Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Romans - Chapter Six Vivification #4

Having discussed Dying to SIN in previous posts, we have now begun to consider LIVING TO RIGHTEOUSNESS as described in Romans Chapter six.

So far:
1. Rom 6:4 Walking in Newness of Life
2.
Rom 6:11 TO BE ALIVE TO GOD

3.
Rom 6:13 Yield ourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead


So also Vivification is described in Romans 6 as:

4. Rom 6:13 Yield our members as instruments of righteousness to God
Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Not yielding to sin - yet not idle - but made use of in the service of GOD

The soul the first and immediate instrument -- yet the members of the body are also to be instruments.

“The body must always be ready to serve the soul in service of God.”

And

ROM 6:19 Yield…servants to righteousness
KJV Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Righteousness unto holiness - growth and progress

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Borrowing again from Matthew Henry:
Every gracious act confirms and strengthens a gracious habit.

Serving righteousness is unto holiness.

One duty fits us for another.

The more we do the more we do for God.

Matthew Henry:
“Yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Let them be under the conduct and at the command of the righteous law of God, and that principle of inherent righteousness which the Spirit, as sanctifier, plants in the soul.” Righteousness unto holiness, which intimates growth, and progress, and ground obtained. As every sinful act confirms the sinful habit, and makes the nature more and more prone to sin (hence the members of a natural man are here said to be servants to iniquity unto iniquity - one sin makes the heart more disposed for another), so every gracious act confirms the gracious habit: serving righteousness is unto holiness; one duty fits us for another; and the more we do the more we may do for God. Or serving righteousness, eis hagiasmon - as an evidence of sanctification.

1 comment:

Sarah Gracen said...

That was wonderful you explained Vivification perfectly