(Romans 6:13-15 NIV) Do Not Offer the Parts of Your Body to Sin, As Instruments of Wickedness

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DirtBags 5/14/2010

2010. John Creamer. All rights reserved.

Questions:

• What are some of the famous feuds in history? From

Elizabeth I, Queen of England, and Mary, Queen of Scots After imprisoning her cousin Mary for almost two decades, Elizabeth condemns her to death when evidence of an assassination plot is uncovered. Mary is beheaded in February 1587.

Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Tensions simmer for years between the bitter political and personal rivals, culminating in a duel on the morning of July 11, 1804. Hamilton, the former secretary of the treasury, is shot and fatally wounded by Burr, who is, incredibly, the vice president of the United States at the time.

The Hatfields and the McCoys The supposed theft of a pig starts the bloody feud that rages for more than a decade between the Hatfields of West Virginia and the McCoys of Kentucky. The families, who intermarried in happier times, will jointly lose more than 10 members before the fighting ends, in 1891.

Al Capone and George “Bugs” Moran Members of Capone’s gang cap off a Chicago turf war by machine-gunning six members of Moran’s crew (plus a seventh victim, who was not a crew member) on Valentine’s Day 1929. Capone, conveniently on vacation in Florida, is never charged.

Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky In the wake of Vladimir Lenin’s death, Stalin and Trotsky struggle mightily for power. Stalin outmaneuvers Trotsky, leading to the Trotsky’s expulsion from the Communist Party, exile from the Soviet Union, and assassination in Mexico in 1940.

• Have you witnessed a disagreement between people in a church or religious organization?
• Have you heard of people involved in a church or religious disagreement so upset they became disillusioned and ‘walked away from the church’?
• As the years pass, some are likely to still be cynical about church, or even God.
• Can ‘feuds’ between believers be avoided?

Scripture:

[Italics and underlines of grace throughout the lesson are mine for emphasis.]

(Romans 1:4-7 NIV) and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. {5} Through Him and for His name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. {6} And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. {7} To all in Romewho are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the previous lesson…Romans Chapter 1.5, the last passage we studied was Acts 15:1-11 in which there was a “sharp dispute and debate” between believers from the party of the Pharisees and Paul, Barnabas, Peter and the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. The two opposing sides of the dispute were "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." vs. “…it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved…”

The next time grace appears in the Bible after this is also in the context of a disagreement, but this time it isn’t Paul and Barnabas against someone else: it is Paul and Barnabas against each other.

(Acts 15:37-40 NIV) Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, {38} but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. {39} They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, {40} but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

• This time Paul and Barnabas were arguing with each other. A disagreement so sharp they parted company. Why did Luke even make record of this in the first place?
• Have you witnessed a disagreement between people in a church or religious organization? Have you heard of people involved in a church or religious disagreement so upset they became disillusioned and ‘walked away from the church’? As the years pass, they are likely to still be cynical about church, or even God.
• Disagreements are going to happen…even between the strongest Christians and the closest of friends. Knowing Paul disagreed with Barnabas, his mentor in the faith so sharply that they parted ways, may one day be a consolation to us if we are ever in a sharp disagreement with someone close to us. More importantly, however, is that neither ‘quit’. Neither walked away from his commitment to the early group of believers…both Paul and Barnabas each continued to have a vibrant ministry.
• Scripture admonishes us to do all we can to avoid disagreements. (Romans 12:18 NIV) If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. But sometimes peace isn’t possible. It is our own responsibility to make sure the impending disagreement doesn’t drive us away from God.

Next Scriptural reference to grace: Is there a relationship between grace and belief?

(Acts 18:27 NIV) When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.

• What is the relationship in this verse between grace and believing? (Grace enabled people to believe.)

At what stage in his/her spiritual development is grace important to the believer?

