5:20). If the sin of man on earth intensified, then Heaven would release even more of His grace. He simply would not be outdone or defeated by sin. Of course, this might lead some to ask a question – “Should we increase our sinful activities so that we can we get more grace from God?”
God’s truth often leads to certain questions. And if we get the answers wrong, we wind up in deception. It might seem logical to some that if more sin leads to more grace, then surely we should increase our sinful practices in order to receive more of His supply. But “No”, Paul says. “Don’t you know that you are now dead to sin?”
Really? When did that happen?
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
To baptize is to immerse or to plunge. God’s solution to the sin question was the death of His Son, the cleansing power of His blood, and the immersion of repentant believing men and women into Him at the time of His death. Just as the singular event of Adam’s rebellion in Eden devastated all of humanity, so also the singular event of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary holds the key for the salvation of all mankind. But to access God’s way out of sin and death, sinners must believe the gospel, repent for their sins, and be plunged into Christ in the Calvary event. And just as the earth was filled with the sin of unrighteous men because of Adam’s disobedience in Eden, so also the continuing effects of Christ’s obedience at the cross are still emerging across the earth in our day.
What exactly are these ongoing effects of Calvary? What do they look like?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
The consequence of Calvary in human history is an increasing number of people walking in newness of life. To me, there seems to be three categories of people. First, there are those who walk in sin and death. Secondly, others seem on the surface to do better. They walk in an oldness of legal requirement. “What is required of me? Do I have to pray? Then I’ll pray. Do I have to attend Christian meetings? Ok. If I have to, then I will do so.” But a third group has both received and now walks in God’s life, His presence in a way that is constantly new – newness of life. Having come to know Christ, they live in a newness of relationship with the One who died for them and rose again on their behalf. “Newness” by its very definition speaks of a constant freshness of relationship. God’s answer for the nations is very simply a people who love Him and walk with Him in the powerful present expression of His life.
For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
(Romans 6:5 NASB)
It is not that we physically died like Jesus did. But when we went into the waters of baptism in His name it looked similar to someone who had died being buried. It was the likeness of His death. We were not merely sprinkled with water; we were submerged into it. But in that one act, God united us with His Son in His death. We participated in the only event in history whereby we could pass from death to life. And now, though we are not yet physically resurrected, the life we live is like His resurrection experience. He arose victorious over sin and death. Though He had always been victorious over sin, when He came out of the tomb He took us into that victory with Him. And Paul exhorts us to recognize that God’s solution was sufficient and wise.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing (Greek, KATARGEO – rendered inoperative, made of no effect), so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Our body of sin, the tent of flesh in which we dwell can no longer prevent us from walking with the Lord and being conformed to His likeness. Though it has its lusts and passions, God has made/become the way for us to live overcoming those very desires. His solution was for us to simply die to sin. After all, what effect can temptation have on a dead person?
For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Clearly, a dead man will not succumb to temptation. But at the same time, one who is dead cannot be a very successful ongoing witness to God and to His purpose among men. His solution for us had to involve more than death.
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
So we now live in the likeness of His resurrection. Though we are not yet glorified, we are alive spiritually with the very eternal life of God himself. In fact, He has become our life. And because He lives, we live also. And since He will never again succumb to death, neither will we. Even if our bodies do go into the grave, yet we will simply live on in Him (John 11:25 - 26) for we have already passed from death to life (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14).
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
Though the man Christ Jesus did yield himself over to the power of death, He will never do so again; He now reigns victoriously. And when He did die, He did so once for everyone; His one death was sufficient for all.
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
If Christ now lives to God, so will we. We now have this glorious available option – that in Him we will now live unto God, facing Him, focusing on Him as our source, our strength, and the hope of our destiny.
But what, very practically, in the light of these powerful statements of scripture, are we to do?
So you also must consider (Greek, LOGIZOMAI – to take an inventory, to conclude) yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Can it really be true that I am now dead to sin? I must admit that there are many times when I feel quite alive to sin and not very alive to God. But let our God be true though every emotion should lie. His solution to the sin question has been effective and wise. His plan is succeeding all across the earth and in our lives personally. But it takes faith for us to agree with God and to disagree with ourselves when our flesh is shouting loudly how alive and effective it is.
Notice what our response must be in the light of His practical commands.
Let not sin therefore reign (Greek, BASILEUO – to act as king, to rule) in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
When Christ became King, sin was dethroned. So let us now live in that reality. Let us now live giving sin the dethroned king no attention and no respect. Let us not rise in his presence. Let us not yield to his pathetic demands. An overthrow has taken place. Long live the King!
But it is not enough to deny sin’s demands. We are in a spiritual war. Notice our weaponry.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments (Greek, HOPLON – an implement or weapon of war) for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments (HOPLON) for righteousness.
When unbelievers present their members to sin, the result is manifest unrighteousness, and it is an act of war against the One who created them. But when we present the members of our bodies unto Him to do His will, our acts of obedience become weapons of war for the sake of righteousness. Here is the heart of spiritual warfare. The act of binding and casting demons out of people is certainly part of our warfare. But the ongoing presentation of our lives to God is the heart of spiritual warfare. When I offer Him my hands to do His will, it is an act of spiritual warfare. When I offer Him my mind to study His word so as to learn His thoughts, this too is an act of warfare. When I offer Him my feet to go where He would send me, I go as a soldier of Heaven.
True spiritual warfare is rooted in the cross and expressed in obedience. Let us turn from our ways and embrace His. And may He cause the increasing fruits of Calvary to be made manifest and known all across the earth.
Donald Rumble – November 2017
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