Romans 6

Newness of lifeVerses 1-4

 What shall we say then?

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

                        God forbid

How shall we – that are dead to sin – live any longer therein?

            know you not that so many of us as were baptized into

Jesus Christ were baptized into HIS death?

THEREFORE we are buried with HIM by baptism into death

            that like as Christ was raise up from the dead by the

glory of the Father even so we also should

walk in newness of life

Free from power of sinVerses 5-11

 FOR if we have been planted together in the likeness of HIS death

            we shall be also in the likeness of HIS 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

for he that is dead is freed from sin

NOW if we be dead with Christ

            we believe that we shall also live with HIM

                        knowing that Christ being raised from the dead

died no more death has

no more dominion over HIM

FOR in that HE died – HE died unto sin once

BUT in that HE lives HE lives unto God

LIKEWISE reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin

BUT alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord 

Instrument of righteousnessVerses 12-14

 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body

            that you should obey it in the lusts thereof

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness

to sin but yield yourselves unto God

as those that are alive from the dead

                                    and your members as

instruments of righteousness to God

FOR sin shall not have dominion over you

            for you are not under the law – BUT under grace

Servants of righteousnessVerses 15-18

 What then? shall we sin – because we are not under the law

but under grace?  God forbid

Know you not – that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey

his servants you are to whom you obey

whether of sin unto death

or of obedience unto righteousness?

BUT God be thanked – that you were the servants of sin

BUT you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine

which was delivered you

Being them made free from sin

you became the servants of righteousness

Results are eternal life in heavenVerses 19-23

 I speak after the manner of men

because of the infirmity of your flesh

                        for as you have yielded your members

servants to uncleanness

and iniquity unto iniquity

                        even so now yield your members

servants to righteousness to holiness

FOR when you were the servants of sin

you were free from righteousness

                        what fruit had you then in those things

whereof you are now ashamed?

                                                for the end of those things is death

BUT now being made free from sin – and become servants of God

            you have your fruit unto holiness – and the end everlasting life

FOR the wages of sin is death

            BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 4        Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (2538 “newness” [kainotes] means a state of being different, new life, new spirit, freshness, or life of new quality)

DEVOTION:  Change is what takes place once we make a commitment to Christ. Our old self is dead. Our new self has come alive through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

The illustration that is give is that of baptism. We believe that baptism is by emersion in water. Our whole body is put under the water to show the end of the old life and the beginning of the new life in Christ.

I had one lady who was afraid of the water who held her hand on the glass in front of a baptismal pool in a Baptist church. I was told after this happened that I had to baptize her again because the hand wasn’t buried with Christ. She is still living for the LORD so I didn’t put her into the pool again.

The symbolism of water baptism is used here to show that once we have made a commitment to Christ we have to take a second step of obedience to show the public that we mean business with God. It is not part of our salvation but it is an outward sign of an inward change.

We are given a new life in Christ to live for HIM the rest of our time here on this earth. This means giving of our time, talent and treasure to HIM to show that we are thankful for the gift of eternal life HE has given us. It doesn’t earn us more salvation. It doesn’t make us more spiritual than others. It is a step to honor the LORD.

Our thinking has to change in relationship to all the things we did before we became a believer. Our upbringing, even in a Christian home, might not be pleasing to the LORD. We have to check out our parents instructions from the Word of God to see if they were accurate. If they were than live them. If they were not, then change to agree with the Word of God. No parent is perfect in their instructions in the Word of God. The Bible is inerrant. What it says is truth!!!

CHALLENGE: Do you see a freshness in your life that wasn’t there before you became a believer? If not, ask the LORD for a gift of fresh oil from above. Let the Holy Spirit change you!! 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 6        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. (4957 “crucified with” [sustauroo] means together with, become crucified along with another or others, to impale in company with, or one who I snailed to the cross with one or more persons)

DEVOTION:  We don’t think that we are slaves to anything. Sometimes children think that they are slaves to their parents. The parents tell them to clean their room. They tell them to do their homework. They give them chores to do around the house. It seems like these things never end.  The problem is that children are usually the ones who make the messes in their rooms and leave their things around the house that need to be picked up.

Remember that whether we are children or adults who have become followers of God we still have at least two traits that we bring into our new life in Christ. We bring in our laziness and our selfishness. It is hard to get rid of these two areas of our life.

