投稿者: Tomio Ohashi

            In verses 38 and 39 Paul declares loudly victory stating, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

              Paul said in chapters 1 to 6 that by having a faith of believing in Jesus Christ a person is made righteous. In chapter 7 he says that those who are made righteous have a struggle with sin.  In other words, even though within yourself you want to do what is right, you do what you don’t want to do because of the sin that is within you. However, Christians have the Holy Spirit of God so the Holy Spirit sets us free from the law of sin and death. Therefore, we don’t need to worry about our sin. No one, nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ. Today let’s look at three aspects of Christian victory.

I.            If God is for us (vs. 31, 32)

              Paul after saying everything that he has said up until now, asks the question, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (31)  This is written in the form of a question, but in reality it is a strong question leading to the conclusion.  In other words, the conclusion is so strong that no one can disagree with it. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (31) No one can. Around us there are many different powers that go against us.  In verses 35 to 36 Paul says, “Who can separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”   

              At that time when a person believed in Jesus they were persecuted. Sometimes they were sent away to the desert in hunger.  Sometimes they had to hide in the graveyard.  It was like being a “sheep to be slaughtered”. (36)  “Considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (26) is phrased like this to show how terrible the persecution was. When they believed in Christ, there were trials like fire.  The same is true today.

              Today we may not be persecuted like they were at that time, but in a different way it comes upon us. For example, just living we face many different troubles and sufferings in our daily life. In our lives we wonder why we have to suffer and have so many troubles. Also in our lives the consequences of sin is still left, and Satan uses it skillfully. With strong power he sometimes attacks us. That causes us to struggle.  There are many different things that still oppose us.

              However, no matter how strong these powers are, “If God is for us,” (31) then no one can be against us.  That is because God made the heaven and earth and is all powerful.  He controls all things. Surely God is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.  There is no one that can oppose Him.

              Isaiah 40:28-31

              “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth,,,and his understanding no one can fathom.” (Isaiah 40:28)  “If God is for us,” (31) then what do we need to fear?  If someone is against me, then that means he is against God too.  There is no one who can go against God and win.  Therefore, if we are with God, we have nothing to fear.

              When David was surrounded by many enemies, he confessed, “LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me ‘God will not deliver him.’  But, you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain.  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.  I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.” (Psalms 3; 1-6)

              Even though David was is such a situation he didn’t fear because he had assurance that the Lord was with him.  Even though the whole world is surrounding you as enemies, if God is with you, then you won’t have to yield and you can live boldly. It isn’t necessary to be concerned about other people or worry about people’s threats.

That is because God is with you and will sustain you.

              By God’s love we can know that “God is for us”. (31)  Please look at verse 32.

              God “for us all” (32) gave his own Son to die; so “will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (32) Of course.  God along with his son will “graciously give us all things?” (32) Therefore the important thing is to realize how much God has loved us up until now.

              God “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up” (32) to die.  That is how much he loved us.  If that’s the case, we need the assurance that God is not only for us, but His love is the kind of love that no matter what happens He is always holding on to us and won’t let us go No matter what happens that God will always watch over us. Yes, God’s absolute love is the base of our victory.

II.              It is God who justifies (vs. 33,34)

The second point is that even though someone condemns you, “it is God who justifies” (33) you. Let’s look at verses 33 and 34.

This a great declaration.  God through the shedding of Christ’s blood saved us.  Therefore even if someone tries to condemn us, they can’t.  That is because God has justified us.  To be justified is a word used in law.  At a trial when a person is declared “not guilty”, it is used.  In Hebrews 9:27 we are told that we will all die once, but after death will be judged.  At the final judgment, we will be declared, “not guilty”. Before we believed in God, we said that God didn’t exist. We disregarded God. We caused God pain. We disappointed God. We hurt God just as a child does when he has no regard for his parents.   Even though we believed we still can’t accept others, have bitterness towards other, are jealous, are depressed, and live for ourselves.  We put ourselves first so without thinking about it we tell lies, fight, don’t do the will of God, and live disappointing God.  This is how we really are. Even so, God justifies us.

This is possible because Jesus died on the cross in our place and received the punishment of sin that we should have received. That is the reason that Jesus became man and came to this world.  For man to be justified by God, first of all he must make God’s standards.  That standard is the law.  However, man can not follow it.  Therefore, Jesus received the punishment in our place.  This Jesus enters our hearts, and declares us as justified.  This is God’s salvation.

Romans 10:4

However, mankind hates God’s grace. They have a tendency to try by all means                to be saved by their own strength.  By things like their own strength, their own training, their own spirituality, when things go the way they want them to, they are proud. There is no one that has no pride.  Considering that our hearts are filthy and from the top of our heads to the bottom of our toes our body is a solid lump of sin how can we be proud? There is no other way but by God’s grace Jesus Christ who came from heaven to earth and who justified us.  There is no other way, but to bow before Him, repent and believe in Christ.  By this faith God will freely justify us.

Therefore, no matter what method Satan uses and even if Satan tries to make Christians to feel guilty for past sin, it is not necessary to be agitated by that.  That is because “God has chosen” (33) us.  A person, who is chosen by God, is specially made as God’s so Satan shouldn’t make you feel guilty.  Even if Satan says to you, “What a terrible person you are!” “You couldn’t be saved; you do so many bad things. You’re worst than a nonChristian.”, you can assert that God has chosen you and made you righteous.  If you looked only at the contents of what Satan is saying, it is certainly true.  We are really terrible sinners, and ought not to be saved.  Even so, God through Jesus Christ made us righteous.  Based upon that the Bible says, “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (1) 

Also, no matter how much Satan charges Christians, we don’t even need to worry about it at all. “Christ Jesus who died-more than that, who was raised to life- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (34)  To intercede is to defend us in court.  In other words, Christ will make the defense that he died on the cross for our sins, and paid the price of sin in our place.  There is no more of a certain guarantee than this.  The reason for our salvation is not within ourselves, but in God.  If we understand this, even if we sin, there is no need to be afraid. We because of our sin, we need to become humbler, but Jesus who is seated at the right hand of God is defending us by saying, “Father, this person’s sin is forgiven” so we can be bold.  God, who is the judge, will surely accept the defense, and declare us righteous.

　　Therefore, what is important is to be thankful for God’s declaration of making us righteous, and always repent and live with God.  If we do that our assurance of salvation will become more certain of a thing in our hearts and our Christian life will be full of life.

III.            More than conquerors  (vs. 35-37)

The third point is that by Jesus Christ we can become more than conquerors. Let’s look at verses 35-37.

.Verses 31 to 39 is only 9 verses long, but it is really an abundant declaration of victory.  It would be good to memorize this passage.  If it is difficult to memorize the whole thing, just verse 37 would be good.  A person that can move forward holding on to this passage will have a reward guaranteed in heaven.  In reality at that time they were experiencing severe persecution and there were times when faith shrunk, but the Lord’s Holy Spirit was with them so no matter what happened, “in all these things” (37) they were “more than conquerors”. (37) For example, at that time as a result of their faith Christians wearing lamb skins were put in the coliseum which was filled with lions.　Even so they died singing praises to God.

In Japan too, there were a lot persecutions like that.  Among them was the famous one during the age of Hideyoshi Toyotomi who put out the order called the Bateren Expulsion Order. He feared the power of the Christians in Kyushu and persecuted them.  One example is “The 26 Martyrs of Japan”. Also with the 24 Christians that were arrested in Kyoto, along the way to Nagasaki 2 others voluntarily joined the group and 26 people in Feb. 1597 were martyred on Nishisaka Hill in Nagasaki.

In the procession was a 12 year old Louis Ibaraki. A man, Hanzaburo Terazawa          moved by the grossness of situation tried to help the youth by encouraging him to give up his faith, but Louis Ibaraki strongly objected and refused to. Then he asked, “Where is my cross” and then ran to his cross and sat down. On the cross he moved his body which was bound and his fingers, and said joyfully, “Paradise, Jesus, Mary”.

Also, St. Anthony who had turned 13 said smiling to encourage his crying parents who went out to meet him on Nishisaka Hill, “Don’t cry because I am going to heaven”. Then to the Father that was next to him. He said. “Father, Let’s sing.” While he was singing a hymn of thanksgiving, he was executed.

Also St. Paulo Sanki while facing death preached his last sermon on the cross before a crowd that surrounded him of over 4000 people. He also prayed that those who put him on him on the cross would be forgiven and that Japan would become Christian nation soon.

Even though they were about to die, they were able to be this bold because they were surrounded by the love of God.  God’s Holy Spirit was with them so they were “more than conquerors”. (37)     

In our life many different kinds of trials threaten us, troubles and persecution press upon us, and we are led into situations that we think we can’t endure.  However, the Holy Spirit gives us strength so that we are “more than conquerors” (37) over these problems.  More than that no matter what trials, troubles, suffering, persecutions come our way, there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God and we can declare victory.

