ROMANS UNWRAPPED 112

"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law but under grace? God forbid."  Romans 6v15.

Paul continues his treatment of the important subject of the believers changed relationship to sin by the grace of God. In verses 1-14, he has shown that to continue to live in sin is not only preposterous, but also nigh on impossible, and also unnecessary, since God has removed us from the realm and rule of sin altogether: now in verses 15-23, he tackles the problem of individual acts of sin, spasmodic sin, occasional sin. In short should the Christian believer dabble in sin? and the answer is again a firm no!

Some may say, "we are no longer under law, and since the absence of law means no penalty, it wouldn't matter if we committed the odd sin."   Also since we are under grace, and it has been clearly taught that the grace of God justifies us in His presence, acquits us from all guilt, and removes the possibility of any condemnation of sin, surely it is okay to commit sin now and again for God will forgive us.   The apostle here is not teaching sinless perfection, but a proper attitude towards sin and he develops this in the following verses of chapter 6.

We must not take sin lightly, the grace of God in calling men and women into fellowship with Himself was demonstrated on the basis of righteousness, that is the transfer of our sin to Christ on the cross, and so we should not play with sin.   The casual reading of the books of Moses, particularly Leviticus will show that the God who calls His redeemed people to approach Him must do so in accordance with God's instructions, and in recognition of His Holy character.   The fact that God has come to humanity in grace and mercy and love, does not mean that in any way His attitude to sin has changed.  

Oswald Chambers in his treatment of Romans chapter 6, has given a helpful summary of the entire chapter describing the believers attitude to sin.

• Verses  1   -11        -   we cannot continue in sin because we are united to Christ.
• Verses 12 - 14        -   we need not continue in sin because the power of sin has been broken.
• Verses 15 - 20        -   you must not continue in sin because it would re-introduce sin as your master
• Verses 21 - 23        -   you dare not continue in sin because it would end in disaster.

All the above truly captures the spirit of this chapter.   God has both a short term and a long term antagonism to sin and so should we.   In Daniel chapter 9, the prophet outlines the Divine programme as follows  " seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness."   Daniel 9v24   God will obliterate sin from the universe, that is His goal, and it should also be ours.   The entire ethos of the New Testament is that those who are the subjects of the grace of God, turn away from sin in all its forms however small.   Paul wrote to Titus and said that the same grace of God which brought salvation to the world, appearing to all men, is the same grace of God that teaches us who have received it, that we are to " deny ungodliness and wordly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age;  looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."   Titus 2v12-14  

Other scriptures like Romans 13v12  "let us cast off the works of darkness"; 1st Corinthians 5v7   "Purge out the old leaven"; Ephesians 4v22   "put off concerning your former life the old man";

Ephesians 4v31  "let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice"; Colossians 3v5-7  "mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth"; Colossians 3v8  "put off all these, anger,wrath,malice,blasphemy filthy communication out of your mouth."

All these were part of the old life , now you live to God, who at great cost put away your sin; so don't  go on living in it, do not even dabble in it because as we shall see in verses 16-23, sin is a merciless tyrant; sin leads to a miserable life style; sin brings disastrous and eternal consequences. 

Tomorrow d.v. Romans 6 v 16-17