Read Romans 6:14
Questions from the Scripture text: What is the subject of the first clause in Romans 6:14? What will it not do? Over whom? Why not—what aren’t believers under? What are they under instead?
Why will Christians succeed in overthrowing sin? Romans 6:14 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek meeting. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christians succeed in overthrowing sin because they do it not by the law but by grace.
Throughout this chapter, we’ve been learning that Christians have been joined to Jesus in a resurrection life that is almighty in its power, eternal in its period, and unto God for righteousness in its purpose. We have come into all of this by the baptism of the Spirit, which put us in union with the Son. God has done it, which is to say that this has been done by grace.
So shall we continue in sin that grace may increase (Romans 6:1)? No, Romans 6:14 says that we will most certainly overthrow sin, precisely by God’s grace. Grace does not excuse our sin. It is a power under which we overthrow it.
When we treated righteousness as if it was by works, we marched under the banner of the law. But now, we know that righteousness is in Christ, by the Spirit, unto God. We march under the banner of grace, because we march under the banner of God. We have passed from the death of the law-realm, in which we sought to live by our own power, into the life of the grace-realm, by which we live by the Spirit, in the Son, unto God.
O, what confidence we should have against sin! If we are in Christ, sin has lost its right over us. It will not be our master. God, Who has delivered us from sin’s guilt has most certainly delivered us from its power. He has not only declared us to be free from sin by what Christ has done for us by grace; He has actually empowered us to resist sin by what Christ has done in us by grace.
O, what commitment we should have against sin! If we are under grace, then we are sin’s sworn enemies. The law was always opposed to sin, but it could not make us to be opposed to sin too. By our sinful flesh, the law was weakened from being able to do that (cf. Romans 8:3). But now God has brought us out from under the law and put us under the banner and power of grace instead. And grace has done it. Grace has made us enemies of sin.
Against what sins, specifically, do you most need to commit yourself as an enemy? Against what sins, specifically, do you most need to battle with confidence? What, specifically, about your current condition can give you both this commitment and this confidence?
Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You for bringing us out of ourselves and into Christ. Forgive us for when we serve sin, as if it were still our master. Forgive us for when we attempt to resist sin in our own strength, as if we were our own power. Grant, by Your Spirit, that we would resist sin in Your strength, in Jesus Christ, in Whose Name we ask it, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP32AB“What Blessedness” or TPH466“My Faith Looks Up to Thee”
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