In Romans, Paul the Apostle is emphasizing the magnitude of God's grace in Christ Jesus - the glorious power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what has been accomplished through Him. This we are to believe.
He had just stated in Romans 5 that by receiving Christ, the Gift of Righteousness AND the abundance of grace, one shall reign through Him in Life. Therefore as pointed out in previous devotions, his questions are meant to cause one to realize what state they are dwelling in - not an old state but a new one - actually, a Person. (Romans 5:1 as a reminder says we stand in God's grace).
And those first verses of Romans 6 are about our identification with Christ's crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. However, I want to take a little turn and go back to what Paul said in the last few verses of Romans 5 concerning the Law entering. This is important later, as we go into Romans 7.
Paul mentions in Romans 5, as to why God brought the Law in - also that we are not living by it. That's a biggie. Why? In other letters (especially Galatians), it is written that the Law is meant to reveal sin in a human being. It is a tutor - a definitely hard schoolmaster to bring about one's own admission to a fruitless, death-filled condition. This is in preparation for one's need for God and His Son - the Life.
So, the Gospel comes in, the Good News, God's grace of His Spirit coming to dwell in this vessel - not only to quicken and bring alive, but then the very Life of Jesus in us bringing forth fruit.
One looking at the Tablet of Stones cannot RECEIVE life. Paul is explaining this over and over again. And one in their own human self-effort, self-will cannot perform the commandment engraved on that tablet of stone. This is because the commandment goes so much deeper than what is written. He said, "If there had been a commandment that could bring life, Christ would not have died!"
I think it's kind of funny how people argue over this - concerning Christians living now by the Law. This is because they think one is trying to say that if you let go of the commandments (as if flesh and blood by themselves could perform them perfectly), you are giving people a license to sin. I've heard this over and over again in my lifetime. "No, you don't want to preach grace, people will just look for a reason to have grace and sin at the same time." Well that's not what Paul was doing. Not at all! He was stating the fact of how can you be in two places at the same time and somehow know the reality of God?
So I came to look at it like this: The Law has hands and so does Jesus. The Law had a hold of me and my life and my ONLY choice is/was to let go and let Jesus now have and hold me FOREVER. Can't hold onto both of them at the same time. They also both have voices.
The Law talks to me and lets me know that I am missing the mark - not quite there in my behaviors, attitudes (Next devotion I will remind us of Jesus' ministry and how he demonstrated this). Therefore, this is all the Law will ever do for me - it has too - because the Law is perfect - HOLY.
But if I let go and yet DO NOT take Jesus hands, I'm going down - way down. And it is impossible to go up without Him. That makes self-righteousness go right out the door. And this is also the picture of sin and death. (Going down). If an unbeliever spurns the Law and does not have Jesus either, he is in the power of sin always - and he is definitely down - not up!
What about the believer though?
Since I took Jesus as my Savior, I do have to let go by faith of the Law, because I am now taking hold of Jesus and His Hands - embracing Him. He now is holding me up - I find that I do not and cannot go down - instead I'm going up! (We shall see this in Romans 8). This is because Jesus Christ Himself is Life and does not sin - ever.
And yes, He talks to me too - but He does not say things that condemn and how I keep missing the mark. Instead, He reminds me that I'm in Him - that He is Life and Fruit. He keeps reminding me of His great Love and the price paid for my life. He keeps reminding me that His Spirit is life and liberty and He will never lead me into the power of sin and death.
He keeps saying things like "Trust Me - Live a Life of Trust and Faith in Me...I can take You where you need to go in your walk and works..." There's communion, fellowship, hope, Life, Life, Life.
Next devotion, I will finish up on Romans 6. Paul definitely revealed this reality in other letters using different analogies from the Old Testament.
But for a couple of days, think upon WHO lives in you - God's Life of His Son in you and that we are in Him. He will continue to lead our lives through His Spirit of Life - this is not about flesh and blood getting us there. We have come into Someone who is so great and mighty. And each vessel experiences God's will for them yet all the same fruit! And grace then, gives us time to be conformed to Jesus and know Him.
In Christ's Love,
Sue Gaither
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