BIBLE STUDY on the book of Romans

Chapter 6

In chapter 5, we saw that sin has come through the headship of Adam and that sanctification comes through the headship of Christ. Because of the natural headship of Adam, sin was imputed to the human family. But there is another head of the human family, and that is Christ. He brings life and righteousness. He removes the guilt of sin from us. Because of this, He can move into the lives of those who trust in Him and begin to make them righteous (good).

In chapter 6 we begin with "positional sanctification."

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ . . . Romans 6:1-14

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (KJV)

When Paul talked about sin, he was not trying to argue, he was simply stating facts, and those facts are Truth! It doesn’t matter if we like it or not, it doesn’t matter if we believe it or not, Truth is Truth and we cannot change that! Sin is sin and we ALL sin! What this verse is saying is: “Should we continue to live in sin so that God's grace will increase?” I think we all can agree on that. The answer is NO!

Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (KJV)

IF we have died to sin, how can we go on living in sin? When we accept Christ as our Saviour and Lord, God the Father declares us righteous. This does NOT make a person ‘good.’ Our being justified means that the guilt and the penalty of our sin has been removed. But, the power of sin in our lives still remains. We have the choice to give in to it or obey God. TRUE believers are God’s children and must not continue in sin as they did before they knew Christ. 1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (KJV) . . . No one who is born of God will continue to sin (practice sin), because God’s Seed remains in him (John 14:16; Rom.8:9); he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born again. The Holy Spirit will not allow it! He will convict us of sin! No one can be both dead and alive.

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (KJV)

When we became God’s children, we were baptized into a union with Christ Jesus, and we were also baptized into a union with His death. This verse is speaking of our identification with Christ. 1 Cor. 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (KJV) . . . Paul states that we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have ALL received the same Spirit. Baptism by the Holy Spirit places you into the body of Christ, but it is extremely important that a believer submit to the ritual of water baptism. Water baptism does NOT save you, but it shows the world you take a stand with Jesus.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (KJV)

I will speak of immersion here because I think it paints a better picture than sprinkling. When we submit to water baptism, it pictures our being buried with Christ as we are put under the water; and when we come up out of the water, it pictures our being raised to a new life, where we walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh (Gal.5:16,25).

Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (KJV)

We can enjoy our new life in Christ because we are united with Him in His death and resurrection. Evil desires, bondage to sin, and our love and lust of sin died with Him. Our faith united us with Christ in His resurrection life, giving us fellowship with God for He frees us from sin’s hold on us. (Eph. 4:21-24; Col. 3:1-17).

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (KJV)

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ; so sin might lose its power over us. We are no longer slaves to sin. The “body of sin” is our rebellious sin-loving nature we inherited from Adam.

Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. (KJV)

When we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. For when we ‘died’ we were declared righteous by God. We were acquitted of all sins we committed. We were justified by Jesus’ Blood. Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (KJV)

Romans 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: (KJV)

Since we died with Christ, we know we will also share His new life. Praise God! We will be raised from the dead some day! Heaven awaits ALL God’s children!

Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. (KJV)

For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again; death no longer rules over Him, death no longer has any hold on Him.

Romans 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (KJV)

Jesus is NOT dead! Jesus is alive and well, at the right Hand of God (Heb.10:12; 12:2). Jesus died ONCE to defeat sin, and now He lives for the glory of God. Jesus died only ONCE! He was raised! He would never die again. He lives always in order to praise God the Father. Our resurrection will be like Christ’s resurrection. We too shall not die again. TRUE believers shall live with Christ always to give honor and glory to God, to Whom it belongs. (Heb.7:27; 9:12,25-28; 10:10-14; 1 Pet.3:18). Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (KJV) . . . It is my opinion that Catholics are WRONG! . . . http://www.worldlychaos.org/w_c_catholics_doctrine_heresy.1.htm

Catholic Mass is Blasphemy

Jesus died on the cross ONCE. Jesus died ONCE for the sins of the world, NOT many times as portrayed in the Catholic mass. They call Jesus “the victim” and the priest supposedly has the power to kill Jesus over and over again on the Catholic altars. Why would anyone want to kill Jesus??? They supposedly call Jesus from Heaven and transform Him into a piece of bread and wine so the people can “eat His literal flesh” and “drink His literal blood. This is their mass! How repulsive and offensive!!! Their mass is NOT a remembrance of His Perfect Sacrifice, it is supposed to represent His actual sacrifice on the cross. Jesus is supposedly brought back to life to die - - - and the piece of bread and wine is supposedly His actual body. Ridiculous blasphemy? Damnable heresy! Cannibalism?

