Coffee House Chapel #5

January 28

Romans 11:36, “To whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

Are there objections to this “Give God all the Glory” teaching? Are there objections to salvation by grace rather than works? Are there objections to once saved always saved? The objections are many, and they range from - this philosophy will cause people to become immoral - and this philosophy will cause people to lose the power of making choices and they will abandon all sense of responsibility before God and other people - to this philosophy will cause people to cease working for worthwhile goals and quit all useful activity.

Roger R. Nicole, former professor of systematic theology at Gordon-Conwell Divinity School, South Hamilton, Mass. and Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida, answered some of these objections at the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology in 1976. Over the next two devotionals, we will quote his answers to three important questions.

1. Doesn’t belief in the sovereignty of God encourage evil by setting people free from restraints? Doesn’t it make morality impossible?

“I suppose one could proceed to discuss this in a theological manner – to examine arguments, consider objections, and line up points in an orderly disposition. I would like, however, instead of going into a theological discussion, to challenge you in terms of an historical consideration. In the Reformation, there was a group of men who made precisely these assertions. Over against the prevailing current, they said that man is radically corrupt and is therefore totally unable by himself to please God. He is incapable of gathering any merits, let alone merit for others. But did these assertions damage morality? Were these people a group of scoundrels who satisfied their own sinful cravings under the pretense of giving glory to God? One does not need to be very versed in church history to know that this was not so. There were at that time thefts, murders, unjust wars. Even within the church there was a heinous and shameful trafficking of sacred positions.

“But what happened?

“There people, who believed that man is corrupt and that only God can help him, came forward like a breath of fresh air. They brought in a new recognition of the rights of God and of His claim upon the lives of men. They brought in new chastity, new honesty, new unselfishness, new humbleness, and a new concern for others. ‘Honest like the Huguenots,’ they used to say ....Immorality was not promoted; it was checked by the recognition of the sovereignty of God.

“‘That is impossible,’ some say. Yet it happened.”

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

January 30

Romans 11:36, “To whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

Today we’ll look at Roger R. Nicole’s answers to two more important questions:

2. Doesn’t belief in the sovereignty of God eliminate man’s sense of responsibility and destroy human freedom? Doesn’t it destroy potential?

“Again, rather than going into the arguments of the matter, let us merely examine what happened in the sixteenth century when the sovereignty of God was asserted. Did the people involved allow themselves to be robbed of all initiative? Were they reduced to slavery under the power of God? Not at all! On the contrary, they were keenly aware of their responsibility. They had the sense that for everything they were doing, saying and thinking they were accountable to God. They lived their lives in the presence of God, and in the process they were pioneers in establishing and safe-guarding precious liberties – liberty of speech, religion and expression – all of which are at the foundation of the liberties we cherish in the democratic world.

“Far from eclipsing their sense of freedom, the true proclamation of the sovereignty of God moved them toward the recognition and expression of all kinds of human freedoms which God has Himself provided for those whom He has created and redeemed.

“‘It is impossible that this should happen,’ we are told. Perhaps! But it happened.”

3. Doesn’t commitment to God’s sovereignty undercut strenuous human activity? Doesn’t it make people passive?

“We may make an appeal to history. What did these people – Calvin, Farel, Know, Luther – what did they do? Were they people who reclined on a soft couch, saying, ‘If God is pleased to do something in Geneva, let Him do it. I will not get in the way’? Or, ‘If God wants to have some theses nailed to the door of the chapel of Wittenberg Castle, let Him take the hammer. I will not interfere’? You know very well that this is not so. These were not people lax in activity. They were not lazy. Calvin may be accused of many things, but one thing he has seldom been accused of is laziness. No, when the sovereignty of God is recognized, meaningfulness comes to human activity. Then, instead of seeing our efforts as the puny movements of insignificant people unable to resist the enormous momentum of a universe so much larger than ourselves, we see our activity in the perspective of a sovereign plan in which even small and insignificant details may be very important. Far from undermining activity, the doctrine of the sovereignty of God has been a strong incentive for labor, devotion, evangelism and missions.

“‘Impossible!’ Yet it happened.”

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

Charles,

There are fatalistic Calvinists who believe that they don't have to evangelize - because God will save the elect - with or without them.

My Bible still tells me to go into all the world and preach the gospel!

