This exposition of Romans 6:15-23 by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, June 24, 2018.
Intro:
We are a “Gospel People.” A people born of the Gospel, rooted in the Gospel, identified by the Gospel. The Gospel is not just good news for the lost. It is good news for the saved.
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We never move beyond the Gospel. We never outgrow the Gospel. We grow into it. We mature in it. It becomes the joy of our lives. It grows sweeter with each passing day as we plumb the depths Gospel truth. The great tragedy in the church is so many folks “get saved” and them seem to get over it. I checked the box, said the prayer got dunked in water, I’m good now let’s move on. No, we don’t move on. We spend eternity exploring the wonders of God’s salvation. The Gospel is not something I need for when I die, it is what I need in order to live. Thus from time to time we come together around this table. We come to remember and to reflect. We gather to rejoice in the life that is ours because of Christ. The life that is ours because of the cross. This morning I want to reflect on a text most of us are familiar with. It’s part of the Roman Road. It is a basic text for sharing the gospel. We know that if we want to share the gospel we need to talk about the effects of sin. So we point to Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Then we point to Romans 6:23 - for the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 is certainly “good news.” It is the best possible news but you really need to see it in context. It comes as the capstone of an argument the apostle is making about living the gospel. Our text this morning is found in Romans chapter 6 beginning with verse 15.
Text: Romans 6:15-23
Paul’s message has been focused and driven:
We are guilty - deserving of God’s wrath
All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory
There is none righteous not a single one
The wages of our sin is death
But God has revealed, made known, manifested a righteousness, apart from the law
That is a righteousness that is outside of us
This righteousness is ours by faith
When we come to faith we have peace with God
We are no longer His enemies, we are His friends, children upon whom He will lavish His grace
He then gives this summary in 5:20-21: where sin abounds grace abounds all the more. Now Paul knows that this truth could be abused/misused. If sin causes grace to “super-abound” let’s sin more that grace might more abound. He responds with, God forbid, how can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-14)
The summary of 6:14 - For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace, could just as easily be abused - thus we have our text beginning with verse 15 and going down to verse 23.
As we explore verses 15-23 we are reminded that...
Thesis: The road to genuine freedom must pass through heartfelt, voluntary enslavement.
Now that doesn’t make sense.
How can that be?
What does that even mean?
Let’s look at it together.
There are three things I want to point out along the way.
- Genuine freedom is the fruit of heartfelt enslavement. (6:15-18)
- The Gospel, without apology, forcefully calls all believers to a life of such enslavement. (6:19)
- This enslavement to righteousness brings eternal glory. (6:21-23)
Conclusion:
So you want to be free? You want to know the joyous freedom of fulfillment and happiness? Then wholeheartedly embrace a life of slavery. Slavery to righteousness. Because it is only in becoming obedient to the will of God you will ever find the joy of living as you were made to live!
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