Romans 6-0 - Does Grace Allow Believers to Sin Intentionally?#
Romans 6-0 - Does Grace Allow Believers to Sin Intentionally?
(JP Text Group - Wang Na Compilation)
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for your grace! Thank you for leading us into the truth. This is a blessed moment, giving me strength and supply through your word, allowing me to be released and set free in your truth, and to live a different life through this word. May the Holy Spirit guide me in the following time to know you more, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I pray! Amen!
Romans chapter six, verses 1-10,
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. 6 Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. 9 Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Continuing with the series on the book of Romans, the topic is, Does Grace Allow Believers to Sin Intentionally?
Last time we talked about how where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. Now, the one reigning in our lives is no longer sin, but Jesus Christ; it is Christ's grace that reigns through righteousness. Our lives are no longer the same; we possess the power of Christ.
Because of the statement "where sin abounds, grace abounds much more," people have doubts. Some want to emphasize their doctrines without understanding God's marvelous grace, so they repeatedly ask Paul, saying if God has forgiven all our sins, then isn't sin a good thing? Can't we sin at will? If that's the case, people could sin even more recklessly and find a perfect excuse for themselves.
Many people have doubts because they do not understand what God's grace truly is. Paul addresses the doubts of such people, starting from chapter six to explain the power of grace in detail.
Verse 1 says, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
If one understands salvation and the grace of Jesus Christ, can they sin at will? Are they still living in sin? But how does Paul respond?
Verse 2 says, certainly not!
A truly saved person, after understanding the grace of Jesus Christ, does not want to stay in sin because the attraction of Jesus is greater. If a person is willing to sin, they do not care whether they are under the law or under grace; many simply do not believe in the power of God's grace. If God's grace permits people to sin, then when Jesus Christ came, He preached grace and truth, giving us grace and truth. Did Jesus intend for us to sin intentionally?
But from the four Gospels, we see that many people's lives changed miraculously after Jesus forgave their sins; they understood the grace of Jesus Christ. In contrast, the Pharisees and scribes, who were very familiar with the law, remained trapped in sin, living in bitterness and condemnation.
Brothers and sisters, today many churches tell believers not to sin anymore, to have good behavior, and to strive to do good. In fact, they keep imposing requirements on people without telling them how to possess the power not to sin! How can one have the power to do good? Where does this come from? If it comes from within oneself, it is very difficult to achieve, truly difficult, because our own strength cannot overcome sin; the flesh is inclined toward evil.
People are born sinners, and their hearts lean toward sin. If one lives by their own efforts, it is easy to fall under the law, either in self-righteousness or in self-deprecation. In such a situation, people cannot save themselves; this is why Jesus Christ came to save us. He knows our condition, so He accomplished salvation for us on the cross and gave this salvation as a gift. As long as one accepts the grace of Lord Jesus, they can overcome sin through Christ.
Believers must know their true identity and position in Christ, and this understanding will help them not to sin anymore. In Romans chapter six, verses 3, 6, and 9 mention the word "know" three times.
Because of the truth in Christ, you are no longer a slave to sin. The important thing is not what you strive to do, but understanding who you are. Who you believe in is the source of your power to overcome sin.
2 Timothy 1:11-12
For which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason, I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
If a person starts with the wrong belief, all subsequent actions will be wrong. So first, you must know who you are, what state you are in, and what position you hold. Can believers sin? Of course, we are still in the flesh, and there will definitely be weaknesses and transgressions, but we must understand that at the moment you accepted Lord Jesus, your identity has changed:
First, you have been baptized into Christ.
Second, your old man has been crucified with Jesus Christ.
Third, you now live with Christ, from now until forever.
Now, let's share the first point: Is God's grace given to people to freely sin? To sin intentionally?
Does understanding grace mean one can do as they please, without repentance, living however they want? Is that the case? Of course not. What is grace? It is unmerited, undeserved, but God gives it to us freely.
