Living Out Grace: Active Resistance Against Sin

 

Summary

In our study of Romans 6:12-14, we delve into the Apostle Paul's exhortation to not let sin reign in our mortal bodies. This passage marks a transition from the doctrinal to the practical, urging us to apply the profound truths we've learned. Paul refutes the notion that grace encourages sin, emphasizing instead that true understanding of grace leads to a life of righteousness. The word "therefore" is pivotal, linking doctrine to practice, reminding us that our knowledge of God's truth must transform our daily lives.

Doctrine is not an end in itself but a means to live out our faith. We must avoid the extremes of neglecting doctrine or becoming so absorbed in it that we fail to apply it. Our understanding of doctrine increases our responsibility to live accordingly. As Jesus said, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." The danger lies in treating doctrine as an intellectual exercise rather than a guide for living.

Paul distinguishes between us and our mortal bodies, highlighting that while sin remains in our bodies, it should not reign over us. Our bodies are mortal, temporary, and subject to sin's influence, but our true selves, crucified with Christ, are dead to sin. This distinction is crucial for understanding our ongoing struggle with sin and the process of sanctification.

Sanctification is not a passive experience or a sudden deliverance from sin. It is an active, ongoing process where we must resist sin's attempts to dominate our bodies. We are called to work out our salvation, drawing on the power of God within us. This involves understanding doctrine, constantly reminding ourselves of it, and drawing practical deductions from it.

Our motives for holiness are rooted in our understanding of God's purpose for us, the work of Christ, and the honor of God. We are called to live in a way that reflects our identity as children of God, redeemed by Christ, and destined for glorification. Allowing sin to reign in our bodies contradicts our faith and exposes us to God's loving discipline. Therefore, we must actively resist sin, empowered by the Spirit, to live in accordance with our new identity in Christ.

Key Takeaways:

- Doctrine must be applied: Understanding doctrine is crucial, but it must lead to practical application in our lives. We are responsible for living out the truths we know, as knowledge without action is futile. [05:59]

- Distinction between self and body: Paul emphasizes the difference between our true selves, crucified with Christ, and our mortal bodies where sin remains. This understanding helps us navigate the ongoing struggle with sin. [10:23]

- Sanctification is active: Sanctification is not a passive experience or a sudden deliverance from sin. It requires active resistance to sin's attempts to dominate our bodies, drawing on God's power within us. [28:15]

- Motives for holiness: Our motives for holiness are rooted in God's purpose for us, the work of Christ, and the honor of God. We live in a way that reflects our identity as redeemed children of God. [38:13]

- Resist sin with God's power: We are empowered by the Spirit to resist sin and live in accordance with our new identity in Christ. This active resistance is essential for our sanctification. [47:12]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Romans 6:12-14
- [01:04] - Transition to Practical Application
- [02:04] - Refuting Misunderstandings of Grace
- [03:15] - Importance of "Therefore"
- [04:24] - Doctrine and Practice
- [05:59] - Responsibility of Knowledge
- [09:09] - Distinction Between Self and Body
- [12:23] - Mortal Body and Sin
- [18:17] - Sin's Attempt to Reign
- [27:32] - New Testament Doctrine of Sanctification
- [34:55] - Practical Steps for Holiness
- [38:13] - Motives for Holiness
- [43:18] - Consequences of Allowing Sin
- [47:12] - Empowered to Resist Sin