              Today I would like to share about three aspects of being “in Christ Jesus” (8:1)

I.                Confidence of salvation (vs. 1-4)

First let’s look at verses 1 to 4.

Paul after having said all that he said up until now declares, “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There are times when Christians are troubled by their sin.  There is a struggle within them because even though they  want to do good, they can’t and they do what they don’t want to do. They say something that they would have been better to not have said or they should have said something, but didn’t say it.  They are troubled by their weaknesses, and short comings.  There are times when they are depressed.  They appear “wretched”. (8:24)  “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (8:24)   Only Jesus Christ can.  God sent his only Son for our sins to earth as a fleshly man, and by his body punished him for all of our sins.  “Therefore” (1) refers to what Paul had said about there being “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”, (1)

What a strong declaration this is!  Even if there are times that we are troubled by our sins, even if there are times that we are separated from Christ, even so Jesus will not leave us nor will he ever give up on us. If we are in Christ Jesus ”there is now no condemnation.” (1)  That is because “the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set you “free from the law of sin and death”. (2)   The words “set free” refers to a one time event in our past.  In other words, we won’t be condemned a second time because Jesus died on the cross and set us free from sin.  Up until then we had to be judged.  Even if we tried to follow the law that God gave us, the law became the avenue through which sin entered generally and it stimulated sin.  This is what man is actually like.   The more you think that you want to follow the law, the more you realize your weaknesses to do so, and are led to death.   “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (24)  Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ will let us free.  Because the flesh has no power, what the law cannot do, God did.  Christ was put on the cross so we only need to bow our heads before God, repent, and receive salvation.  If we do that God’s “Spirit of life” (2) will work and set us “free from the law of sin and death”. (2)  This is the Gospel.

This is just like a prisoner that is brought out to the court.  We are always anxious about our sin. When we are judged in court we wonder what the judgment will be.  “The wages of sin is death”. (5:23) Our judgment is death.  However, at the final judgment when the judgment is declared, God will declare “innocent”. This is amazing!  It is surprising!  When you think about all that you have done, it is natural that you will be judged so when you are declared “innocent” you begin to question your ears. You are innocent because “through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set us “free from the law of sin and death”, (2) 

“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did.” (3)   This was totally the work of God. It wasn’t by the power of ourselves.  We don’t have any power to follow God’s law.  It is only by God’s Spirit working in our hearts that we are able to do the things that we haven’t been able to do.  For example, we can’t in our own power fly high in the sky.  There is only one way to fly.  That is to get in an airplane.  In the same way, we can’t by our own strength meet the demands of the law of God, but by being “in Christ Jesus” (1) and allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us, we will be able to follow it easily.

Acts 1:8

In our own power we are not able to do world evangelism, but when the Holy Spirit works and gives us strength, then we are able to become a strong witness.  Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Japan will be changed.

The Christian life is a life of receiving the Holy Spirit and relying on the Holy Spirit.  It is a life of confessing, “If the Holy Spirit gives the strength, there is nothing that I can’t do through Him”; and living that way.  Therefore, we need to be encouraged by the Word of God in passages like Zech. 4:6 and move forward.  It does no good to grind our teeth and work hard on it. First the Lord pours out His Spirit, then everything will be accomplished.

“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did.” (3)  This was because “through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set us “free from the law of sin and death”, (2) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (1) Even if we commit sin, or if we are separated from God, that never means that we are not a Christian.  It is by the complete grace of God.  God’s salvation is not erased, melted, or does not disappear by the condition we are in. It is based upon the promise of God’s Word which never changes.  Therefore, the assurance of salvation is not shaken by your emotions or feelings or what someone said or the conditions you are in, but is rooted in the promises of God’s Word.  Our faith maybe like a Jet coaster going up and down and not stable, but if we rely on the promises of God, no matter what happens we will not be shaken, and can continue to have an assurance of faith.

II.              In Christ Jesus (vs. 9-11)

Let’s look at verses 9 to 11.

In general there is an image that Christians have been baptized and have become a member of the church and are working hard for the church, but that is not necessarily so. Here it says, “You… are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (9)  “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. (10) “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit , who lives in you.” (11)  In other words, a Christian is a Christian or not is determined by if he has the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him or not.

I Cor. 12:13

This passage in Corinthians is talking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is written about in several passages of the New Testament, but this is the only passage that has this type of contents. In other words, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is tied to the head of the body, Jesus Christ and by the baptism of the Holy Spirit you become a member of the body, the church. It is nothing more than that. There are some people who talk about the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the “second blessing”, but that is a filling of the Holy Spirit, not the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is to become one with Christ. In the same way that Jesus was put on the cross and died, we die to ourselves, and in the same way that Jesus rose from dead, we rise to life in Christ.  This is a Christian. Jesus taught this same thing in the parable of the grapevine in John 15:5

A person is not a Christian by what he does on the outside.  Whether a Christian is a Christian or not is determined by whether the person has the Holy Spirit living within him in his heart or not. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.” (11) You are set free “from the law of sin and death”. (2)  Therefore, the most important thing is whether we are tied by the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ or not, if we are in Jesus Christ or not.  If we are in Jesus Christ, it is not necessary to be troubled by our sins. “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set us “free from the law of sin and death.” (2)  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation.” (1)

III.            Walk following the Holy Spirit (vs. 5-8)

Therefore, the third point is to walk following the Holy Spirit.  Let’s look at verses 5 to 8.

Here two types of people are written about: “Those who live according to the sinful nature” (5) and “those who live in accordance with the Spirit”. (5) The word “sinful nature” refers to the sinful nature that we are all born with. 

John 3:6

In other words, a person who has only experienced a fleshly birth, is a “natural man”. On the other hand, a person of the Holy Spirit is a person that has by the Holy Spirit experienced a spiritual birth and has really been born again.  This isn’t just a religious conversion or taking part in religious activities.  Nor is it having an interest in theology and zealously studying books.  You don’t have to be a Christian to have an interest in theology or to take part in religious activities. Also there is no need to seek after religious phenomenon like miracles or healings or such supernatural                                       experiences.  A person who is following the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with such outside things, but what is important it whether by the Holy Spirit he is reborn, and is trying to live a Spirit controlled life or not.  However, we need to be careful because even if a person has an understanding that is spiritually wrong, or even if he does something that is wrong, we can’t decide whether that person is saved or not.  When we see someone that isn’t very spiritual we wonder if he is really saved or not. However, we should not decide whether a person is a Christian or not.  That is God’s territory and God will decide.  God’s promise in the Word of God is that if person doesn’t have the Holy Spirit, then that person is not Christ’s but if he has Christ’s Spirit, then he is Christ’s.  Even if he is not now, if he has the Holy Spirit, then he will become a splendid Christian. That is because here it says, “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (5) Therefore, if we decide by superficial actions whether a person is saved then we are deviating from the Word of God and we must not do that.             .

              This way of looking at mankind is different from the usual way.  Generally there is no concern over whether a person is following the flesh or the Holy Spirit. In general a person uses good works to try to make his position better, thinking that if he is good enough that he will be able to enter heaven. He tries by his own power and strength to purify his character and will and thus earn his way to heaven.  However, the Bible teaches that we either follow our flesh or follow the Holy Spirit.  This is the foundation.  If not it will be only a superficial reform.  You can try to make superficial reforms, but it won’t change death to life. No matter how much a man trains his will and thoughts, how many good works he does, as long as he is bound to his flesh, he will fall into the hands of the devil and he will arrive at death.  It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can be set free from the control of death and can have life and peace. Those who are in the flesh can’t please God.  Following the Holy Spirit and being full of the thoughts of the Holy Spirit is life and peace.

              If that is the case, the most important thing in our Christian life is, through prayer and the Word of God, fellowship with God and live following the Holy Spirit of God. If through prayer and the Word of God we live in the life of God, God will change our personalities, and make us like God. He will grow the fruits of love, joy, peace , patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self control. The Christian life isn’t a life of desiring such fruit.  It is a life where such graces pursue you. That’s because you fellowship with God and the Holy Spirit’s life works in you.  Even though you are doing the same thing, the source is completely different.

Ephesians 1:19

May those who believe, believe and follow the Word of God.  To those who have started walking before the Holy God, may the all powerful God work and daily show his works fully and fully. These are the blessings of God that are richly poured upon those that believe in God and live following the Holy Spirit. Please stay within the grace of God, become a person that follows the Holy Spirit, and earnestly desire to “live in accordance with the Spirit.” (5) Base your life upon the promises of the Word of God that are never moved, and have assurance of salvation.

