1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,000 Romans chapter 6 verses 1 to 11. Please 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,179 listen now to the reading of God's word. 3 00:00:07,919 --> 00:00:09,380 What shall we say then? 4 00:00:09,839 --> 00:00:12,639 Are we to continue in sin that grace 5 00:00:12,639 --> 00:00:13,380 may abound? 6 00:00:14,324 --> 00:00:15,304 By no means. 7 00:00:16,085 --> 00:00:18,244 How can we who died to sin still 8 00:00:18,244 --> 00:00:19,065 live in it? 9 00:00:20,005 --> 00:00:21,605 Do you not know that all of us 10 00:00:21,605 --> 00:00:24,085 who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were 11 00:00:24,085 --> 00:00:25,785 baptized into his death? 12 00:00:26,579 --> 00:00:28,820 We were buried therefore with him by baptism 13 00:00:28,820 --> 00:00:31,220 into death, in order that just as Christ 14 00:00:31,220 --> 00:00:33,140 was raised from the dead by the glory 15 00:00:33,140 --> 00:00:33,880 of the father, 16 00:00:34,340 --> 00:00:36,760 we too might walk in newness of life. 17 00:00:37,460 --> 00:00:39,460 For if we have been united with him 18 00:00:39,460 --> 00:00:42,015 in a death like his, we shall certainly 19 00:00:42,015 --> 00:00:44,655 be united with him in a resurrection like 20 00:00:44,655 --> 00:00:45,155 his. 21 00:00:45,695 --> 00:00:47,795 We know that our old self was crucified 22 00:00:47,854 --> 00:00:49,854 with him in order that the body of 23 00:00:49,854 --> 00:00:51,395 sin might be brought to nothing. 24 00:00:51,854 --> 00:00:53,695 So that we would no longer be enslaved 25 00:00:53,695 --> 00:00:54,354 to sin. 26 00:00:54,829 --> 00:00:57,070 For one who has died has been set 27 00:00:57,070 --> 00:00:58,130 free from sin. 28 00:00:58,909 --> 00:01:00,850 Now if we have died with Christ, 29 00:01:01,229 --> 00:01:03,549 we believe that we will also live with 30 00:01:03,549 --> 00:01:04,049 Him. 31 00:01:04,670 --> 00:01:06,590 We know that Christ, being raised from the 32 00:01:06,590 --> 00:01:09,584 dead, will never die again. Death no longer 33 00:01:09,584 --> 00:01:10,884 has dominion over him. 34 00:01:11,265 --> 00:01:12,564 For the death he died, 35 00:01:12,864 --> 00:01:15,584 he died to sin once for all. But 36 00:01:15,584 --> 00:01:17,844 the life he lives, he lives to God. 37 00:01:18,384 --> 00:01:20,484 So you also must consider yourselves 38 00:01:20,864 --> 00:01:23,090 dead to sin and alive to 39 00:01:23,469 --> 00:01:24,689 God in Christ Jesus. 40 00:01:25,230 --> 00:01:26,930 This is the word of the Lord. 41 00:01:27,629 --> 00:01:29,890 Thanks be to God. Please be seated. 42 00:01:38,704 --> 00:01:39,204 Well, 43 00:01:39,665 --> 00:01:40,564 Muhammad Ali 44 00:01:41,185 --> 00:01:42,005 is considered 45 00:01:43,025 --> 00:01:45,444 by many the greatest heavyweight boxer 46 00:01:45,745 --> 00:01:46,645 of all time. 47 00:01:47,105 --> 00:01:48,484 In the 19 sixties 48 00:01:48,784 --> 00:01:52,165 seventies, he was undoubtedly the most famous boxer. 49 00:01:52,530 --> 00:01:53,650 His name was, 50 00:01:54,049 --> 00:01:56,770 a, was known in households all around the 51 00:01:56,770 --> 00:01:57,270 world. 52 00:01:58,049 --> 00:01:58,549 Interestingly, 53 00:01:59,329 --> 00:02:01,890 Muhammad Ali was not his birth name. His 54 00:02:01,890 --> 00:02:04,930 name was actually Cassius Clay Junior after his 55 00:02:04,930 --> 00:02:06,549 father, Cassius Clay Senior. 56 00:02:07,064 --> 00:02:10,364 However, after becoming world champion at age 22, 57 00:02:10,905 --> 00:02:12,444 Clay converted to Islam 58 00:02:12,905 --> 00:02:15,245 and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, 59 00:02:15,784 --> 00:02:18,905 claiming that Cassius Clay was quote his slave 60 00:02:18,905 --> 00:02:19,405 name. 61 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,879 He said he didn't choose the name Cassius 62 00:02:21,879 --> 00:02:23,879 Clay, neither did he care for it. He 63 00:02:23,879 --> 00:02:25,900 didn't want it. He wasn't gonna keep it. 64 00:02:26,199 --> 00:02:28,439 Now, many people were upset at the name 65 00:02:28,439 --> 00:02:30,780 change, but Ali was correct in this. 66 00:02:31,159 --> 00:02:32,780 There is a sense in which 67 00:02:33,294 --> 00:02:35,474 whoever names you, owns you. 68 00:02:36,014 --> 00:02:38,254 This is why our parents name us and 69 00:02:38,254 --> 00:02:38,754 exercise 70 00:02:39,055 --> 00:02:40,974 authority over us while we are in their 71 00:02:40,974 --> 00:02:42,114 house, living 72 00:02:42,414 --> 00:02:43,474 under their name. 73 00:02:44,174 --> 00:02:46,655 In this morning's text, in Romans, Paul makes 74 00:02:46,655 --> 00:02:47,875 it clear that Jesus 75 00:02:48,310 --> 00:02:49,129 has broken 76 00:02:49,430 --> 00:02:52,409 the chains of bondage that death once exercised 77 00:02:52,629 --> 00:02:53,449 over Christians. 78 00:02:54,150 --> 00:02:55,669 He writes that if you are united to 79 00:02:55,669 --> 00:02:56,889 Jesus by faith, 80 00:02:57,269 --> 00:02:59,349 you are no longer under the household of 81 00:02:59,349 --> 00:02:59,849 Adam. 82 00:03:00,150 --> 00:03:00,889 And therefore, 83 00:03:01,264 --> 00:03:02,164 you are no longer 84 00:03:02,465 --> 00:03:04,324 under the domain of sin. 85 00:03:05,025 --> 00:03:06,944 In fact, the main point that I have 86 00:03:06,944 --> 00:03:08,405 for you this morning is this. 87 00:03:09,185 --> 00:03:09,685 Christians 88 00:03:10,224 --> 00:03:12,724 don't live like a slave to sin. 89 00:03:13,500 --> 00:03:15,439 Live like you belong to your savior. 90 00:03:16,139 --> 00:03:18,379 Again, don't live like a slave to sin, 91 00:03:18,379 --> 00:03:20,620 live like you belong to your savior. And 92 00:03:20,620 --> 00:03:23,019 we're going to have a false message this 93 00:03:23,019 --> 00:03:24,400 morning under 3 headings. 94 00:03:24,860 --> 00:03:25,360 1st, 95 00:03:25,819 --> 00:03:26,479 the significance 96 00:03:26,780 --> 00:03:28,159 of being in Christ. 97 00:03:29,474 --> 00:03:29,974 2nd, 98 00:03:30,514 --> 00:03:31,254 the freedom 99 00:03:31,715 --> 00:03:33,495 of being like Christ. 100 00:03:34,114 --> 00:03:38,055 And 3rd, the blessing of being with Christ. 101 00:03:38,674 --> 00:03:40,534 So let's look at the first one, the 102 00:03:40,594 --> 00:03:41,974 significance of being 103 00:03:42,275 --> 00:03:43,174 in Christ. 104 00:03:43,580 --> 00:03:45,819 In verses 1 and 2, we read, what 105 00:03:45,819 --> 00:03:47,039 shall we say them? 106 00:03:47,419 --> 00:03:49,580 Are we to continue in sin that grace 107 00:03:49,580 --> 00:03:50,240 may abound? 108 00:03:50,939 --> 00:03:51,919 By no means. 109 00:03:52,219 --> 00:03:54,560 How can we, who die to sin, 110 00:03:54,860 --> 00:03:56,240 still live in it? 111 00:03:56,735 --> 00:03:59,055 Now last Sunday, Julio preached on these two 112 00:03:59,055 --> 00:04:00,974 verses, and he did a really great job 113 00:04:00,974 --> 00:04:03,395 explaining that it is an utter contradiction 114 00:04:04,175 --> 00:04:06,735 for someone to, on the one hand, claim 115 00:04:06,735 --> 00:04:08,895 that he is a Christian who has received 116 00:04:08,895 --> 00:04:10,275 forgiveness by grace, 117 00:04:10,759 --> 00:04:11,819 and on the other hand, 118 00:04:12,359 --> 00:04:12,859 continue 119 00:04:13,159 --> 00:04:13,819 to unrepentantly 120 00:04:14,759 --> 00:04:16,459 indulge in sinful behavior. 