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Romans 6:12-14

Bible Reading:
- Romans 6:12-14

Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean when he says, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body"? How does this relate to the distinction between our true selves and our bodies? [10:07]
2. How does the word "therefore" function in Paul's argument in Romans 6:12-14, and why is it considered pivotal? [03:33]
3. What are the implications of Paul stating that sin should not have dominion over us because we are not under the law but under grace? [01:04]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding the distinction between our true selves and our mortal bodies help us in our struggle with sin? [10:23]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that sanctification is an active process rather than a passive experience? [28:15]
3. How does the sermon explain the role of God's power in our ability to resist sin and live according to our new identity in Christ? [47:12]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you treated doctrine as an intellectual exercise rather than a guide for living. How can you ensure that your understanding of doctrine leads to practical application in your life? [05:45]
2. Consider the distinction between your true self and your mortal body. How does this understanding change the way you approach your daily struggles with sin? [10:23]
3. Sanctification requires active resistance to sin. What practical steps can you take this week to resist sin's attempts to dominate your body? [28:15]
4. Identify one motive for holiness mentioned in the sermon that resonates with you. How can you use this motive to inspire your pursuit of holiness? [38:13]
5. The sermon emphasizes the importance of resisting sin with God's power. What specific area of your life do you need to surrender to God's power to overcome sin? [47:12]
6. How can you remind yourself of your identity as a redeemed child of God in moments of temptation? What practical reminders or habits can you implement? [38:13]
7. Reflect on the consequences of allowing sin to reign in your body. How can understanding these consequences motivate you to pursue a life of righteousness? [43:18]

Devotional

Day 1: Doctrine as a Guide for Living
Understanding doctrine is crucial, but it must lead to practical application in our lives. Doctrine is not merely an intellectual exercise; it is a guide for living out our faith. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that our knowledge of God's truth must transform our daily lives. This transformation is not optional but a responsibility that comes with understanding. As Jesus said, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." The danger lies in treating doctrine as an intellectual pursuit rather than a guide for living. We must avoid the extremes of neglecting doctrine or becoming so absorbed in it that we fail to apply it. Our understanding of doctrine increases our responsibility to live accordingly. [05:59]

James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."

Reflection: What is one specific truth from Scripture that you know but have not yet applied in your life? How can you begin to live out this truth today?


Day 2: The True Self vs. the Mortal Body
Paul emphasizes the difference between our true selves, crucified with Christ, and our mortal bodies where sin remains. This understanding helps us navigate the ongoing struggle with sin. Our bodies are mortal, temporary, and subject to sin's influence, but our true selves, crucified with Christ, are dead to sin. This distinction is crucial for understanding our ongoing struggle with sin and the process of sanctification. By recognizing this distinction, we can better resist sin's attempts to reign over us and live in accordance with our new identity in Christ. [10:23]

Galatians 5:24-25 (ESV): "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself identifying more with your mortal body than your true self in Christ? How can you remind yourself of your true identity today?


Day 3: Active Sanctification
Sanctification is not a passive experience or a sudden deliverance from sin. It requires active resistance to sin's attempts to dominate our bodies, drawing on God's power within us. We are called to work out our salvation, understanding doctrine, constantly reminding ourselves of it, and drawing practical deductions from it. This active process involves resisting sin and living in a way that reflects our identity as children of God. Sanctification is an ongoing journey that requires our participation and reliance on God's strength. [28:15]

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV): "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel sin is trying to dominate? How can you actively resist this today, relying on God's power?


Day 4: Motives for Holiness
Our motives for holiness are rooted in God's purpose for us, the work of Christ, and the honor of God. We live in a way that reflects our identity as redeemed children of God. Allowing sin to reign in our bodies contradicts our faith and exposes us to God's loving discipline. Therefore, we must actively resist sin, empowered by the Spirit, to live in accordance with our new identity in Christ. Our motives for holiness are not just about personal growth but about honoring God and fulfilling His purpose for our lives. [38:13]

1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV): "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"

Reflection: What motivates your pursuit of holiness? How can you align your motives more closely with God's purpose and the work of Christ today?


Day 5: Empowered to Resist Sin
We are empowered by the Spirit to resist sin and live in accordance with our new identity in Christ. This active resistance is essential for our sanctification. The power of God within us enables us to overcome sin's attempts to dominate our bodies. By drawing on this power, we can live in a way that reflects our identity as children of God, redeemed by Christ, and destined for glorification. Our resistance to sin is not in our strength but in the strength that God provides. [47:12]

Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love."

Reflection: In what ways do you rely on your own strength to resist sin? How can you begin to draw more on the Spirit's power in your daily life?

