“Repentance” (Romans 6)

 

Text—Rom. 6:12

 

Intro. The Audience—Church in Rome

A.     Mixture of Culture

1.        Jewish Christians

a.        Accustomed to “Letter of the Law”

b.       Place works above faith

2.        Gentile Christians

a.        Religion w/No moral Law

b.       Immoral Practices—part of worship

 

B.     Conclusion

1.        Neither served God correctly

2.        Paul shows their error—Rom. 3: 28

3.        Their Conclusion—“Doesn’t matter how we live”

 

I.                   God’s Grace (v. 1)

A.    More Sin= More Grace

B.     Former Pagans agree

C.    Paul disagrees—Rom. 6:1

D.    Jesus stated—Matt. 7: 20-21

E.     Chpt. 6 explains need for Faith & Works

F.     Confirmed—vs. 1-2

G.    General attitude is abuse!

 

 

II.                Baptism (v. 3-7)

A.    “Walking in Newness of Life” (v.4)

1.  “Born Again”

2.  Jesus said—John 3: 5-6

 

B.     “Old Man/Body of Sin” (v.6)

1.  Lusts of Men—1 Peter 4:1-2

2.      Live for Jesus not ourselves

 

C.    “Bondage to Sin” (v. 6)

1.  Servant of Obedience—Rom. 6: 16

a.        Not slavery

b.      Free Will—“Present yourselves”

 

2.  Two Masters?

a.        Jesus—Matt. 6: 24

b.      Same use of Greek word as in Rom. 6: 6

 

3.      Greek word: “Serve”  douleuoo;

 

a.       “properly, to be a slave, serve, do service: absolutely,” (Eph 6:7; 1 Tim 6:2) (referring to employers)

b.      Metaphorically, To obey, submit to

i.                     in a good sense: absolutely, to yield obedience, Rom 7:6

ii.                   in a bad sense, of those who become slaves to some base power, to yield to, give oneself up to: Rom 6:6 –Thayer

 

4.      We Choose our Master.

a.       Family

b.      Work

c.       Money

d.      Pleasure

e.       God

f.        Follow what’s most important.

 

5.      Example: Baby

  a. Physical needs

i.                     Food, Changing, etc.

b.      No concern for Parents needs

c.       Become Child

i.                     Learn some disciple

ii.                   Put off some desires

iii.                  Please Parents

 

6.      Maturation Process

a.       Start living for selves

b.      Mature—submit to other forces

i.                     Parents

ii.                   Teachers

iii.                  Friends

iv.                 Employers

c.       Ultimately as a Christian—Submit to God

 

D.    What do we serve? (Phil. 3: 18-19)

1.      Jesus had to choose—Luke 22: 41-42

a.       Jesus desire different from Father

b.      “Not my will but thine”

c.       He was submissive to God.

2.      The Christian’s Battle

a.       Rom. 7: 22-23

b.      Jesus—Luke 9:23

E.     “Justified from Sin” (v. 7)

1.      One for all—2 Cor. 5: 14-15

2.      Point of Baptism—1 Peter 3: 21

a.       “interrogation”—Greek: ‘eperotema’, primarily a question or inquiry, denotes "a demand or appeal"

b.      “Appeal”

1.      Legal Sense

2.      Convicted of Sins

3.      Appeal to God through Baptism

4.      Appeal Worthless: Commit same crime (sin)

5.      Telling God we will do better

F.     Christ has Redeemed us.

1.      Bought at a price—1 Cor. 6: 19-20

2.      Agreement with God

a.       “All have sinned”—Rom. 3:23

b.      He paid the price, we must serve Him.

III.             The Results

A.    Verse 5

1.      United in his death

2.      United in the Resurrection

3.      Explained—v. 8-11

 

B.     Repentance is Commanded

1.      Jesus—Luke 13: 3

2.      Paul—Acts 17: 30

 

C.    Hardest Commandment to Keep

1.      More than sorrow or remorse

2.      More than asking forgiveness

3.      More than confession

4.      Repentance requires action (Ezra 10)

 

D.    What if I don’t repent?

1.      Ashamed—Rom. 1: 16

2.      Look to other things—2 Tim. 3: 2-5

 

IV.            Presenting Our Members  (v. 12-14)

A.    Give ourselves to God and His work (Rom. 12: 1-2)

B.     Be his servants

C.    God’s people live righteously (Titus 2: 11-14)

D.    Who will we serve? (Rom. 6: 15-19) The choice is ours

1.      Example—Josh. 24: 15

2.      Joshua knew his people had to choose their god.

E.     Our reward depends on it—Rom. 6: 20-23

1.      Reap what we sow—Gal. 6: 7-9

2.      Is this earning salvation?

 

F.     Eternal Consequences (v. 23)

1.      “Wages” are something earned

a.       “All have sinned” (Rom. 3: 23)

b.      Therefore all deserve death.

 

2.      Salvation is a “Gift” (Eph. 2: 8)

a.       Receive this gift? (Gal. 2:20)

b.      Not literally crucified

c.       Back to Rom. 6: 3

d.      Baptized into his death

 

Conclusion

          How about you?

            Are you living a life of service to God or to self?