The original meaning of grace is that it is a gift. It is freely given by God. The grace we are talking about today is not a doctrine, not a foundational gospel; it is a person named Jesus. So it is not a dead doctrine; it is a living person—Jesus. Jesus has the complete power to overcome sin, death, and the devil. Thank the Lord!
We are justified freely because we believe in Jesus. Many believers often think, since we are under grace and sin is forgiven by grace, then it doesn't matter if we sin. They don't need to worry too much about God's law and righteousness; they can do as they please, whatever they want... After all, I can enter the kingdom of heaven, even if I offend others, I don't need to apologize because God has completely forgiven me. God is full of grace and love; He is a good God, and He will surely forgive my sins. Jesus Christ has died for my sins, so I can do whatever I want.
In fact, those who think this way still do not understand grace. They remain under the law.
What did Paul just say? "Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more." His meaning is comparative; he is saying you think the power of sin is great enough, but the power of grace is greater than the power of sin.
He does not mean that the greater the sin, the greater the grace upon you; it is not like that. Brothers and sisters, he is referring to a comparison of two powers, just like the comparison between Adam and Christ, and between sin and righteousness. He is telling you that the power of grace is greater; it can help you not to sin, it can help you overcome the sin in your life. God's grace can forgive any sin; God's grace can conquer all sin.
Jesus Christ has already overcome sin and death; He has set a good example for us. No matter how terrible or great the sin is, Jesus has already conquered it. This tells you today not to worry, do not be afraid; through Jesus, you can overcome in all things.
Where sin abounds, God's grace abounds much more. This means that when a sinner is forgiven, as they understand more of God's grace, God's grace will be more evident in them, and that person will increasingly desire to draw near to Jesus, rather than understanding God's grace and wanting to sin more.
Can we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!
Paul's answer is very clear, certainly not! Remember I once told the brothers and sisters that Paul's tone is very interesting; it means "absolutely not, do not even have such a thought."
A believer in Christ cannot live in sin; one can only choose one. Today, let's talk about salvation; you are either in heaven or in hell; one can only choose one. You cannot say, "I am in heaven for a while and then in hell for a while"; that does not exist.
Brothers and sisters, what does "still in" mean? It refers to continuing and habitually yielding to sin. A true believer will not yield to sin. Today, many people cannot distinguish where they are. Some feel, "I have sinned again today; maybe I am not saved?" In fact, believers and non-believers have very different endings regarding sin.
A person who does not know Jesus Christ will take pleasure in sin and enjoy rolling in sin. They do not feel it is anything; they may think everyone does it. For example, a non-believer takes 50 yuan to buy groceries and ends up being given back over 100 yuan; because this person does not believe in Jesus, they may feel they have hit the jackpot today and hope for such good fortune every day! They have a sense of luck, a feeling of joy in it, and they expect that next time it will be the same, rejoicing in living in such sin and taking advantage of others.
But what is the difference with a Christian? For example, a Christian may also inadvertently buy groceries and find that they have indeed been given too much change. At that moment, they will have an inner struggle about whether to return the money. They have a battle inside; an "old thought" tells them not to return it because they did not ask for it; it was given to them by mistake.
At that moment, the new life inside tells them to return it; actually, they do not need to do this because Jesus can bless them. They struggle and struggle, and in the end, they still return the money. When you have this struggle, you know you are a person of the Holy Spirit, a saved person; this is completely different from the previous person.
So brothers and sisters, if the old you has won, and after you go home, you still do not want to return it, and you think about it every day, feeling uncomfortable, when you go to buy something next time, you absolutely do not hope for them to give you extra money again. This is the difference between belief and unbelief.
This tells you there is a way to distinguish: one takes pleasure in sin, thinking every day about how to speculate and find opportunities to sin. But the other, although defeated by transgressions, does not want to do such things anymore; this is the guidance of the Holy Spirit!
Paul specifically tells us that although we cannot completely live a sinless life today, in reality, you are no longer in sin. Even when you sin, you are still not living in sin; you are not letting sin reign anymore because you have died to sin, brothers and sisters.
