Live In Order to –

Scripture Read: Romans 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? 2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. 3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

Application: “in order” - appropriate, desirable, for the purpose of; “bear” - to give birth to, to produce as yield, to permit growth of^[1]

How this puts into perspective what our life is really about. To be “raised with Him” and then to live life as usual, sit in church and really accomplish nothing of eternal value is not what the scriptures would describe that to be. We were raised for the purpose to give birth, produce and permit growth of His character and His works in ourselves and in others. If that is not happening we really will not sense purpose. The definition of “in order” makes it clear - that it is appropriate and desirable for us to see fruit brought forth. This will lead to a proactive life with God! Thank you Father for Your Purpose! 

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Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

The benefit of sin

Scripture Read: Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Application: Benefit - καρπός karpós - Fruit or produce,

Ashamed - ἐπαισχύνομαι epaischúnomai; to be ashamed. To bring shame upon oneself, to be ashamed of,^[1]

What does ashamed mean? Guilt, disgrace, feeling inferior or unworthy – Here’s the $64,000 question! What is the Benefit “fruit”? The outcome which equals - sin – notice the words: Guilt, - a constant remorse; Disgrace – a loss of credibility, Feeling inferior – a loss of esteem, Unworthy – no connection.

When we consider the outcome (fruit) of sin, it is poison to our relationship with God. This can cause us to feel constant regret and remorse, like we are not a child of His, no sense of our creation and no relationship with Him except of fear and regret! It is clear that this verse is speaking of before salvation – yet it can still resonate with a child of God when they consider how they feel when they sin willfully. It is not worth it – the momentary pleasures of this world are not worth this. We need to be more mindful of what the REAL outcome is – not what our flesh thinks it will be. Sure our flesh will enjoy, but the rest of who we are will suffer later. Thanks for Your wisdom oh God!   

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Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

Two Masters Blogged

Scripture Read: Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification

Application: Obedience: ὑπακοή hupakoé - to obey, listen to something, hearken. (to give heed to) Generally in the NT it refers to the obedience of a slave to a master / also - In general, however, this is measured by the attitude of obedience to God; ^[1]

The word “Hearken” really connected here because it carries a sense of urgency with it. Paying Heed – there is a sense of fear and authority – it’s funny when you think of it – We were not the ones honoring the One that has all authority, instead we were submitting to the false master – sin – Then Jesus freed us. Now we have the real master and yet He still gives us freedom. Our old master – sin -  did not – we had no choice. We were bond slaves and made to submit to sins desires.  We obeyed because we had to – but my new Master – the real Master will allow us to return to our old master if we choose to. This is the irony of our life with sin. We can stay with the real Master and Live or hearken to that voice of the old master and die, sorrow, regret … the list is too long. Why do we return? The voice of the old master must be soothing and inviting – maybe like going home – If we walk unconsciously our flesh will just follow it’s nose – We need to live a conscious life  - where the Spirit leads us – His comfort zone is at the feet of Jesus!! 

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Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

United in Death

Scripture Read: Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Application: United -  σύμφυτος súmphutos; to grow together. Planted together, united with, innate - It denotes not merely homogeneousness, but a similarity of experience. “graft into” ^[1]

The idea of oneness here is difficult to grasp – again we find that this originates from God’s infinite mind, therefore we are at somewhat of a loss at understanding all that it means. Just like He sees us glorified – it is real in His eyes – but we have not realized it yet – so too the death to sin we have gone through with Christ is real to Him, but not realized by us. We can understand that sin is no longer our master, yet to be completely free from its power we have not yet realized. That is proper when we consider we did nothing, it was Christ that did it all. He has graciously identified us with Himself – enabling us to experience forgiveness and eternal life – and yes some day even the eradication of our sin nature! You oh Lord are beyond our understanding and we will never be able to comprehend what You did for us through Christ – Thank You for uniting us to Your Son – Holy Spirit remind us of this union 24/7. We love you Jesus!

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Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

Where death reigns He reigns more!

Scripture Read: Romans 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Application: Reign - βασιλεύω basileuo - to be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign. Grace as the gift of Christ rightly occupies the place of rule (Rom. 5:21) when the usurpers death and sin are destroyed (Rom. 5:14, 17, 21; 6:12). Translation = In order that just as the aforementioned sin reigned as king in the sphere of death, thus also the aforementioned grace might reign as king through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ^[1]

Sin is the king in separation – this is true – BUT Grace is king by means of righteousness resulting in eternal life by means of Jesus – again all Him!  No me! That does not mean we do not have our part. Acting on the faith God gave to men, trusting in what He has done and living in that is our part. BUT all the weight bearing is done by the Lord! Thank You God – Words can never express what we owe You.

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Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.