In verse 24 Paul says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” In relationship with the law which Paul has been talking about from 7:1 Paul confesses that he is “a wretched man”. (24)  The problem is when Paul said these words.  There are three main interpretations of this passage.

1.               This was before he was born again, or his condition when he was an unbeliever.

2.               This was his condition after he was born again. In other words he is          referring to his condition as a Christian.

3.               This is his condition right after he was born again.  It is like those who have not received the “second grace”.

What is extremely interesting is when you look at Christian history during the first centuries the first interpretation was the common thinking.  In other words this was his condition before he was born again.  A famous theologian, Argentines, of the 400s at first followed this interpretation.  Later he gave up this interpretation and claimed that the correct interpretation had to be number two.  Later the reformists and Puritan leaders began to believe in the second interpretation.  This is the condition of those who are born again.  However, there were some people who thought that Christians who were born again could not be “wretched” (24) so some people appeared claiming the third interpretation. 

Which interpretation is correct? Today while gaining a correct understanding of this passage and while gaining an understanding of what man is, let’s walk a life of a real victorious Christian.  Today let’s look at 3 aspects of this.

I.                Paul’s struggle (vs. 14-20)

First let’s look at Paul’s struggle.  Let’s look at verses 14 and 15.

In verse 7 Paul brought up the problem “Is the law sinful?”  Paul answers, “Certainly not!” Then he talks about the purpose of the giving of the law. That was that by the law we would realize that we are terrible sinners.  Sin brings death.  Sin uses the law and makes us into bigger terrible sinners.  This explanation is in verse 14. If you look at this verse well, you will see that he says “I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin” in the present tense. Up until now has been different.  He has been using the past tense. For example in verse 9 he says, “Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.” Until the commandment came, he had no relationship with the law, but when the commands came, sin was born and he died.  However, here he is saying, “I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin” (14) in the present tense. This means that verse 14 does not refer to his condition before he was saved but refers to his condition after he was saved.  Paul who was saved and was facing his deep sin confessed, “What a wretched man I am!” (24) 

Even Paul who was saved and lived in faith was in such a struggle that he confessed, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (24) No matter how much of a burning a faith a person has there are times that he falls.  Elijah did too.  In I Kings 18 there is the story where the prophet Elijah fought and had victory over the 850 prophets of Baal on Mt. Caramel.  In this event he has the appearance of a roaring lion, a very powerful                                                prophet.  However in the next moment, Ahab’s wife, Jezebel appears and sends a message that she will kill Elijah. Then Elijah became fearful and fled. He sat down under a broom bush and prayed, “I have had enough, LORD. Take my life.” (I Kings 19:4) Just before that Elijah was on fire, but now that same Elijah is crying, “I have had enough, LORD. Take my life.” (I Kings 19:4)  No matter how great a man seems, even if he shows himself strong, in the end he is man.  We are all weak.

　No matter how brave and faithful a Christian is there are times that he experiences disturbances and discouragement.  This is how it is.  Just because you become a Christian doesn’t mean that since you have believed for many years that you won’t be depressed.  No matter how strong you are, there are times that you are discouraged and struggle looking like a weak person.

Paul was the same.  In verse 15 he confesses, “I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” 

II Cor. 1:8

Paul is confessing that he was being persecuted very badly to the point beyond his “ability to endure.” (II Cor. 1:8)  We don’t know how much pressure that was for him.  However, it was more than “ability to endure.” (II Cor. 1:8)   Even Paul who spread the Gospel had weaknesses.  He didn’t do what he wanted to do, but what he hated to do. He sinned. Verses 18 and 19 say the same thing.  Paul’s struggle was that even though in his heart he desired “to do what is good” (19) he had a contradictory self or a weak self that did evil things. 

This is a truthful confession of Paul.  This confession means that the Apostle Paul had worries, problems, and struggles, and he had a problem that in his heart he wasn’t always following the will of God, and had a terrible struggle within his heart over it.  If that’s the case we Christians will have such a struggle. Everyone worries, suffers, and while floundering has a fight going on in their heart. That is what Christians who are human too are like.

II.              The cause of struggles (vs. 21-23)

Next let’s look at the cause of struggles. That is that Christians have two laws at work within them. Look at verses 21 to 23.

These two laws are the heart of the inner person and the law of flesh within the outer person.  If we use the words of 8:2 to express it, it would be “the law of the Spirit of life” and “the law of sin and death”. This “law of the Spirit of life” and “the law of sin and death” are fighting in our heart and so struggles occur.  Therefore, those who don’t believe in Jesus don’t have such struggles and worries.  Those who don’t believe in Christ are completely controlled by “the law of sin and death”. Both the outer person and the inner person are controlled by the same law and so no struggle occurs. They only have to deal with their conscious. Therefore, those who don’t believe in Christ don’t worry about the fact that they didn’t pray.  However, when they believe in Jesus and welcome Jesus into their heart they receive “the law of the Spirit of life” (8:2) so no matter whether they have a small or large faith, “the law of the Spirit of life” and “the law of sin and death” (8:2) are fighting in their hearts and struggles occur.  However, there is no reason for worrying. The fact that there are struggles in itself means that there is life there.  The life is planted there so when you turn your back even a little on God, you become anxious, and fear occurs.  We become anxious because the seeds of life are planted within us.  Therefore, the fighting between the power of life and the power of sin begins in our hearts.  This fighting will continue until the power of life makes an overwhelming victory.

II Timothy 3:12

If we want to live in Jesus Christ from the moment that we make such a decision, the power of sin and death begins fighting within us.  Before we made a decision we didn’t have such a struggle so we wonder why we are so confused.  However, it is just because “the law of the Spirit of life” and “the law of sin and death” (8:2) are fighting in our heart.

In Acts 17 when Paul was evangelizing in Thessalonica, the people there called the Christians, “men who have caused trouble all over the world.” (Acts 17:6) The Christians hadn’t done anything.  They only believed in Jesus Christ, the one and only Savior of the whole world.  However, in the Thessalonians eyes, these Christians were like people who had turned the world upside down.  Where people that really believe in Jesus Christ are, such a changing revolution appears. 

Matt. 10:34-36

This means that when we really try to follow the Word of God that peace will deteriorate within our families. That is because there are some people that are trying to live by the law of the world and some that are trying to live by the Word of God. They are in conflict with each other.  Wherever there are works of life, always the power of sin and death arises and acts up. For example, when Jesus appeared, a man who was possessed by a demon ran out shouting.  When Jesus, life itself, appeared, the powers of death couldn’t hide any longer.  Struggles occur in the church in the same way.  The law of life and the law of sin and death are fighting in our hearts so peace deteriorates. Therefore, the church always needs to pray that we can see things from God’s point of view, and walk in the will of God.

III.            In the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 24,25)

The solution to this, how we can have victory over the law of sin and death is only in Jesus Christ. Please look at verses 24 and 25.

When Paul said, “What a wretched man I am!” (24) he meant that within himself he had no power to have victory over the law of sin and death. Even if he wanted to do good, he had no power to do good.  Also within himself he was “a slave to the law of sin”. (25)  Even though he wanted to follow the Word of God, he couldn’t follow it.  This was the frustration that Paul faced.  This wasn’t just Paul, but something that can be said about all Christians.  We all have no power to win over sin.  We are all nothing but wretched men. 

Paul gives us here the answer to how we can be set free from “the law of sin and death” and how “the law of the Spirit of life” (8:2) will work. That is not within him at all, but by the grace of God.  In verse 25 Paul said, “Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  He knew it was only by the grace of God.  He was a terrible sinner. He had no power within himself to have victory over sin. God through Jesus Christ took upon himself that sin.  We need only to humble ourselves before God, repent, return to God, and hold onto God by grace.  If we do that through Jesus Christ God’s righteousness and strength will have complete victory over sin and death.  Paul knew this principle.  His lament was a blessing.  This is really a confession of a person who has deeply entered God’s grace.  A person that has no faith would not have such a lament.  A person without faith can not see his weaknesses or shamefulness. When God’s light of grace, the powerful light shines on a person, then for the first time he can see what a terrible sinner he is. Only those that through the Lord know their weak and short points can make such a confession.  Therefore, if you look at the letters that Paul wrote, you can see that the longer he walked with Christ, the more humble he became. In Corinthians which was written in the earlier part of his ministry, he wrote about himself as “the least of the apostles”. (I Cor. 15:9) In Ephesians which was written in the middle of his ministry, he wrote, “I am less than the least of all God’s people.” (Ephesians 3:8)  In his first letter to Timothy which was written near the end of his ministry, he wrote that Jesus came to save sinners and adds about “sinners- of whom I am the worst”. (I Tim. 1:15) He is seen as becoming the humblest of the humblest.  This was Paul’s understanding of the Gospel.  This is the same in the Spiritual world.