Do not misunderstand; many churches misinterpret this point, saying you must daily crucify the "old self." When others ask, "But I have sinned again today," they tell you it is because your old self has not died completely! Brothers and sisters, that is incorrect; the Bible does not say that.
Verse 2 says, we who died to sin.
That is a past tense, representing that you have already died to sin. You have died to sin! What does that mean? The wages of sin is death; you have already died; what can sin do to you? Look at the people in this world; no matter how great their sins are, if they die, they cannot be pursued for their responsibilities anymore. You cannot dig that person out of the grave and continue to condemn them in court, right? Because the final outcome of sin is death.
What are the characteristics of a dead person? Three characteristics of a dead person: First, they will not think anymore, they will not think about other things. Second, they cannot speak anymore. Third, they cannot move anymore.
Brothers and sisters, we have already died to sin, so it is impossible to come back to life; it is absolutely impossible. You must see yourself as a person who has already died to sin, and you are now in Christ Jesus. You are now living as a representative of Christ on earth.
So the you that is now alive possesses the nature of God (2 Peter 1:4); you are made in the image of God, the Holy Spirit dwells within you; this is the you that is now alive. Do not compare the past dead you with the current you; you are different now.
When you understand your identity, when you know that it is Christ living in you, God's grace will be more evident in you, allowing you to experience Him more.
Another fact is that when a person truly turns to God, they will distance themselves from evil. We can use the previous example of the money again because it is very common. When you believe in Jesus Christ, every day as you understand that you have died to sin, and that Jesus Christ is living in you, you will immediately turn around and say, "This is the extra change you gave me."
Once, a person gave me too much change, and I said, "Boss, the change you gave me is incorrect!" Guess what the boss said? "I absolutely did not give you less money; you left, and now it is unclear." Did you notice? This person's sin immediately becomes evident. I said it was not less; it was more! You know what? Their face immediately changed, and they smiled...
In fact, people are just like this; if sin is in them, you will find they absolutely do not do things that cause them to lose. But because Jesus Christ is in you, you are willing to turn back and tell them they gave you too much! Brothers and sisters, this is the difference between a person who has turned to Jesus Christ and one who does not know Jesus Christ! Thank God!
So we must understand that today you are living with Christ; the Holy Spirit will tell you that you do not need to ask for that extra money because I can completely bless you, and everything you need will be sufficient. Hallelujah!
So a person who truly understands God's grace will not intentionally sin; the power of Jesus can help them overcome sin. Even if they do not overcome, they will not condemn themselves; they will absolutely not desire to make the same mistake again. Therefore, those who say we can still be in sin to let grace abound are wrong! Because within you is Jesus; if Jesus leans toward evil, then there is a problem. Jesus is full of grace and truth, so you can use the power of Jesus to overcome your sin.
But everyone must not think that being saved is by grace, and to achieve victory, one must rely on the law. People who rely on the law to achieve victory will ultimately fail miserably because people cannot overcome sin by the law, but Jesus Christ has already overcome. You just need to receive the power of Christ, and you will surely be victorious.
When a person draws closer to Jesus, they are released from the accusations and judgments of sin. If your heart is no longer condemned by God, then naturally sin cannot be your master anymore; you cannot continue to stay in sin! Because Jesus is in you, you can only obey one king; you cannot obey both at the same time because you cannot do it. Either Christ Jesus is your king, or sin is your king.
Today, brothers and sisters, do we know whom we serve? This is important. You must understand that Jesus Christ is in you; this is something we have been emphasizing today. First, let you understand, let you know "who you are? Let you understand where you are?" You are not in sin; you are in grace. Once you understand this, you can release the power you understand from within you. If you understand you are still in sin, then you will continue to sin. If you understand Jesus is with you, then what comes out from you is the power of Jesus Christ.
The second point: Believers are baptized into Jesus Christ.