Other web sites agreeing this is wrong: . . . http://www.thebereancall.org/search/node/catholic+mass . . . http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/finished.htm . . . http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/blasphemy.htm . . .

Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

A TRUE Christian should remember the meaning of his baptism (Rom.6:3-4). He died with Christ and rose again with Christ. We will have a new attitude to the way that we live. 2 Cor.5:17-19 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (KJV)

We should “count ourselves dead to sin” meaning that we should regard our old sinful nature as dead, because our union and identification with Christ, gives us strength to resist old motives, desires and goals. We have a new start, and the Holy Spirit will help us become what Christ wants us to be.

Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (KJV)

Don’t let sin control the way you live; don’t give in to its lustful desires. Don’t let sin keep on reigning within you. You now have help to overcome it! Don't give in to the devil. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (KJV)

Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (KJV)

Don’t surrender any part of yourselves to sin. Don’t let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given a new life. We should use your body as a tool to do what is right. We should glorify God in everything that we do! Our entire attitude to sin must change. Every part of our body is capable of sin. Our eyes can look at wrong things. Our ears can listen to evil talk. Our tongue can say things that can hurt other people’s minds. Our hands can work in wicked ways. Our feet can take us to places that we should not go. We should NEVER use our bodies as tools to serve sin. TRUE Christians should use their bodies to serve God. We should do what God wants us to do. We should go where God wants us to go.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (KJV)

Sin should NEVER be a Christian’s master. We should obey God. God’s grace gives us the desire and power to obey Him. Sin is no longer our master, Christ Jesus is your one and only Master! We are no longer controlled by laws, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, we are freed from sin by the marvelous grace of God. Don’t ever allow sin to be your master again! The Law was given to show us we are sinners. God’s children do not live by their old Adamic nature. We have a new nature given to us by the Holy Spirit of God (Rom.8:9). We are to yield ourselves (present, commit, submit ourselves) to Almighty God. What a tremendous privilege this is! 1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (KJV) . . . Do you really see just how much our heavenly Father loves us? He allows us to be called His children, and we really are! The people who belong to this world (unbelievers) don't know God, so they don't understand that we are His children. Thank You Jesus!

Slaves to Righteousness . . . Romans 6:15-23

Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (KJV)

Paul repeats his thoughts from verse 1. We are no longer under the Law, we are under the amazing grace of God, our Father! For us to continue in sin is a terrible and ridiculous idea. If we have accepted God’s grace, we will do our best to obey Him. This is simply a rule of common sense. All people choose a master and pattern themselves after him. We either choose the devil or Jesus to be our master (1 John 3:10). If we didn’t have Jesus, we wouldn’t have a choice, because we would simply follow sin; and the results would be guilt, suffering, and separation from God. But, thanks be to Jesus, we can now choose God as our Master. As we follow Him, we can enjoy new life and learn how to work for Him. Are you still serving your first master, Satan and sin? Or is Jesus your Master?

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (KJV)

To whomever you yield yourselves, you are their servants, and that master you will obey; whether of sin unto death (the sinner's final condition), OR of obedience unto righteousness, that is, obedience that results in a righteous character, (the enduring and eternal condition of Christ’s servant). See: 1 John 2:17; John 8:34; 2 Peter 2:19; Mat. 6:24.

Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (KJV)

ALL of God’s children once belonged to the world (Eph.1:1-2), but finally one day they saw the blessed Light of Jesus. To “obey from the heart” means to give yourself 100% to God, to love Him “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Sad to say that so often our efforts to know and obey God’s commands can best be described as “halfhearted.” How do you rate your heart and soul’s obedience? God will give you the power to obey Him with all your heart, IF you let Him!

Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (KJV)

This is the conclusion of the preceding verse (17). We have been made free from sin, thus becoming “servants of righteousness.” We have been released from one master (sin) to serve another (Christ).There is NO middle of the road! We are either FOR Jesus, or we are against Jesus! We cannot sit up on the fence! When we allow God to reign over us, we are set free from sin through God’s marvelous grace. It is only when we become “servants of righteousness,” that we find we have true freedom. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (KJV)

Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. (KJV)

God has freed us from sin, so we can become servants of righteousness. Paul uses the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easier to understand. Before, we let ourselves be slaves to impurity and wickedness. But now we must choose to be slaves of righteousness so that we will become holy. We once practiced sin but now we yield to righteousness. We once went to great lengths to sin, now we go to great lengths to avoid sin. Our fruit of holiness is sanctification . . . being set aside for God’s use. If we obey God, we will live a holy life, and those lives will please God.

Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (KJV

Difficulties have been made about this verse, but really, none exist. No servant can serve two masters, for their actions come into deadly collision. Each master demands the whole person. While serving sin, we could never be the servants of righteousness. We were “free from righteousness” as long as we served sin, for our real services were always given to sin. When we were servants of sin, we had no concern for doing what was right.

Romans 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (KJV)

What permanent advantage, and abiding satisfaction, can sin yield? NONE! They leave us only with a sense of shame. The end result of our serving sin is death; an eternal and agonizing death! (Rev.20:15).

Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (KJV)

It is impossible to be neutral. Again, you CANNOT sit up on the fence! You have to make a decision! Every person has a master . . . either God OR sin. A TRUE Christian is not someone who cannot sin, but someone who is no longer a slave to sin. He or she belongs to God. But now . . . getting away from the subject of sin is great relief. We are free from sin, and free to serve God! “Fruit unto holiness” is that which believers produce in their lives. We have our fruit, and the end everlasting life; the final state of the justified believer. We now have a life of acceptance with God, and each day we are conformed more to His likeness. And we have access to Him, and an indescribable fellowship with Him throughout this life.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

You are free to choose between two masters. Each of the two masters pays with his own kind of wages. The wages of sin is death. That is all you can ever expect or hope for in life without God. Christ’s wages is eternal life; a new life with God that begins on Earth and continues forever with God in Heaven.

Eternal life is a free gift from God. It is NOT something that we earn, or that we must pay back. Consider the foolishness of someone who receives a gift given out of love and then offers to pay for it. Our salvation is a GIFT of God, not something of our own doing (Eph.2:8-9). God saved us because of His mercy, not because of any good things we have done (Titus 3:5).This verse is the heart of the Gospel.

Any laborer is worthy of his hire, and so it is with the wages we shall receive at the end of this earthly life. The wages the sinner (unbeliever) shall receive will be eternal death. Eternal life is in NO way the wages of our righteousness for nothing can earn it. It is "the gift of God." We receive eternal life only by the amazing grace of God! Jesus Christ our Lord, is the righteous Channel to it, and the ONLY Channel to it (John 14:6). “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!” (Rev. 1:5-6).

Death and life are before ALL people who hear the Gospel. The one is the proper reward for sin; the other, the absolutely free "Gift of God" to sinners, “in Jesus Christ our Lord.” The one is the conscious sense of the hopeless eternal loss; the other is the conscious possession and enjoyment of eternal Heaven.

Deut.. 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (KJV) . . . May I suggest you choose life with Jesus!

The Book of Romans

Ch.1 . Ch.2 . Ch.3 . Ch.4 . Ch.5 . Ch.6 . Ch.7 . Ch.8 . Ch.9 . Ch.10 . Ch.11 . Ch.12 . Ch.13 . Ch.14 . Ch.15 . Ch.16

Home Page