There are some people that think that they are a strong vessel.  They think that they are not doing anything especially bad and that they are observing worship on the Lord’s Day.  Even though they look at themselves and they haven’t changed at all, they think, “What a pity”, but they aren’t sad at all.  This is a disaster.  They need to call out,” What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (24) and repent.   “This body of death” (24) refers to the method used as a death penalty at that time.  They would tie a dead corpse to a living prisoner that had been sentenced to death. As the dead corpse decayed the germs would spread over to the living prisoner that had been sentenced to death and gradually he would die.  It usually took 2 to 3 months for him to die.   Our body is “this body of death”. (24)  “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (25)

Only Jesus can. Between verses 24 and 25 the mood changes.  It is like a crow that was crying is now a crow that is laughing. There is a huge gap.  This is because we should not spend a long time lamenting and in despair. When we look at our wretched condition, we feel compelled to yell out,” What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (24) However, we should not hold onto that forever.  We have to rise up from the despair through Jesus Christ. The key word is “Jesus Christ”. (25)  Not by our own strength, but by focusing on Jesus Christ, power will spring up, and we will be full with hope. Jesus who gives us salvation does not want us to continue in the condition of being ordained to death. He rose on the third day.  He destroyed the power of death completely and rose again.  Here is our hope.  He has all authority on heaven and earth.  He can completely destroy the power of Satan. Even if you have no hope within yourself, you can have victory through Christ.  This was the power of victory that Paul had.

Therefore, we should not continue forever in despair and discouragement.  Christians also get depressed.  No matter how great a Christian a person is, everyone experiences despair and discouragement. However, what makes the difference is in the midst of it what you are looking at. It is here, “Through Jesus Christ”, (25) that we have hope.  We are bothered by sin and death, and we become weak and depressed, but let’s remember that our Lord, Jesus Christ powerfully and completely destroyed the control of sin and death.  It is only by holding onto His grace, and by faith, that we can walk a victorious life. That is the road that we should take.

Paul discusses the law in 7:1-6.  He says that Christians are set free from the law, and as the bride of Christ they live controlled by Christ’s love and grace.  When Paul says this it sounds like the law is bad.  In today’s passage by Paul asking, “Is the law sinful?” (7) he explains the relationship of the law and sin.

              The law is God’s commandments. When used narrowly it refers to the 10 commandments of Moses written in Exodus 20.  When used broadly it refers to the whole Old Testament.  In other words it is the laws that tell us what we should and should not do.  It is extremely important how Christians look at this law.  That’s because if we don’t properly understand this the Gospel will become warped.  Thus we will fall into being a legalistic.  On the other hand, if we think the law isn’t necessary, then we will not be teaching the Gospel correctly.  Therefore, today let’s look at 3 aspects of the law.

I.                By the law we know sin (vs. 7)

First let’s look at the fact that the law was given so that we would know sin.  Please look at verse 7.

After talking from verse 1, Paul is asked, “What shall we say, then?  Is the law sinful?” (7) Paul answers, “Certainly not!”  As he says in verse 12, “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.”  God gave the law so that we would know sin.  Without the law, we would not know sin.   If the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” (7, Exodus 20:17) then we would not have known about coveting.  Paul mentions this commandment because it is different than all the other 10 commandments.  The other 9 commandments can be seen if it is broken.  However, this commandment is only in the heart so it can not be seen if it is broken or not.  This sin is hidden in our hearts.       

Paul thought before he believed in Christ that as a devout Pharisee that he was following the law faithfully.  However, when he received this law, “You shall not covet.” (Exodus 20:17) it broke down his understanding of sin. He realized that he was a sinner. He didn’t expect that that what he thought in his heart would be seen.  If a light was shown there, there is no one who could say that they were righteous.  Everyone until they receive God’s commandments think that sin is breaking the law, and if you follow the law then you are a righteous person.   We were the same.  To follow the rules of society, to have a kind and warm heart, to think of others is a good person   Recently on T.V. there is a commercial that says, “You can’t see a person’s thoughts, but you can see thoughtfulness”.  When you are riding on a train and an elderly person comes and you give that person your seat, then you feel like a good person.  When your helpfulness is seen, you think about how great a person you are.  However, the problem is your thoughts that can’t be seen.  If our thoughts were shown by a projector, we would be so shameful that we could never raise our heads.  The law projects our thoughts and shows us how deep a sinner we are.

In reality, this is the reason why the law was given.  Jesus in Matt. 5:21-28 taught this.  Usually the Jews taught that the command “Do not kill” meant to actually physically kill a person.  However, Jesus said that not just that was murder, but to be angry with your brother and call him “stupid” was committing murder too.  Also adultery is the same.  Not just being in an adulterous act, but to think lustfully about a girl is also adultery.  In other words, Jesus was talking about the law and the problem of it originating in the heart.  When you consider from that side, there is no one who hasn’t sinned.  All man are lost and worthless.  The law was given so that we would know that.

That is because salvation begins by recognizing your sin. Without a person correctly recognizing his sin, he can’t be saved.  The law causes us to want to be saved by making us regret our sin, and making us anxious to not stay in our sin.

II.              Sin that uses the law (vs. 8)

Therefore, the problem is not the law, but the sin that within us.  Look at verse 8.

“Seizing the opportunity” means sin is always looking for a chance to shoot and kill us. The law itself is wonderful, “righteous and good”. (12). The sin that is within us uses the law to shoot and kill us.  The law not only reveals sin; it also stimulates it.  The natural human tendency is to desire the forbidden thing. For example, the law “You shall not covet” not only revealed this sin, but it “produced in me every kind of coveting.” (8)

When you look at the world today it is like Sodom and Gomorrah. “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” (Ephesians 4:17) That is because the sin that we had from birth uses the commandments and produces “every kind of coveting”. (8) No matter how much morals you teach, nor how much you try in your own strength to follow the law, it just produces more and more of “every kind of coveting”. (8)  The power of sin is that strong.  From that stand point, teaching morals, commands, and the law have no power to change us.

Therefore, God doesn’t demand that we sinners follow the law in order to be saved.  That’s because we can’t.  We need only to believe in the salvation of God.  God by his huge mercy, sent his only son Jesus Christ into this world to save us who are powerless and can’t follow the law.  Jesus was put on the cross and atoned for our sin, and prepared the way for salvation from our sin.  We need to only realize our sin, repent, and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savor from sin.  If we do, God’s perfect righteousness will come upon us, we will be saved from all sin, and we will be set free from sin’s control.   “The law was added so that the trespass might increase.  But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” (5:20) When we go to the foot of the cross, for the first time we will understand this meaning.

III.            The law that leads to death (vs. 9-11)

The law itself “is holy, righteous, and good.” (12)  However, by the giving of the law, sin used it and caused us to sin all the more, and as a result mankind dies.  God’s commands were supposed to lead us to life, but instead led us to death.  Paul was very zealous towards following the law of God.  He was righteous in the law so he could not be accused. However, that was just because he didn’t understand the real meaning of what the law was really trying to say.  When he understood the real meaning, he realized how deep a sinner he really was.  His eyes were opened.

Today there are so many people who until they were converted that were like Paul.  They think that they are good people, and are proud of their own righteousness and judge other people.  Especially this is true about those who live by morals.  This like the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray.  He stood up and prayed in his heart, “God I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” (Luke 18:11-12)

This is what person who doesn’t understand sin is like.  If he doesn’t really know that he is deep in sin, then he talks about other people complaining about this and that.  A person that really understands sin, is like the tax collector.  He wasn’t able to look towards heaven, and beat his breast praying, “”God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (13) Jesus said that this man went home justified before God, but the Pharisee did not.  “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

The law has been given to us so that we would realize how weak, and how deeply sinful we are. It is to announce to us that before God’s judgment we are doomed. That is what is meant by “death”. (9,10,11)  Only those who have died can live by Christ’s Gospel.  While you are thinking that by your own strength, you don’t know Christ’s grace.  We have nothing by sin.  We are dead.  Only those who know this are saved by Christ, are given God’s life, eternal life and can have a bright life. This is the Gospel.  

What Japan needs now is the Gospel.  It is like a house built upon a rock.  When the rains and winds come, the house does not fall. That is because it is built on the rock.  It is built on a solid foundation.  God wants to give us a really bright life like this.