121 00:04:17,639 --> 00:04:20,459 The notion that because salvation is by grace, 122 00:04:21,079 --> 00:04:23,660 when it's free to live without any care 123 00:04:24,064 --> 00:04:26,964 for obeying God's laws known as antinomianism. 124 00:04:28,305 --> 00:04:29,844 And it is a total distortion 125 00:04:30,224 --> 00:04:31,044 of the gospel. 126 00:04:31,824 --> 00:04:32,324 Antinomianism 127 00:04:32,865 --> 00:04:35,584 teaches that since justification is by faith and 128 00:04:35,584 --> 00:04:36,644 not by works, 129 00:04:38,009 --> 00:04:40,810 God's law has no bearing on the individual 130 00:04:40,810 --> 00:04:41,310 anymore. 131 00:04:41,689 --> 00:04:43,069 Has no bearing on me. 132 00:04:43,610 --> 00:04:45,789 It says that I have the freedom 133 00:04:46,089 --> 00:04:48,589 to live however I want because my sin 134 00:04:48,889 --> 00:04:50,430 has already been paid for. 135 00:04:51,504 --> 00:04:52,644 But Paul asks, 136 00:04:53,104 --> 00:04:54,084 how can we 137 00:04:54,464 --> 00:04:55,845 who died to sin 138 00:04:56,305 --> 00:04:57,604 still live in it? 139 00:04:58,144 --> 00:04:59,845 It is incongruent incongruent. 140 00:05:01,024 --> 00:05:02,084 It is a contradiction. 141 00:05:03,024 --> 00:05:04,724 More than that, it is a slanderous 142 00:05:05,024 --> 00:05:05,524 lie 143 00:05:06,250 --> 00:05:08,829 against the holy character of God. 144 00:05:09,529 --> 00:05:11,529 And yet, it is tempting to believe this 145 00:05:11,529 --> 00:05:13,769 lie, or at least to want it to 146 00:05:13,769 --> 00:05:14,430 be true. 147 00:05:15,370 --> 00:05:16,269 After all, 148 00:05:16,649 --> 00:05:18,509 who wants to have any restrictions 149 00:05:19,129 --> 00:05:21,310 on how to live his or her life? 150 00:05:22,305 --> 00:05:23,764 Who wants to follow rules? 151 00:05:24,545 --> 00:05:27,105 Isn't it so much better to just follow 152 00:05:27,105 --> 00:05:28,084 our own heart? 153 00:05:30,144 --> 00:05:31,605 Well, if lying means 154 00:05:31,985 --> 00:05:33,845 that I that I can get ahead, 155 00:05:34,384 --> 00:05:35,605 then why not lie? 156 00:05:36,230 --> 00:05:37,830 If cheating means that I'll get a better 157 00:05:37,830 --> 00:05:39,850 grade, then why not cheat? 158 00:05:40,790 --> 00:05:42,629 If I can close that business deal by 159 00:05:42,629 --> 00:05:43,610 bending the rules, 160 00:05:44,949 --> 00:05:46,490 why not do it? 161 00:05:47,670 --> 00:05:49,990 If no one gets hurt when I access 162 00:05:49,990 --> 00:05:50,649 that website, 163 00:05:51,634 --> 00:05:52,535 it was to stop 164 00:05:54,354 --> 00:05:55,814 me. If I can take something 165 00:05:56,435 --> 00:05:59,555 without it ever being noticed, without it ever 166 00:05:59,555 --> 00:06:00,375 being missed, 167 00:06:00,995 --> 00:06:03,154 why not take it? And if I can 168 00:06:03,154 --> 00:06:05,014 do any or all of these things 169 00:06:05,669 --> 00:06:06,490 without consequences, 170 00:06:07,350 --> 00:06:08,329 then why not? 171 00:06:09,589 --> 00:06:11,350 Doing the right thing is not easy, so 172 00:06:11,350 --> 00:06:14,410 why bother? Especially if so called good works 173 00:06:15,350 --> 00:06:16,490 have no bearing 174 00:06:16,949 --> 00:06:17,930 on my salvation. 175 00:06:19,444 --> 00:06:20,504 If God is gracious, 176 00:06:21,365 --> 00:06:24,884 then why shouldn't I continue in sin that 177 00:06:24,884 --> 00:06:26,185 grace may abound? 178 00:06:26,964 --> 00:06:29,044 Well, how does Paul answer this question? He 179 00:06:29,044 --> 00:06:30,824 says, by no means. 180 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,060 You see, there are consequences 181 00:06:33,519 --> 00:06:36,339 to sin. There are always consequences to sin. 182 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:39,220 If someone who claims to be a Christian, 183 00:06:40,079 --> 00:06:40,579 unrepentantly, 184 00:06:41,439 --> 00:06:44,419 in done indulges in sin, he hurts himself. 185 00:06:44,904 --> 00:06:45,805 Because sin slowly 186 00:06:46,345 --> 00:06:47,004 and surely 187 00:06:47,384 --> 00:06:48,604 will consume him. 188 00:06:49,305 --> 00:06:50,604 He hurts other people 189 00:06:51,144 --> 00:06:55,064 because sin always privileges the self above all 190 00:06:55,064 --> 00:06:55,564 others. 191 00:06:56,584 --> 00:06:58,044 He distorts the gospel 192 00:06:58,740 --> 00:07:00,920 because he turns grace into licentiousness. 193 00:07:02,180 --> 00:07:04,579 And he drags the name of Jesus through 194 00:07:04,579 --> 00:07:07,379 the mud because he claims to follow Jesus 195 00:07:07,379 --> 00:07:08,199 while displaying 196 00:07:08,579 --> 00:07:09,800 the sinful lifestyle 197 00:07:10,339 --> 00:07:13,319 Jesus died to eradicate from his people. 198 00:07:14,284 --> 00:07:16,305 Look at what Paul writes in verse 3. 199 00:07:16,845 --> 00:07:19,024 He writes, do you not know 200 00:07:19,564 --> 00:07:21,485 that all of us who have been baptized 201 00:07:21,485 --> 00:07:22,704 into Christ Jesus 202 00:07:23,164 --> 00:07:25,264 were baptized into his death? 203 00:07:26,490 --> 00:07:28,910 Paul draws a connection between baptism 204 00:07:29,370 --> 00:07:30,589 and the death of Jesus. 205 00:07:30,970 --> 00:07:33,529 So, his argument so far is that a 206 00:07:33,529 --> 00:07:34,509 sinful lifestyle 207 00:07:35,050 --> 00:07:36,829 does not comport with Christianity 208 00:07:37,529 --> 00:07:39,230 because Christians have been baptized 209 00:07:39,689 --> 00:07:41,149 into Christ's death. 210 00:07:42,305 --> 00:07:44,464 Now, this is a very profound statement by 211 00:07:44,464 --> 00:07:47,024 Paul, but its meaning is not easy to 212 00:07:47,024 --> 00:07:47,524 understand. 213 00:07:48,384 --> 00:07:49,985 Yet, we need to make an effort to 214 00:07:49,985 --> 00:07:52,225 unpack it because once we understand what Paul 215 00:07:52,225 --> 00:07:54,225 means, then everything else he says here makes 216 00:07:54,225 --> 00:07:54,725 sense. 217 00:07:55,300 --> 00:07:58,020 The key to understand how to decipher Paul's 218 00:07:58,020 --> 00:08:00,500 argument here is to understand the meaning of 219 00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:01,000 baptism. 220 00:08:02,259 --> 00:08:02,759 Baptism 221 00:08:03,460 --> 00:08:05,800 is a visible and material representation 222 00:08:06,660 --> 00:08:07,639 of an invisible 223 00:08:08,180 --> 00:08:09,639 and spiritual reality. 224 00:08:10,115 --> 00:08:12,615 Again, it's a visible and material representation 225 00:08:13,394 --> 00:08:16,055 of an invisible and spiritual reality. 226 00:08:16,754 --> 00:08:17,894 It represents 227 00:08:18,355 --> 00:08:20,774 our being united to Christ by faith. 228 00:08:21,875 --> 00:08:23,415 This spiritual union 229 00:08:24,399 --> 00:08:25,139 with Christ 230 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,100 impacts our sinfulness in 2 ways. 231 00:08:28,879 --> 00:08:29,379 1st, 232 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,320 his death on the cross pays for the 233 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:33,460 guilt of our sin 234 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:35,299 so that we are justified 235 00:08:35,759 --> 00:08:39,220 or we are legally declared innocent before God. 236 00:08:40,334 --> 00:08:40,834 2nd, 237 00:08:41,615 --> 00:08:43,615 since Jesus pays for the debt of our 238 00:08:43,615 --> 00:08:45,235 sin with his own death, 239 00:08:45,934 --> 00:08:48,834 sin no longer has any claim over us. 240 00:08:49,214 --> 00:08:50,995 We are not in its debt. 241 00:08:52,110 --> 00:08:54,049 Sin doesn't own us anymore 242 00:08:54,750 --> 00:08:56,690 because the wages of our sin 243 00:08:57,149 --> 00:08:59,009 has already been paid by Jesus. 