 

February 2

Romans 11:36, “To whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

We finish this doxology with another quote from Roger Nicole.

“In the first century the world was in a frightful condition. One does not need to be a great authority on Roman history to know that. There were signs of the breakdown of the Roman Empire – rampant hedonism and a dissolution of morals. But at that point God was pleased to send into the world that great preacher of the sovereignty of God, the apostle Paul, and this introduced a brand new principle into the total structure. The preaching of Paul did not avert the collapse of the Roman Empire, but it postponed it. Moreover, it permitted the creation of a body of believers that persisted through the terrible invasions of the barbarian hordes, and even through the Dark Ages....

“In the sixteenth century...the church had succumbed to deep corruption. It was corrupt ‘in its head and members.’ In many ways it was a cesspool of iniquity. People did not know how to remedy the situation. They tried councils, internal purges, monastic orders. None of these things seemed to work. But God again raised up to His glory men who proclaimed the truth of His sovereignty, the truth of God’s grace. In proclaiming this truth they brought a multitude of the children of God into a new sense of their dependence upon and relationship to Christ. In proclaiming this truth they benefitted even the very people who opposed them in the tradition of the church. They are small, these men of the Reformation. They had little money, little power and little influence. One was a portly little monk in Germany. Another was a frail little professor in Geneva. A third was a ruddy but lowly little man in Scotland. What could they do? In themselves, nothing. But by the power of God they shook the world.

Radically corrupted, but sovereignly purified!
Radically enslaved, but sovereignly emancipated!
Radically unable, but sovereignly empowered!

“These men were the blessing of God for our world.”

“To God alone be glory!” If you do not know God - this text is probably a most foolish statement to you. But for those who are born again, it is a right statement - it is a happy, wise, true, inescapable, and highly desirable confession. It is our duty to make that statement.

“To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 4

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12 begins the practical portion of the book. This is not to suggest that the previous eleven chapters of Romans (the doctrinal chapters) are not practical. Dr. Boice writes, “Doctrine is practical, and practical material must be doctrinal if it is to be of any help at all. A far better way to talk about Romans 12-16 is to say that these chapters contain applications of the very practical teaching Paul presented earlier.” John Murray writes, “At this point the apostle comes to deal with concrete practical application.” Again from Dr. Boice, “We have had lots of ideas in the first great sections of Romans – truthful ideas, stirring ideas, ideas that have come to us by means of an inerrant and authoritative revelation. Now we are to explore their many important consequences.”

We are beset by the word “values.” For the past several election cycles – “values” has become a buzz word. The question becomes, whose values, and why? The late Francis Schaeffer wrote an excellent study of the rise and fall of western culture which he titled, “How Should We Then Live?” “Then,” in the title, is a simple word, yet without that simple word, the meaning suggested by the title is vastly different. Had Schaeffer titled the book “How Should We Live?” – he might have merely been asking any questions such as: “What shall we do today?” or “Where shall we have dinner tonight?” But the addition of that simple word “Then” completely changes the meaning of the title. Now the question becomes, “How shall we live in light of the fact that God has redeemed us from sin’s penalty by the death of Jesus Christ and freed us from sin’s tyranny by the power of the Holy Spirit?”

Schaeffer was very clear in his thoughts of where Western culture is headed. Schaeffer saw such trends as increasing economic breakdown, violence, extreme poverty of third world countries, love of affluence, and relativism in Western thought, as leading to one of two results; either to totalitarianism – an imposed but arbitrary social order – or “once again affirming that base which gave freedom without chaos in the first place – God’s revelation in the Bible and His revelation through Christ.” (Schaeffer)

The point is – we have received God’s revelation – and we must act upon it. The readers of Romans have received eleven chapters of doctrine – and they must act upon it. “As Christians we are not only to know the right world view, the world view that tells us the truth of what is, but consciously to act upon that world view so as to influence society in all its parts and facets across the whole spectrum of life, as much as we can to the extent of our individual and collective ability.” (Schaeffer)

We are about to embark on an exciting trip through the practical portion of Romans.

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 6

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Must values (family values) be based upon something? The answer is a categorical YES! Values must be based upon God, His saving acts, and His Word. If our value system is not based upon God, etc, then one could logically ask, what kind of family values are we talking about? A nuclear family? A single-parent family? A homosexual family? And of those “values” listed (among others), which should we prefer? The big question then is, whose values are we talking about, and why those?

