Romans - Chapter Six - The Holy Spirit

AGENT OF SANCTIFICATION:

AS WE LOOK INTO CHAPTER SIX let us not forget that the agent of our sanctification is the Holy Spirit of God. We do not sanctify ourselves. We must run, we must put off, we must strive, we must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, we must fight, but all that through the working of the Holy Spirit of God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

KJV Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

KJV Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Sanctification is not the work of outward restraint or exercise of sheer will power. I think as a young man how my habit of cursing had taken firm hold upon me so that every third word I uttered was a curse-word-adjective. The habit had become so strong and so deep, I could scarce restrain myself even in the presence of my own Father, for whom upon hearing such language from me was very painful. His presence could provide much outward restraint. And even if restrain me he might, he could not change my heart which continued cursing even when my mouth held back. But thanks be to GOD HE changes the heart, HE renews the inner man. In him all things become new.

AS we continue looking at Romans Chapter Six - Remember that the Holy Spirit of God is the effective agent in Sanctification.

Romans - Chapter Six, ME GENOITO

ME GENOITO - pronounced "may ge-noi-taw Rom 6:1
With emphatic exclamation so much so that the KJV translators expressed it as "GOD FORBID." though probably literally meaning "NOT SHOULD THIS COME TO BE" or as the NASB "MAY IT NEVER BE."

TRANSITION:
In CHAPTER SIX we make a transition from Justification by Faith to the Holy Spirit's Sanctifying work in the life of the Believer.

We have been learning of CHRIST FOR US. What he did in our place, as our saviour, as our representative, dying in payment of our sins, bearing our sins in his body upon the cross, making full and complete payment for all the judgment due us on account of our sins. CHRIST FOR US in his perfect law-keeping life. Fulfilling all righteousness as our representative.

Now in Chapter Six we begin to read of CHRIST IN US. From justification we transition to sanctification.

JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION are TWO SEPARATE blessing which are part of one SO GREAT SALVATION. They are two distinct and separate things and we must not mix them and confuse them as if they were one thing. For example: thinking that our title to heaven is secured for us based on HOW we cooperate and grow in holiness. Thinking that we merit heaven through our WHOLE life lived in holiness. THAT WOULD BE TO CONFOUND JUSTIFICATION WITH SANCTIFICATION.

But though these two, Justification and Sanctification, are Separate things -- YET THEY ARE INSEPARABLE.

See how the Apostle by the Holy Spirit of God answers verse one with a ME GENOITO:

KJV Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

SEPARATE BUT INSEPARABLE:

The justified believer is being sanctified.

SANCTIFICATION DEFINED:
Sanctification
Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom 6:13; 2Co 4:6; Col 3:10; 1Jo 4:7; 1Co 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1Co 6:11; 2Th 2:13).
Faith is instrumental in securing sanctification, inasmuch as it
(1.) secures union to Christ (Gal 2:20), and
(2.) brings the believer into living contact with the truth, whereby he is led to yield obedience “to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come.”
Perfect sanctification is not attainable in this life (1Ki 8:46; Pro 20:9; Ecc 7:20; Jam 3:2; 1Jo 1:8). See Paul's account of himself in Rom 7:14-25; Phi 3:12-14; and 1Ti 1:15; also the confessions of David (Psa 19:12, Psa 19:13; 51), of Moses (Psa 90:8), of Job (Job 42:5, Job 42:6), and of Daniel (Dan. 9:3-20). “The more holy a man is, the more humble, self-renouncing, self-abhorring, and the more sensitive to every sin he becomes, and the more closely he clings to Christ. The moral imperfections which cling to him he feels to be sins, which he laments and strives to overcome. Believers find that their life is a constant warfare, and they need to take the kingdom of heaven by storm, and watch while they pray. They are always subject to the constant chastisement of their Father's loving hand, which can only be designed to correct their imperfections and to confirm their graces. And it has been notoriously the fact that the best Christians have been those who have been the least prone to claim the attainment of perfection for themselves.”, Hodge's Outlines.
[M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1897, e-sword, Sanctification.]

SO: Abhor such a conclusion as this - "sin that grace may abound:"
“Those opinions that give any countenance to sin, or open a door to practical immoralities, how specious and plausible soever they be rendered, by the pretension of advancing free grace, are to be rejected with the GREATEST ABHORRENCE.”
[Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol VI, McDonald Publishing, P. 402.]

