Shall We Sin That Grace May Abound?

Introduction

Very pleasant good morning to all. I’m glad you’ve had a safe swim to our building. And I hope you’re in good health. I know there’s some who are suffering with various illnesses, but thankful that we can be together to worship the Lord. I hope you have a new testament. I’d like to encourage you to be opening to the book of Romans, the sixth chapter of Romans, where really our lesson will surround the whole context of Romans chapter 6. Brother Josh Crell was able to get back home last evening about 6 o’clock at the airport after a pretty full and I would say a difficult week of preaching in Maine. Glad to have him back. He will be speaking at the five o’clock hour this evening, so I hope each of you can be back at that time.

Give him a little time this morning, though, to sort of recollect himself and get ready. In Romans chapter 6, the apostle begins by raising a question. The question is, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, we’re baptized into his death, therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death. That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we’ve been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we sh also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection.

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. You know, this really in our title of the lesson this morning, Since Grace Reigns, does it matter if we sin? The question that is raised to start this chapter, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound, may seem like a rather unusual question. Well, even people of the world know the answer to that, don’t they? People of the world often are heard to talk about the hypocrites in the church. And while they would say that, there are hypocrites in the church, because they may see some who call themselves a Christian, who are not practicing true discipleship.

They see them maybe committing things that are they know, the world knows, or against the word of God. And so they would say, well, why would he be calling himself a Christian? He’s going to live that way. And therefore, even the world knows the answer to that question. Shall we continue in sin? So that may grace may increase. Well, actually, that question, of course, the translators have divided the chapter in the scripture and verses, but it’s based really on the two or three verses just preceding, back in chapter 5, particularly in verse 19. Where there the apostle has reasoned, for as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, speaking about Adam, so also shall by one man’s obedience will be many made righteous, speaking about Jesus Christ.

Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Of course, in the context, if you’re familiar with Romans, particularly chapter five, there the apostle has been describing how that even as men became separated from God by sin, and that Adam was the first indeed who brought sin into the world and death by sin, and death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. But through Jesus Christ is the hope of redemption. That we can be reconciled, brought back to God. And his point really is that even though sin has abounded, and in fact, all have sinned, he came to that conclusion back in chapter 323. Yet by the grace of God, undeserved favor on God’s part, he has provided the means by which everyone can be forgiven.

And therefore, grace is the system by which we can have forgiveness. Undeserved on our part that Jesus died on the cross. And yet where sin abounded, grace also abounded. So the reasoning might be well, if the more we sin, that magnifies the grace of God. Well, maybe, maybe just why don’t we just keep on sinning because God’s grace will reach, won’t it? Won’t it forgive no matter what we do? May sound like a logical question and reasoning. And yet he answers his own question with chapter 2, chapter 6 and verse 2, for the new King James verse and says, certainly not. King James says, God forbid. Someone said in the Greek that translation really means no, 10,000 times no. We’ve been studying lessons from the book of Romans over the last few weeks.

We started off in chapter 1, particularly, where the theme is set forth in chapter 1 of Romans verses 16 and 17, where the apostle said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith. What the apostle is setting forth in this letter is the very scheme and theme that we have redemption through Christ Jesus. And particularly he has to deal with the question that it’s not through the law of Moses. There would be some Jews even at this point in history, even Jewish Christians, who were saying, Well, you know, for these Gentiles, if they want to be saved, they’ve got to keep the law of Moses, particularly the right of circumcision.

And they have opposed the fact that Paul has gone into certain cities and baptized many Gentiles and did not require them to keep that Jewish circumcision companed to the law of Moses. So he’s had to reason through this. Why is it that they don’t have to keep that law of Moses? It’s been in effect for 1500 years. It was given by God. It served as a good purpose, should it not also still be obeyed? And what he does, therefore, in this letter is to make a contrast between the system of works. If you’re going to be saved by the law of Moses, it’s God’s law, right? But it demanded perfection. For if you ever violated it, therefore sinned. The only means of any kind of forgiveness, it seemed, would be through the blood of animals, the sacrifice of animals.

And that could never take away sins of mankind. God gave sacrifice, he ordained animal sacrifice, but it served as a shadow of the real, as a forerunner. That you might know blood is where life is. And even the blood of animals that was shed had to be indicating to you that death has to be paid for sins. But it took the blood of one who was perfect. It took the blood of Jesus Christ. It’s his blood by which we have forgiveness of sins. He died in our place for our sins. And so the law mo although the law of Moses was indeed God’s law and it served God’s purpose, yet it couldn’t take away sin, so now there’s a different system. Versus system of works that demand imperfection, or else you couldn’t be saved by it, versus a system of grace through faith.

The system of salvation by faith. And that’s what Romans really is about. And Paul could say, I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It’s the power of salvation to everyone who believes. And as we studied in earlier lessons in chapter 1, he shows how that the wrath of God is revealed against those who are still in sin. Romans 1 and verse 18, against all who even suppress or hinder the truth by their failure to give glory and honor unto God. They’ve turned away from God’s will. And he says God gave them up, gave them up to uncleanness, immorality. God gave them up to vile affections. He talks about homosexuality, Romans 1 26. He finally said he just gave them up to a debased mind that couldn’t tell right from wrong.

And we see even that repeated in our own generation of time. When men do not give glory to God or submit to the word of God, evil only gets worse and worse. It doesn’t stand still. And people progress from one level to a deeper to a different to a different, definitely they don’t even know right from wrong. There are many in our generation who’ve come to that kind of attitude even toward what is important in life. But in chapter 2 of Romans, he said that, you know, those who call themselves righteous, the Jews particularly, don’t point your finger at the Gentiles. You may rest in the law of Moses, but you’re hypocrites, in effect. When you do the same things that they’re doing, why you’ve caused the name of God to be blasphemed.

The fact is, all have sinned. And all have need of the gospel of Jesus Christ and need to obey it fully. And so when we’ve come through these lessons, and even in our lesson last Lord’s Day morning, we talked about how that the cross of Jesus Christ was necessary, that God might be just.

And the Son of God Himself came and lived the perfect life and died on the cross, that that penalty might be made for you and for me. And only through him, but it’s by grace through faith in him. And faith involves our obedience to his word. That God might be just and a justifier. Romans chapter 3, verse 26. That’s how salvation is made possible. But then as he develops further in this theme, showing how that we’re not, we do not need to have the law of Moses. We do not need to have circumcision in order to stand righteous in God’s way. That was a law given earlier. It served its purpose. But indeed, through salvation by the grace of God found in Jesus Christ. But now reasoning the fact, as we just spoke a moment ago in chapter 5, that, you know, sin in the world through Adam, and sin has pervaded all humanity.

1. Before Christ We Were Dead in Sin

Yet the grace of God has gone just as broad as sin. So the question, shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? And the answer, certainly not. God forbid. And he goes on to explain, not if we understand what took place at baptism. When you became a Christian, what took place? Do you realize what it really means to come to the salvation that is in Christ? What were we at that time? Before we came to know Christ, we were dead in sin. Now that’s spiritually dead, of course. We were separated from God. Keep your finger at Romans chapter 6, but then turn with me to the reading found in Ephesians chapter 2. In Ephesians chapter 2, there the apostle also lays out the understanding of how we’re saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, it’s the gift of God.

We did nothing to deserve the death of Christ on the cross. But look at him in Ephesians 2, where he says in verses 1 through 5, and you he made alive who were dead. Dead in trespasses and sins. In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. By nature, in our natural walk, literally, we were children of wrath. What do you mean? Well, by our sins, we caused the wrath of God to be against us.

Why? Because we were in sin. We were walking according to the prince of the power of the air. The devil himself, and his influence, even as he works in the sons of disobedience, and we were walking like all the rest of the world. And consequently, as he starts this chapter, we were dead in sin. Separated from God. And of course, he goes on in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace, you have been saved. You see, much the same theme as in Romans. But notice the very fact is, what were you like before you came to know about the Christ?