244 00:09:00,269 --> 00:09:01,809 Jesus with his death 245 00:09:02,509 --> 00:09:05,710 purchased us from the domain of sin. Sin 246 00:09:05,710 --> 00:09:06,450 no longer 247 00:09:07,184 --> 00:09:07,684 owns 248 00:09:08,065 --> 00:09:10,485 us. Sin no longer is our master. 249 00:09:11,105 --> 00:09:11,605 Instead, 250 00:09:12,465 --> 00:09:15,024 Jesus is our Lord. We belong to him 251 00:09:15,024 --> 00:09:15,524 now. 252 00:09:16,865 --> 00:09:17,365 Baptism 253 00:09:18,065 --> 00:09:19,044 is a public 254 00:09:19,759 --> 00:09:20,740 visible sign 255 00:09:21,279 --> 00:09:22,100 that you 256 00:09:22,639 --> 00:09:24,019 and all that is yours, 257 00:09:24,399 --> 00:09:27,059 everything in your household, including your children, 258 00:09:28,159 --> 00:09:32,259 belong to God because Christ has purchased you. 259 00:09:33,195 --> 00:09:33,695 So, 260 00:09:34,315 --> 00:09:37,195 his death impacts you by taking away the 261 00:09:37,195 --> 00:09:38,335 guilt of your sin 262 00:09:38,875 --> 00:09:40,654 and by removing 263 00:09:41,274 --> 00:09:43,615 sin's claim over your life. 264 00:09:44,875 --> 00:09:45,375 Again, 265 00:09:45,915 --> 00:09:47,455 you belong to God now. 266 00:09:47,980 --> 00:09:49,120 You have been adopted 267 00:09:49,740 --> 00:09:50,879 into his family. 268 00:09:51,419 --> 00:09:53,899 This is why you and your children are 269 00:09:53,899 --> 00:09:56,460 baptized in his name, the name of the 270 00:09:56,460 --> 00:09:59,179 father and of the son and of the 271 00:09:59,179 --> 00:10:00,080 Holy Spirit. 272 00:10:01,384 --> 00:10:01,884 Baptism 273 00:10:02,504 --> 00:10:05,545 means you enjoy the privileges of being a 274 00:10:05,545 --> 00:10:06,925 member of God's household. 275 00:10:07,384 --> 00:10:09,725 But since you now have his family name, 276 00:10:10,425 --> 00:10:12,764 baptism also means that you represent 277 00:10:13,785 --> 00:10:14,605 God's household. 278 00:10:15,899 --> 00:10:17,659 This is why Paul writes that it is 279 00:10:17,659 --> 00:10:19,759 absurd for Christians to live 280 00:10:20,139 --> 00:10:21,360 sinful lifestyles. 281 00:10:22,459 --> 00:10:24,320 You have been baptized, he says. 282 00:10:24,779 --> 00:10:25,919 You have been baptized 283 00:10:26,459 --> 00:10:28,000 into Christ's death. 284 00:10:28,764 --> 00:10:31,565 A death that purchased you away from the 285 00:10:31,565 --> 00:10:32,544 domain of sin. 286 00:10:33,485 --> 00:10:35,964 That's when the transaction took place at the 287 00:10:35,964 --> 00:10:38,304 cross, at the death of Jesus. That's when 288 00:10:38,524 --> 00:10:41,664 you no longer belong to death anymore. 289 00:10:42,870 --> 00:10:44,570 You do not belong to God's family, 290 00:10:45,190 --> 00:10:48,389 so act like it. That's essentially Paul's argument 291 00:10:48,389 --> 00:10:48,889 here. 292 00:10:49,670 --> 00:10:52,170 Paul completes this idea in verse 4 saying, 293 00:10:52,710 --> 00:10:55,529 we were buried therefore with Christ by baptism 294 00:10:56,070 --> 00:10:56,889 into death, 295 00:10:57,394 --> 00:10:59,794 in order that just as Christ was raised 296 00:10:59,794 --> 00:11:00,534 from the dead 297 00:11:00,835 --> 00:11:02,294 by the glory of the father, 298 00:11:02,674 --> 00:11:05,335 we too might walk in newness of life. 299 00:11:06,754 --> 00:11:08,995 The image of being buried with Christ by 300 00:11:08,995 --> 00:11:09,495 baptism 301 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,120 does not have anything to do with the 302 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,840 mode of baptism. It's not an image of 303 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,820 baptism by immersion, for example. That's not what 304 00:11:17,879 --> 00:11:19,340 Paul has in mind here. 305 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,379 Rather, it's supposed to take us back 306 00:11:22,774 --> 00:11:23,355 to Genesis 307 00:11:23,654 --> 00:11:24,394 3 19 308 00:11:25,095 --> 00:11:26,715 where after Adam sins, 309 00:11:27,174 --> 00:11:29,914 God pronounces a curse on Adam saying, 310 00:11:30,375 --> 00:11:32,855 by the sweat of your face, you shall 311 00:11:32,855 --> 00:11:33,514 eat bread 312 00:11:33,975 --> 00:11:35,035 till you return 313 00:11:35,654 --> 00:11:36,554 to the ground. 314 00:11:37,279 --> 00:11:39,279 For out of it you were taken, for 315 00:11:39,279 --> 00:11:42,500 you are dust, and to dust you shall 316 00:11:42,879 --> 00:11:43,379 return. 317 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:45,299 In other words, 318 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,879 remember that in Romans 5, Paul wrote that 319 00:11:48,879 --> 00:11:51,779 sin and death had entered into the world 320 00:11:52,264 --> 00:11:54,125 because of the sin of Adam. 321 00:11:54,825 --> 00:11:56,684 So everyone in Adam's household 322 00:11:57,544 --> 00:12:00,424 has sinned, has his sin, and bears his 323 00:12:00,424 --> 00:12:00,924 curse. 324 00:12:01,225 --> 00:12:04,345 And if anyone dies in Adam, he is 325 00:12:04,345 --> 00:12:05,565 buried in Adam 326 00:12:05,899 --> 00:12:08,480 and is returned to the cursed ground. 327 00:12:08,940 --> 00:12:09,919 That's the connection. 328 00:12:10,379 --> 00:12:11,279 Dead in Adam, 329 00:12:11,740 --> 00:12:12,799 buried in Adam, 330 00:12:13,179 --> 00:12:14,559 cursed in Adam. 331 00:12:15,179 --> 00:12:17,660 But in Romans 5, Paul also wrote that 332 00:12:17,660 --> 00:12:19,419 anyone who is in the second Adam, that 333 00:12:19,419 --> 00:12:20,639 is to say in Jesus, 334 00:12:21,004 --> 00:12:23,904 will have eternal life. Because unlike Adam, 335 00:12:24,205 --> 00:12:24,705 Jesus 336 00:12:25,245 --> 00:12:26,625 obeyed the law perfectly. 337 00:12:27,644 --> 00:12:29,825 In 1st Corinthians 15 verse 48, 338 00:12:30,284 --> 00:12:32,524 Paul lays out these two destinies in this 339 00:12:32,524 --> 00:12:33,904 way. He writes, 340 00:12:34,205 --> 00:12:36,340 as was the man of dust, that is 341 00:12:36,340 --> 00:12:36,840 Adam, 342 00:12:37,460 --> 00:12:39,460 so also are those who are of the 343 00:12:39,460 --> 00:12:39,960 dust. 344 00:12:40,500 --> 00:12:42,200 And as is the man of heaven, 345 00:12:42,740 --> 00:12:43,240 Jesus, 346 00:12:43,860 --> 00:12:46,679 so also are those who are of heaven. 347 00:12:47,860 --> 00:12:50,200 Paul completes the thought here by stating 348 00:12:50,964 --> 00:12:53,464 that your baptism into Christ's death 349 00:12:54,644 --> 00:12:57,225 means that you, who belong to Jesus, 350 00:12:57,684 --> 00:12:59,304 are buried with Jesus 351 00:12:59,924 --> 00:13:00,664 and not 352 00:13:01,044 --> 00:13:01,865 with Adam. 353 00:13:02,804 --> 00:13:05,705 And since Jesus' death breaks Adam's curse, 354 00:13:06,610 --> 00:13:09,910 the ground or the grave or the dust 355 00:13:10,290 --> 00:13:12,550 has no claim over you anymore. 