Today's lesson comes from Romans 6: 1-14; 22,23. Romans chapter six begins with Paul answering the question of individuals continuing to commit sin after they have turned their lives over to Christ. After his denial in verse two of "sinning" religion, he presents his argument. Those who have been baptized "unto" Christ have affirmed that they are dead to sin, no longer under its dominion. The first section of the lesson is a strong argument against antinomianism (against the Christian being under any law). In the second section, Paul lays down the fact that Christ's death provides deliverance from inbred sin. The last section deals with living the sanctified life, a life fully yielded to God. After sanctification, the individual must maintain his consecration in daily choices and living.
In this chapter, Paul deals with the question, "After being justified by faith, is the purification and perfection of the Christian life accomplished by works?" Paul will argue and prove that holiness is not by self-assertion or works, but by death, resurrection, and fruit bearing. Chapter seven reveals what the law can and cannot do about man's need. It can make a person miserable, but the law cannot deliver from sin. Chapter eight shows us the normal Christian life of holiness in the Spirit. These lessons are central to those of us who call themselves holiness Christians.
The first section is "Dead to Sin." vv. 1-5 The sixth chapter begins with Paul asking the question shall we continue under the power of the sin nature so that God's grace may abound. His answer is, "God forbid." There can be no real salvation without an end to sinning. We are enabled to live above sin because the sin nature, i.e. the old man, carnality, is destroyed in entire sanctification. We have died to sin and this means the sin principle. To be dead to something is to have nothing to do with it. Verses three and four state that we are "baptized into Jesus Christ." To be "baptized unto Christ" means to turn from sin, and dedication to live in conformity to the example of Christ. Water baptism signifies that we belong to God.
The Christian's old life "in Adam" has been put to death and buried. God has raised the believer to a new life "in Christ." We are no longer a "natural man," but we have become a "spiritual man." We are saved and sanctified so that we can walk "in the newness of life." God's power to deliver and keep from all sin is manifested in the life of the believer. This is not reserved for eternal life in heaven, but also includes the power to rise from being dead in sin, to live a new life free from sin. He who is dead to sin is as separate from it as a dead man is to the world. John Wesley said: "Justification implies what God does for us through His Son; sanctification, what He works in us by His Spirit."
The second section is "Delivered From Sin." vv. 6-11 The sixth verse tells us that the old man is crucified. Not that he is going to be, but that he is crucified. The sanctified believer has had his or her old man put to death. Some contend that the old man is just suppressed, that is, kept under. That is not holiness doctrine. Our teaching is that the carnal nature is destroyed by the blood of Jesus when the proper conditions have been met: entire consecration (complete surrender) and faith. To be "freed from sin" means to be set at liberty, released, and no longer tyrannized by the spirit of revolt. The carnal mind fights with God, but the sanctified believer no longer has a mind that is in rebellion to God.
The word "dead" in verses seven and eight is not referring to physical death, but to a total abandonment to God, which results in the destruction of the old sinful nature. It is through the death of Jesus Christ that we are delivered from. all sin. We die to sin to live with Christ. Holiness is not just a negative, i.e. the removal of the sin nature. It also contains a positive, i.e. the infilling of the Holy Spirit. We are to be united to Christ both in His separation from sin and in His active devotion to God. We are to lay on the altar all that we are, our past, present and future (called the unknown bundle), our complete life goes all to Him. Then, we exercise faith. The faith which obtains this second work of grace is a total reliance upon the word and power of God. We are by faith to consider the work of sanctification complete only when we have entirely consecrated our selves to God.
The third section is "Servants of God." vv. 14-23 Sin is not to have dominion over the sanctified believer and we are to become servants to God. The key to maintaining spiritual victory is in the exercise of the will. Our bodies are neither good or evil, moral or immoral. But we must not allow the physical to dominate our life, and force it into channels which will bring us defeat. The desires of the flesh must not be our master. The righteous man does not allow his body be a slave of sin.
We are to "yield ourselves unto God," and our "members as instruments of righteousness." The consecration we made to get sanctified is the same consecration that must be continued and affirmed by our daily choices. Sanctification must be worked out in everyday life, or lost. The person that refuses to seek cleansing from inbred sin (carnality, old man), will become a slave to sin. In the end, that soul will receive its just wages--death. The cleansed soul receives the free "gift of God"--eternal life which is enjoyed now, in this present life. It must be holiness or hell.
Justification (initial sanctification) is deliverance from reigning sin; entire sanctification is deliverance from remaining inbred sin. Both are required to enter a holy heaven.
The Golden Text is: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." (Galatians 2:20) "This is one of the great holiness texts of the New Testament. The Greek literally says this: 'I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer do live, but Christ lives in me.' That is, Christ has taken the place of the carnal ego on the throne of my heart. That is the very essence of entire sanctification." (Ralph Earle) Self crucified and Christ crowned is the heart of holiness. The sanctified life is the crucified life. That is the way of holiness.
My summary points:
1. Being dead to sin is to no longer live under the sin nature (carnality, old man).
2. Crucifixion is not suppression, it is freedom from the sin nature.
3. Sanctification must be worked out in everyday life, or lost.
The lesson next week is "Who Walk After the Spirit." Romans 8: 1-14
Don't forget to read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement.
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