(Acts 20:21-24 NIV) I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. {22} "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. {23} I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. {24} However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

(Acts 20:32 NIV) "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

• In verse 24, Paul said his task was to testify to the gospel of God’s grace. How did he instruct the Jews and the Greeks alike to begin in this gospel of God’s grace in verse 21? (Turn to God in repentance and have faith in Jesus Christ.)

• In his farewell to the elders ofEphesus inverse 32, Paul committed them to God and what else? (The word of his grace; he instructed them to begin in God’s grace, then committed them to continue to live and be built up in that same grace.)
• What do you think the word of God’s grace is? (The Scriptures.)
• What did he say the word of God’s grace would do for them? (Build them up and secure their inheritance…i.e., their adoption into the family of God through salvation by grace.)

Paul’s instruction to the people; begin in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ—the gospel of God’s grace—then continue by the word of His grace to be built up and receive an inheritance. Grace…from first to last.

The next reference to grace in the Bible brings us to Paul’s introduction of his letter to the Romans…our text…

(Romans 1:5 NIV) Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

• Grace not only brought people to salvation and kept them in the faith through the word of God’s grace…what does grace do in this verse? (It is the equipping agent needed for someone to share this gospel of grace with others.)
• Why is it necessary for someone to have received grace to be qualified to tell others about grace? (Otherwise, all they can tell them about is a legalistic religion…being right with God by keeping all the rules, being a better person, salvation by works, condemnation and guilt from failings.)

(Romans 4:14-16 NIV) For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, {15} because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. {16} Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

• What were the people in verse 14 relying on to receive God’s promise of salvation? (Being “good enough” in God’s sight because they obeyed the laws of God.)
• What does verse 14 say this does to faith…and the promise of salvation? (Makes both worthless.)
• Why is the promise given instead in verse 16? (Because of God’s grace…it is a free gift.)

(Romans 5:1-2 NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, {2} through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

• So far, we have seen a number of things about grace…that grace is the ‘enabling agent’ that God gives people so they can believe in Him as well as the ‘equipping agent’ He gives people so they can take this gospel of God’s grace to others. Now, we see another aspect of grace in verse 2; it is a position of peace with God we gain access to through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Romans 5:1-2 NLT) Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. {2} Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

(Romans 5:20-21 NIV) The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, {21} so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

• According to verse 20, what began to increase when the law was added? (Violations of the law...before the law, there were no violations.)
• What does verse 20 say also increased as sin increased? (Grace.)Does this mean it is okay to sin and sin and sin some more because grace will increase at a rate faster than our sin so that we can live like heathens and still be saints? (In 6:1 Paul asks the same question, then answers in 6:2, “No way!”)

(Romans 6:1-2 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?

• According to verse 21, sin was once the supreme ruler causing spiritual death, but because of God’s work in verse 20 and 21, what can ‘dethrone’ sin and death?

So, what do these verses mean? No one can say “I have sinned so much; there is no way God’s grace can cover my sins.” No matter what our sins, His grace is greater. Julia H. Johnston captured the essence of verse 20 when she wrote the text of the old hymn 99 years ago:

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

…Sin and despair, like the seawaves cold, threaten the soul with infinite loss;

…Dark is the stain that we cannot hide; what can avail to wash it away?

…Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe!

…will you this moment His grace receive?

Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within:

…grace that is greater than all our sin!

(Romans 6:13-15 NIV) 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!

• According to verse 14, what enabled sin to master us? (Being ‘under the law’…trying to be good enough. Because no one is capable of doing so, we become enslaved to sin.)
• Or…According to verse 14, what does grace do for us in regard to sin? (Gives us the way to escape slavery to sin.)
• Or…prior to grace, why was sin able to master us? (Under the law…by trying to be good enough…as soon as we sin it becomes our master because we failed. But, under grace we can choose to offer ourselves to God and thereby will no longer be a slave to sin.)

(Romans 11:5-6 NIV) So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. {6} And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

• What nullifies grace in verse 6? (Works…trying to be good enough.)

The next lesson…grace continues.

Romans Chapter 1.6, page 1