In 1987, Cornell University president, Frank Rhodes, spoke at a meeting of educators at Harvard University. He suggested in an address on educational reforms that is was time for universities to pay attention to values and the students’ “moral well-being.” One student jumped to his feet and demanded indignantly, “Whose values are to be taught? And who is to teach us?” The loud applause of the audience indicated that the student had rendered President’s Rhodes suggestion as foolishness. Rhodes (sadly) sat down without even trying to answer the questions.

Earlier in the 20th century, most educators would have at least pointed to the accumulated wisdom of more than two millennia of Western history. The writings of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle, and perhaps even the Bible, would have been used as a foundation for Rhodes statement. “The problem is that without the absolutes provided by God’s revelation of Himself and His ways, all views are relative and there is no real reason for doing one thing rather than another – except for selfish, personal reasons, which obviously destroy morality rather than establish it. In other words, our days have become like the time of the Jewish judges when there was no king, the law was forgotten and, as a result, ‘everyone did as he [or she] saw fit’ (Judges 21:25).” (Boice)

God’s revelation is the basis for social morality and ethics. “We must have Romans 1-11 in order to have Romans 12-16.” (Boice)

In his studies on Romans, John Calvin compared Christianity and philosophy. He said, “This is the main difference between the Gospel and philosophy. Although the philosophers speak on the subject of morals splendidly and with praiseworthy ability, yet all the embellishment which shines forth in their precepts is nothing more than a beautiful superstructure without a foundation, for by omitting principles, they propound a mutilated doctrine, like a body without a head .... Paul [in Romans 12:1-2] lays down the principle from which all the parts of holiness flow.”

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 7

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Whenever we see the word “therefore,” we should pay close attention to what follows. Paul’s message is that in view of what he had just written - we are not to live for ourselves - but we should rather give ourselves totally to God.

What does the “therefore” of Romans 12:1 refer to? Perhaps it is the verses that immediately preceded the doxology that ended Romans 11. Perhaps it is the “stirring assertion that nothing in heaven or earth will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Boice) of Romans 8. Or maybe it is the doctrine of justification by faith found in Romans 1-4. Each of these views have able defenders and each can be defended by good arguments.

Charles Hodge writes, “All the doctrines of justification, grace, election, and final salvation, taught in the preceding part of the epistle, are made the foundation for the practical duties enjoined in this.”

In fact - this is the pattern Paul uses in his letters. In Ephesians, the three doctrinal chapters are followed by three practical chapters dealing with spiritual gifts, morality, personal relationships, and spiritual warfare. In Galatians, the doctrinal section found in chapters three and four are followed by two chapters on Christian liberty, spiritual fruit, love, and the obligation to do good. In Colossians the doctrinal section is found in 1:1-2:5, and it is followed by practical application of the doctrine in 2:5-4:18. This pattern seems to be unique with Paul. The other New Testament writers, such as Peter and John, to not follow this pattern.

Leon Morris writes, “It is fundamental to [Paul] that the justified man does not live in the same way as the unrepentant sinner.”

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 8

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

“Therefore” is a connecting word - it connects the last five chapters of Romans to the preceding eleven. These last five chapters can be broken into seven sections:

1. Applied Christianity - Romans 12:1-2. I believe is was the late President, Harry Truman, who had a plaque on his desk that read - “The Buck Stops Here!” With God - it is the opposite - everything starts with Him, Romans 11:36, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things.” Our relationship to God is the basis for all other relationships we have, as our duty to God is the basis of all our other duties. In these two verses, Paul sets forth the principles that should (must) govern our relationship to God. We are not our own, and we are to present ourselves to Him as willing and living sacrifices.

2. The Christian and other people - Romans 12:3-21. “There are three basic areas of application for the gospel, and they each involve relationships.” (Boice)
A) The right relationship of a believer to God - vers 1-2.
B) The right relationship of a believer to himself - this deals with humility - ver 3.
C) The right relationship of a believer to other people - vers 4-21.