KJV Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Romans - Chapter Six

ROMANS KEYWORDS THROUGH CHAPTER SIX

Keywords:
Chap 1: Without Excuse
Chap 2: The Law Condemns
Chap 3: There is none righteous
Chap 4: Imputation/Logizomai
Chap 5: Headship/Representation and 1st Adam - 2nd Adam, or 1st Adam - Last Adam.
Chap 6: Dying and Living, Mortification and Vivification

Alternate Keywords:
Chap 1: The Indictment Begins (Rom 1:18)
Chap 2: (open for suggestions)
Chap 3: All have sinned, Total Depravity
Chap 4: Counted Righteous
Chap 5: Federal Headship (the theological term)
Chap 6: Dying to Sin and Living to Righteousness (or Living to God)

Memory Verses:
Rom 1:20
Rom 2:13
Rom 3:10
Rom 4:3
Rom 5:19
Rom 6:11

Extended Memory Verses
Chap 1: Rom 1:1, Rom 1:8, Rom 1:16-20
Chap 2: Rom 2:12-16
Chap 3: Rom 3:10-12, Rom 3:18, Rom 3:21, Rom 3:23, Rom 3:28-29
Chap 4: Rom 4:23-25
Chap 5: Whole Chapter (If I had to select only two more Rom 5:8, Rom 5:14)
Chap 6: Rom 6:1-2, Rom 6:11, Rom 6:22-23

ROM 6:1
KJV Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

To understand the context for the question in verse 1 consider the richness and freeness of grace portrayed in chapters one through six by rehearsing the keywords:

Matthew Henry describes: “What use shall we make of this sweet and comfortable doctrine.” which we have learned thus far.

Chap 1: Without Excuse:
Rom 1:19 - that which may be known of God is manifest in them and God has showed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 Creation evidences a creator, God IS can be clearly seen, they are WITHOUT EXCUSE.

Chap 2: The Law Condemns:
Rom 2:13 Not the hearers but the doers of the law shall be justified.
The law very well shows us what we must do but does not giving us enabling power, grace or promise to do it. The law condemns but does not save, for no one does the law perfectly at all times, completely and continuously. Gal 3:10.

Chap 3: There is None Righteous:
Scripture written even long before the penning of Romans Chapter three is rehearsed in our ears: there is none righteous, there is none that doeth good, there is none that understand, there is none that seeketh after God, there is NO FEAR of God before their eyes, ALL HAVE SINNED.

How could it be otherwise then, with nothing in ourselves of merit, It is only BEING FREELY JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE. Rom 3:24.

Christ is the Propitiation. Rom 3:25

And being so BAD, Fallen and lost, we CONCLUDE that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law. Rom 3:28.

SO THE INDICTMENT HAS BEEN GIVEN:
WITHOUT EXCUSE ->THE LAW CONDEMNS -> THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS

CONNECTING QUESTION: Where can we find such righteousness whereby we might obtain a title to heaven?

Chap 4: Imputation
Rom 4:3 What saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

If this is true for Abraham, I find hope there, could this also be true for me?
Rom 3:23 Not for Abraham alone was this written, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.

CONNECTING QUESTION: But how can this work? How can the righteousness of another be counted as my own?

Rom Chap 5: HEADSHIP/Representation

Rom 5:14 just as Adam was the representative of all that were in him, so that what he did he did for all, as a public person representing all - Christ is the representative of all that are in him. What Jesus did he did as a representative. Adam was a figure of Him that was to come.

Rom 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

CONSIDER:
Justified by FAITH and NOT by works.

Justified freely by HIS GRACE.

By faith we are COUNTED/RECKONED/CREDITED righteous. NOT BY WORKS.

CHRIST did as our representative what was required of US. He is the Lord our Righteousness.

Christ died in our place upon the cross. He represented us there. Our sins were imputed to him there. He was treated as if he had done what we did there. He is our propitiation. He is the sacrifice that satisfied the just wrath and judgment of God upon us for our sins. He absorbed in himself the wrath of God.

PREACHING DANGEROUSLY:
This I’ve heard is how Dr. John Piper describes it. “Preaching dangerously,” which I understand him to mean: We must be willing to preach the gospel purely and dangerously, not fearing such accusations as may arise in order that the grace of God in Jesus Christ not be corrupted with an encouragement towards a works entitlement to heaven.