However, we are no longer slaves to these things. We can overcome with the power of the Holy Spirit working in our life. We have to pray each time Satan tempts us to be selfish or lazy when it comes to helping our parents or others. God wants us to be servants that are pleasing to HIM.

CHALLENGE:  Service starts at home and then goes to the church and then into the community. If believers are faithful in their service to the LORD people will notice and praise the God we serve.  

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 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. (3936 “yield” [paristemi] means to stand beside, assist, bring before, provide, or to place a person or thing at one’s disposal)

DEVOTION:  Choices!!! We make choices each day. We have to decide what time to get up each morning. We have to decide what to wear. We have to decide what to eat. We have to decide if we are going to follow the LORD each morning. We make thousands of decisions each day. Some of our decisions we consider physical and other spiritual. However, each decision deals with our spiritual life.

Paul is trying to get a point across to the Roman Christians. What is his point? He wants them to realize that every decision is a spiritual decision. Each decision affects their spiritual growth. He wants them to realize that they are dead to sin. They are no longer slaves to sin. They are no longer slaves to unrighteousness.

They are buried with Christ in baptism. They are raised to newness of life. This new life makes them slaves to righteousness. They have to ask the LORD for guidance for their decisions to be righteous decisions. Some of the decisions we make regard our service to the LORD.  Too often we don’t think these thoughts. Are we using our gift to serve the LORD? Many use the excuse they don’t know their spiritual gift but they are not really trying to find it. They would rather sit, soak and sour in the pews of the church rather than serve the LORD. Some of these individuals are not saved. Many say they can’t witness or visit other in the name of Christ but that is another excuse. God has given them the Holy Spirit to help them in these areas. We are the only witnesses and servants that the LORD wants to use in our world. If we are not doing it, who will?????

Our first yielding was when we chose to follow the LORD. Now we make an hourly choice to be servants of righteousness. Each day is a new day to serve the LORD. The list is long regarding our salvation. We used to be servants of sin. We now are to be servants of righteousness. Each moment we make that choice. We are still tempted by three items: the world, the flesh and the devil. Our old nature is still in us until we die. The two natures are fighting for control.

The Holy Spirit within us gives us strength for this daily battle. It is great to know that when we fail, the LORD lifts us up again to fight another day until we die. Should we fail on purpose? Should we sin so that we can receive more grace? This chapter says NO!! We need to have the strength of the LORD through the disciplines of the faith each day. Are we practicing them?

CHALLENGE: Remember to thank God each morning for HIS new mercies. We need them. Then pray for the LORD to give you strength to make the right decisions throughout the day. HE will give you strength and wisdom, as long as, you ask HIM for them.

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: 14      For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. (2961 “dominion” [kurieuo] means rule, be master of, to govern, be lord of, dictate, to exercise influence upon, or have power over)

DEVOTION:  Dominion is something that is important each day of our life.  Each morning we have to make a decision regarding our relationship to obedience to the LORD. It is not an easy decision because we have to work at our relationship. The enemy is real. He wants us to yield to him and sin. God wants us to yield to HIM and with HIS power conquer sin in our life.

The Law of Moses was given to show all of us what sin really is in the eyes of the LORD. There are many laws that the Israelites had to follow that dealt with dietary laws and ceremonial laws that we are not required to obey.

However, the Ten Commandments are still in effect today to show us that we are sinners because we can’t keep them all. We break them even after we become believers. God wants us to know that we are sinners and that HE is one who forgives our sins. HE knows that we can’t live sinless lives while we are here on this earth. HE gives us grace each day. HE gives us mercies that are new every morning.

Grace is God’s unmerited favor. This is given to us because of the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross. We didn’t earn HIS unmerited favor, it was given as a free gift because of HIS love for us.

We are not allowed to let sin have dominion over us. If we start “living in sin” HE will send chastening into our life to correct this. If we don’t let chastening correct our sin then he will send weakness or sickness to get our attention. Then if we are still not listening to HIM and we are genuine believers HE can sent pre-mature death.

