Romans 6: How To Get Victory Over Sin's Power Through Christ

Text: Romans 6

Theme: The gospel reveals the righteousness of God...

3. In Sanctification (6:1-8:17)
A) Of Position (6:1-11)
B) Of Practice (6:12 - 7:25)

Chapters 3b - 5 talked about "justification", which is God
saving us from the "penalty" of sin (hell) through faith in
Christ. Chapter 6 now speaks of "sanctification", which is
God saving believers from the "power" of sin in their daily
lives. Sanctification involves the process of separating a
believer from sin, and consecrating him to God's service.
A believer is first sanctified in his position in Christ, then
in his practice on earth. Like justification, sanctification
comes through faith in Christ's death and resurrection, apart
from human merit.

Sanctification of position (1-11). When a person trusts
Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit baptizes him into the body
of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). This act of God so unites (5) the
believer with the person and work of Christ, that he is said
to have been buried with Him in His death to sin, and raised
with Him to newness of life (1-6). This is the believer's
position, regardless of his behavior, and forms the basis for
sanctification of practice. To gain victory over the power
of sin in his daily life, the believer must first "know" his
position in Christ, i.e. that he has died with Him to sin, and
been raised with Him to newness of life.

Sanctification of practice (12-13). Chapter 5 showed that the
grace of God appears more abundant when it is given to those
who are greater sinners. One may reason that if our sin
magnifies God's grace, and if we are free from condemnation,
why not sin all the more? Chapter 6 reminds us that a person
is the slave of the one he serves, that slavery to sin results
in death, but that slavery to righteousness results in eternal
life (15-23). To gain victory over the power of sin in his
daily life, the believer must "count" his position in Christ
to be true (that is that he has died to sin and been raised to
newness of life in Christ), and then "yield" his members as
instruments of righteousness to God (12-14).

Even victory over the power of sin in daily life comes through
faith in Christ's death and resurrection, apart from human
merit. Having been united with Christ in His death to sin
and resurrection to newness of life (positional
sanctification), the believer gains victory over the
power of sin in his daily walk as he "knows" his position,
"counts" it to be true, and "yield's" his members as
instruments of righteousness to God (sanctification of
practice). This is all by faith in Christ's death and
resurrection, apart from human merit.

--
Have you heard Christ died for our sins, and God raised Him
from the dead? Did you know God saves you from hell and
gives you eternal life through faith in this finished work alone,
not your merits (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess.
1:8-9)? This is so man cannot boast, and God alone gets the
glory (Eph. 2:8-9).
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