Romans 6:9 ESV
At the end of Chapter 5, Paul explained how the law sheds light on our sinfulness by revealing who we are in perspective to who God is - and follows that by saying that God's grace is revealed more powerfully and more abundantly where sin is revealed. God's grace overcomes sin. Expecting at least some of his readers to wonder - shouldn't we just sin more so that God's grace can be experienced more abundantly? - Paul posed this question - "How can we who have died to sin still live in it?"
Then, in verses 3-8 of chapter 6, we looked in detail at the different ways Paul described what happens when a lost person's heart is regenerated - digging in to what Paul meant when we asked "How can we who have died to sin..." The most important part of this death is that it's not at all about us, but instead it's all about being joined with Christ - in His death and His life.
Now, in verses 9, we will look a little deeper at the authority displayed by Christ's death.
We know that Christ, being raise from the dead, will never die again;
Two points being made that we need to recognize here:
Christ really died - and really came back to life
- our old man has really died, and we really walk in new life!
Christ will really never die again.
- this new life we live is based on a relationship with God - also described as eternal life!
Take some time and meditate on what these two points mean. The old man, in all of it's sinful lusts, empty pursuits, and pride driven actions, is really dead - completely powerless to condemn us! We have been raised in new life, with the Holy Spirit now living inside of us, with a desire to seek God's face! Our pursuits can now be pure, and focused around God's kingdom! We now have a peace available to us that is literally indescribable! Then, to top it off, this new life is eternal! It will not end! This bliss of knowing and seeking God personally is something we get to enjoy FOREVER!
If we can begin to grasp the weight of this truth, the joy will begin to build up in our hearts and then overflow into our lives, affecting others in a way that only God can! This joy is a powerful tool against Satan's attacks:
Satan is only effective when we are finding our joy and security in things other than God.
It's crucial that we come back to these verses, and others like them, that will root our joy and security in God's power, God's work, and God's promises alone!
Paul goes on now to describe the utter power that was displayed through Christ's death. Throughout His life, Jesus revealed His authority over everything we see...over sickness and disease, over food and drink, over animals, over wind and water, and over physical death - calling people to rise. This is the most crucial and powerful statement of authority:
death no longer has dominion over him
We know that death never actually had complete dominion over Jesus (apart from His willful submission to it), in Mathew 26:53 Jesus tells us the Father would have sent 12 legions of angels to deliver Him upon His request...(that wasn't God's will but it was definitely within God's authority to do so). So, what is Paul saying here?
Jesus willingly submitted..taking on our sinfulness, which caused Him to experience true death - separation from God the Father, which He had never known before...and He did it for us.
In Romans 5:12 Paul says this: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Spiritual death (separation from God) is brought to existence through sin...sin that God cannot have in His presence. It's this sin that we love and pursue - that keeps us from realizing our lost state, and at the same time causes us so much anxiety, pain, emptiness, and eventually eternal condemnation. It's this very sin, heartache, pain, emptiness, condemnation, and separation that Christ experienced on the cross - for us.
Paul Washer, in one of his sermons, really put it in perspective...when we read in God's Word the wrath that He will pour out on those who refuse to serve Him (think Old Testament judgement against evil nations and even against a rebelling Israel, think Revelation and the absolute annihilation of the anti-Christ) - when we read these thing realize that this is the wrath that Jesus experienced - crushed and separated from God.
When Jesus took on our sin, God looked down on His Son and instead of perfection saw guilt...our guilt, and poured out the just penalty. How dare we ever complain to God of being treated unfairly as we stand in the shadow of the cross...we ought not utter a sound but to say thank You.
In light of this death that Jesus experienced, Paul says that now, even the spiritual death that is brought on by sin, that entered the world through Adam so long ago and caused the entire human race to fall, has been defeated. Jesus submitted Himself to this death, and conquered it by paying the perfect penalty for it, and rising again to walk in the victory of eternal life. We, being adopted into His family, are joined with Him in His victory - never forget this:
Through Christ, we are brought into eternal victory without ever having to pay the penalty...that is pure grace and pure mercy on a level only God can bestow.
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