CHALLENGE:  HE wants us to bring glory to HIS name.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Law                                                                            verses 14, 15

Doctrine                                                                     verse 17

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

                       Father                                                                        verse 4

Glory of the Father                                                    verse 4

                     God                                                                             verses 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 22, 23

Gift of God                                                                 verse 23

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

                    Jesus                                                                          verse 3, 11, 23

Christ                                                                          verses 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 23

Jesus Christ                                                                 verses 3, 11, 23

HIS death                                                                    verses 3, 5, 8, 10

Resurrection                                                                verses 4, 5, 9

Death has no more domino over HIM                       verse 9

Lives unto God                                                            verse 10

Lord                                                                             verse 11

Jesus Christ our Lord                                                  verses 11, 23

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

God forbid                                                                 verses 2, 15

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Mortal body                                                              verse 12

Men                                                                           verse 19

Infirmity of flesh                                                       verse 19

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

                    Sin                                                                           verses 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12-18, 22, 23

                     Old man                                                                  verse 6

                     Lusts                                                                        verse 12

                     Instruments of unrighteousness                            verse 13

                     Sin unto death                                                         verse 16

                     Servants of sin                                                         verses 17, 20

                     Servants to uncleanness                                          verse 19

                     Servants to iniquity                                                  verse 19

                     Free from righteousness                                          verse 20

                     Wages of sin                                                             verse 23

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

                   Grace                                                                         verses 1, 14, 15

Dead to sin                                                                verses 2, 4, 7, 11, 12

Baptized into Jesus Christ                                        verse 3

Buried with Christ in baptism                                   verses 3, 4

Walk in newness of life                                              verse 4

Planted together with Christ                                     verse 5

Old man is crucified                                                   verse 6

Body of sin is destroyed                                             verse 6

No longer serve sin                                                     verse 6

Freed from sin                                                             verses 7, 18, 22

Live with Christ                                                            verse 8

Reckon dead to sin                                                      verse 11

Alive unto God                                                             verses 11, 13

Instruments of righteousness                                     verse 13

Yield self to God                                                          verse 13

Not under law                                                              verse 14, 15

Obedience unto righteousness                                   verse 16

Thank God                                                                   verse 17

Obeyed from the heart                                               verse 17

Doctrine                                                                       verse 17

Free from sin                                                                verses 18, 22

Servants of righteousness                                           verse 18

Servants of righteousness unto holiness                    verse 19

Fruit unto holiness                                                       verse 22

Servants to God                                                           verse 22

Everlasting life                                                              verses 22, 23

Gift of God                                                                   verse 23 

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Church (New Testament people of God) 

Baptized                                                                      verse 3, 4 

Last Things (Future Events) 

Death                                                                           verse 21

Everlasting life                                                             verse 22

Eternal life                                                                    verse 23

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QUOTES regarding passage

The purpose behind the crucifixion of our old man is that sin should be rendered powerless so far as we are concerned. But the expression “body of sin” is a phrase that needs clarification. It should not be regarded as equivalent to “sinful body,” for the body itself is not sinful. Scripture is clear in its teaching that sin arises from the heart, the inner life (Mark 7:21). Should we settle for “sinful self” (NEB)? This is suggestive, since the word sōma (“body”) sometimes conveys the idea of man in his totality, not simply his physical organism. But this may be going too far in the present passage. The term “body” glances at the fact of crucifixion, which Christ endured in the body. Our body can become the instrument of sin, thus negating the truth of crucifixion with Christ. So “body of sin” seems to mean body insofar as it may become the vehicle of sin. Its previous slavery to the dictates of sin is broken. This annulling of the power of sin is based on a recognized principle—that death settles all claims. Our union with Christ in his death, which was designed to deal with sin once for all, means that we are free from the hold of sin. Its mastery is broken (v. 7). (Harrison, E. F. (1976). Romans. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, p. 70). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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Our old man (ὁ παλαιος ἡμων ἀνθρωπος [ho palaios hēmōn anthrōpos]). Only in Paul (here, Col. 3:9; Eph. 4:22). Was crucified with him (συνεσταυρωθη [sunestaurōthē]). See on Gal. 2:19 for this boldly picturesque word. This took place not at baptism, but only pictured there. It took place when “we died to sin” (verse 1). The body of sin (το σωμα της ἁμαρτιας [to sōma tēs hamartias]). “The body of which sin has taken possession” (Sanday and Headlam), the body marked by sin. That so we should no longer be in bondage to sin (του μηκετι δουλευειν ἡμας τῃ ἁμαρτιᾳ [tou mēketi douleuein hēmas tēi hamartiāi]). Purpose clause with του [tou] and the present active infinitive of δουλευω [douleuō], continue serving sin (as slaves). Adds “slavery” to living in sin (verse 2).  (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Ro 6:6–7). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)