Quotes

"Doctrine is always something that is to be applied, it is never to be considered as something in and of itself. There is a statement, of course, that we could elaborate at great length very easily. Christian people can be divided into two main groups speaking very generally. The commonest group, the largest group today, is the group that is not interested in doctrine at all. It's simply interested in practical methods. The second group, a much smaller one, is the group that is only interested in doctrine and tends not to be interested at all in practical matters. Now both of course are entirely wrong." [00:04:24]

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. There it is. Here I've been giving you all this great doctrine, he says. Therefore, let us never lose sight of that. It's a terrible possibility, a dangerous possibility. What is there to some people that is more fascinating than Christian doctrine? It can become an intellectual hobby. It can be something that can delight the mind without touching the practice and the conduct. That is, according to the Apostle, the most direct way to bring his great teaching into disrepute." [00:06:36]

"Sin Still Remains and is left in our bodies, not in us, but in our bodies. We, as such, have already finished with it, but the body hasn't. This body of sin, this body which sin still inhabits and which it tries to use, there is the first principle. Sin Still Remains and is left in our bodies. Secondly, sin not only remains in our bodies, but if it isn't checked, if it isn't kept down, if it isn't kept in order, it will even reign in our bodies, and it will even dominate over our body." [00:18:17]

"Sanctification is not a gift to be received. There are so many who teach that. They say you've received your justification already by faith. Now then, come along and receive your sanctification by faith. But sanctification is not a gift to be received. Here we are face to face with an exhortation. Secondly, sanctification is not a sudden experience of deliverance once and forever. It cannot be because sin is going to remain in the body as long as it is mortal." [00:28:15]

"Our motives are entirely positive. Why must I not allow sin to reign in my mortal body? Well, because I am a man who claims to know what God's purpose is for me. And what is God's purpose for me? Well, God's purpose for me is this: that all the works of the devil shall be undone in me. God made me in his own image. He made me perfect, and his whole purpose in salvation is to bring me back to that." [00:38:13]

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. But wait a minute, says someone, aren't you putting me back in the position I was before I was a Christian? I'm doing nothing of the sort. I am saying let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. I know that there is nothing more futile than to turn to a natural man and to say conquer sin, don't let it reign in your mortal body. He can't do it. He is the slave of sin." [00:47:12]

"Therefore, the doctrine has already told you that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. So you are not left without any excuse at all. You are not left to battle with sin just in and of yourself because you are a child of God. The spirit of God is in you, the mind of Christ is in you, the whole operation of God is working out in you." [00:47:12]

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. Who are you? Oh, you are the man who has died with Christ, who has been crucified with Christ. You are the man who is alive unto God. You are the man in whom the spirit of God is working. You are the man in whom God's great purpose has been set moving. You've got the power in you, and therefore I can exhort you because you've got the power." [00:47:12]

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. I know that there is nothing more futile than to turn to a natural man and to say conquer sin, don't let it reign in your mortal body. He can't do it. He is the slave of sin. He's under the dominion of sin. He's under the reign of sin, and he is a complete slave to it. It's useless to tell him not to let it reign. It will reign. It does reign." [00:47:12]

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. Who are you? Oh, you are the man who has died with Christ, who has been crucified with Christ. You are the man who is alive unto God. You are the man in whom the spirit of God is working. You are the man in whom God's great purpose has been set moving. You've got the power in you, and therefore I can exhort you because you've got the power." [00:47:12]

"Therefore, the doctrine has already told you that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. So you are not left without any excuse at all. You are not left to battle with sin just in and of yourself because you are a child of God. The spirit of God is in you, the mind of Christ is in you, the whole operation of God is working out in you." [00:47:12]

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. But wait a minute, says someone, aren't you putting me back in the position I was before I was a Christian? I'm doing nothing of the sort. I am saying let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. I know that there is nothing more futile than to turn to a natural man and to say conquer sin, don't let it reign in your mortal body. He can't do it. He is the slave of sin." [00:47:12]

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Transcript
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