Starting from verse 4, it briefly mentions some things about baptism. What does baptism really talk about? It talks about when you are baptized into Jesus Christ, you have died with your old self in the water with Jesus Christ. This position is something we should know, but the debate about baptism is also very intense.
Many people complicate baptism, even saying it has various meanings, etc. What everyone agrees on is that baptism refers to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our baptism is a declaration to the world that we have been baptized into Jesus Christ; we have died and resurrected with Him.
So when we enter the water, we stop breathing, representing that we have died and been buried with Jesus. When we come out of the water, we declare that we have been resurrected with Christ. Therefore, the one who is now alive is no longer an old life but a new life.
We will share the truth about baptism from three aspects:
(1) Believers' baptism into Christ confirms that they have died with Christ.
These believers in Christ must be clear about one thing: when Christ died, you also died; you died to sin, and the wages of sin is death. When you enter the water, your old self has died.
When you come out of the water, it represents that you have come back to life again, not that the old self has come back to life, not that the body of sin has come back to life, but a new life, the life of Jesus Christ resurrected.
Verse 5 says, if we have been united together in the likeness of His death.
When were you united with God in the likeness of death? It was when you were baptized; it was when you accepted Jesus. At that moment, you should know that your old self has died, and you have died with Christ.
If you are sure that you have died with Christ, then you have died to sin; sin has no position in your life anymore. You have been freed from the bondage of sin, freed from the control of sin, freed from the guilt and shame that sin brings!
(2) Being united with the resurrection of Christ
When you come up from the water, the person who comes out is a new creation. Brothers and sisters, you have been resurrected in Christ! Now the Holy Spirit dwells within you. The one who is now alive is a completely new life. God's authority, power, and love are all within you. The power of Jesus' resurrection is also upon you.
Once you know Jesus, all of this will change; you are a new life, your heart is a new heart, you are a new creation, your whole being is new, and the attributes of Jesus Christ are within you.
God's purpose is to bring us into the resurrected life of Jesus Christ; this way, you will distance yourself from evil, and you will naturally be able to overcome sin because you are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! When believers are brought into that glory, their life is in resurrection and united with Christ! Thank the Lord!
Verse 5 says, since you have been united in the likeness of His death, you should also know that you are united in the likeness of His resurrection. This life has been given to us, but many do not understand; they fear grace, thinking grace will lead people to sin. In fact, this is a misunderstanding of grace.
You have been united in the likeness of resurrection with Christ; does Jesus, who lives in you, not overcome your sin? This change is effortless, a change that requires no effort at all, as long as you believe correctly, believing that Jesus has this ability. Hallelujah, thank the Lord!
Looking at verse 6, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with.
This word is used very well; in the past, many churches taught that our old man was crucified with Jesus, but the cross was too counterfeit, and the work of the cross was too poor. As a result, it was not dead; it needed to be nailed to death every day. Was that nail a fake? So the body of sin could not be destroyed, could not die, and thus needed to be nailed every day. But the Bible tells us what?
That cross is absolutely genuine; you must know that your old man was crucified with Jesus, and after being nailed, it has made your body of sin cease to exist. Once. That is enough.
Brothers and sisters, you must remember, once, after that crucifixion, the body of sin ceased to exist, and you are no longer a slave to sin. Hallelujah! You must believe in the power of Jesus Christ; your body of sin has already died; your old self has been nailed to the cross, completed once and for all!
In this, our old man has been crucified with Jesus. The tense used here is a completed tense. Brothers and sisters, just like when Jesus said "It is finished" on the cross, that is a completed tense, and the tense used here is the same; it has been completed once and for all, and does not need to be repeated.
Dying once is enough; you cannot die every day; who can do that? You cannot die every day! So death is also once for all, and resurrection is also once for all; you must die before you can live! If you say you are resurrected now, it proves that you have died once; that is what resurrection means.
You must remember, the body of sin has ceased to exist. When the devil accuses you of sin, you say, "I have died." What can a dead person be accused of? Right? Brothers and sisters.