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(6:5–7) In verses 1–4, Paul has brought out two major facts; first, that when God saves a sinner, He separates him from the indwelling sinful nature, which cleavage is so effective, that the believer is not compelled to sin anymore; he has been permanently delivered from its power, when at the same time that nature is left in him permanently; second, that God at the same time has imparted the divine nature, which gives him both the desire and the power to do God’s will. Now, in verses 5–10, he repeats these great truths in the event that some of his readers may not have caught their full implications as presented in verses 2–4.

The “if” is the “if” of a fulfilled condition, the “in view of the fact,” or the “since such and such a thing is so.” “Have been planted together” is the perfect tense verb of ginomai (γινομαι), “to become,” speaking of a past complete act and its abiding results, and the noun sumphutoi (συμφυτοι). The verb phuō (φυω) means “to grow,” and the prefixed preposition sun (συν), “with,” thus, the compound word means “to grow up together with.” It speaks of a living, vital union of two individuals growing up together. The word could be used of the Siamese twins whose bodies were connected at one point, and whose blood stream flowed through two physical bodies as it does normally through one. Here the word speaks of that vital union of the believing sinner and the Lord Jesus mentioned in verses 3 and 4 where God places him into Christ at the Cross, to share His death and resurrection. The word “likeness” is homoiōma (ὁμοιωμα), referring to a likeness or resemblance which Thayer says in this case amounts almost to an identity. That is, the believing sinner and the Lord Jesus were united in a death at Calvary, His death, a vicarious one that had to do with the salvation of the believing sinner from the guilt, penalty, and power of sin, the sinner’s death, one which he in justice should have died as a result of that sin, but which in the grace of God was borne as to its guilt and penalty by His Son. Both deaths had to do with sin, but from different aspects.

The future aspect of the words “we shall be” is not that of a predictive future so far as time is concerned, but that of a logical future. Paul says in his Greek, “For, in view of the fact that we have become those permanently united with Him with respect to the likeness of His death, certainly also (as a logical result) we shall become those who have become permanently united with him with respect to the likeness of His resurrection.” The latter expression is defined by its context. The physical aspect of the resurrection, namely, the glorification of our bodies, is not in the apostle’s mind here, for he is writing in a context of sanctification, not glorification. The aspect of our Lord’s resurrection spoken of here is that of the new type of life He lives as the Man Christ Jesus since His resurrection, not now a life in which the soul life has prominence, since He as the Man Christ Jesus was surrounded with and had to take cognizance of the human life and limitations He possessed and which surrounded Him, but a life in which the human spirit is in prominence. So, the saint in his new condition orders his behavior in the power of a new life imparted, namely, the resurrection life of his Lord. The little word “also” (v. 4) tells us all this. Our Lord’s resurrection life is being lived in a new sphere, and so is the Christian’s.

Then Paul develops his thesis. As a result of the believer having become united with Christ in His death, the power of the sinful nature is broken, and this Paul treats in verses 6 and 7. In view of the fact that he has become united with Him in His resurrection, the divine nature has been imparted. And this Paul speaks of in verses 8–10.

In verse 6, three problems face us. Who is the old man, what is the body of sin, and what is involved in the word translated “destroyed”?

There are two words in Greek which mean “man,” anthrōpos (ἀνθρωπος), the generic, racial term which is used for a male individual at times, which also has the idea in it of mankind, and when speaking of the human race as a collection of individuals, can include men and women. The other word is anēr (ἀνηρ), which refers to a male person. The word anthrōpos (ἀνθρωπος) is used here, referring to the individual man or woman. There are two words in Greek which mean “old,” archaios (ἀρχαιος), which means “old in point of time,” and palaios (παλαιος), which means “old in point of use.” The second is used here. Trench defines the word as follows; “old in the sense that it is more or less worn out.” It describes something that is worn out, useless, fit to be put on the scrap pile, to be discarded. Thus, the old man here refers to that person the believer was before he was saved, totally depraved, unregenerate, lacking the life of God.