Last Sunday was Easter.  The day before on Sat. I read Luke 23:39-43. In that passage Jesus was put on the cross with 2 criminals.  These 2 criminals made completely different last choices.  One criminal spoke negatively about Jesus and cursed and complained about him. However the other criminal believed that Jesus was the Son of God.  He knew that it right that he was a sinner that he should die, but Jesus was without sin, and had an unjust trial.  In the midst of this he asked if a sinner like him could be saved.  Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) In the end he was able to receive eternal life and enter paradise.  The important thing is to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

It is important to follow the law.  However, by following the law you will not be saved.  The more we follow the law, the more we will have guilt feelings for our sin.  There is death.   

Romans 3:21-23

We can not destroy the power of sin without the Cross of Christ.  No matter how strong our will is, no matter how high our morals are, no matter how strong a law we have, the power of sin was destroyed by Jesus Christ being nailed and dieing on the cross.  The cross of Jesus Christ is the only way to save us from sin and death. By believing in Jesus we are made righteous.  This is the new hope that we are given.

No matter how much you want to move a ship that is on land, even if you have lots of men it is almost impossible to move it.  However, if the tide comes in and the boat begins to float then even if a little child touches it, the ship will move. That is the work of God.  Don’t try in your own strength to follow the law, but believe in Jesus Christ who perfectly followed the law, and atoned for our sin. Put all your burdens on him, and even though you don’t have enough strength you will be able to move the ship, and it will unfold into a surprisingly and marvelous life. 

In chapter 6 Paul told us what a Christian is.  A Christian is united with Christ.  In order to explain that so it could be easily understood, he used the example of a slave and his master.  In other words Christians have been set free from being a slave of sin and have become slaves of God.  In today’s passage Paul uses marriage as an example.  In other words, Christians are united with Christ, are wedded to Christ, and are the bride of Christ.  Until now they had been united with their husband, the law.  This old husband, the law has died so they have been united with their new husband, Christ. They are living for Him.  Today let’s look at three aspects of this marriage with Christ.

I.                The old husband, the law (vs. 1-3)

First let’s look at the old husband.  Let’s look at verses 1 to 3. 

Chapter 7 of Romans is an explanation of 6:14. 6:14 is a short verse but Paul uses all of chapter 7 and the example of marriage to explain this verse. The point is that  a marriage relationship is legal only when the person is alive.  If that person dies, then you are free legally.  In other words, after that you are free to marry whoever you want.

Until now we have been married to the law. Under the law we are a sinner.  That’s because the law is used only for those who commit crimes.   For example if a burglar steals then the law determines how he will be punished.

Before the law we are sinners.  The 10 commandments command us to have no other gods than God. This is God’s command. Is there anyone that has never broken this command? 

Col. 3:5

We have all broken this command. The 10 commandments also command us not to kill. However, Jesus said that whoever calls someone “Stupid” has already killed that person in his heart.  If that is so, there is no one who hasn’t killed someone in their heart. Also the 10 commandments teach not to commit adultery.  However, Jesus taught that anyone who looks at a girl with lust in his heart then he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  Before the law, we are sinners. Therefore, Paul said in 3:10-11 “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.“

We are all sinners under the law.

              Paul is explaining this through the relationship of a husband and wife. In verse 1 it says, “Do you not know, brothers…that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?” And in verse 2 says, “by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive.”  Before we like this wife, were bound to our husband, the law.  He was like a tyrannical husband.  If things don’t go as he wants them to, then he is in a bad mood. He fights with his wife and is abusive.  If someone turns their back even a little from the rules he decided upon, then there are bad consequences.  If the wife over sleeps, he hits her. If the rice is burnt, a stick goes flying.  If he has to even listen to her for a few minutes, he closes the door and hides. To live with such a husband is physically impossible. However, if she runs away, he will follow her and catch her so she can’t get away from him.   She can’t get away from him and is bound to him.  Now people think easily about divorce, but in the time of Paul it was unheard of for a woman to request a divorce from her end.   

              However, in the Bible there is only one way that the wife can flee from being bound to her husband.  That was by death.  A married woman if her husband died, then the marriage relationship was dissolved. She is set free from her husband and is free.  Even if she marries another man then there is no problem.  With death all relationships end.  Then how does the law end?  Matt. 5:18 says, “I tell  you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” The law is the rule or norm of God so it never ends or changes.  In marriage when the husband dies the relationship is dissolved.  However, with the law it doesn’t work like that. You have to die yourself. If the husband is the law, and the wife is yourself, the way to break off the relationship is by dieing yourself.  Therefore in 6:4 it says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death.” The confidence of the Gospel begins with us dieing.

Gal. 2:20

              In order that by Christ we can receive a new life, and be set free from the yoke of the law we must die. If we die then we are set free is the Gospel.  Without the cross we can not experience the joy of freedom.  In every aspect of our life, it is by dieing once that we are set free from all the binds us.  When we confess that we died then from then on we will live.  The opposite way of saying it is if we want to live, we must die.

              A person who died has nothing to say. He has no glory.  A dead person has lost his self centeredness. He is left with only a heart of faithfulness.  From this point we need to carefully consider this large earthquake disaster. What is the meaning of this large earthquake disaster?  It is that we have died, isn’t it?   It is that we would spiritually be enlightened to the fact that before the rage of nature we have no skills or no strength, and realize that we need to throw ourselves on the mercy of the Lord who made the heaven and earth, the real God.  However, we don’t realize that and we are still say, “I’ll do it” or “Japan is strong”, etc.  We haven’t really used the lesson of the earthquake to our advantage. The disaster of the accident at the nuclear plant is the representative of this. It was spoken proudly that no matter what disasters came   Japan’s nuclear plant’s power supply was definitely o.k.  However, only by one tsunami everything quit running.  Indeed now is the time we should die.  We have pride and think that we can do everything.  We shouldn’t be like that but must give God the glory and realize that it was by the grace of God.

              I Cor. 1:25

              It is true that “the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom.” (I Cor. 1:25) What is necessary for us mankind is to die to ourselves.  We need to walk humbly before God who made heaven and earth. 

              On the other hand we should not have the feeling that we are no good.  We become depressed when even something small does not go well.  We fell that we have  no possibilities.  However we feel that way because we think we have done it.  If we have died, that type of feeling would never arise.  Pride is sinful.   Those who have died to self centeredness are not prideful.  Intrinsically, God’s servants do not brag, and are not depressed.  They are only faithful. They do only what they have to do a step at a time, and faithfully do what they need to do. They leave their lives in God’s hands, and follow the Lord’s will in each step of the way.  This is a life of a servant, the life of a person that is nailed to the cross.

II.              A new husband, Christ (vs. 4)

Next let’s look at our new husband.  Look at verse 4

Here Paul says that we have “died to the law through the body of Christ”.(4)

We have died through the death of Christ.  As a result the marriage relationship with our husband, the law, has been dissolved.  Therefore, we can be united with another person.  That is Jesus.  We are united with Christ and produce fruit for God.  Jesus is the husband and we are the wife, the bride.  That means that the law does not control us.  Our new husband, Jesus, controls us. Of course that doesn’t mean to take lightly our real husband. If Jesus controls us we will want to serve our real husband more and more.  Here what it is saying is that just as when a person dies, the marriage relationship is dissolved so in the same way our marriage relationship with the law is dissolved.  We are set free from its control. We are living under the control of our new husband.

              We are controlled by love.  Paul said about the relationship between Christians and Christ, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25)

              Here Paul is telling the husbands to love their wives, “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  (Ephesians 5:25)  Jesus loved us so much that he gave his life up for us.   

              The Christian life is this kind of life.  We sin or even if we fall, our husband full of Grace, Jesus, forgive us, and hugs us.  Not only that but He shows us a new road, and leads us on that road. He does not come like a devil with a led stick and beat us because we have not done the cleaning.  He is not an abusive husband.  He is full of love and grace.  Therefore, we have made a clean break with our old husband, the law and have been united with our new husband so it is not necessary to be like the Gentiles and worry about what to eat and drink, and about what we are going to wear. Our Father in heaven, Jesus who is full of grace, already knows what we need, and in addition to these things, will give us everything.

III.            Living in grace (vs. 5,6)

The third point is let’s live in grace.  Look at verses 5 and 6.

This says, “But now” (6)  Christians have made a clear break with their old life and have entered into a completely new life.  That is a life united with Christ, as Christ’s bride, a life abundantly full of the grace and love of Christ. We shouldn’t live in the old way of the written code” (6)being concerned about our outward faith, but through the leading of the Holy Spirit have a balanced life abundantly full of love and grace.  If we are being led to that kind of life, wherever we go, we want to walk in our life feeling grace, not by the law. When we are controlled by grace there are abundant blessings flowing and works of life occur.  Many people will come flooding into the church.

In the home too, we should not be judging each other, but we should desire that God’s word will be used in the midst of grace.  We shouldn’t use the Word of God to tell others what to do.  When the law controls the family there is no peace.  When grace controls the family blessings are overflowing.  The Word of God can be used as a law and it can be used for grace. Let’s use it for grace. When we apply the Word of God to ourselves, it becomes grace.  When we apply it to others, it becomes a law to convict others.

