Our passage of the day in Romans 6 reminds us why and how we are able to have victory over sin through Christ. It says we can obey daily from the heart.
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From the Heart
Romans 6:11-18
- The difference between life and death is seen in our passage of the day
- Life in Christ or death in sin
- And it speaks to the way we live our lives
- Yielded to God or yielded to sinful desires
- How do we obey from the heart?
- That's our theme today
- From Romans 6:11-18
- How do we go from a place (before we knew Christ) of sin and disobedience to God
- To a place (after we know Christ) of good works and obedience to God?
- Our passage of the day will help us with the answer
- It will remind us of our transformation in Him
- It will also remind us of the battles we face daily
- And will make clear that victory is possible
- This is why we are reviewing this text...
Romans 6:11
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- The Bible says many times that we have been "quickened"
- This simply means "made alive" through faith in Christ
- Some have rightly said "Christ didn't come to make bad men good, he came to make dead men alive."
- When we are made alive, we are no longer slaves to sin
- And the Holy Spirit, who lives within all believers, convicts us if we do sin
- By the way, conviction is an understanding in the heart that our actions are wrong (without doubt) and that we have a responsibility before God to do right
- Those who can, by habit, choose to reject God's commands
- Should examine carefully (with Bible in hand)
- Whether or not they have been made alive by Christ
- And are therefore dead unto sin
- But those of us who are trusting Him, and Him alone, for salvation
- Have indeed been made alive
- And we see evidence that this is true when we sin
- Since this is the case…
Romans 6:12
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
- So, if you've been made alive in Christ
- Live like you have
- Don't let sin reign
- Don't allow sin to have a hold on you
- To enslave you again
- To be a controlling influence on you habitually
- It is possible to go back
- Even though we are free, we can voluntarily enslave ourselves again
- And often do
- But this passage says don't
- And the passage goes on…
Romans 6:13
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
- When we're driving and we see a "yield" sign, we must choose
- Spiritually, we yield to something, better yet, to someone
- To our own desires
- Or to God's desires for us
- To that which the world tells us is good
- Or to that which God tells us is good
- If we are His, we have the ability to choose right
- We must choose to yield to Him
- It is the yieldedness that makes all the difference
- Are the reigns turned over to Christ?
- Are His desires our desires?
- Do we reject our own will and embrace His?
- Do we consider Him utterly in charge of everything?
- If so…
Romans 6:14
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
- The words "under grace" are encouraging
- We are under grace regarding salvation
- The definition of grace is unmerited favor
- It is a free gift we do not deserve
- Our salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone
- But we are also "under grace" when we choose sin after salvation
- And we often will!
- But God provides grace enough to live after we are saved
- That means, we have enough grace for life
- No matter how difficult it may turn out to be
- God's free gift is enough to save us
- And enough to sustain us
- If we hear this, we may have a question the text has…
Romans 6:15
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
- This doesn't mean we go about acting in an unconcerned manner
- There is no sense of disregard for those who know Him
- We are deeply concerned with doing His will
- For He is our father
- The One who loves us and the One whom we love
- We are thankful for what He has done
- And committed to service
- Therefore we seek after obedience
- We don't sin because of grace
- We are convinced to yield ourselves because of grace
- Or, at least, this is the way it ought to be
- Because…
Romans 6:16
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
- We should know
- If there comes a time when we do make decisions in opposition to God
- This is sin
- It is the "way of death"
- From which we have been delivered
- This should not be so
- And while our sinful flesh may be tempted to excuses
- And justifications
- And caveats
- We have not any
- For we are free - dead to sin
- Remember…
Romans 6:17
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
- Those in the church at Rome had victory
- Because victory is possible
- For them - and for us
- We are not enslaved
- God gives us the tools we need to remain free
- The wonderful news is that God has changed our hearts
- They are now set on Him
- On doing His will
- And we can (as these Romans did) obey from the heart
- Isn't that the goal?
- That our hearts would be so full of Him - so set on Him
- That we were prepared to win the battle
- Prepared to yield
- Have a heart to surrender to His will
- This passage is such an encouragement in letting us know
- That this is possible
Romans 6:18
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
- To be servants of righteousness
- Is to be walking successfully with Him
- That is our goal and our great joy
- To, in action and in heart, be truly His