The word “body” is sōma (σωμα), the human body. The word “sin” is in the genitive case, here, the genitive of possession. The reference is therefore to the believer’s physical body before salvation, possessed by or dominated and controlled by the sinful nature. The person the believer was before he was saved was crucified with Christ in order that his physical body which before salvation was dominated by the evil nature, might be destroyed, Paul says. The word “destroyed” is katargeō (καταργεω), “to render idle, inactive, inoperative, to cause to cease.” Thus, the entire idea is, “knowing this, that our old man, that person we were before we were saved, was crucified with Him, in order that our physical body which at that time was dominated by the sinful nature, might be rendered inoperative in that respect, namely, that of being controlled by the sinful nature, in order that no longer are we rendering a slave’s habitual obedience to the sinful nature.” The words “that henceforth we should not serve sin” (a.v.) imply an obligation on our part. There is such, but Paul is not discussing that in this chapter. He argues that point in 12:1, 2. Here the fact is stated, that this disengagement of the believer from the evil nature has been brought about by God with the result that the believer no longer renders a slave’s obedience to the evil nature habitually as he did before God saved him.

Let us use a rather simple illustration to make this clear. It is that of a machine shop in which there is a turning lathe operated by means of a belt which is attached to a revolving wheel in the ceiling of the room. When the workman wishes to render the lathe inoperative, in other words, wishes to stop it, he takes a pole and slides the belt off from the wheel, thus disengaging the turning lathe from the revolving wheel which heretofore had driven it. That turning lathe is like the human body of the sinner, and the revolving wheel in the ceiling, like the evil nature. As the wheel in the ceiling makes the turning lathe go round, so the sinful nature controls the body of the sinner. And as the machinist renders the lathe inoperative by slipping off the belt which connected it with the wheel, so God in salvation slips the belt, so to speak, off from the sinful nature which connected it with the physical body of the believer, thus rendering that body inoperative so far as any control which that nature might have over the believer, is concerned.

The Christian is exhorted to maintain that relationship of disconnection which God has brought about between him and the indwelling sinful nature. God has not taken away the Christian’s free will, and does not treat him as a machine. It is possible for the Christian by an act of his will to slip the belt back on, connecting himself with the evil nature, thus bringing sin into his life. But, he is not able to do this habitually, and for various reasons. In the first place, it is not the Christian’s nature to sin. He has been made a partaker of the divine nature which impels him to hate sin and to love holiness. In the second place, the minute a Christian sins, the Holy Spirit is grieved, and that makes the believer decidedly uncomfortable, spiritually. God also sends suffering and chastening into his life as a curb to sin. All these things taken together, preclude any possibility of the Christian taking advantage of divine grace.

Paul now reinforces his previous declaration to the effect that the believer is so disengaged from the evil nature that he no longer lives a life of habitual sin, by the statement, “For he that is dead is freed from sin.” “Is dead” is aorist tense in the Greek text, namely, “he who died,” referring to the historic fact of a believing sinner being identified with Christ in His death on the Cross. The prefixed preposition apo (ἀπο) means “off, away from” and the aorist tense refers to a once for all action. Thus we have, “the one who died off once for all,” that is, off from the evil nature, this being a separation from that nature. “Is freed” is the word dikaioō (δικαιοω) and in the perfect tense. Dikaioō (Δικαιοω) means “to justify, to declare righteous, to render or make righteous, acquit of a charge, to absolve.” It is a term having to do with the law and the courts of law. In this sense Paul uses it in the section in Romans (3:21–5:11) where he deals with the doctrine of justification. But in Romans 6 he is presenting the doctrine of sanctification. Therefore, the idea of being “set free,” growing out of the idea that a justified person is set free from the penalty of the law, is used. The one, Paul says, who died off once for all from the sinful nature, has been set free completely from it, with the present result that he is in a state of permanent freedom from it, permanent in the sense that God has set him free permanently from it, and it is his responsibility to maintain that freedom from it moment by moment. (Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Ro 6:3–5). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.)

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Sanctification begins with regeneration, the implanting of spiritual life in a believer. From that starting point sanctification is God’s progressively separating a believer from sin to Himself and transforming his total life experience toward holiness and purity. The process of sanctification for a believer never ends while he is on earth in his mortal body. It is consummated in glorification when that believer through death and resurrection or through the Rapture stands in the presence of God “conformed to the likeness of His Son” (8:29). A believer’s identification with Jesus Christ by faith is both the ground and the goal of sanctification. The process of translating that identification into the daily experience of progressive sanctification, however, demands three attitudes of mind and action on a believer’s part. (Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 462). Wheaton, IL: Victor Brooks.)