356 00:13:13,649 --> 00:13:16,149 You were baptized into Christ death. 357 00:13:17,170 --> 00:13:18,710 You are buried with him. 358 00:13:19,524 --> 00:13:22,565 The cursed ground could not contain Jesus, and 359 00:13:22,565 --> 00:13:25,065 neither will it contain you. 360 00:13:25,605 --> 00:13:28,105 The gates of hell will not prevail 361 00:13:28,565 --> 00:13:30,345 against you, Jesus says. 362 00:13:31,365 --> 00:13:32,745 The same power 363 00:13:33,259 --> 00:13:35,580 that freed Jesus from the grip of death 364 00:13:35,580 --> 00:13:36,480 at his resurrection 365 00:13:37,100 --> 00:13:41,100 also delivers you from bondage to sin when 366 00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:42,720 you are born again. 367 00:13:44,379 --> 00:13:45,519 Thus, Paul writes 368 00:13:46,345 --> 00:13:48,345 that you can live in newness of life. 369 00:13:48,345 --> 00:13:50,365 That is to say, you can overcome 370 00:13:51,225 --> 00:13:53,865 the temptation to sin and you can grow 371 00:13:53,865 --> 00:13:54,524 in godliness. 372 00:13:56,264 --> 00:13:59,245 So for you, what is the practical significance 373 00:13:59,384 --> 00:14:00,845 of being in Christ? 374 00:14:01,949 --> 00:14:02,449 Well, 375 00:14:02,829 --> 00:14:05,230 since being in Christ means that he has 376 00:14:05,230 --> 00:14:07,169 removed the guilt of your sin 377 00:14:07,549 --> 00:14:09,009 through his atoning death, 378 00:14:09,389 --> 00:14:10,850 then you can be sure 379 00:14:11,309 --> 00:14:12,689 that you are truly 380 00:14:13,309 --> 00:14:13,809 justified, 381 00:14:14,514 --> 00:14:17,394 that you are truly innocent before God, no 382 00:14:17,394 --> 00:14:18,534 matter what accusations 383 00:14:19,394 --> 00:14:21,334 Satan may bring against you. 384 00:14:22,034 --> 00:14:24,375 This means that you have really been reconciled 385 00:14:24,514 --> 00:14:25,815 with your heavenly father. 386 00:14:26,639 --> 00:14:27,779 You are his son. 387 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:29,620 You are his daughter. 388 00:14:30,399 --> 00:14:32,500 His wrath is not on you anymore. 389 00:14:33,279 --> 00:14:36,240 He loves you and cares for you, and 390 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:37,059 he delights 391 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:38,740 in blessing you. 392 00:14:39,654 --> 00:14:41,195 When you go to him in prayer, 393 00:14:41,575 --> 00:14:43,754 you can be sure that he receives you, 394 00:14:43,815 --> 00:14:45,115 and he hears you. 395 00:14:45,654 --> 00:14:47,995 And you can be sure that he works 396 00:14:48,054 --> 00:14:49,274 all things together 397 00:14:49,735 --> 00:14:50,875 for your good. 398 00:14:51,909 --> 00:14:54,090 And because God has forgiven you, 399 00:14:54,470 --> 00:14:56,009 when you sin against others, 400 00:14:56,549 --> 00:14:57,690 you have the freedom 401 00:14:58,149 --> 00:14:59,610 to confess your sins. 402 00:15:00,230 --> 00:15:01,529 You don't have to hide. 403 00:15:02,230 --> 00:15:04,649 You don't have to endure unending shame. 404 00:15:05,434 --> 00:15:06,894 You can accept your shortcomings 405 00:15:07,434 --> 00:15:08,654 and ask for forgiveness 406 00:15:09,115 --> 00:15:11,774 because God knows everything about you. 407 00:15:12,394 --> 00:15:14,975 And he loves you. And he has already 408 00:15:15,274 --> 00:15:16,334 forgiven you. 409 00:15:17,434 --> 00:15:18,735 But not only this, 410 00:15:19,660 --> 00:15:21,740 being in Christ also means that your heavenly 411 00:15:21,740 --> 00:15:22,240 father 412 00:15:22,860 --> 00:15:23,360 loves 413 00:15:23,660 --> 00:15:24,559 and has forgiven 414 00:15:25,259 --> 00:15:27,100 anybody who is in Christ. He has love 415 00:15:27,179 --> 00:15:29,519 he loves and he has forgiven other Christians. 416 00:15:30,620 --> 00:15:31,919 So when another Christian 417 00:15:32,299 --> 00:15:33,600 sins against you 418 00:15:34,375 --> 00:15:35,355 and he asks, 419 00:15:36,055 --> 00:15:38,055 and he or she asks for forgiveness, you 420 00:15:38,055 --> 00:15:39,115 now have the freedom 421 00:15:39,575 --> 00:15:40,475 and the responsibility 422 00:15:41,254 --> 00:15:41,995 to forgive 423 00:15:42,535 --> 00:15:43,595 him or her. 424 00:15:44,615 --> 00:15:46,695 In other words, because in Christ we are 425 00:15:46,695 --> 00:15:47,995 reconciled to God, 426 00:15:48,500 --> 00:15:50,839 we can also be reconciled to our brothers 427 00:15:50,899 --> 00:15:51,480 and sisters 428 00:15:52,019 --> 00:15:52,839 in the faith. 429 00:15:54,259 --> 00:15:55,480 And not only this, 430 00:15:55,940 --> 00:15:58,440 but remember that Paul wrote in Romans 510 431 00:15:59,059 --> 00:16:01,240 that it was while we were God's enemies 432 00:16:01,674 --> 00:16:04,154 that Christ died for us and reconciled us 433 00:16:04,154 --> 00:16:04,815 to God. 434 00:16:05,595 --> 00:16:06,415 This means 435 00:16:06,795 --> 00:16:08,875 that in Christ we have the freedom and 436 00:16:08,875 --> 00:16:09,375 responsibility 437 00:16:10,235 --> 00:16:12,174 to not only forgive other Christians, 438 00:16:12,554 --> 00:16:14,735 but also to love and forgive 439 00:16:15,035 --> 00:16:15,535 unbelievers. 440 00:16:17,179 --> 00:16:18,799 If we truly believe this, 441 00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:20,720 and we live it out, 442 00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:24,399 imagine what this can do for our marriages, 443 00:16:25,500 --> 00:16:27,440 for our relationships with our children, 444 00:16:28,955 --> 00:16:31,434 for our relationships with our parents, or with 445 00:16:31,434 --> 00:16:32,335 our siblings, 446 00:16:32,715 --> 00:16:33,934 or with our neighbors. 447 00:16:35,115 --> 00:16:37,774 Because in Christ we are a forgiving people, 448 00:16:38,554 --> 00:16:40,554 we have the freedom and the power to 449 00:16:40,554 --> 00:16:41,534 be a forgiving 450 00:16:42,075 --> 00:16:42,575 people. 451 00:16:43,949 --> 00:16:45,089 If you are unforgiving 452 00:16:46,750 --> 00:16:47,409 and resentful 453 00:16:48,429 --> 00:16:49,250 and proud, 454 00:16:50,189 --> 00:16:53,470 perhaps the chains of a sinful nature still 455 00:16:53,470 --> 00:16:54,209 bind you. 456 00:16:55,069 --> 00:16:56,769 Because in Christ, we are 457 00:16:57,295 --> 00:16:58,355 a forgiving people, 458 00:16:58,735 --> 00:17:00,754 we are to be a forgiving 459 00:17:01,455 --> 00:17:01,955 people. 460 00:17:02,894 --> 00:17:04,994 If you are in Christ, resentment 461 00:17:05,934 --> 00:17:07,075 is not your master. 462 00:17:07,615 --> 00:17:09,555 Praise the Lord. More importantly, 463 00:17:09,934 --> 00:17:12,539 not only is resentment not your master, but 464 00:17:12,539 --> 00:17:15,580 sin is no longer your master. Which brings 465 00:17:15,580 --> 00:17:18,000 us to our second heading this morning, the 466 00:17:18,299 --> 00:17:19,840 the freedom of being 467 00:17:20,220 --> 00:17:21,200 like Christ. 468 00:17:22,380 --> 00:17:24,400 The freedom of being like Christ. 469 00:17:27,804 --> 00:17:30,605 Christ not only justifies you by removing the 470 00:17:30,605 --> 00:17:31,984 guilt of your sin, 471 00:17:33,164 --> 00:17:36,464 he also sanctifies you by removing the corruption 472 00:17:36,684 --> 00:17:39,984 of sin, breaking its power over you. 473 00:17:40,970 --> 00:17:42,830 Look what Paul writes in verse 5. 