Child rearing is the same.  In homes that are controlled by the law there are many cases where the children turn and go the wrong way.  In homes that are controlled by grace, the children grow up healthy.

A lifestyle of accepting others with an open heart and pouring out grace is the type of person that God blesses and pours out lots of grace upon. As a bride of Christ the blessings that we experience in this world come from the grace of God.

              Today I’d like to talk about living as a slave of God.  Verse 23 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God.” Before we were slaves of sin, but now we are slaves of God. We are to live as slaves to God.  In the present world the word “slave” makes us feel uncomfortable. This is because we think that a slave as no freedom and is a person who is in a condition of being restrained.          .

              However, when we look at the Bible we can see that Paul had an inexpressible joy, thankfulness, and pride towards being a slave of God and living as slave. Compared with other people he left the largest number of books in the Bible, but when he had to emphasize that he was an apostle, he clearly wrote, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ”, but at other times, when he talked about himself, he said, “a slave of Christ”. When he didn’t need to emphasize that he was an apostle, he always wrote “Paul, a slave of Christ”.

              This wasn’t just Paul.  Peter and James were the same.  For example, Peter was set free of sin by Jesus Christ and as a person who was set free he said, “live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil; live as servants of God.” (I Peter 2:16)  Peter had a personality where he always thought that he was number one among the disciples.  He intruded with “I” “I”.  This Peter was joyful, honored, thankful and proud that he was a servant of Christ.

              Paul was the same.  He said that he was thankful that he was a slave of sin, but now is a slave of righteousness. This is not just Paul, but all Christians have been set free from sin. Today let’s look at 3 aspects of living as a slave of God.

I.                From a slave of sin to a slave of righteousness (vs. 15-18)

First let’s look at the point that Christians have been set free from sin and have become slaves of righteousness. First let’s look at verse 15.

Paul from 6:1 talks about the thinking that if as sin increases grace increases then shouldn’t we continue in sin.  He says that “By no means.” (2)  We have died to sin so there is no way that we can continue to live that way.  We have been united with Christ so we are no longer under sin, but we are under grace. Then “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” (15) No. The reasons are given in verses 15 to 18.  That is because Christians have been set free from sin, and have become slaves of righteousness.

Here we are shown what kind of person a Christian is. A Christian is set free from sin and is a slave of God.　A Christian was originally a slave of sin, but he “wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching”.(17) This “form of teaching” is the Gospel. By the Gospel we are set “free from sin, and become slaves of righteousness”.(18)  A “slave of righteousness”(18) is a “slave of God”. (22) All men are born as slaves of sin. There is no one that is born as a slave of God. Also there is no one born that is in the middle, neither a slave of sin nor a slave of God. Everyone is a sinner, a slave of sin.  A slave of sin is brought before God by the redemption of God’s son, Jesus Christ on the cross.

Ephesians 2:1-5

I Cor. 6:20

We were bought by the price of Jesus on the cross.  Those who believe in Jesus Christ are God’s, they belong to God.

In this age people are not accepting of the word, slave.  A slave goes against his will, and even if he doesn’t want to is used to do anything. He is sold and bought.  To be set free from sin and to become a slave of God sounds like you are being restrained     by God with no freedom at all. At the time this letter was written there were 6,000,000 slaves in the Roman empire.  There were some who loved their masters and lived an abundant life, but a large portion of the slaves were used like working animals, and like working animals were marketed.   Especially those who worked at the bottom of the ship oaring all throughout the year had a very difficult time.  When they were tired and wanted to take a little break, they were whipped.  They didn’t have time to rest until the next shift took over and so they just had to keep oaring.  They always had to live in the dark bottom part of the ship.

However, what Paul is calling a “slave of God” is definitely not this kind of slave.  He is referring to a person who really lives in freedom.  That is because real freedom is in God.  Solomon who was arrayed with glory said, “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” ”What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun.” (Eccl. 1:2,3) Without God, for example, learning, pleasures, business, skills, everything is meaningless. These types of things give us a temporary joy, feeling of contentment, a feeling of blessedness, but it is nothing more than the empty joy of sin. Therefore, in this age there is no contentment. We work to have a life that is better. In that busyness we seek to have enjoyment through sake and movies and T.V., but we are not able to have real rest.  People seek after fads. They think they are living in the present and are content, but our hearts never find contentment in such things.  We will never find real freedom and peace, joy and contentment if we are separated from God and living a life separated from Christ. In Jesus Christ there is real rest. In Jesus Christ there is real freedom.

That is the freedom of being forgiven of sin, being set free from sin. Sin does not own us at all.   Who can accuse us?  Who can make us guilty of sin?  No one. God’s son, Jesus Christ, died for us.  He rose and now sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us. Through Christ we are set free from the penalty of sin and  the judgment of sin.  By the redemption of Christ on the cross all of our sin is gone.  And it is all forgotten. All of our sin has been washed away and we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. It is just as if we had never sinned. That is what it means to be made righteous. There is nothing more agonizing than to be condemning yourself for your sins. Lots of people are struggling with a guilty conscious.  However, Jesus sets us free from the judgment of sin, our wounds of sins, from our guilty conscious of sin. But that’s not all.  We are also set free from the power of sin.

The Gospel has power.

Romans 1:16

We have been made God’s slave so we have been set free from the control of sin, and from being a slave in sin and have real freedom and peace, joy and contentment and live by God’s power and control.  At any time we can go before God, and freely pray and our prayer will be heard. When comfort in needed, comfort is given. When encouragement is need, encouragement is given.  When forgiveness is needed, forgiveness and cleansing is given, when leading is needed, we are led.  When endurance is needed, endurance is given.  When love is needed, we are given love. When wisdom is needed, we are given wisdom. Everything is given to us.  This is a wonderful privilege.

Exodus 21:5,6

The Israelites had a custom that after six years as a slave, the slave was to be set free. There were some slaves who felt the love of their master and chose not to be set free.  They were allowed to continue as a slave.  In that case they were brought to the door and had their ears pierced.  This was a sign that the slave had decided that he would be the master’s slave for life. The slave wanted to be a slave that much.  To be God’s slave is to be changed into such a wonderful position that we desire to be a slave to Him.

Galatians 6:17

“The marks” are the brand of your owner.  Paul was branded, “Jesus”. He is confessing that he was Jesus’.  He was owned by Jesus. We are the same.  We have been set free from sin, and are God’s slave.  By the cross of Jesus we have been atoned and redeemed and become a slave of righteousness.

II.              Living as a slave of God.

The second point is that we have been bought by God and are a slave of God so let’s live as a slave of God. Let’s look at verse 19.

Here Paul is saying that since we have been set free from being a slave of sin and have become a slave of righteousness, then we should use our body parts for God as His slave and live in holiness.

Here Paul uses the phrase “weak in your natural selves”.(19) This refers to people  who believe in Christ and are already saved, but their Spiritual understanding is weak.

Hebrews 5:12

This is the meaning of weak.  In other words, even though a person is a Christian, because he hasn’t matured spiritually, he has an inability to have spiritual understanding.  Therefore, Paul used the example of slaves that Christians are set free from sin, and are slaves to righteousness so that they could understand.  No one wants to be a slave. Even if the meaning of slave is different, we are set free from sin and are made righteous which is the same thing as being completely a slave of God.  Therefore as a slave of righteousness, as a slave of God, we need to live holy lives. “Parts of your body”(19) refers to all your heart and body. We need to give our all to God who loves us and gave his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to redeem us. ”Leading to holiness”(19)  means the same. This does not mean that we don’t sin. It means sanctification. It means making holiness your goal and live striving to be holy.  A person who knows the Gospel does not want to live in sin. Even a person that sins over and over again, even so he wants to live a life that is pleasing to God and live in holiness.  He continues on the road “leading to holiness” (19)

II Cor. 5:14,15

Christ’s love surrounds us.  Christ died for all men “that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who dies for them and was raised again.” (II Cor. 5:15) When we realize this love of Christ we want to give our all and live for Him. It is only natural.

III.            Death or eternal life (vs.20-23)

The third point is the result. Let’s look at verses 20 to 23.

These verses record the fate of two kinds of people: those who don’t have faith and those who have faith and live as God’s slave. Generally, the people in this world do not know the big difference between the fate of these two types of people.  It is more important than the differences in nationalities or differences in gender, or any other of the societal differences. By it our eternity is decided.  Those who are in sin, who die in sin will go to eternal death. This isn’t just a physical death, but a spiritual death.  In Revelations it is called “the second death” (20:14)  They are eternally separated from the source of blessings, God.

