The Way to Victory
Rom. 6:6-13 Intro: Romans chapters 6,7,& 8 are some of the most powerful doctrinal chapters in the entire NT when it comes to the Christian life; to matters of sanctification; to the issue of Full and Real Victory in the Christian life. God is interested in the Victory of every Christian. God has made it abundantly clear the true Christian life is NOT to be one of constant defeat; one where we constantly feel like we are taking one step forward and then two backward; one where we feel like we never accomplish real victory over sin; real victory over the world; real victory over the flesh; real and abiding victory in our Christian life. So I’m going to tackle what I call the Way to Victory that I see presented in Rom. 6 by the great apostle Paul. I think this way to victory revolves around three key words: Know; Reckon; and Yield. I. The Foundation That Must be Laid Rom. 6:6 KNOWING This- that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Here is the Foundation that Must be Laid in order for a Christian to live in real Victory. It’s the foundation of Calvary; the foundation of the Cross of Jesus Christ; the foundation of KNOWING that Jesus Christ Did die for the sins of every man and every woman who would ever live on this earth; KNOWING that when Jesus cried out It is Finished and he gave his spirit up into the hands of the Father, Our Sin was crucified with him; the sin in our nature was crucified with him; our Old Man was crucified with Him; the “body” of sin was destroyed; (not talking about a physical body; not the body of Jesus or anyone else; but the body of sin; the totality of sin; the bulk of sin; the mass of sin that covered the human race). The body of sin was destroyed; Sin’s power was destroyed; sin’s authority was revoked; sin’s dominion was broken. You and I have to KNOW That this is True. We have to be absolutely Convinced Our Sin was crucified with Jesus; that we are no longer required to “serve sin.” Jesus already Laid the Foundation to Victory for us! Vs. 7 says “he that is dead is freed from sin.” When we were crucified with Christ; when our sin was crucified with him; sin’s power and dominion over us Died. We died with Christ and vs 8 reminds that we also Rose from the dead with Christ and that sin and death no more have dominion over us. Think about it- Do you KNOW that all sin was crucified with Christ? Do you know that YOUR sins were crucified with Jesus and when you trusted Jesus for your own salvation, you died with him. There was Substitution. HE actually, physically died in our place on Calvary; we were the sinners, he was holy; we were the guilty, he was sinless; he took our place and died FOR us- Do You KNOW That? There is Identification. We who have repented and taken Jesus as our personal Savior can truly say that WE died with Him on the Cross. Our sins were there; our sinful nature was there; our failures were there; our rebellion was there; and as soon as the HG convicted us and we were saved- it became an established fact that You and I were crucified with Him. This is an accomplished fact and we must KNOW IT; accept is as true; believe it trust in it. II. The Decision that Must be Made. Vs. 11- Likewise RECKON ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Once you lay the foundation by KNOWING- you must make the decision of Reckoning. This word reckon has to do with our accepting the work of God in our heart, in our inner man, and in our soul. There must be Personalization. I must account MYSELF dead to sin; not someone else; ME. I must trust the work of Jesus Christ for ME; I must have faith in the work of Jesus for ME. It Was for me; it Is for me. There must be Application. I must live my human life, my physical life, with the understanding that I am dead to sin. Sin no longer Has Dominion over me like it one time did; Sin no longer has the authority to control me like it once did; it can only dominate me and control me IF I ALLOW IT TO. Vs. 12 gives us this strong command- LET NOT SIN REIGN in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lusts. We must make the Decision that we will live our human life with the understanding that we are Dead to Sin and Alive to God. It’s true that I was once Alive to Sin and dead to God; but NOW I am dead to sin and alive to God. We must practice in our Life what we KNOW To be True. There is a foundation to be laid- Knowing what Jesus did for us. There is a decision to be made; Reckoning our life to hid in Christ; in his death and in his resurrection. III. The Price that Must be Paid. Vs. 13- Neither Yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God as those that are Alive from the dead and yield your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. YIELD- Yes, there is a Price to be Paid to have real and full Victory. You and I must Yield our Will to the Lord; we must Surrender our will to the Lord; we must consecrate our entire being and life to the Lord. Now that I KNOW my old nature and its sin has been crucified with Christ; Now that I have God’s Spirit dwelling in and working in my spirit; Now that I have reckoned myself dead to sin and that decision has been made; Now I must submit to the Spirit of God on a Daily Basis. I must consecrate my entire being, Spirit, Soul and Body, to living for the Lord. You and I must refuse to allow the old man to rule our lives; we must willingly surrender to the Spirit of God and allow Him to lead us into righteousness. One writer used this illustration: The Captain of a ship became a tyrant. He disobeyed the owner, he mistreated the crew, he broke the Naval laws, so finally the crew rose up and officially replaced him with the First Mate, according to the requirements of the law. The old captain was placed in the hold of the ship while the new captain assumed his duties on deck. The old Captain was alive and still on the ship, and he tried every method he could think of to regain his position as Captain. He would yell out commands to any of the crew that came within the reach of his voice; but they had a new Captain and the old Captain Had NO real authority anymore so they Ignored him and refused to Obey him. So it is that the Old Captain of our life has been demoted and put in the hold (so to speak). He blusters and threatens; he still tries to issue commands; he wants to regain his lost position; but I refuse to listen to him; he no longer has authority in my life; I ignore him and refuse to obey him. For, Paul says in vs. 14- Sin SHALL not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under Grace. Sin calls out for recognition but Grace rules; Sin cries out for our submission and obedience but Grace rules; Sin threatens and blusters and tries to cause Fear; but Grace Rules. There is a Way to Victory! Lay the Foundation- Know what Jesus already did for you; Make the Decision- Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God; Pay the Price-Yield to righteousness!
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Bro. Dwain GaliherPastor of JHPC Archives
November 2024
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