2. Baptized Into His Death, Dead to Sin

You were dead spiritually. You had no hope. You were separated from God, and all you had to look forward to, even upon physical death, is eternity, separated from God. And therefore, dead in sin by the grace of God. We’re made alive. Only through the gift of God and the gift of his only begotten Son, because He so loved us, did He make it possible that we can be made alive again spiritually. And when and how that happened. Now go with me back to Romans chapter 6 that we read a moment ago. And I tell you, this is one of the strongest passages that I know of that really shows us why and why baptism is essential. How it is that we become reconciled to God. Romans chapter 6 and verse 3 says, Or do you not know that as many of us as we’re baptized into Christ Jesus, we’re baptized into his death?

Form of a question. Don’t you understand? We’d say it. Verse 4 Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death. That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have, for if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. You see, now what happens is we’re baptized into the death of Jesus Christ. And what does that make us? Instead of being dead in sin, it makes us dead to sin. That’s the very language back in verse 2. Don’t you know, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer therein?

In the act of baptism, what happens is sins are washed away. We’re dead to sin. We’re raised to walk in newness of life. That’s change. I say, I think this is one of the strongest passages to show us when we really become Christians. It’s very popular today to say, oh, just accept Christ as your Savior in the point of belief, right then you’re saved. Be born again? How are you born again? How do you start walking newness of life? This passage clearly says it. It’s at the time that we reach the death of Christ, because that’s where his blood was shed. And it takes blood to pay the penalty of our sins that required spiritual death. But now in Christ Jesus, we’re raised. And we’re raised to walk in newness.

That is, we’re born again at that point. I know there are those who like to say, well, you know, Romans 6 is just probably talking about Holy Spirit baptism. It’s not talking about water baptism. That’s the best claim we can get on this passage. But I’ll tell you, every time you find the word baptism, really, that stands by itself, it always carries the idea of what is involved with water baptism. You remember when Jesus gave the commission to his apostles in Matthew chapter 28? He said, Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The only kind of baptism one person can administer to another person has to be water baptism. Man never could and never has administered Holy Spirit baptism on another.

But what Jesus commissioned, you go teach and you baptize them. You apostles. And those who would follow thereafter. In fact, in Acts chapter 8, you find the great commission being carried out. When there we read about the man named Philip, one of the disciples of the Lord, not an apostle. But in Acts 8 35, where he came to the man from Ethiopia riding in the chariot, and he was reading from Isaiah. He didn’t understand what he was reading about, really, where it was a passage in Isaiah 53 about the sacrifice prophesied, sacrifice of Christ. And therefore he preached unto him Jesus, the scripture says in verse 35. And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water, and the Ethiopian eunuch said, See, here’s water, what hinders me from being baptized?

Here’s water, what hinders me. And it wasn’t Philip who’s saying, Now, look, you know, we’ve just talked about baptism, and here’s good water. Why don’t you come forward and be baptized? That’s not the way it went. He preached Jesus. What was preached in preaching Jesus? Since the Ethiopian was the one who raised the question, what hinders me? Obviously, he’s preached about even how to become a Christian. If you preach Jesus, the Ethiopian said, What hinders me to be baptized? As a believer. In fact, what Philip said to him, if you believe, you may. And the Ethiopian said, I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still. They both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him.

As a believer, he was immersed. They both went down into the water. That’s the example of baptism. In fact, in Acts chapter 10, where in the house of Cornelius, the first Gentile, after the Holy Spirit had fallen on that household to show that now Gentiles could be saved by faith, just as Jews. Then it was Peter who said, Can any man forbid water? That these should not be baptized who received the Holy Spirit as well as we. He commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Why would he command baptism? If it were not essential. In fact, in 1 Peter chapter 3, verses 20 and 21, even the apostle Peter wrote how that even as in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water, the like figure.

Where unto even baptism doth also now save us. Not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Christ. It’s not just taking a bath, it’s not just washing the flesh. But he said it’s the answer of faith. Answer of a good conscience. But it’s in water baptism that there is salvation to be found. Why? Because it’s in water baptism. If we find it’s for the remission or forgiveness of sins. Acts 2 and verse 38. That’s what was commanded on the day of Pentecost, the very first sermon preached this side of the cross. When they asked, What shall we do? Pricked in their heart, believers. Repent and be baptized. In fact, Acts 22 16 explains what happens.