And so we may have objections from two different quarters that sounds like this:

Rom 6:1 SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND.

1) As in Rom 3:8 accusers despising the gospel of grace and justification by faith slanderously reporting that we say “Let us do evil, that good may come.” This gospel is too good. It must be some faith mixed with works that earns such a title for heaven. Such teaching will promote sloth in the life of the religious and they will think to sin is to cause grace to abound. This gospel provides them with a cloak for their sin.

2) OR ELSE as we read in JUDE 4 of those who turn “the grace of our God in lasciviousness.”
Truly thinking that they may abuse the gospel and use it as a cloak for sin. Sinning all the more as after all “we are not under the law but under grace.” or “The more I sin, the more God is glorified in the pardoning of my sin.” “The glory of God increasing as the exercise of his GRACE ABOUNDS.” Grace has been turned into license.

We must preach the gospel of Grace in Jesus Christ. Our title for heaven secured by HIM, he is our righteousness. By faith and not by Works.

So grasping the context of Chapter Six next time we will consider the CONTENT. Wherein we see a transition in the truth taught in Romans from Justification to Sanctification.

Faithful's Song - Pilgrim's Progress

My girls and I spent much time in Palace Beautiful learning along with Christian the blessing and benefit of the local church when it is truly one of God's House Beautifuls. Together we descended into the Valley of Humiliation where fierce battle was made with Apollyon. There we examined the battle in detail, the weapons successful, the cause and condition of the battle. And then into the Valley of the Shadow of Death. We took note and hope with Christian as he heard brother Faithful speaking from the dark of the valley ahead of him. We saw giants Pagan and Pope. And then we, with self-searching contrition read of Christian's running on ahead and overtaking Faithful only to smile vain-gloriously and fall.

But the solid brother Faithful helps Christian to his feet and they began to converse in that heavenly conversation. That comfort whereby we comfort one another with the same comfort we have been comforted with. Christian asks Faithful to relate his own trials and experience with God. For certainly he knew Faithful had had his own or the lack thereof "would have been writ for a wonder" in and of itself.

We read of Adam the first the old man who tempted Faithful. Of that deceitful woman, Wanton, also - and Faithful's confession that he may not have escaped totally unscathed from these feeling in himself their pull.

But Faithful did escape, he escaped from Moses also who beat him with no mercy, For as we also learned from Romans Chapter Two, the law condemns it contains no promise or grace. The law can very well show us what we must do but it does not give us the power to keep it.

Oh! and then we read of one of Faithful's greatest trials in the person of SHAME.

click here for context:
I could scarcely shake him out of my company; yea, he would be haunting of me, and continually whispering me in the ear, with some one or other of the infirmities that attend religion. But at last I told him, that it was but in vain to attempt farther in this business; for those things that he disdained, in those did I see most glory: and so at last I got past this importunate one. And when I had shaken him off, then I began to sing,

“The trials that those men do meet withal,
That are obedient to the heavenly call,
Are manifold, and suited to the flesh,
And come, and come, and come again afresh;
That now, or some time else, we by them may
Be taken, overcome, and cast away.
O let the pilgrims, let the pilgrims then,
Be vigilant, and quit themselves like men.”

And so this morning over a nice breakfast at the local grocery-with-cafeteria we enjoyed Faithful's song.

TRIALS MANIFOLD:
How in Jam 1:2 we see there are many trials.
In 1Pe 1:6 these trials are manifold.

HEAVENLY CALL:
Discussing comparing the general call:
Mat 20:16
Acts 17:30

and the effectual call which obtains its end.
Rom 8:29-30

TRIALS SUITED TO THE FLESH:
How the trials we find are trials because they do appeal to the flesh.
James 1:13-14

The Believers Need TAKE HEED:
John 15:1-2
John 15:6
In the above passages we see the branches not bearing fruit taken away, gathered of men, and cast into a fire.

1Cor 9:24-27
Where we read of Paul who is very diligent to run and so run as to obtain. He has a Holy fear of falling short as a great means of perserverance.

1Cor 16:13
Faithful's last song almost word for word quoting. So prick Bunyan anywhere and bleeds pure bibline.
1Co 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

"Quit you Like Men" one word in the Greek language. Behave like men, live like men, that is mature, watchful, sober against sin.

