Newsletter September 30, 2009
From the Senior Pastor:
At the end of Romans 5, Paul teaches that while sin reigns in death, the reign of grace brings eternal life. This is the Gospel. The Good News. As Paul writes at the beginning of Romans 8: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
No condemnation. Both now and forevermore. For this freedom from sin’s curse and power profoundly impacts, changes, and shapes the lives we live in this present world.
In Romans chapters 6 and 7, Paul discusses at great length the implications of this great salvation that frees us from sin’s curse and power.
Paul teaches in Romans 6, that as believers we have died and have risen with Christ. Therefore, we are free from sin’s curse and power. Where once we were slaves to sin, now we are (willingly) slaves of God. Eagerly we have changed Masters. For we know that the mastery of sin leads to death, while our heavenly Master grants us the free gift of life abundant and eternal.
This is Paul’s summary of the Gospel: “For the WAGES of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6.23).
Therefore, having been so blessed by God, we freely and eagerly choose, by God’s enabling grace, to live for the glory of our gracious, merciful and loving God. Freely we offer ourselves to Him. Eagerly we seek to do what is right in His sight.
In Romans 7, Paul remembers his struggles as a Jew with the Mosaic law. He knew it was holy, righteous and good (v 12). But instead of leading him to life, it killed him, because what he wanted was what God denied, and what he resented was what God commanded.
He was like a little child, told by his parent not to play in the puddles and to eat all his vegetables. All he wanted was to go outside and splash in the filth of rebellious behavior. The last thing he wanted was to eat those nasty greens pushed to the side of his plate.
Remembering the horror of those days, Paul cries out in Romans 7.24, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” And then, in the opening sentence of verse 25, Paul answers his own question: “Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Which leads to the opening verse of chapter 8: “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
The sermons I will preach between now and Thanksgiving will focus upon Romans 6.1-8.17.
As some of you know, there is much discussion about how Romans 6 and 7 fit into the flow of Romans 1 through 8, and great debate about how the 6th and 7th chapters of Romans relate to one another.
To understand and appreciate the message of Romans 6 in the light of Romans 1-8, and Paul’s purpose in Romans 7, is terribly important to being the people whom God declares to be His own.
I’ve seldom preached from these passages, because I find myself trembling when I read them and mediate upon them. Please pray that I will handle properly God’s Word of Truth for your sake, the sake of others, and, most importantly, the sake of the One Who has freed us from sin’s curse and power, that we might serve the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Pastor Caines