Even Saul himself, later now as the Apostle Paul, when he describes his own conversion, says when Ananias came to him, he said, Why tarriest thou rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. It’s in baptism that we reach the blood of Jesus Christ. The likeness, though, of a burial. We become dead to sin. Christ died on the cross for sin. We are buried with him, united with him into his death. And we rise to walk in newness of life, sins washed away. I believe as you read Romans chapter 6, the apostle therefore is answering a question. Shall we continue in sin? Now that we’ve been forgiven, does it matter? Let’s just go on and do what we do, you know.

3. Baptism Is the Starting Point of a New Life

There are those who would say, well, you know, once saved, always saved. But that’s not what the scripture says. In fact, right here, the apostle is saying, Look, no, if you understand what really happens in baptism, you died to sin. And you’re raised to walk in newness of life. There’s a change in your conduct. Baptism is not the finish line, it’s the starting point. There’s a new life to be lived. We put off the body of sin. We’re to put on the new man. Read with me again, Romans 6, verses 6 through 14. Where he continues by saying, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died to sin once for all. For the life that he lives, he lives to God. Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lust. Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you’re not under law, but under grace. You see, the person who’s obeyed the gospel experiences a change in his lifestyle. Sin is no longer in control. Maybe there was a time where sin was his master. When people are living without the Christ doing their own thing. It doesn’t matter to them. What morality means, it really won’t matter. If you’re not going to fear the Lord and face judgment to come, do your own thing. But if you understand that God really is in control. You come to Christ Jesus and you obey the gospel of Christ, you’re committing your life to a change. There must be a difference in the way you talk, a difference in the kind of friends you would have, a difference in the way you might dress.

You have an attitude that Jesus Christ had to glorify God in your body and in your spirit. Indeed, there’s this kind of theme is found in other passages of the Bible, not only in Romans 6, but even in Ephesians chapter 4, Colossians chapter 3. For example, let me just read a few passages in Colossians, the first three, three verses of Colossians chapter 3. The scripture says, If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above. Where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Therefore put to death your members, which are on the earth. Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie one to another since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him. I tell you, my beloved, if your lifestyle hadn’t changed when you were baptized, probably it was of no effect for you. If you truly believe in the Lord, and you were buried by faith in his death, and you rise to walk in newness of life, there’s a difference.

You’re not going to walk like the hypocrite walks. There’s a difference. But in our lifestyle, it begins to shine out as a light to others. This last week I received in an email, I thought a very good uh picture and a statement. You know, this is kind of getting close to pumpkin time. And that’s kind of the way the email was written, like, you know, it’s pumpkins. And actually, it had a little statement that went with it like this. It says, being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, he touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff. Including the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed, etc.

Then he carves you a new smiling face and puts his light inside you to shine for all the world to see. Everything is a pumpkin. I thought that’s a pretty good illustration of the very point I think the apostle’s making here in Romans chapter 6, as he does in Ephesians 4, Colossians 3. There’s a change in life. There’s a difference between the old man and the new man. But now there’s joy that becomes our strength. The knowing of salvation through Jesus Christ. And there’s the blessing of a peace in our hearts that knows that God is with us, and that therefore, no matter come what may in life, I have a promise of something far greater than anything now. I’m looking forward to heaven itself. And therefore there is light shining.

4. Slaves of Righteousness, Not Slaves of Sin

And there’s the smile on our face. There’s the calmness of spirit. What a blessing to be in Jesus Christ. So shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. We’re going to change our lifestyle. We’re going to try to live like God would have his people to live. And therefore we’re like a pumpkin. Back to the passage in Romans chapter 6. Look with me in verses 15 through 18. In Romans 6 and verse 15, he says, What then? Shall we sin because we’re not under law, but under grace? Now you know there are people who hear the word grace, unmarried to favor, and it’s kind of like, well, you know, it doesn’t matter what we do, because we’re under grace, aren’t we? We’re not under the law.