474 00:17:44,009 --> 00:17:46,650 For if we have been united with Jesus 475 00:17:46,650 --> 00:17:48,029 in a death like his, 476 00:17:48,410 --> 00:17:51,049 we shall certainly be united with him in 477 00:17:51,049 --> 00:17:51,869 a resurrection 478 00:17:52,650 --> 00:17:53,470 like his. 479 00:17:54,434 --> 00:17:56,454 The word translated as united 480 00:17:57,315 --> 00:18:00,054 carries the sense of being planted together, 481 00:18:00,994 --> 00:18:01,654 of being 482 00:18:02,034 --> 00:18:03,654 fused or engrafted. 483 00:18:04,914 --> 00:18:06,615 The image is that of a believer 484 00:18:06,994 --> 00:18:08,855 who was dead in his sin, 485 00:18:09,259 --> 00:18:12,380 but was fused with Christ in his death 486 00:18:12,380 --> 00:18:14,880 and buried with him or planted 487 00:18:15,180 --> 00:18:16,799 with him as it were. 488 00:18:17,740 --> 00:18:20,380 What happens next is best described by Paul 489 00:18:20,380 --> 00:18:23,680 in 1st Corinthians 15 verses 42 to 45 490 00:18:24,140 --> 00:18:25,039 where he writes, 491 00:18:25,955 --> 00:18:27,715 so it is with the resurrection of the 492 00:18:27,715 --> 00:18:28,215 dead. 493 00:18:28,994 --> 00:18:30,855 What is sown is perishable. 494 00:18:31,875 --> 00:18:33,494 What is raised is imperishable. 495 00:18:34,835 --> 00:18:36,375 It is sown in dishonor. 496 00:18:37,075 --> 00:18:38,455 It is raised in glory. 497 00:18:39,234 --> 00:18:40,535 It is sown in weakness. 498 00:18:41,369 --> 00:18:43,150 It is raised in power. 499 00:18:44,250 --> 00:18:46,490 It is sown a natural body. It is 500 00:18:46,490 --> 00:18:48,269 raised a spiritual body. 501 00:18:49,049 --> 00:18:50,809 If there is a natural body, there is 502 00:18:50,809 --> 00:18:53,369 also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, 503 00:18:53,369 --> 00:18:56,509 the first man, Adam, became a living being. 504 00:18:57,034 --> 00:18:58,095 The last Adam 505 00:18:58,554 --> 00:19:01,134 became a life giving spirit. 506 00:19:02,154 --> 00:19:04,255 In other words, we were perishable, 507 00:19:05,274 --> 00:19:05,774 dishonorable, 508 00:19:06,075 --> 00:19:06,734 and weak, 509 00:19:07,355 --> 00:19:10,174 being under the power and domain of sin 510 00:19:10,394 --> 00:19:11,134 and death. 511 00:19:11,950 --> 00:19:14,930 But by grace, we were united to Christ 512 00:19:15,230 --> 00:19:16,850 by a spirit wrought faith. 513 00:19:17,309 --> 00:19:18,289 We were fused 514 00:19:19,390 --> 00:19:20,690 with that glorious, 515 00:19:21,549 --> 00:19:22,049 powerful, 516 00:19:22,750 --> 00:19:23,970 imperishable seed. 517 00:19:24,994 --> 00:19:25,815 And we were 518 00:19:26,195 --> 00:19:27,335 buried or planted 519 00:19:28,195 --> 00:19:28,855 or sown 520 00:19:29,234 --> 00:19:29,975 with him. 521 00:19:32,515 --> 00:19:33,015 Therefore, 522 00:19:34,195 --> 00:19:35,335 since we were planted 523 00:19:35,955 --> 00:19:37,255 and fused with Jesus, 524 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,480 When he was raised by the power of 525 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,460 God, we were raised with him and utterly 526 00:19:43,519 --> 00:19:44,019 transformed. 527 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:46,340 We were sown perishable, 528 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:48,420 but raised imperishable. 529 00:19:49,279 --> 00:19:51,140 We were sown in dishonor, 530 00:19:51,759 --> 00:19:52,980 but raised in glory. 531 00:19:53,394 --> 00:19:54,855 We were sown in weakness, 532 00:19:55,315 --> 00:19:57,875 but raised in power. And not only this, 533 00:19:57,875 --> 00:20:01,234 but the original Greek reveals another interesting fact 534 00:20:01,234 --> 00:20:03,174 that our English translation conceals. 535 00:20:04,194 --> 00:20:05,815 Verse 5 literally says, 536 00:20:06,115 --> 00:20:07,734 that we are united to Christ, 537 00:20:08,289 --> 00:20:10,130 not in a death like His, as the 538 00:20:10,130 --> 00:20:12,690 ESV translates it, but that we are united 539 00:20:12,690 --> 00:20:15,509 to Christ in the likeness of His death. 540 00:20:16,369 --> 00:20:18,710 We are united to Christ in the likeness 541 00:20:18,930 --> 00:20:20,150 of His death. 542 00:20:20,765 --> 00:20:23,105 What is interesting about this is that Adam 543 00:20:23,325 --> 00:20:25,404 was made in the image and likeness of 544 00:20:25,404 --> 00:20:26,705 God without sin. 545 00:20:27,404 --> 00:20:28,945 But since Adam sinned 546 00:20:29,565 --> 00:20:30,545 at his death, 547 00:20:30,924 --> 00:20:33,085 the image and likeness of God in Adam 548 00:20:33,085 --> 00:20:34,065 had been corrupted 549 00:20:34,445 --> 00:20:35,184 by sin. 550 00:20:36,099 --> 00:20:38,099 But we are united to Christ in the 551 00:20:38,099 --> 00:20:39,559 likeness of his death. 552 00:20:40,179 --> 00:20:42,039 And since Christ did not sin, 553 00:20:42,339 --> 00:20:44,500 the image of and likeness of God in 554 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:47,720 Christ, even at his death, was not corrupted 555 00:20:47,859 --> 00:20:48,599 by sin. 556 00:20:49,355 --> 00:20:50,015 So in 557 00:20:50,474 --> 00:20:53,055 Christ, by virtue of our union with him, 558 00:20:53,515 --> 00:20:55,595 the image and likeness of God in us 559 00:20:55,595 --> 00:20:56,335 is restored. 560 00:20:57,195 --> 00:20:59,275 Therefore, through our union with Christ we are 561 00:20:59,275 --> 00:20:59,775 transformed, 562 00:21:00,555 --> 00:21:01,775 and we are transferred 563 00:21:02,509 --> 00:21:03,890 from the realm of Adam 564 00:21:04,190 --> 00:21:05,410 to the realm of Christ. 565 00:21:06,029 --> 00:21:07,410 From the kingdom of dust 566 00:21:07,950 --> 00:21:08,769 to the kingdom 567 00:21:09,070 --> 00:21:09,730 of heaven. 568 00:21:10,430 --> 00:21:11,809 From the domain of sin 569 00:21:12,430 --> 00:21:14,130 to the domain of righteousness. 570 00:21:15,394 --> 00:21:17,954 In verses 6 7, Paul spells out the 571 00:21:17,954 --> 00:21:20,615 practical implications for us. He writes, 572 00:21:21,075 --> 00:21:23,335 we know that our old self was crucified 573 00:21:23,474 --> 00:21:25,954 with him in order that the body of 574 00:21:25,954 --> 00:21:27,734 sin might be brought to nothing, 575 00:21:28,109 --> 00:21:30,349 so that we would no longer be enslaved 576 00:21:30,349 --> 00:21:31,009 to sin. 577 00:21:31,789 --> 00:21:33,730 For one who has died 578 00:21:34,029 --> 00:21:35,250 has been set free 579 00:21:35,789 --> 00:21:36,609 from sin. 580 00:21:37,710 --> 00:21:39,089 Paul now personifies 581 00:21:40,204 --> 00:21:42,924 the sinful nature we inherited from Adam, calling 582 00:21:42,924 --> 00:21:45,805 it our old self, and referring to its 583 00:21:45,805 --> 00:21:48,144 body as a body of sin. 584 00:21:49,404 --> 00:21:50,944 One may choose to obey 585 00:21:51,325 --> 00:21:52,384 the old self. 586 00:21:53,109 --> 00:21:55,750 Since it has a body, one may feel 587 00:21:55,750 --> 00:21:56,889 its tight grip 588 00:21:57,429 --> 00:21:59,669 pulling us away from the well lit path 589 00:21:59,669 --> 00:22:00,329 of virtue 590 00:22:00,630 --> 00:22:03,589 and toward the dark and murky path of 591 00:22:03,589 --> 00:22:04,089 sin. 592 00:22:05,125 --> 00:22:06,664 But Paul's point is this, 593 00:22:07,365 --> 00:22:08,505 that old self 594 00:22:09,284 --> 00:22:10,825 does not own you anymore. 595 00:22:11,845 --> 00:22:14,345 His body of sin cannot overcome you 596 00:22:14,884 --> 00:22:17,944 because Christ took that old self and nailed 597 00:22:18,085 --> 00:22:19,704 nailed it with him 598 00:22:20,029 --> 00:22:20,849 to the cross. 599 00:22:21,470 --> 00:22:23,789 In fact, Christ has brought that old self 600 00:22:23,789 --> 00:22:24,450 to nothing. 601 00:22:25,710 --> 00:22:27,250 And verse 7 states 602 00:22:27,710 --> 00:22:30,509 that you now live under God's power, not 603 00:22:30,509 --> 00:22:32,369 under bondage to sin. 604 00:22:33,795 --> 00:22:35,795 This is not a future aspiration for the 605 00:22:35,795 --> 00:22:38,535 Christian. In it is, in fact, a present 606 00:22:38,994 --> 00:22:39,494 reality 607 00:22:40,755 --> 00:22:42,134 because Christ has already 608 00:22:42,674 --> 00:22:43,174 conquered 609 00:22:43,555 --> 00:22:44,055 death. 610 00:22:45,475 --> 00:22:47,394 Now this does not mean that Christians don't 611 00:22:47,394 --> 00:22:48,295 sin anymore. 612 00:22:48,619 --> 00:22:50,859 Paul is going to spend chapter 7 in 613 00:22:50,859 --> 00:22:53,900 Romans explaining his own struggle and battle with 614 00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:54,400 sin. 615 00:22:55,340 --> 00:22:57,340 But it does mean that sin no longer 616 00:22:57,340 --> 00:23:00,559 owns you, that sin no longer controls you, 617 00:23:00,619 --> 00:23:03,680 that sin no longer has authority over you. 618 00:23:04,484 --> 00:23:06,964 It means that since you are united to 619 00:23:06,964 --> 00:23:07,464 Christ, 620 00:23:07,845 --> 00:23:08,984 you have the freedom 621 00:23:09,525 --> 00:23:11,144 of being like Christ, 622 00:23:11,525 --> 00:23:13,065 victorious over sin. 623 00:23:14,325 --> 00:23:15,305 The fact that 624 00:23:15,765 --> 00:23:17,224 you battle with sin, 625 00:23:17,539 --> 00:23:20,419 that you struggle against it is evidence that 626 00:23:20,419 --> 00:23:21,960 it is not your master anymore. 627 00:23:23,380 --> 00:23:25,880 It means that you can name your sin, 628 00:23:26,339 --> 00:23:28,500 but you are no longer named by your 629 00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:29,000 sin. 630 00:23:29,785 --> 00:23:32,825 Since sin has lost its authority over you, 631 00:23:32,825 --> 00:23:34,365 you're not in its household anymore. 632 00:23:35,704 --> 00:23:37,724 Thus, there really is no such thing 633 00:23:38,105 --> 00:23:39,565 as a gay Christian 634 00:23:39,944 --> 00:23:43,244 or a racist Christian or an adulteress Christian, 635 00:23:43,464 --> 00:23:44,765 just to name a few. 636 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,240 For Paul writes in Colossians 2 verses 14 637 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:51,359 and 15 that Christ not only cancelled the 638 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:53,119 record of our sin, that is to say 639 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,519 that he removed our guilt, but that he 640 00:23:55,519 --> 00:23:58,720 also triumphed over the power of sin by 641 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:00,480 taking our sin and nailing it to the 642 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:00,980 cross. 643 00:24:02,294 --> 00:24:03,974 So your sin doesn't get to name you 644 00:24:03,974 --> 00:24:04,474 anymore. 645 00:24:05,335 --> 00:24:07,034 Instead, through your baptism, 646 00:24:07,654 --> 00:24:09,194 you bear God's name. 647 00:24:09,815 --> 00:24:11,755 You don't identify with sin anymore 648 00:24:12,294 --> 00:24:13,835 because the old has passed, 649 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,600 and the new has come. In Christ, you 650 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:17,740 are a new 651 00:24:18,039 --> 00:24:18,539 creation. 652 00:24:19,799 --> 00:24:22,140 So, as Christians, we identify with Christ, 653 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,539 and Christ identifies with us. 654 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,340 He reconciles us to the father, 655 00:24:27,755 --> 00:24:30,654 and we reconcile to one another through him. 656 00:24:31,595 --> 00:24:33,855 He is our high priest before God's throne, 657 00:24:34,154 --> 00:24:36,894 and we are his ambassadors before the world, 658 00:24:37,275 --> 00:24:39,755 having the freedom and the power to live 659 00:24:39,755 --> 00:24:40,494 like him. 660 00:24:41,570 --> 00:24:42,950 All the rich implications 661 00:24:43,570 --> 00:24:45,829 of our being baptized into Christ's death, 662 00:24:46,369 --> 00:24:48,470 of our being buried with him, 663 00:24:48,849 --> 00:24:50,849 of our being raised with him to newness 664 00:24:50,849 --> 00:24:53,490 of life are summarized by Paul in 2nd 665 00:24:53,490 --> 00:24:56,755 Corinthians 5 verses 14 to 21, where he 666 00:24:56,755 --> 00:24:57,575 writes the following. 667 00:24:58,035 --> 00:25:01,015 Again, 2nd Corinthians 5 14 to 21. 668 00:25:02,275 --> 00:25:05,234 For the love of Christ controls us. Notice, 669 00:25:05,234 --> 00:25:06,994 it's not sin that controls us anymore. It's 670 00:25:06,994 --> 00:25:08,674 not Adam that controls us anymore. It's not 671 00:25:08,674 --> 00:25:10,194 the old man. It is the love of 672 00:25:10,194 --> 00:25:12,950 Christ that controls us because we have concluded 673 00:25:12,950 --> 00:25:13,450 this, 674 00:25:13,990 --> 00:25:16,009 that one has died for all, 675 00:25:16,390 --> 00:25:17,850 therefore all have died. 676 00:25:18,710 --> 00:25:21,350 And he died for all, that those who 677 00:25:21,350 --> 00:25:23,529 live might no longer live for themselves, 678 00:25:24,234 --> 00:25:26,654 but for him who for their sake 679 00:25:27,034 --> 00:25:28,414 died and was raised. 680 00:25:29,835 --> 00:25:31,835 From now on, therefore, we regard no one 681 00:25:31,835 --> 00:25:34,315 according to the flesh. Even though we once 682 00:25:34,315 --> 00:25:37,034 regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard 683 00:25:37,034 --> 00:25:38,255 him thus no longer. 684 00:25:39,220 --> 00:25:39,720 Therefore, 685 00:25:40,579 --> 00:25:42,980 if anyone is in Christ, he is a 686 00:25:42,980 --> 00:25:45,859 new creation. The old has passed away, behold 687 00:25:45,859 --> 00:25:47,079 the new has come. 688 00:25:48,019 --> 00:25:49,559 All this is from God 689 00:25:49,859 --> 00:25:50,919 who through Christ 690 00:25:51,299 --> 00:25:52,839 reconciled us to himself 691 00:25:53,215 --> 00:25:54,674 and gave us the ministry 692 00:25:54,975 --> 00:25:55,715 of reconciliation. 693 00:25:56,494 --> 00:25:57,235 That is, 694 00:25:57,615 --> 00:25:59,555 in Christ, God was reconciling 695 00:25:59,855 --> 00:26:00,994 the world to himself, 696 00:26:01,535 --> 00:26:04,835 not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting 697 00:26:04,975 --> 00:26:05,634 to us 698 00:26:05,934 --> 00:26:07,315 the message of reconciliation. 699 00:26:08,650 --> 00:26:09,150 Therefore, 700 00:26:09,690 --> 00:26:10,829 we are ambassadors 701 00:26:11,369 --> 00:26:12,190 for Christ, 702 00:26:12,490 --> 00:26:14,750 God making his appeal through us. 703 00:26:15,289 --> 00:26:17,230 We implore you on behalf of Christ, 704 00:26:17,849 --> 00:26:20,410 be reconciled to God. For our sake, he 705 00:26:20,410 --> 00:26:21,929 made him to be sin who knew no 706 00:26:21,929 --> 00:26:22,429 sin, 707 00:26:22,755 --> 00:26:25,174 so that in him we might become 708 00:26:25,634 --> 00:26:26,454 the righteousness 709 00:26:27,234 --> 00:26:28,835 of God. How good it is to know 710 00:26:28,835 --> 00:26:30,914 that we are reconciled to Christ, that we 711 00:26:30,914 --> 00:26:33,174 are reconciled to God, that we are reconciled 712 00:26:33,234 --> 00:26:34,134 to one another. 713 00:26:34,674 --> 00:26:36,289 We We are not to live in shame 714 00:26:36,289 --> 00:26:36,789 anymore. 715 00:26:37,170 --> 00:26:39,269 The guilt of our sin is removed. 716 00:26:39,890 --> 00:26:41,809 So we have the freedom to forgive, we 717 00:26:41,809 --> 00:26:43,509 have the freedom to ask for forgiveness. 718 00:26:43,890 --> 00:26:46,529 And, yes, that entails other people. If others 719 00:26:46,529 --> 00:26:48,369 don't want to reconcile with us, what that 720 00:26:48,369 --> 00:26:49,990 means for us is that we still, 721 00:26:50,305 --> 00:26:52,545 through the power of Jesus Christ, have the 722 00:26:52,545 --> 00:26:55,125 power, the ability, the capacity, the responsibility 723 00:26:55,744 --> 00:26:58,545 to love them, to pray for them, and 724 00:26:58,545 --> 00:27:00,785 to desire that they too might see the 725 00:27:00,785 --> 00:27:03,210 light that by grace we have seen. So 726 00:27:03,210 --> 00:27:03,869 having considered both, 727 00:27:04,569 --> 00:27:07,210 the significance of being in Christ and the 728 00:27:07,210 --> 00:27:07,710 freedom 729 00:27:08,089 --> 00:27:09,230 of being like Christ, 730 00:27:09,690 --> 00:27:11,609 we now turn to our 3rd and final 731 00:27:11,609 --> 00:27:13,710 heading, the blessing of being 732 00:27:14,009 --> 00:27:14,829 with Christ. 733 00:27:15,210 --> 00:27:16,750 In verse 8, Paul writes, 734 00:27:17,315 --> 00:27:19,315 now we have died with Christ, we believe 735 00:27:19,315 --> 00:27:21,255 that we will also live with him. 736 00:27:22,194 --> 00:27:24,595 The primary focus of Paul in these verses 737 00:27:24,595 --> 00:27:25,815 is to assure believers 738 00:27:26,115 --> 00:27:28,194 that we have the ability to live lives 739 00:27:28,194 --> 00:27:28,934 of obedience. 740 00:27:29,750 --> 00:27:30,650 In other words, 741 00:27:30,950 --> 00:27:33,590 in the previous verses, Paul has demonstrated that 742 00:27:33,590 --> 00:27:35,750 Christ has broken the power of sin over 743 00:27:35,750 --> 00:27:36,250 us. 744 00:27:36,549 --> 00:27:39,509 But an important corollary to this, to this 745 00:27:39,509 --> 00:27:42,009 good news, is in a positive sense, 746 00:27:42,494 --> 00:27:45,075 Christ has also given us the power 747 00:27:45,454 --> 00:27:47,454 to obey God's will. It's not just that 748 00:27:47,454 --> 00:27:49,775 sin doesn't have power over us anymore, it's 749 00:27:49,775 --> 00:27:52,115 that now we have power to obey God. 750 00:27:53,694 --> 00:27:54,595 In other words, 751 00:27:55,170 --> 00:27:57,269 not being in bondage to sin anymore 752 00:27:57,570 --> 00:27:59,730 also means that we are now free to 753 00:27:59,730 --> 00:28:00,950 obey God. 754 00:28:01,809 --> 00:28:03,830 We died with Christ. 755 00:28:04,529 --> 00:28:07,650 This broke sin's power because Christ took our 756 00:28:07,650 --> 00:28:09,590 sin and nailed it to the cross. 757 00:28:10,484 --> 00:28:12,424 We also live with Christ. 758 00:28:13,045 --> 00:28:15,765 This gives us power to obey because we 759 00:28:15,765 --> 00:28:18,585 partake of Christ's righteous life. 760 00:28:20,005 --> 00:28:21,144 What a great blessing 761 00:28:21,765 --> 00:28:23,224 the preposition with 762 00:28:23,605 --> 00:28:25,224 turns out to be for the Christian. 763 00:28:25,950 --> 00:28:27,009 It is our union 764 00:28:27,549 --> 00:28:28,369 with Christ 765 00:28:28,909 --> 00:28:31,549 that enables us to enjoy the fruit of 766 00:28:31,549 --> 00:28:33,890 righteous living in this life. 767 00:28:34,990 --> 00:28:37,009 People may tell you that you cannot overcome 768 00:28:37,069 --> 00:28:37,970 certain sins, 769 00:28:38,509 --> 00:28:39,649 but that's not true 770 00:28:40,515 --> 00:28:41,734 Because you are not alone. 771 00:28:42,355 --> 00:28:43,734 You are with Christ. 772 00:28:44,195 --> 00:28:45,174 Or better yet, 773 00:28:45,555 --> 00:28:49,075 Christ is with you. Both in the chain 774 00:28:49,075 --> 00:28:51,095 breaking power of his death, 775 00:28:51,474 --> 00:28:54,455 and in the purifying power of his life. 776 00:28:55,339 --> 00:28:57,420 In verses 9 and 10, Paul writes, we 777 00:28:57,420 --> 00:28:59,420 know that Christ being raised from the dead 778 00:28:59,420 --> 00:29:01,980 will never die again. Death no longer has 779 00:29:01,980 --> 00:29:03,279 dominion over him. 780 00:29:03,820 --> 00:29:06,220 For the death he died, he died to 781 00:29:06,220 --> 00:29:06,720 sin 782 00:29:07,099 --> 00:29:08,160 once for all, 783 00:29:08,619 --> 00:29:10,240 but the life he lives, 784 00:29:10,714 --> 00:29:12,015 he lives to God. 785 00:29:12,875 --> 00:29:15,434 Christ did not die because death had any 786 00:29:15,434 --> 00:29:16,494 power over him. 787 00:29:17,195 --> 00:29:17,695 Instead, 788 00:29:18,075 --> 00:29:19,055 Christ willingly 789 00:29:19,755 --> 00:29:22,075 sacrificed himself to pay for the sins of 790 00:29:22,075 --> 00:29:22,815 his people. 791 00:29:23,569 --> 00:29:24,950 But now that he has done 792 00:29:25,329 --> 00:29:28,130 it, he has accomplished his mission to redeem 793 00:29:28,130 --> 00:29:30,210 his church. It is finished. He has paid 794 00:29:30,210 --> 00:29:31,750 the price to purchase us. 795 00:29:33,809 --> 00:29:35,190 We now belong to him. 796 00:29:35,730 --> 00:29:36,789 He has the receipt. 797 00:29:37,945 --> 00:29:38,445 His 798 00:29:38,904 --> 00:29:40,045 hands, his side, 799 00:29:40,424 --> 00:29:42,765 his feet bear witness to his payment. 800 00:29:43,384 --> 00:29:45,545 Since death has no claim on his sheep 801 00:29:45,545 --> 00:29:46,045 anymore, 802 00:29:46,505 --> 00:29:48,845 it has no power over our shepherd either. 803 00:29:49,545 --> 00:29:50,525 He will never 804 00:29:50,825 --> 00:29:51,724 die again. 805 00:29:53,059 --> 00:29:54,519 Because he was the perfect 806 00:29:54,980 --> 00:29:56,200 spotless sacrifice, 807 00:29:56,579 --> 00:29:59,940 the father accepted that sacrifice. His once for 808 00:29:59,940 --> 00:30:02,039 all death was enough. 809 00:30:03,460 --> 00:30:05,539 Thus, the author of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 810 00:30:05,539 --> 00:30:06,359 10 14, 811 00:30:06,819 --> 00:30:08,359 for by a single offering, 812 00:30:09,115 --> 00:30:10,575 Christ has perfected 813 00:30:10,875 --> 00:30:11,934 for all time 814 00:30:12,474 --> 00:30:13,934 those who are being 815 00:30:14,234 --> 00:30:14,734 sanctified. 816 00:30:15,994 --> 00:30:18,815 This is why reformed churches have councils, 817 00:30:19,355 --> 00:30:20,335 but not altars, 818 00:30:20,794 --> 00:30:22,015 and pastors, 819 00:30:22,394 --> 00:30:23,454 but not priests, 820 00:30:23,799 --> 00:30:26,839 Because there are no sacrifices being offered in 821 00:30:26,839 --> 00:30:27,900 our churches anymore. 822 00:30:28,759 --> 00:30:29,259 Christ, 823 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:33,099 once for all, sacrificed to redeem his people 824 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:34,539 was sufficient. 825 00:30:35,734 --> 00:30:38,535 So our Lord neither offered is sorry. So 826 00:30:38,535 --> 00:30:40,615 our Lord is neither offered up on an 827 00:30:40,615 --> 00:30:43,035 altar, nor is he hanging on a cross. 828 00:30:43,575 --> 00:30:45,734 Instead, as verse 10 tells us, he is 829 00:30:45,734 --> 00:30:46,234 alive, 830 00:30:46,695 --> 00:30:48,234 and he lives to God, 831 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:49,539 ever interceding 832 00:30:50,079 --> 00:30:51,779 for us as our high priest. 833 00:30:52,559 --> 00:30:53,539 So Paul concludes 834 00:30:54,079 --> 00:30:55,140 in verse 11, 835 00:30:55,919 --> 00:30:58,640 so you also must consider yourselves dead to 836 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,460 sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 837 00:31:02,164 --> 00:31:04,184 The word translated as consider 838 00:31:04,964 --> 00:31:06,724 is the same word that Paul used in 839 00:31:06,724 --> 00:31:07,704 Romans 4:3, 840 00:31:08,164 --> 00:31:10,565 where he wrote that Abraham believed God and 841 00:31:10,565 --> 00:31:13,224 it was counted to him. It was considered 842 00:31:13,284 --> 00:31:15,144 for him as righteousness. 843 00:31:16,429 --> 00:31:18,429 The word that means it is the word 844 00:31:18,429 --> 00:31:21,410 that means to reckon something is true, to 845 00:31:21,549 --> 00:31:24,130 credit something is true, to impute 846 00:31:24,750 --> 00:31:25,250 something 847 00:31:25,630 --> 00:31:26,609 as true. 848 00:31:27,950 --> 00:31:30,130 Paul says, you must consider yourselves 849 00:31:30,715 --> 00:31:33,134 dead to sin and alive to God. 850 00:31:34,795 --> 00:31:35,695 This is exactly 851 00:31:36,235 --> 00:31:38,015 what God considers you. 852 00:31:39,674 --> 00:31:41,615 God considers you to be justified 853 00:31:41,994 --> 00:31:43,855 and sanctified before him. 854 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:46,019 He considers you righteous 855 00:31:46,559 --> 00:31:47,299 and holy. 856 00:31:47,839 --> 00:31:49,299 And the reason for this 857 00:31:49,759 --> 00:31:51,380 is that you are truly 858 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:52,420 united 859 00:31:52,799 --> 00:31:55,220 to Christ who is righteous 860 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:56,420 and holy. 861 00:31:57,835 --> 00:32:00,494 God makes you clean by imputing 862 00:32:00,954 --> 00:32:01,934 Christ's righteousness 863 00:32:02,714 --> 00:32:05,595 to you. And what God makes clean, you 864 00:32:05,595 --> 00:32:07,134 must not call common. 865 00:32:09,115 --> 00:32:11,835 Even though Muhammad Ali's birth name was Cassius 866 00:32:11,835 --> 00:32:12,575 Clay Junior, 867 00:32:12,890 --> 00:32:15,390 he really was not named after his father. 868 00:32:15,850 --> 00:32:17,769 Rather, both he and his father were named 869 00:32:17,769 --> 00:32:19,870 after Cassius Marcellus Clay, 870 00:32:20,250 --> 00:32:20,910 a wealthy 871 00:32:21,450 --> 00:32:22,910 19th century politician 872 00:32:23,450 --> 00:32:25,674 who had once been a slave owner, but 873 00:32:25,674 --> 00:32:26,494 who had become 874 00:32:27,035 --> 00:32:29,214 a staunch supporter of the abolitionist 875 00:32:29,515 --> 00:32:30,734 cause in America. 876 00:32:31,595 --> 00:32:34,494 It's somewhat ironic, therefore, that Ali had forsaken 877 00:32:34,634 --> 00:32:37,535 that name, calling it his slave name. 878 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:39,619 In adopting Islam, 879 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:42,640 Ali may have gotten a new name, but 880 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:44,740 he remained as spiritually enslaved 881 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:45,940 as ever. 882 00:32:46,559 --> 00:32:48,500 That is because as we have seen today, 883 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,585 there's only one man who can break the 884 00:32:51,585 --> 00:32:52,644 chains of slavery 885 00:32:53,105 --> 00:32:54,724 and he didn't write the Quran. 886 00:32:55,825 --> 00:32:57,765 Unlike Cassius Marcellus Clay, 887 00:32:58,144 --> 00:33:01,025 Jesus did not become an abolitionist after owning 888 00:33:01,025 --> 00:33:01,525 slaves. 889 00:33:02,305 --> 00:33:03,445 Instead, Paul, 890 00:33:03,859 --> 00:33:06,440 while he himself is in chains in Rome, 891 00:33:07,059 --> 00:33:09,080 writes for us in Philippians the following 892 00:33:09,859 --> 00:33:11,480 verses regarding Jesus. 893 00:33:12,340 --> 00:33:14,660 He says that of Jesus that though he 894 00:33:14,660 --> 00:33:16,359 was in the form of God, 895 00:33:17,144 --> 00:33:19,785 he did not count equality with God a 896 00:33:19,785 --> 00:33:20,845 thing to be grasped. 897 00:33:21,545 --> 00:33:22,845 But he emptied himself 898 00:33:23,785 --> 00:33:25,785 by taking the form of a servant, the 899 00:33:25,785 --> 00:33:26,845 form of a slave, 900 00:33:28,025 --> 00:33:29,965 being born in the likeness of men. 901 00:33:30,529 --> 00:33:32,849 And being found in human form, he humbled 902 00:33:32,849 --> 00:33:33,349 himself 903 00:33:33,730 --> 00:33:36,069 by becoming obedient to the point of death, 904 00:33:36,130 --> 00:33:37,669 even death on a cross. 905 00:33:38,690 --> 00:33:39,190 Therefore, 906 00:33:39,889 --> 00:33:42,450 God has highly exalted him and bestowed on 907 00:33:42,450 --> 00:33:44,265 him the name that is above every name, 908 00:33:44,505 --> 00:33:46,505 So that at the name of Jesus every 909 00:33:46,505 --> 00:33:48,365 knee should bow in heaven 910 00:33:48,664 --> 00:33:50,744 and on earth and under the earth, and 911 00:33:50,744 --> 00:33:53,805 every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord 912 00:33:53,945 --> 00:33:56,045 for the glory of God the father. 913 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:59,059 So remember the significance of being in Christ. 914 00:33:59,359 --> 00:34:01,680 Because he died on the cross, you are 915 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:03,539 no longer guilty before God. 916 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:05,779 And live in the freedom 917 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:08,640 of being like Christ. Because he took the 918 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:09,699 form of a slave, 919 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,260 you are no longer in bondage to sin. 920 00:34:13,094 --> 00:34:16,155 And enjoy the blessing of being with Christ 921 00:34:16,454 --> 00:34:19,114 because he humbled himself. You have been given 922 00:34:19,175 --> 00:34:22,155 his name and exalted with him to glory. 923 00:34:22,835 --> 00:34:23,495 So Christian, 924 00:34:24,275 --> 00:34:26,455 don't live like a slave to sin. 925 00:34:26,995 --> 00:34:27,495 Live 926 00:34:27,795 --> 00:34:28,855 like you belong 927 00:34:29,155 --> 00:34:31,095 to your savior. Let's pray.