Romans—Part 36

June 17/18, 2017 Romans 6:15-17 FOLLOWING THE MESSAGE

1) 6:15 Righteousness is conduct that is pleasing to God (Philippians 1:27; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:12). 2) 6:15 The new freedom we have in Jesus is not a lack of restraint. It is a deliverance from the very thing that keeps you from becoming what God intends you to be. 3) 6:15 It is contradictory to think that those who are under grace can behave in a manner of life inferior to the standard held by the very God who saves them. 4) 6:15 The very purpose of grace is to free us from sin. How, then, could grace possibly justify continuing in sin? 5) 6:15 Grace not only justifies, grace transforms. A life that gives no evidence of transformation gives no evidence of salvation. 6) 6:16 For every single person, it is either sin or God…it cannot be both! 7) 6:16 Paul insisted that obedience is an important part of the life lived in grace. 8) 6:16 If the essence of sin is disobedience to God, contrarily, to be obedient to God is the mark of belonging to God. The quality of our living (our behavior) shows whose we are. 9) 6:16 If a man’s life is characterized by sin, which is opposed to God’s will, then he is sin’s slave. If his life is characterized by obedience, which reflects God’s will, then he is God’s slave. The end result of the first slavery is both physical and spiritual death, whereas that of the second slavery is righteousness, the inescapable mark of eternal life. 10) 6:16 Unbelievers typically think they are free and if they accept Christ, they will have to give up their freedoms. What each one misunderstands is they are already slaves. In coming to Jesus, we exchange one master for another. 11) 6:16 Obedience leads to righteousness, the righteousness of personal growth in spiritual maturity. 12) 6:17 By virtue of becoming Christians, believers obligate themselves to obey what we might call the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). 13) 6:17 Paul was not speaking about only outward behavior; we are enabled to obey God from the inside. 14) 6:17 No believer comprehends all of God’s truth. But a desire to know and to obey God’s Word is one of the surest marks of genuine salvation (John 8:31, 14:21; Acts 2:42). GREEK WORDS Tupos—form; used of the molds into which molten metal for castings was poured 6:17 Paradidōmi—committed; carries the basic meaning of deliver over to 6:17

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