'Will we continue in sin?'
Back to 'Christ in You'
It may be observed in the sixth chapter of the Book of Romans that our participation through faith in the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus is demonstrated by whether or not we continue in sin after we become a Christian.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1)
The answer that we give to this question, both in our words and in our conduct, reveals whether or not we understand the significance of water baptism—what it means to be buried with Christ and risen with Christ.
If we keep on walking in the desires of the flesh after we become a Christian, stating that as long as we are in the world we are compelled to sin or that Christ has set us free and we are under no law of righteous conduct, we do not understand the nature or purpose of the redemption that is in Christ.
There are authority and power in our union with the death and resurrection of Christ that enable us to choose to live righteously. Chapter Six of Romans is a safeguard inserted by the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is to prevent a wrong conclusion from Paul’s argument concerning the gift of grace—an argument directed toward Judaizers who were forcing circumcision and other works of the Law of Moses on Gentile converts.
The safeguard has not been heeded. The Gentiles have interpreted Paul’s explanation of grace to mean that the individual who accepts Christ is not obligated to live in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God. The goal of redemption has been subverted by ignorance. People keep on yielding to unrighteousness after being baptized in water.
The sixth chapter of Romans begins the next step of redemption after we enter the program by our acceptance of God’s provision of the blood. The blood of Jesus is the door, and the only door, to the process of redemption.
Chapters One through Five of Romans describe the gift of justification—that is, righteousness apart from the works of the Law of Moses, on the part of the believer. The gift of justification must be understood and accepted before there can be any progress in overcoming sin by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let us state at this point that the Apostle Paul never contrasts grace and godly behavior. Paul contrasts grace and the Law of Moses. When Paul refers to works of righteousness he means the works of the Law of Moses. Paul would never contrast grace and godly behavior because the purpose of Divine grace is to create godly behavior, a new creation, in the human personality. This is one of the great areas of confusion of the Church Age.
Commencing with the sixth chapter of Romans, Paul explains the procedures that lead to the goals of redemption—procedures available only after we enter through the doorway of the cross of Calvary.
Having begun the program by placing our faith in the blood of Christ we must continue by following the Holy Spirit as He destroys sin and self-seeking from us and creates the dwelling place of God through Christ in us.
If we do not press forward each day in the life of the Holy Spirit, thinking that Christ has set us free so we may conduct our life according to our own lusts and interests, not realizing He has purchased us so we may become His servant, then God’s purpose in saving us through the blood is frustrated because of our ignorance of the program of redemption.
We must keep firmly in mind that God’s purpose in forgiving us is not that we may continue to sin and rebel in the earth and then be admitted to Paradise when we die. God’s purpose in forgiving us is that we may be changed into the image of Christ, providing a house for God and the means of accomplishing other goals that are part of His eternal plan in Christ.
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3)
Water baptism is our entrance into the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. By faith we take our place with Him on the cross of Calvary. We become part of His death and His resurrection.
Christ is the true Seed of Abraham. We enter His death and His resurrection and are identified forever as being with Him, in Him, an inseparable part of Him. Therefore all that He Is we eventually will become in personality and in inheritance (Ephesians 5:29,30; Colossians 2:10; I John 4:17).
In water baptism we enter Christ’s death and Christ’s resurrection, not our own death and resurrection. We enter the suffering and death, and the power of the resurrection life, of the Lord Jesus Christ. The full identification of the believer with the death and the resurrection of Christ is essential to the life of victorious discipleship.
What is the purpose of entering Christ’s death and resurrection?
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)
God is not reforming and saving our first personality. God directs us to assign our entire first personality to the cross, not just our sin nature, but our entire personality. The old creation, the race of Adam, is finished, in the sight of God.
Back to 'Christ in You'