We’re not under the law of Moses. We’re under the law to Christ, but this is the system of grace. Undeserved forgiveness. So he raises the question, shall we sin because we’re under grace? He answers again, certainly not. God forbid. Verse 16, do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you’re that one’s slaves whom you obey? Whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness. But God bethink that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Find it interesting that in this text he uses the word that is translated the New King James Version properly.

You’re slaves. Now, and then that period of time they understood slavery probably better than we do today. But a slave was one who was owned by a master. It was obligated to that master. How many of us feel that way about Christ? You know, we we have a different culture today. And maybe far too often, even it affects the attitude of some Christians. You have the right to do what I want to do. You know, I live in a free country. And you can do your own thing. Well, politically and socially, I’m thankful for that. And I’m thankful we’re able to come together in assembly like this this morning without fear of oppression from authorities. But spiritually, we do not have the right to do what we want to do if we’re in Christ.

We understand we are as slaves to Jesus Christ, committed to do his will. And it isn’t an oppressive slavery, but it’s like, as the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2 and verse 20, I’m crucified with Christ. It’s no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me. In the life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. And therefore, even though now, as a Christian, I can still choose whom I’m going to serve. I can still serve sin. I can go back into it. But I won’t be faithful to the Lord. Or I can choose to be a slave to God. Did you notice in verse 17, he said, God bethink, though you were slaves of sin, you’ve obeyed from the heart, that form of doctrine delivered you.

Now, in this context, what form of doctrine do you think he’s talking about? We just talked about verses 3 through 5. You were baptized in the death of Christ. And he also would say that’s more than just an act that’s outward, because he said, You obeyed from the heart. Baptism is an act of faith. It’s an act of obedient faith. And so it’s from that perspective that you obey from the heart, and then says, being then made free from sin. You weren’t made free from sin because you mentally agreed Jesus, Son of God. You’re made free from sin when you obeyed from the heart. That form of doctrine. But notice when you obeyed from that, that made you at that point a new creature. Rise to walk in newness of life.

5. The Rewards of Choosing to Serve the Lord

But one more point, and we’ll have the lesson close. Look at verses 19 through 23. And look at the rewards, really, as he speaks of choosing to serve the Lord. In verse 19, he said, I speak in human terms, because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness and of lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness. So now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you’re now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. When you were slaves of sin. Now, as a Christian, you’ll look back and you’re ashamed. I wish I hadn’t done those things.

Conclusion

But he said, what it amounted to really finally was death. Not only the physical death, but spiritual separation. But then what about being a Christian? Verse 22, but now having been set free from sin, having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness. And the end? Everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Choose whom you serve. Fact is, everybody in this audience has that privilege and that responsibility. Choose whom you serve. Now you can be a slave to sin, or you can be a slave to Jesus Christ. There are two ways. And each of us make the choice: eternal life or death. What’s before you? If Christ came this very day, where would you find yourself?

Slave to sin or slave to Christ. Maybe there’s some of us who maybe once were baptized, but we haven’t lived like a Christian ought to live, and we know it. And the world may refer to us as a hypocrite. And I’ll tell you, my beloved, if that’s the way you know you present yourself to the world, it’s the way you present yourself to God, for he knows. Turn around, repent, get yourself right with the Lord. Glorify Him in your body and in your spirit. And if we can pray for you, God will forgive as you repent. But it’s a choice you must make. But there are those here who’ve never obeyed the gospel, who’ve never been baptized, and found the newness of life in Him. This morning you can be baptized.

Our baptistries filled, there’s clothing prepared. What remains is an attitude of faith to obey. Our song number 275 is in the form of a question. Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own his cause or blush to speak his name? Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease while others fought to win the prize and sail through bloody seas? Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this dark world a friend to grace to help me on to God? Sure, I must fight if I would reign. Increase my courage, Lord. I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain. Supported by thy word. We can assist you in any way, making your heart right with the Lord.

We bid you come forward even now, while together we stand and sing this song.