Verse 8 says, now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
Paul is afraid we do not understand, afraid we always feel we have not died completely. Paul says, if you died with Christ, then you must believe you will also live with Him. It is first death, then life. You have already died; now it is Christ living in you. Thank the Lord! Because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. This word is also for you.
If you know you have come back to life from death, you do not need to die again because the one who is now alive cannot die again. After Christ's resurrection, it is eternal; death cannot have dominion over Him anymore. You are also not under the dominion of death because the life of Christ is within you. Thank the Lord, Hallelujah!
You do not need to strive to say, "I will not sin; I want to overcome sin." You just need to keep understanding that the life within you is the life of Jesus; it is a life that overcomes sin, a resurrected life, a life full of power. That is enough; think about this every day, and you will not sin; you will overcome sin! Thank the Lord!
Verse 10 also particularly tells us that He died to sin once for all. Again, it mentions that it has already died, already died; you have died to sin completely, and only once.
Brothers and sisters, Galatians 2:20 tells us that I have been crucified with Christ.
The old self has already died; the body of sin has already died. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
This is your life now; the one living in you is Christ. When you live in the flesh, it is also Christ living in you, not your life, but the life of Christ. Thank the Lord! Moreover, your "death" is only once; now you live, but you live to God; the old self has been crucified, when you were crucified, your body of sin has ceased to exist, and you are no longer a slave to sin; you have been severed from evil.
In Christ, you have already died; because of the power of the cross, you no longer need to strive to look at the problem of sin; you need to strive to look at Jesus Christ, to know the power of Jesus Christ, to understand what His glory contains. Every day, come to know the glory of Jesus Christ, understand His power. Just set aside the problem of sin because it is too easy to overcome. Jesus knows exactly how to overcome it; that is the power of God's grace.
Galatians 5:24 says, and those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
You belong to Jesus Christ, so you should be sure that you have crucified the flesh along with its passions and desires. Remember, it has already been crucified! It has been completed!
Colossians 3 says, for you have died. The most disliked topic for people is death, but today we seem to keep saying, "You have died." You must tell yourself that the life of sin has already died. The Bible also says so, because you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Wow! God's way of saving us is very special! First, He lets our life die, and then gives us a resurrected life—the life of Christ, hidden in Him. You know you are in God, so do not worry anymore, because you are hidden in God; what is there to be afraid of?
Today, you are like Noah in the ark; Noah and his family are already in the ark. No matter how heavy the rain is outside, how great the wind and waves are, they do not need to worry; you are already hidden in God. Even if you accidentally fall, you are still in the ark. We who believe in the Lord, even if we fall and fail, are still in Christ. As long as you stand up again, that is enough.
(3) You are baptized into the life of Jesus Christ, becoming an eternal person.
From now on, you are a person living to God; you are not living for the world. So every day, you should see the grace God has given you, the strength He has given you, His love, His abundance; you should live with God forever. This is what we must believe.
Paul is very clear; in fact, the way to overcome sin is first to know that your old self has died, to know that your body of sin has died, to know that your old life has died. Now you will not want to sin; even if you are occasionally defeated by transgressions, you are still a person in Christ.
So those who understand grace will not intentionally indulge in sin. The more one understands the grace of Christ, the more they desire to draw near to Jesus. Because the grace of Christ will renew us, guide us to be more like Christ, living out the stature of Christ. Every day is filled with peace and joy, and we will become a beautiful testimony of Christ.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for your grace! We need your grace to overcome sin and break my bad habits. I believe I have died to sin, and Christ lives in me. The resurrected life of Jesus in me will guide me to be different.
Jesus has overcome this world; now it is the life of Jesus that dwells in me. I have been united with Him in the likeness of His death, and I have also been united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection. I live to God, experiencing you every day in your grace, knowing you more.
In this new week, I believe I will be different. Please guide me on the path ahead, let me have more victorious testimonies in life, and glorify your name! In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I pray! Amen!