Sunday - 29 March 2020
Series: Romans
The Gospel for the Whole World
Message: “Living to Die; Dying to Live” (Part 1)
Romans 6:1-14

Central Thought: A key to living for God is death to self and sin. We are called to be as unresponsive to the power and allure of sin as we are called to be responsive, even enslaved to the righteousness of God.

Death to sin – we die to sin because Jesus did.

1) “Death with Christ” is a central theme in this passage (and the rest of the New Testament).

2) How did Jesus die to sin?

  • Jesus died IN sin – Jesus became a sinner in our place. 2 Corinthians 5:21
  • Jesus died FOR sins – Jesus died in our place, to give us eternal life. John 3:16
  • Jesus died TO sin – taking away sin’s power. Colossians 2:15; 1 John 3:8b
  • Jesus died to sin physically, and the power of sin was broken.
    o We are called to imitate the example of Jesus spiritually.

3) What does it mean for us to die to sin?

  • Acknowledge the righteousness which Christ has begun. Philippians 1:6; Colossians 2:6; Ephesians 4:22,24
    o Join with what God is still doing in you.

  • Identify sin and recognize sin for what it is. 1 John 3:8a; Colossians 3:5

  • Refuse the satisfaction that sin offers. Hebrews 11:24-26
  • Respond to sin as a lifeless object would. 6:11; John 2:15
    o v.11 – “count yourselves”.
    o Since God has declared you or “counted” you righteous, do the same.
    o Learn to respond to the world like you would to an angry bear – play dead.

4) The “already” and the “not yet”.

  • Question: “If I’m already ‘dead to sin’, why do I still have to ‘die to sin’?”
  • Answer #1 – We are called to die to sin precisely because of what Jesus has done.
  • Answer #2 – We are called to die to sin because the final work is not yet done.
  • Until Jesus comes, we rehearse responding to sin as “joyfully dead people”.

Application – “What shall we say then?”

What disciplines are required to “play dead” and be unresponsive to the call of a sinful heart and a sinful world?

1) Communion with God as a motivation.
2) Confession to self – telling ourselves the truth about sin.
3) Confession to others. James 5:16
4) Repentance – deliberate turning.
5) Renouncing and announcing.

For LIFE Groups and personal reflection

1) In what ways might God’s grace lead to a compromise with sin?
2) What are some signs that you are NOT dead to sin?
3) What is your motivation for not sinning?
4) What does it mean to “play dead” toward sin?