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A tremendous fact is introduced here: the old man (the old ego, self) was crucified with Christ so that the body need not be controlled by sin. The word “destroyed” in Romans 6:6 does not mean annihilated; it means “rendered inactive, made of no effect.” The same Greek word is translated “loosed” in Romans 7:2. If a woman’s husband dies, she is “loosed” from the law of her husband and is free to marry again. There is a change in relationship. The law is still there, but it has no authority over the woman because her husband is dead.

Sin wants to be our master. It finds a foothold in the old nature, and through the old nature seeks to control the members of the body. But in Jesus Christ, we died to sin; and the old nature was crucified so that the old life is rendered inoperative. Paul was not describing an experience; he was stating a fact. The practical experience was to come later. It is a fact of history that Jesus Christ died on the cross. It is also a fact of history that the believer died with Him; and “he that is dead is freed from sin” (Rom. 6:7). Not “free to sin” as Paul’s accusers falsely stated; but “freed from sin.” (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 532). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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6:6 our old self. A believer’s unregenerate self. The Gr. word for “old” does not refer to something old in years but to something that is worn out and useless. Our old self died with Christ, and the life we now enjoy is a new divinely-given life that is the life of Christ Himself (cf. Gal 2:20). We have been removed from the unregenerate self’s presence and control, so we should not follow the remaining memories of its old sinful ways as if we were still under its evil influence (see notes on Eph 4:20–24; Gal 5:24; Col 3:9, 10). body of sin. Essentially synonymous with “our old self.” Paul uses the terms “body” and “flesh” to refer to sinful propensities that are intertwined with physical weaknesses and pleasures (e.g., 8:10, 11, 13, 23). Although the old self is dead, sin retains a foothold in our temporal flesh or our unredeemed humanness, with its corrupted desires (7:14–24). The believer does not have two competing natures, the old and the new; but one new nature that is still incarcerated in unredeemed flesh (see note on v. 12). But the term “flesh” is not equivalent to the physical body, which can be an instrument of holiness (v. 19; 12:1; 1Co 6:20). done away with. Rendered powerless or inoperative.

6:7 has died. Through his union with Christ (see note on v. 3). freed from sin. No longer under its domination and control.

6:8 we shall also live with Him. The context suggests that Paul means not only that believers will live in the presence of Christ for eternity, but also that all who have died with Christ, which is true of all believers, will live a life here that is fully consistent with His holiness. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ro 6:6–8). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

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FROM MY READING:

 (Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

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More than half of Americans think the Bible has too little influence on a culture they see in moral decline, yet only one in five Americans read the Bible on a regular basis, according to a new survey.

More than three-quarters of Americans (77 percent) think the nation’s morality is headed downhill, according to a new survey from American Bible Society.

The survey showed the Bible is still firmly rooted in American soil: 88 percent of respondents said they own a Bible, 80 percent think the Bible is sacred, 61 percent wish they read the Bible more, and the average household has 4.4 Bibles.

If the Bible is so commonplace in America, wouldn’t its moral teachings counteract the downward trend? Almost a third of respondents said moral decline was a result of people not reading the Bible, while 29 percent cited the “negative influence of America” and one in four cited corporate corruption.

Doug Birdsall, president of American Bible Society, said he sees a reason for why the Bible isn’t connecting with people.

“I see the problem as analogous to obesity in America. We have an awful lot of people who realize they’re overweight, but they don’t follow a diet,” Birdsall said. “People realize the Bible has values that would help us in our spiritual health, but they just don’t read it.”

If they do read it, the majority (57 percent) only read their Bibles four times a year or less. Only 26 percent of Americans said they read their Bible on a regular basis (four or more times a week).

The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, said the Bible can come across as intimidating to the uninitiated. “There’s a tendency to think that if you read the Bible, you have to read it from start to finish. But when people do read the Bible, they don’t know where to begin,” Martin said.

Younger people also seem to be moving away from the Bible. A majority (57 percent) of those ages 18-28 read their Bibles less than three times a year, if at all.