John Gill on Quit You Like Men:
Quit you like men; like men of wisdom and understanding; be not like children for non-proficiency, instability, and weakness; see 1Co_14:20; act the part of men; believe not every spirit; be not carried and tossed about with every wind of doctrine; search the Scriptures, and try every doctrine by them; and having found what is truth abide by it, and be proficients in it, instructing and establishing yourselves and others........

do thou. Or play the man, as in 2Sa_10:12; act like men of valour and courage, stand fast, keep your ground, and contend earnestly for the faith; be valiant for the truth on earth; fight the good fight of faith: it is a good cause believers are engaged in; they have a good Captain and Commander at the head of them; they are provided with good weapons, may be sure of victory, and of having the crown of righteousness, life, and glory:

Those last two verses hit me the hardest:
O let the pilgrims, let the pilgrims then,
Be vigilant, and quit themselves like men.

So should my heart cry out in prayer for the church of the living God, for myself, my brothers and sisters in Christ, my family, my wife.

O' LET THE PILGRIMS, GOD O' GOD LET THE PILGRIMS THEN,
BE VIGILANT AND BEHAVE LIKE MEN!!!!

And so in heart prayer, silent prayer, I cry for the church. Ooooooh let the pilgrims be vigilant, filled with your spirit, dying to self and sin and living to you GOD, living to you, our glorious GOD. Give grace and mercy for your own glorious name's sake. O let the pilgrims, Oh let the pilgrim's then, Be vigilant and quit themselves like men.

Justification - A.W. Pink - Take Eight

Justification - Glorious Truth - Blessed Doctrine.

It takes some thought. We need to chew on it, to dwell upon Christ our righteousness. What it means. How it was obtained. How it is applied to us. What blessing conferred upon the justified.

Pink writes:

This grand doctrine of Justification was proclaimed in its purity and clarity by the Reformers—Luther, Calvin, Zanchius, Peter Martyr, etc.; but it began to be corrupted in the seventeenth century by men who had only a very superficial knowledge of it, who taught that justification consisted merely in the removal of guilt or forgiveness of sins, excluding the positive admittance of man into God’s judicial favour: in other words, they restricted justification unto deliverance from Hell, failing to declare that it also conveys a title unto Heaven.........denying that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer, seek to find their title to eternal life in a union with Christ in His resurrection. Few today are clear upon the twofold content of Justification, because few today understand the nature of that righteousness which is imputed to all who believe.
click here to read full chapter.

How well do you understand this central doctrine of the gospel? What a blessing we have now to take time, to study, to search the depths of this great truth.

Justification - A.W. Pink - Take Seven

A. W. Pink further describing the Positive Blessing and the Negative Blessing found in Justification.

And warning the Justification is more than "Just-As-If-I'd-Never-Sinned." In fact a serious error to limit justification to solely remission of sins.

To read the whole book click here.

From what has been said in the last paragraph we may see what a serious mistake it is to limit justification to the mere forgiveness of sins. Just as “condemnation” is not the execution of punishment, but rather the formal declaration that the accused is guilty and worthy of punishment; so “justification” is not merely the remission of punishment but the judicial announcement that punishment cannot be justly inflicted—the accused being fully conformed to all the positive requirements of the law in consequence of Christ’s perfect obedience being legally reckoned to his account. The justification of a believer is no other than his being admitted to participate in the reward merited by his Surety. Justification is nothing more or less than the righteousness of Christ being imputed to us: the negative blessing issuing therefrom is the remission of sins; the positive, a title to the heavenly inheritance.

Justification - A.W. Pink - Take Six

A. W. Pink distinguishes between Justification and Sanctification. Comparing CHRIST FOR US and CHRIST IN US.

To read the whole book click here.

Second, it differs from sanctification. Sanctification is moral or experimental, justification is legal or judicial. Sanctification results from the operation of the Spirit in me, justification is based upon what Christ has done for me. The one is gradual and progressive, the other is instantaneous and immutable. The one admits of degrees, and is never perfect in this life; the other is complete and admits of no addition. The one concerns my state, the other has to do with my standing before God. Sanctification produces a moral transformation of character, justification is a change of legal status: it is a change from guilt and condemnation to forgiveness and acceptance, and this solely by a gratuitous act of God, founded upon the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, through the instrument of faith alone. Though justification is quite separate from sanctification, yet sanctification ever accompanies it.