Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 6:1-11.
If God loves to forgive and we love to sin, should we just keep on sinning? St. Paul answers in clearest terms: “Absolutely not!” Sin no longer is the defining reality for Christians because Christians have died to sin. God has accomplished this in Holy Baptism. When a person is baptized, that person is united with Christ. In Baptism, Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection become our death, burial, and resurrection. This is His gift to us right now by faith even as we await its full fulfillment by sight on the Last Day at the resurrection of all flesh. St. Paul reminds us that our connection to Christ in Holy Baptism is the defining reality for our lives right now. Because we have died with Him, we have been set free from sin, and we will be raised with Him on the Last Day. The basis for this truth is Jesus’ own death and resurrection. He has died once for all and has been raised so that death no longer has any dominion over Him. For this reason, the Apostle commands us right now to consider ourselves the way God considers us in Christ: dead to sin and alive to Him.
“The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Human righteousness cannot save, because all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Only the righteousness of God can bring life and forgiveness to sinners. This is the righteousness that He has fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the righteousness that is revealed in the Gospel, the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. This is the righteousness that is not earned, but is freely given by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.
Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.
Feature image: The Rev. Pablo Dominguez, pastor of a Hispanic mission in the LCMS Central Illinois District, baptizes a young girl on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Beardstown, Ill. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford
Romans 6:1-11
Dead to Sin, Alive to God
6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free[b] from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Footnotes:
- Romans 6:6 Greek man
- Romans 6:7 Greek has been justified
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
