Title: Receiver of Grace! (Rom 6:12-18)
Contents
One day, a student took a taxi and he shared a ride with an old woman. The student sat next to his grandmother. However, the student's stomach becomes strange and the fart is about to come out. The student persevered and persevered, but was one step closer to farting. It was very difficult for me to hold back my farts. The student endured and found the myo-su. The student farted while rubbing the window with his finger, making a similar sound. It succeeded in rubbing the window with the sound of farts and making a plausible sound. But the old woman next to me said, "Sounds aside, what about the smell?"
Our life of faith today is similar. The shape is plausible, but there is no change and it smells rancid. Today, I will read the words of Romans 6 while thinking about these issues. It says that those who have received grace must bear fruit worthy of grace. Today, focusing on the text, “O you who have received grace!” I would like to speak with the title.
A. Recognize the Change of Interrogation of the Saved
In the text, those who have received grace refer to those who have received the grace of salvation. And it refers to those who have received the grace of salvation. And for those who have received the grace of salvation, there is a change of status. Let's look at verses 17-18. “I will give thanks to God. You were originally slaves to sin, but you have been set free from sin and became slaves to righteousness, by obedient to the pattern of teaching that was delivered to you from your heart.” Amen. The servant of sin received the grace of salvation and became a servant of righteousness. Hallelujah.
Paul said the same thing in Ephesians 2. “Among them all of us formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the body and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like others, but God, who is rich in mercy, healed us who were dead in our trespasses because of the great love with which he loved us. made alive” (Ephesians 2:3-5). We too, originally died in our sins and transgressions, and were children of wrath, were saved by God's grace and became children of God.
Although we are still lacking in reality, God considers us righteous in Christ. When a child is born and registered in the family register, it is infinitely insufficient to become a human being, but it is like being recognized as a child. Theologically, this is called justification. And at the moment of justification, the life of God enters and we experience rebirth and new birth. And this is where sanctification begins.
B. Face the real problems of the saved
Even if we are saved by God's grace and become children of God, we still have a sinful nature. Although God justifies us, we are not completely righteous. It just makes you feel righteous. Even if they become children of God, they are still weak beings with a sinful nature.
Paul spoke of this reality with the word “immortal.” Look at verse 12. “Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal lake, so that you obey the work of the body.” Here, the mortal body refers to our weak human beings who are weak and have no choice but to continue to sin. In Romans 7:24, Paul says, “O wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this man’s body?” Said. Here, the body of death refers to the weak saints whose inner man delights in the law of God, but commits sins according to the lusts of the flesh.
If we disappear from all sinful nature when we become children of God, our religious life may be easier. Then there will be no need for conflict in your religious life. Everyone will live according to the word of God. But this is not God's will. God originally gave human beings free will. God delights in arbitrarily choosing the good in the conflict between good and evil. Through this, true Algok believers can be identified. In any case, believers must glorify God by fighting the remaining sinful nature and winning.
C. Change Owners
Let's read verses 12-13 together. “Do not let sin reign over your mortal body, and obey its lusts, nor present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as living from the dead, and present your members as instruments of righteousness. give it to God.” Amen.
The saved children of God must now change their owners. I used to be the master, but now I have to have God as my master. I must give the throne to the Lord in my heart. Now, instead of following the lusts of my flesh, I have to obey only the word of God, who has become a new owner. We must no longer live for the flesh, but live for the glory of God.
D. Live dead to sin
The saints are dead to sin and alive to God. Paul explains this in connection with baptism. This is what the phrase “as one who is alive from the dead” means in verse 13. We died and were buried with Jesus through baptism, and we rose again with the resurrection of Christ. This is the will of God to live as dead to sin and alive to righteousness.
It is said that in the old days, there was an unusual death ceremony in Jongqinggyo. One Westerner saw it and rated it like a comedy. Hang a cauldron on one path and place a prisoner inside the cauldron. Firewood is put in, but fire is not lit. And after a while the prisoner is taken out and sent back home. Families hold a funeral for him, and he must live as if he were dead. I can't go to the banquet house, and I can't even go to my neighbor's portrait. Because he's dead. You are alive but you have to live as if you were dead.
The saints are like this. You are alive, but you must live as if you were dead to sin. In the face of the temptation of sin, we must declare and reject “I am dead.” Believers are to act as dead to sin and living to righteousness.
E. We need the help of the Holy Spirit
Paul said that the Holy Spirit's help was absolutely necessary in all of these names. Because the subject of sanctification is the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:3-4 says, “What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did… so that the requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” I did. Human beings have their abilities, even if they want to. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we grow spiritually. (Rev. Hwang Kwang-min)