The slaves of God receive “eternal life”.  Eternally they continue in the blessings of God. Our life isn’t just on this earth.  Even though our physical body perishes, our soul lives on eternally.  Where are you going to spend your second life? With God and with God’s blessings or separated from God under His curse?

Vs. 23

Even if you search every where in this world, there is no eternal life to be found. Eternal life is to be found only in Jesus Christ.  There is no other name by which we can be saved. After such a huge earthquake disaster and the problems at the nuclear plant, many people in this country are full of uncertainties and confusion, but the hope of life is in Jesus Christ.

II Cor. 6:2

We need to make Jesus’ heart our heart and Jesus’ thoughts our thoughts and so that Christ’s name is spread throughout the country, preach the Gospel.  We need to give our whole life to the Lord.  This is how we should respond to Christ who loves us and died for us and rose again.  Our life as God’s slave is really full of fruit. When we go to heaven full of joy and strength and rewards we will receive a wonderful crown from God.

             In chapter 1-5 Paul talked about becoming righteous by a faith that believes in Jesus Christ.  In other words, all people are sinners and fall short of the glory of God.  It is only by the grace of God, by a faith that believes in Jesus Christ, that we are made righteous.  However, from today on we begin a new theme.  It is how those who by faith have been made righteous should live.  In other words, it is about sanctification. Today let’s look at three aspects of this.

I.                Should we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (vs.1,2)

The last half of Romans 5 Paul talked about how God’s grace is so much greater than sin. In today’s passage Paul introduces a big misunderstanding.  That is if when sin increases, then grace overflows, shouldn’t we continue sinning? That came from a misunderstanding of what Paul said in 5:20. In 5:20 Paul said, “The law was added so that the trespass might increase.  But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” There were some people who thought that so grace would overflow, that they should go on sinning.  This is a terrible misunderstanding.  This isn’t what Paul wanted to say.  He wanted to say that there was no sin that was too great that grace could not be victorious over it.  Grace is greater than the power of sin.  No matter how great our sin or how deeply we are rooted in it, and even if others break their relationship with us because of it, the grace of God is bigger than that.  There is no sin that God’s grace can’t forgive us of because of the atonement of the cross.  For example, even if we killed someone, or something that humanly would be considered unforgivable, God can forgive us.  God’s grace is that huge.  The grace of the cross is larger than any sin. No matter how huge a sin that we are being controlled by, the river of God’s grace pushes it out, and everything will change easily.

Even so, the people twisted what Paul said.  They interpreted what he said to their own benefit.  Even today there are people like them who misunderstand and use the Word of God wrongly. They use the Gospel, the grace of God as a seed for argument.  They say ridiculous things like verse 1 “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?”   When there is a lot of sin, grace increases so in order to have a lot of grace, let’s do a lot of bad things.　That was a big misunderstanding. This misunderstanding came from missing the main points of what the Bible is saying.

This was the problem of the people who insisted that they should go on sinning so that grace would increase.  They didn’t understand at all what Paul was saying about the greatness of God’s grace.  They used the Word of God wrongly for their own benefit. Against these people’s assertion Paul answered, “By no means!” (2) This is a definite no. It is strange to think that in order to increase God’s grace, we should continue sinning.  This is wrong.

II.              Christians have by united with Christ (vs.2-11)

Next let’s look why that way of thinking is wrong.  Let’s look at verse 2.

“We died to sin” in verse 2 is explained in verses 3 and 4. These verses explain when and how Christians died to sin. As we fell into sin and became subject to death in father Adam, so we have now died and been raised again with Christ.  This is what baptism symbolizes. 

Here it says, “Or don’t you know?” (3)  This means this is something they should know, something that is common sense for all Christians.  To say that to increase God’s grace, we should continue sinning means that they didn’t understand the common knowledge of Christians. The common knowledge is what a Christian is.  In other words it’s a problem of Christian identity.  Then what Paul is saying is a Christian is a person that is united with Christ.  Christians are one with Christ.  They have the same way of thinking, walk the same path, and live by the same principles as Jesus. This is what is meant by “into Christ” (3) “with him” (4,6,8) “united with him” (5). These phrases are repeated 6 times in verses 3 to 8.   Another way of saying it is that we are a little Christ.  We are united with Christ and are one with Him and therefore are the same as Him. We will experience the same things. We too experience the cross and resurrection. Let’s look at verses 6 and 7.

“We died to sin.” (2) means that we have been united with Christ  and like Christ experience the death of the cross.  Jesus said, “if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24)  “our old self was crucified with him” (6) Our old self has been put to death. Our old self had been made powerless so that it can no longer enslave us to sin.  The believer’s death with Christ is a death to sin’s ruling power.  We are “freed from sin.” (7) This does not mean that we are sinless, but that we are set free from sin’s power. Therefore, “we should no longer be slaves to sin.” (6) because “we have been united with him like this in his death.” (5)   Not only that but we have been resurrected with Christ and we live with him.  This is because we have been united with Christ.  Let’s look at verses 8 to 10.

If we have died with Christ, we will live with Christ.  As the resurrection followed death in the experience of Christ, so the believer who dies with Christ is raised to a new quality of life here and now.  If we live by the power of Christ, then sin can not control us. Christ broke the power of death and had victory over it. The grace He pours out is greater than our sin. In our own power we can not have victory over sin.　Even if we try to stop, and try to stop, we can’t. The power of sin is that strong.

However, Christ who rose from death, can have complete victory over the power of sin.  Now, Christians have been given that power through the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8

Before Jesus was put on the cross, Jesus prayed for his disciples. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows.  But you know him, for he lives in you and will be in you.”  (John14-16)

This “Counselor” is the Holy Spirit.  Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is always with us and helps us.  Therefore, Christians that know that the Holy Spirit is within them, even if they fall to temptation, they always can be victorious.  The Holy Spirit is more powerful than sin. Even those who are struggling because they want to stop a sin in their life, they don’t want to do what they are doing will be set free.

II Cor. 5:17

We are made new in Christ.  Our new creation is not our old self which is bound in sin, but is united in Christ, one with Christ and is a new person that lives by the power of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  The old self no longer controls him.  By the Holy Spirit we can live a victorious life.

III.            Alive to God in Christ (11-14)

The third point is to be alive to God in Christ.  Let’s look at verses 11-14.

              In Romans this is the first time that there is an application.  Up until now Paul continued to talk about the doctrine of being saved by faith.  Here a concrete, practical application is given.  That is “Count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ.” (11)  The important thing is “Count yourselves” This is the first step toward victory over sin in the life of believers.   It means to be strongly conscious. That is because there is Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection.  We are united to Christ. Therefore, we should be strongly conscious of the fact that we are dead to sin and alive to God.  This is not based upon our thoughts or emotions.  It doesn’t matter what we think or our emotions are. What is important is that the Bible promises so.  We have to follow it.  This is faith. This is what it means to be strongly conscious. We need to be strongly conscious that we were dead to sin, but now we aren’t.  Now we are with Christ.

Col. 1:13

We are no longer under the law. Sin and death do no longer control us.  We are set free from the fear of death.

            When we realize that we are really free then sin will not make us slaves again.  But being united with Christ, we are now under the control of Christ. This is what is meant by “Count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ.” (11)

              This does not mean that Christians never sin again.  We are weak in the flesh so we sin.  However, we should “not let sin reign.” (12)  This is a call for Christians to become in practice what they already are in their status before God-dead to sin and alive to God.  The second step toward victory over sin is refusal to let sin reign in one’s life.  When we sin, we need to daily repent, and start out a new walk with Christ.

              We need to understand this well, and by the grace of God we need to live with Christ.  Here is says, “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.” (13) 

              The third step is to have victory over sin is to offer ourselves to God.  Each of us to the best we know how, need to be separated from sin, and give our all to God by desiring a life of purity in our actions, attitudes and habits of faith. We should never make a mistake and think that so that grace will abound, that we should go on sinning.  Even if we live as a wonderful Christian within the church, when we go home, we have no love, we don’t think of others, are self centered, we think only of ourselves and live only for ourselves. Aren’t we living such a life? However, because we are dead to sin and alive to God, we are by faith to live in the light of this truth.

Ga. 5:24

Let’s live as a person who has nailed his self-centered old self on the cross and is walking in a new life.  Then we will have the fruit listed in the previous verse, verse 23. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” Gal. 5:23 In this time of uncertainty and confusion brought by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant, we need to live with Christ.