3. Church and state - Romans 13:1-7. This topic tends to be a hot “button.” Believers not only have relationships with others - they also have relationships with institutions, particularly the government. Boice asks a series of thought provoking questions on this topic: “What is the believer’s relationship to the state to be? Is he to oppose it as an incorrigibly secular and godless entity? Is he to try to escape from it? Should the Christian submit to it? If we are to submit, is that submission to be without any qualifications, regardless of what the state may do or ask us to do? Or are there limits? If there are limits, what are they? We know from history that these became very important matters for the early Christians, especially in the years when the emperors persecuted them, trying to abolish Christianity.”

Tomorrow we’ll look briefly at the following topics:
4. The law of love - Romans 13:8-14.
5. Christian liberty - Romans 14:1-15:13.
6. Paul’s personal ministry and plans - Romans 15:14-33.
7. Final greetings - Romans 16:1-27.

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

PS - Brother Blackbird is taking some time off from writing these devotionals. I shall attempt to write Monday through Friday, and give myself a break on the weekends. If there are any who would like to join me in this task - PM me.

 

February 9

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

“Therefore” is a connecting word - it connects the last five chapters of Romans to the preceding eleven. These last five chapters can be broken into seven sections:

1. Applied Christianity - Romans 12:1-2.
2. The Christian and other people - Romans 12:3-21.
3. Church and state - Romans 13:1-7.

4. The law of love - Romans 13:8-14. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt 22:37, 39) You’ll not find a place where Paul contradicts the Lord Jesus, rather you’ll find that Paul often writes commentaries on what the Lord Jesus said.

5. Christian liberty - Romans 14:1-15:13. The topics Paul chose to write about is an interesting study. For instance, Paul did not condemn slavery, he didn’t develop a Christian view on economics, and he didn’t comment on war. But he certainly did comment on Christian liberty, here and in Galatians. Paul does not allow Christians to disobey God’s moral law, and he offers no low standard of ethics (or situation ethics), but he does forbid one Christian group from imposing nonbiblical standards on other Christians. (This should be a very interesting study, when we get to it.)

6. Paul’s personal ministry and plans - Romans 15:14-33. We all have “dreams” of what we would like to do in the future. Paul was no exception. He explained to the Roman church that he desired to come to them, and why he had been unable to come earlier.

7. Final greetings - Romans 16:1-27. A chapter of names. Let us be reminded that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim 3:16-17) and see how we can receive profit, etc. from this chapter.

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 10

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

I’ve heard it said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. As we embark on these final chapters of Romans - we’ll be looking at the individual trees. But for the last few days - we’ve been looking at the forest - the truth as a whole. “Since we are talking about God’s saving work for us, this means that everything God has done for us in salvation has bearing on everything we should do, on all of life. We must be different people because God has saved us from our sins.” (Boice)

Some years ago, the Gallup Poll organization devised a scale to sort out those for whom religion seemed to be important and find out if it made any difference in their lives. America claims to be a religious country - but we see immorality on the rise. Does serious religion make a difference for those who consider themselves to be highly spiritually motivated (committed)?

Gallup found that only one in eight are in this committed category. He found that this group differed from the rest of the population in at least four key areas:

1. They are more satisfied with their lot in life. Sixty eight percent of the committed are very happy, as opposed to only thirty percent of the uncommitted.

2. The divorce rate among the committed is lower than among the less committed. (Stronger families)

3. The committed tend to be more tolerant of persons of different races and religions - just the opposite of what the media portrays.

4. The committed are more involved in charitable activities. The breakdown is as follows: 46 percent of the highly spiritually committed work among the poor, the infirm and the elderly. In comparison to only 36 percent of the moderately committed, 28 percent of the moderately uncommitted, and 22 percent of the highly uncommitted.

What I see in these numbers is that true conversion makes a difference in a person’s life. “If there are no differences, there is no genuine conversion.” (Boice) The differences between the true believer and the world are explained in these last five chapters of Romans. We could pass all the laws we like - and it would not change people. What changes people is when changed people work among the lost and dying. “If you have been called to faith in Jesus Christ, you are part of a radically changed community, the new humanity. It is your privilege to begin to make changes in our world.” (Boice)

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 11

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

A paradox is a statement that seems to be contradictory, yet may be true. The most obvious Christian paradox would be the doctrine of the Trinity. The Bible teaches that “...the Lord our God is one Lord” - Deut 6:4, yet it speaks of “the Father, ...the Son, and ... the Holy Ghost” - Matt 28:19, and makes each entity of the Godhead equal to the others.

