Romans 6:1-7 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
We know the law manifested the sin within us. Without the law we would not realize our wayward nature: how it opposes God’s perfection, his righteousness. Outside of the law, we would have thought our own laws for ruling ourselves, our societal and cultural laws, would be enough to please a holy God. But God’s law revealed our imperfections and our need for us to improve in every way to please the Creator of all things. Consequently, the law exposed our trespasses against God’s holiness, revealing many signs of unworthiness in God’s sight. As we have already read, The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21) We might look at this condition of mankind before the law like a room. Prior to the law, this room had some light penetrating it from the outside, casting shadows on the walls of the room. The room was grey in color: not everything in the room was distinct, not everything was in correct or perfect order, but there was some light. People worked in this environment, attempting to do right, behave pleasantly, maybe even trying to participate with others in a positive manner. This light from the outside was God, but with the light coming through the windows the room never totally filled with the light of God. Eventually, with the presentation of the law to the Israelites, light came into the midst of the room of mankind, somewhat dispelling the darkness. This light revealed clearly what was wrong in mankind by identifying the disorder and chaos in the room. Condemned by the law, people were convicted of their sinful nature. Attempts to please this light led to failure, so men and women fled to the corners of the room. They hid because the law could not change them or rescue them; the law merely exposed their nakedness, their sinfulness. As the law penetrated every part of their lives, they realized they were more sinful that they thought. Their serious trespasses against God’s holiness alienated them from God. Yet where sin increased, where man saw its pervasiveness, grace increased all the more. Though the light of the law pointed out sins, God had a plan to redeem everyone in the room of mankind. Grace walked into that room through the Son of man, Jesus Christ. He who is perfect brought perfection to that room and a path to the very heart of God. God’s salvation plan would restore all who would put their faith in Christ’s works and not their own works. But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgression—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Paul tells us in today’s scripture, since we have accepted in our hearts such a wonderful plan of redemption, why are we still living hidden in the dark corners of our lives. If we believe in the redemption qualities of Christ and have died to sin with him, why are we still living lives of chronic sin as slaves to sin. Surely, we do not believe that our darkness reveals God’s grace and mercy more clearly. Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! God’s salvation for us is meant to reflect his goodness, his love, his tender mercy towards the world. He has given us a new life in Christ—a life to live for him. The old man has died with Christ. Jesus’ death is our death. His life is our life. The old man was caught in the sins of a self-willed life. His me-first attitude often resulted in the corrosion and in the destruction of what was good and holy. Why choose to live this kind of life any longer when you have been set free? Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? But the good news is that we are no longer in that grave where Jesus was entombed, but we have been raised with him into a new life. We are no longer in our grave clothes, for just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. This new life is eternal; we who are IN CHRIST are his workmanship. We possess his likeness, his perfection, his holiness. Consequently, why are we still living in the corners of the room that was once dark, without much light. Christ has come to our room with grace, mercy and deliverance. Whosoever will can take hold of that truth and come to the light. We are no longer citizens of the darkness, slaves to self; we have come to the light WHERE CHRIST ABIDES. John declared that God is the Light and in him is no darkness. He went on to say, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) This efficacious work of the blood is ever active in our lives. The blood of Jesus cleansed us yesterday; it cleanses us today, and it will cleanse us tomorrow and for all time.
If we go on sinning rather than living a new life in Christ, sin pollutes our lives. Sin obscures God’s will for our lives. If we allow chronic sin in our lives without repentance, we dissipate the vision of God’s grace and mercy. One basic reality of the Good News we must never lose is our hope of Christ’s redeeming power. When we fail in our Christian walk, when we occupy the dark corners of our lives, we should repent, get up, and move in faith towards our lovely Savior. Truly, our holiness is his work, not ours. “Hear ye him,” is God’s request for us. God is pleased with us when we walk in the light of Christ. When we are his ambassadors, representing his goodness, not our goodness. Failures to please God do come in our flesh, for we are but humans. We sometimes succumb to the nature of the old person, but we do not stay there. We repent and place our hope in Christ Jesus’ works alone. Now, if someone wants to stay in sin such as adultery, claiming God’s grace and mercy is sufficient, beware; willful indulgence in a sinful life is shaking your fist at God’s work through Jesus Christ. Repentance and sorrow should always be evident when sin comes into our lives. Waywardness does not have to disconnect us from God if we hold fast to Jesus Christ and his mercy and grace. We walk not by our works, our personal light or rules: we walk by faith in the redemptive plan of God. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Whoever believes in God’s plan will not perish. His plan is his Son. Our plans of redemption, making us better though our efforts, will never satisfy God. Our plans are like the light pollution that causes us not to see the Milky Way clearly at night. Our plans have some light in them, just as cultures and societies had some light before God’s law was given. But this light is not redemptive light. Eighty percent of Americans cannot see the Milky Way clearly because of the light pollution coming from the surface of the earth. The Milky Way consists of approximately 200 billion stars, yet most Americans are unable to see them. Be careful Christian friends: sometimes our personal laws, our good works, our attempts to be sinless can obfuscate the light of JESUS CHRIST and his good works for us. If we give our own good works, our plan of restoration, preeminence in our serving God, we will never see clearly God’s magnificent, glorious, salvation plan, just as we do not see clearly the billions of stars above us. Let God open your eyes today to the freedom that is yours in Christ Jesus because anyone who has died (been crucified with Christ) has been set free from sin.
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