The Barna Group conducted “The State of the Bible 2013” study for American Bible Society, using 1,005 telephone interviews and 1,078 online surveys with a margin of error for the combined data of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

c. 2013 Religion News Service. Used with permission. Publication date: April 5, 2013 Poll: Americans Love the Bible But Don’t Read It Much Caleb Bell

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While the phrase stands for the new life of the quickened spirit of the believer, it is impossible to dissociate this (in an objective sense) from the operation of the Holy Spirit, by whose power the service is rendered. (Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vol. 2: Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (431). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.)

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WORLD VISION HAS GIVEN MILLIONS TO A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION (Friday Church News Notes, August 12, 2016, www.wayoflife.org,fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The following is excerpted from “World Vision’s Christian Donations Funded Hamas,” Israel Today, Aug. 4, 2016: “World Vision International is perhaps the world’s largest Evangelical Christian humanitarian aid organization. It can now add direct, if inadvertent, funding of terrorism to its resumé. World Vision has been operating in Israel, the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and the Gaza Strip since 1975. It has now been revealed that 60 percent of World Vision’s annual budget for the Gaza Strip was diverted by Hamas to the tune of $7.2 million per year. Much of that money was given in cash to Hamas militants, while even more was used to finance the construction of terror tunnels and to purchase weapons. All of this was discovered during a lengthy investigation beginning in mid-June, when Israel arrested Mohammed El-Halabi, World Vision’s Gaza branch director, on suspicion of terrorist activity. During the investigation, El-Halabi revealed that he has been a Hamas member since his youth and had undergone organizational and military training in the early 2000s. In 2005, Hamas dispatched El-Halabi to infiltrate World Vision. El-Halabi related that Hamas believed that he had a good chance of infiltrating the humanitarian aid organization because his father works for the UN. He added that his father, Halil El-Halabi, who has served as head of UNWRA’s educational institutions in the Gaza Strip for years, is a member of Hamas and uses his position as a UN employee to help the terrorist organization. Shortly after being employed by World Vision, El-Halabi began to use his position to benefit the Islamist terrorist organization, primarily by diverting funds meant as aid to strengthen Hamas’ terrorist arm. Over the years, El-Halabi advanced in the charity’s hierarchy until he was appointed director of the Gaza branch. In this capacity, he controlled the budget, equipment and aid packages which amounted to tens of millions of dollars.”

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THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever. 1 Peter 1:23
In order to do His work, the Spirit uses the Word of God. First, He reveals, through the Word, the great love of God to sinners in general: “God…for his great love wherewith he loved us…” (Ephesians 2:4) and so on.
Second, He presents and offers salvation in Christ; through His people, He states the facts about Christ. That is the business of preachers of the gospel. It is to give the record of the life, the death, the resurrection, and the resurrection appearances of our Lord. What is preaching? It is proclaiming these facts about Christ. Not only that—it is an explanation of the fact, the meaning of the facts, how these facts constitute salvation and are the cause, the means, of salvation. So in the preaching of the Word in the power of the Holy Spirit, these facts and their interpretation are presented.
Then the Holy Spirit calls us to repentance. He calls everyone to repentance, all men and women everywhere, because of these facts, because of “that man whom he hath ordained,” by whom the whole world is going to be judged in righteousness (Acts 17:31).
And finally the Holy Spirit calls us to faith in Christ. Take again those words of Paul in his farewell message to the church at Ephesus. What did Paul testify? What did he preach? It was “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). He called men and women to faith in Christ in order that they might obtain forgiveness of sins and inherit eternal life. That was the way in which our Lord commissioned Paul on the road to Damascus. He said that He was going to send him to the people and to the Gentiles “to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).
A Thought to Ponder: The Spirit uses the Word of God.

          (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 51-52, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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The Holy Spirit’s Ministry: God’s Fail-Safe Plan–Justification
“Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 8:30)
This summary phrase has the “list” of what God does when He causes one of the sinful sons or daughters of Adam to “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). We will not ever grasp the fullness of the omnipotent and omniscient Father in heaven who draws us to Him (John 6:44).
We do need reminding from time to time that our justification is based on our calling, which came about because we were “predestinated” to be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). Those heavenly decisions were made since God had foreknowledge of our “members . . . which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16).
Yes! I am saved to “the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25). I was “rendered righteous” when the great Creator God the King, the Lord Jesus Christ, was made “to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, “being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” the triune Godhead remains “just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:24, 26).  (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)

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