Another of the Bible’s great paradoxes is that we must die in order to live. Our Savior taught this truth in Luke 9:23-24, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” The words of these verses inspired Francis of Assisi to write the following prayer:

“ Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is by giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is by dying that we are born to eternal life.

Boice writes, “I would not vouch for the theology implied in each of those impassioned sentences, but as a statement of principles governing the Christian life they are helpful.” Francis’ prayer is certainly an expression of the principle set down in our text by the Apostle - that of self-sacrifice. “In Paul’s culture a sacrifice was always an animal that was presented to a priest to be killed. So Paul is saying by this striking metaphor that the Christian life begins by offering ourselves to God for death. The paradox is that by offering ourselves to God we are enabled to live for Him.” (Boice)

By dying - we are enabled to live. When we try to live for ourselves - we actually die. When we die to ourselves - we actually live. Paradox - yes, but oh so true! By dying - we live!

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 14

Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

We have been bought at a price. This truth is foundational to the doctrine of the Christian life! Before we can understand how we are to be living sacrifices - and what our motive should be in giving ourselves as living sacrifices - we need to know how we got to where we are!

We do not belong to ourselves - if we are truly Christians. 1 Cor 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” 1 Cor 7:23, “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” What is the price that was paid? 1 Pet 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Redemption - to buy back or to be bought again. Redemption is one of the key words used to describe what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. Redemption also brings to mind the image of the slave market. Who are the bidders for the souls of lost sinners? The world is one of the bidders - and the world bids the world’s currency.

It bids fame! Many would (and have) sold their souls for something as fleeting as fame. They would do anything to be well known! It bids wealth! Untold millions think money can buy them happiness - that money can buy them anything! It bids power! Many are on power trips. They’ll do anything to get to the top, even trample people they once considered their friends. It bids sex! Millions have lost nearly everything for just a moment of indulgence.

But into the arena steps Jesus Christ and He bids His blood. He offers to die for them. The Father accepts the bid of Jesus - sold for the price of His blood. As a result - we become the purchased possession of God, and we must live for Him, rather than ourselves. “We are redeemed by the Lord for the purpose of consecrating ourselves and all our members to Him.” (Calvin)

“We need to remember that we are in the application section of Romans. Redemption was introduced earlier in the book, in chapter 3 (v. 24). So what we are finding is an example of the truth that doctrine is practical and that practical material must be doctrinal if it is to be of any help at all. We are dealing with the practical question of ‘How should we then live?’ But the very first thing to be said to explain how we should live is the meaning and implication of redemption. In other words, we cannot have true Christian living without the gospel.” (Boice)

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

February 15

Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Last time we saw that the Christian life of self-sacrifice is built upon the doctrine of redemption from sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Another important truth is that we have died to the past by becoming new creations in Christ Jesus. Paul taught this back in Romans 6:2, “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Before our salvation - we lived in and for sin. Now, as believers in Jesus Christ, Paul tells us to “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.” (Rom 6:13)

Some of our brethren believe that when they receive the “second” blessing of their salvation - evidenced by speaking in tongues - that they no longer are able to sin. Perhaps that is why many of these same brethren have to get saved - over and over again - because when they sin (as they will) - they believe they have to start the Christian life all over again.

Dying to sin does not mean that believers have become unresponsive to sin. It does not mean that we should die to sin, or that we’re dying to it day by day, or that we have died to sin’s guilt. “The verb ‘die’ is an aorist, which refers to something that has been done once for all. Here it refers to the change that has come about as a result of our being saved. ‘We died to sin’ means that as a result of our union with Jesus Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit we have become new creatures in Christ so that we can never go back to being what we were. We are to start the Christian life with that knowledge. If we cannot go back, then we must go forward.” (Boice)

Dying to sin does not mean the following:
1. That it is my duty to die to sin.
2. That I am commanded to die to sin.
3. That I am to consider sin as a dead force within me.
4. That I am dead to sin so long as I am gaining mastery over it.
5. That sin in me has been eradicated.
6. That counting myself dead to sin makes me insensitive to it.

“What Paul is saying is that we have already died to sin in the sense that we cannot successfully return to our old lives. Therefore, since that is true, we might as well get on with the task of living for the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to forget about sinning and instead present our bodies as ‘living sacrifices’ to God.” (Boice)

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd