Bible Study - Victory (3) - Victory over Sin - Romans 6:4-14 - March 19, 2017

Bible Study – Victory (3) – Victory over Sin – March 19, 2017

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled “Victory.”

Our focus scripture is Romans 6:4-14

Sin is no longer my master – JESUS is.

Salvation is not achieved by keeping the law or by human effort. GOD’S grace 

is extended to all who place their faith in GOD’S Only SON, JESUS.

Let’s read Romans 6:1-3: (Lead-in)

The New Life in Christ

1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may multiply?

Since Christians are saved by GOD’S grace and are under HIS grace, there was an idea by some Christians that if Christians sinned more, they would have more grace. The Apostle Paul’s reply is a resounding “NO!”

2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

How can that be since all who place their faith in JESUS have died to self and JESUS lives through them!

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Baptist baptize by immersion in water. This is a beautiful picture of dying physically to our old life and being raised from physical death to live our resurrected lives as directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. CHRIST lives through us. Paul expands on this in our next verses.

Let’s read Romans 6:4-7:

4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life.

Therefore ties back to the foregoing statement or statements to the statements that follow.

5 For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection.

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin's dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin,

7 since a person who has died is freed from sin's claims.

In essence, when JESUS died upon the cross, all who place their faith in JESUS also died with HIM. When GOD raised JESUS from the dead GOD also raised all who place their faith in HIM from the dead.

That means that as true born-again Christians, sin no longer has control over us because we are dead to our human desires and have been resurrected to walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit. Sin no longer controls Christians. If true, why do we not have power over sin?

First, it is true. JESUS broke and defeated the power of sin when HE willingly gave HIS sinless life to pay, in full, the penalty for sin. As you may recall, once we receive JESUS as our Savior, it is the process of sanctification that brings us into conformity with what and who we are in CHRIST.

Since the fall of man, sin entered the world. Mankind has been ruled by the ruler of that fallen monarch, Satan and his team. GOD established a new monarch by sending HIS only Son, JESUS into the world to live in the flesh. 

JESUS lived a sinless life, even though HE was tempted to sin in all ways as we are; yet HE lived without sin. HE gave HIS sinless life upon the cross and HIS blood was shed. The shedding of HIS sinless blood paid the penalty GOD established to pay for the sin debt, in full. Therefore, when a person places his or her faith in the passion of JESUS, in essence, he or she died when JESUS died. But it does not stop there.

If JESUS had remained dead, we would have no more reason to believe in HIM than others who have died and remain in the grave. GOD resurrected JESUS from the physically dead and restored HIM to eternal life in a new resurrected Glorified eternal body. GOD restored JESUS’ Glory to HIM as we studied in our March 5, 2017 lesson.

In essence, when we accept JESUS as our Savior, we died physically with JESUS upon the cross but with the resurrection of JESUS, GOD also resurrected all who place their faith in JESUS. In doing so, Christians left the monarch of Satan’s kingdom and rule to the new monarch of GOD’S Kingdom and rule. This relocation is confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We have been born-again into the family of GOD and our citizenship is in Heaven.

At the moment of salvation, Christians are relocated into GOD’S Kingdom and are no longer ruled by the monarch of sin.

Victory over sin has been won!

So why do we still sin? Christians still allow the power of sin to rule. The flesh keeps Christians connected to the power of sin. Christians must live in the power of their resurrected status and that is victory over the power of sin. JESUS won and is victorious over sin and its consequence eternal death. At the instant of salvation Christians belong to GOD and HIS Kingdom through faith in JESUS but the process of sanctification begins.

Ephesians 4:22-24:

22 you took off your former way of life, the old man that is corrupted by deceitful desires;

23 you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds;

24 you put on the new man, the one created according to God's [likeness] in righteousness and purity of the truth.

Colossians 3:9-10:

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices

10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator.

Let’s continue to read our focus scripture.

Let’s read Romans 6:8-11:

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him,

9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies. Death no longer rules over Him.

10 For in that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in that He lives, He lives to God.

11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Claim it to regain it! GOD’S original plan was for mankind to live in Heaven with HIM and to obediently and willingly serve HIM. When Adam and Eve disobeyed GOD, sin entered the world and Adam and Eve were cast out of GOD’S kingdom.

Our life upon earth is our opportunity to be restored to GOD’S original intent. 

GOD made mankind with the freedom to choose. Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They had a choice then and now, mankind has a choice. The choice of every human is to be restored to eternal life with GOD through faith in JESUS or to reject JESUS and eternal life with GOD and suffer the consequence of sin, which is eternal death. How do you choose?

Victory over sin and eternal death or remain in your sentence of eternal death?

Victory over sin and eternal death means salvation from the power of sin and eternal death. Faith in JESUS imparts to Christians the power of JESUS’ resurrection the instant we accept JESUS as our Savior.

Let’s read Romans 6:12-14:

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires.

Christians decide who rules their lives. Will it be the power of sin or the resurrected power of JESUS? The power of sin is in the desires of our flesh. It is like, when we are on a diet if we are weak, we must stay away from the foods that attract us.

13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.

The desires of the flesh, sin, are weapons Satan uses to prevent Christians from living the victorious life in CHRIST.  Christians are in a daily battle. Paul gave us the secret of living victorious lives. We already have victory but we must trust the power of that victory.

Paul helps us better understand what Christians face each day in Ephesians 6:10-18: (Each day we get up we must suit up because we will be in a battle that has already been won by JESUS! Christians are to let their light shine on the dark battlefield of earthly life to rescue those wounded by the enemy and those who want to change monarchs.)

Christian Warfare

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.

11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.

12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

13 This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest,

15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.

16 In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word.

18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and stay alert in this, with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

Christians must pray for each other!

Let’s continue reading Romans 6:14:

14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

The law has no grace, it is rigid. A couple of weeks ago, I was told that one of the employees working for the person who does my lawn had been arrested and was to be shipped back to Mexico. I have known this young man who has a wife and 2 children for a number of years. He came to the US at the age of 5 and graduated from a local high school. He was working on his citizenship. He did something that resulted in the police being called and the feds happened to be in the area. Zip, off he goes. That is what the law does. Violate it and you are guilty.

That is why Christians live under GOD’S grace. But living under grace does not mean Christians have a license to sin. Christians are to live in the power of the victory JESUS has won.

Do you remember what JESUS told the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos as recorded in Revelation 1:17-19:

17 When I saw Him (The Glorified JESUS), I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me, and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last,

18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look-I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.

19 Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this.

JESUS wanted John to write this down because it would be valuable information to all Christians throughout the ages until JESUS returns. JESUS has defeated the holder of the keys of death and Hades. Faith in JESUS frees those who place their faith in HIM from the clutches of sin which is eternal death and Hades.

2 Corinthians 5:1-10:

Awaiting the New Body

1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,

3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

In John 5:24-30: (JESUS is speaking.)

24 "I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

25 "I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself.

27 And He has granted Him the right to pass judgment, because He is the Son of Man. (The promised Messiah)

28 Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice

29 and come out-those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment.

30 "I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

All who have asked JESUS to forgive them for their sins and invited JESUS into their heart have the blood of JESUS over the door posts of their hearts and the death angel passes over. All of the sins of Christians have been blotted out by the shed blood of JESUS and when we come before the judgment seat of GOD, HE only sees our righteousness because of our faith in JESUS.

When we accept JESUS as our Savior, all mentioned earlier takes place but we remain upon earth to be the light of salvation to those in the darkness and rule of sin. Christians are to be examples of the power of the resurrected life they receive at the instant of salvation. 

Christians are a work in progress through sanctification. 

Christians are reconciling what is true, that is the power of the resurrection with living as a human upon earth. It is through the renewing of our minds as we yield to the presence and work of the Holy Spirit reconciling our humanness to the power of our resurrected life while still in the transitioning human mind. 

Do not listen to the ruler over the monarch of sin but rejoice in the victory of living a resurrected life in GOD’S kingdom upon earth. Christians must be vigilant to not allow their flesh to lead them into the desires of the flesh. 

Christians must allow the indwelling Holy Spirit rule in their lives. The Holy Spirit is the power of the resurrected life upon earth for all Christians. Blessings!!!