B1 What does this mean?
C1 What We Were—Dead In Sin, Now Alive in Jesus
D1 The Apostle asks if we should continue a life of sin, because the
more we sin, the more God gives grace, and the greater the glory to
God for His forgiveness.
D2 He answers, “How can we sin, if we are dead to sin?” Dead
people’s flesh is compost, so it cannot sin. Adam
Clarke [scroll down to verse] comments: The phraseology of
this verse is common among Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins. To Die to a
thing or person, is to have nothing to do with it or him; to be
totally separated from them: and to live to a thing or person is to
be wholly given up to them; to have the most intimate connection with
them.
D3 We are new. We are resurrected with Christ (the idea that we are
in Christ as in
E1 Ephesians 5:30 NIV for we are members of his body.
E2 Romans 12:5 NIV so in Christ we, though many, form one body,
and each member belongs to all the others.
D4 Note the contrast between life and death and righteousness and
sin. ISBE
has this comment: In his anthropology Paul uses four groups of
descriptive adjectives in contrasted pairs: (1) the old man and the
new man (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9; Ephesians 2:15;
4:24; Colossians 3:10); (2) the outward man and the inward man (2
Corinthians 4:16; Romans 7:22; Ephesians 3:16); (3) the carnal man
and the spiritual man (Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 3:1, 3, 4); (4)
the natural man and the spiritual man (2 Corinthians 2:14; 3:3-4,
Ephesians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 2:15; 3:1; 14:37; 15:46; Galatians 6:1).
A study of these passages will show that the adjectives "old,"
"outward," "carnal," and "natural"
describe man, from different points of view, prior to his conversion;
while the adjectives "new," "inward" and
"spiritual" describe him, from different points of view,
after his conversion. To elucidate the meaning, the expositor must
respect these antitheses and let the contrasted words throw light and
meaning upon each other.
D5 Verse 6, because our old sinful nature is killed, we now are to
live according to our new nature. We are a new creation to live by
God’s grace according to the rules of God’s kingdom. What was
impossible before we believed in Christ, is now possible.
D6 We were addicted to sin with no hope. Now, because of the
ministries of God, we are a new creation. We are no longer slaves to
sin but servants of God.
D7 Verse 12: there are still sinful desires, but by the grace of God,
we do not have to obey those desires. In the Biblical Illustrator we
have this thought: Meanwhile we must not let it [sin]
reign.
(1) If it reigned over us it would be our god. It would prove us
to be under death, and not alive unto God.
(2) It would cause us unbounded pain and injury if it ruled only
for a moment.
D8 God’s grace and new creation brings many joys.
D9 There is a Christian life we must live.
D10 I briefly wrote about this before.
C2 Are We Slaves To Sin or To God’s Righteousness?
D1 Verse 16, we are already Christians. Now, do we live a life of sin
or a life of righteousness? Let us choose wisely.
D2 Sin always leads to death. A person can be a Christian and still
sin, but if we continue to live a life of sin, we have no blessings,
no spiritual growth, no future awards.
D3 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NLT For no one can lay any foundation
other than the one we already have—Jesus
Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of
materials—gold,
silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire
will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will
show if a person's work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that
builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the
builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like
someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
C3 Questions:
D1 What does dead to sin mean?
D2 When and how do people have a new point of view (as described by
ISBE quote above)?
D3 Are we required to live a Christian life? If so, what is a
Christian life?
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