              Paul tells us in Romans that “all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (3:23) It is only by God’s grace, by a faith of believing in Jesus Christ, that we are accepted as righteous.  In chapter 5 we are told what happens after a person is saved from his sins.  In other words, “since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1) Not only that but we will be able to “rejoice in our sufferings.” (3)  That’s because “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (5)

              Today’s passage is a summary of all that Paul has said up until now.  Verse 12 starts out with “Therefore” which means that what Paul has said up until now on is based upon what he has already said about man being born in sin, and that man is to be destroyed because of the wrath of God upon man’s sins.  However, by the abundant grace of God, He prepared a way of salvation by His Son, Jesus Christ.  By believing in His Son, we are made righteous.  Today’s passage tells us how great God’s grace is.  Today let’s look at three aspects of God’s grace.

I.                By one man death came to all men. (vs. 12-14)

First let’s look at the greatness of Adam’s sin.  Let’s look at verses 12-14.

This tells us about the great effect Adam’s sin had on all mankind.  By the sin of one man, Adam, sin came into the world, and because of the sin, “death came to all men.” (12)  It became a problem for all mankind.  Adam is a representative of all mankind.  Because Adam sinned, we, all mankind, sin.  This is the original sin.  The Bible teaches over and over again that because Adam sinned, sin came into the entire world, and it spread to all men.  This is expressed five times in verses 15-19 as “many died by the trespass of the one man.” (15)  Adam’s sin is related to each of our individual’s sin.  Another way of saying it is because of Adam, all men sin.  The Bible says that we have sinned from the time we are in our mother’s womb.

A large part of our situation or environment has nothing to do with our will, but was given to us.  For example, we aren’t Japanese because we wanted to be, but from the time we were born we are Japanese.  We aren’t born in a rich family or a poor family because we chose to be, it is just where we were born.  Such situations or environment was not decided by us.  It just happened that way.  In the same way, we didn’t choose to be born with sin. We were just born that way. This is the meaning of verse 12.  When the first man Adam sinned by not obeying God, all of man became fallen and sin entered all men.  All of men have the same fate as Adam.

If Japan won the world cup, we’d all be yelling, “We won!” even though we didn’t play in the games.  That is because the eleven men who played represent Japan.  Their victory is all of Japan’s victory.  In the same way Adam represents all of mankind.  His sin is all of our sin.

In the spiritual realm it is important to understand this concept of represenativeness. On one side of the coin is that by one man’s sin all men die.  On the other side is that by one man’s obedience, all men can be saved.  Therefore, the representative of man is very important.  When we look at Israel’s history, Israel was blessed the most when she had outstanding leaders.  In other words, when leaders like David who honored God and followed God were kings, then the condition of the country became good.  However, when the King didn’t follow God’s will, the condition of the country became bad.

This can be said about all of history too.  This can be said about the family too.  When the head of the family stands on the Word of God, prays, and spiritually stands straight, then that family is full of God’s grace, but when the leader is not, the family tends to fall apart.  The Church is the same.  When the Pastor stands up straight in front of God, prays, follows God’s word, and faithfully serves the Church, and then the church is blessed.  But if not the church is not blessed.  The key is the Pastor.  This is true of the leaders in a company, leaders in the community, leaders of the nation, and leaders of all institutions of society.  The leader determines whether something stands or falls.  Therefore, we need to pray for our leaders.  Please pray for me.

The first man, Adam, was the representative of all mankind.  Adam sinned so “sin entered the world”. (12) There is no exception. We all have the original sin within us, so even if we are not committing some huge sin, we are all sinners and should die.

II.              How much more is God’s grace than sin (vs.14-21)

God had mercy on such man.  This is the grace of Jesus Christ.  Let’s look at verse 14.  Here it says, “Adam, who is a pattern of one to come.” “One to come” (14) refers to Jesus Christ.  Here Paul is explaining the greatness of God’s grace by using the image of Christ as the second Adam and comparing Christ and Adam.  In other words, just as through the sin of Adam all mankind fell into sin, through Jesus Christ salvation was made possible to all mankind.  Through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, all that believe in Him are saved.

However, there is a huge difference between the first and second Adam. The difference is that the grace of the second Adam, Jesus Christ is overflowing.  Look at verses 15 to 17.

Here Paul stresses that the grace of Jesus Christ is overflowing.

Vs. 15    “How much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many.”  

Vs. 17 “How much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift righteousness.”

Vs. 20    “grace increased all the more”

                            This shows that compared with Adam, God’s grace is so much bigger.  That can be seen in the words, “How much more”. (15, 17)

                            “Many died” (15) by the sin of Adam, but “How much more did God’s grace and gift that came by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to many.” (17) Also “if by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.  It is like light.  When light shines, the dark is set free.  No matter how much control death has, if you believe in Jesus Christ, the darkness will disappear.  That is because after 3 days Jesus rose from the grave and now lives.  “How much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” (17)  “How much more” is used when describing the greatness of salvation.  It was used in verses 8 and 10 too.  Isn’t this wonderful!  By our sins we were enemies with God, but by the blood of Jesus we have been made righteous.  “We were reconciled to him” (10) and saved through his life and can boldly come before God.  God’s grace is greater than this.  Also here it tells us that the first man, Adam, committed only “one sin and brought condemnation” (16) to all men.  But God’s Son, Jesus Christ, by the work of the cross, washed and purified not only Adam’s sin or the original sin, but all the daily sins that we commit, and saves us from all our sins.  How huge a grace!  All of our sins are put on the cross of Jesus.  Christ died in our place.  He was our atonement.  As a result not only our past sins, but our present sins and the future sins that we may commit are forgiven.  This is the difference between “one sin” and “many trespasses” in verse 16.  God’s grace is that huge!  “How much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many.” (15)  Overflowing is one characteristic of God’s grace.

              Ephesians 1:7

              Ephesians 3:20

              God’s grace is bigger than we can ever imagine!

              Psalms 23:5, 6

                            In John 2 at the marriage feast at Cana, Jesus turned about 100 liters of water into wine.  It was not just wine, but the best tasting wine.

                            Also in John 6 Jesus fed a crowd of 5,000 men plus women and children with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish until they were full.  There were even 12 baskets of leftovers.  This is God’s grace.  God’s grace is huge.  It’s overflowing.

III.            The gift that came by the grace of Jesus Christ (vs. 15-21)

The third point is to believe in Jesus Christ.  Look at verses 15 to 21 one more time.  Here Paul is comparing the second Adam, Jesus, with the first Adam.  He tells us about the greatness of God’s grace and at the same time how we can receive this grace.  That is by believing in Jesus Christ.  In the case of Adam, because Adam sinned, sin entered all humans automatically.  God’s gift of grace through Jesus Christ is not automatic.  God’s grace is for al people, but is not automatic like Adam’s.  We have to receive it.  It’s by faith.  That’s what is meant by “gift”. (15)  It is a gift from God.  No matter how wonderful a present there is we have to receive it in order to have it as our own.  God’s gift of grace is the same.  It is for all people, but to make it your own, you have to receive it.  In other words, Adam was our representative so his sin automatically became a part of all mankind.  However, the gift from Jesus is received by believing in Him.

John 1:12

Those who accept and believe in Christ become the children of God.  A person can be saved only by the cross.  There is no other way.  It is by the grace of God, a gift from God.  All we have to do is believe.  Those who believe are saved.  However, those who do not believe are condemned as sinners.  That is because they did not believe in or accept God’s present.

When the Israelites were in the desert, they were bit by poisonous snakes.  God told Moses to make a snake and put it on a pole.  Those who were bitten were to look at the snake on the pole and they were saved.  That was a very easy thing to do.  All they had to do was to look up.  There was nothing difficult to do, just look at the snake and they were saved.

Also God told Noah to make an ark and go into the ark. To go inside the ark was an easy thing.  There was nothing difficult about it.

Even so a lot of people don’t do such easy things.  Man thinks that you can’t be saved so easily and makes it more difficult.  Therefore, people tend to choose religions that make salvation a difficult thing to obtain.  However, salvation is not difficult.  You only need to accept the gift of God’s grace.

Can you make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life? Do you believe that Jesus Christ can lead you to heaven?  Neither our affluence, success, nor possessions can lead us to heaven.  There is nothing we can do to be saved.  We can only believe.  It is only by believing in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins and three day later rose again and completed the work of salvation that we can be saved.  There is nothing less.  There is nothing more.  We can enter heaven only by the grace of God.

John 3:16

Please believe in and receive Jesus Christ, God’s gift of grace.  Then you will be able to say too, “My cup overflows.  The grace that God pours out upon me is so huge!”

Paul’s theme is that man is made righteous by faith.  In other words, man is set free from sin and evil by believing in the blood of Jesus Christ.  This is the theme of the whole book of Romans.  Today’s theme is what happens after a person believes in Jesus Christ and is saved.

I.                Peace with God (vs. 1,2)

First let’s look at verses 1 and 2.  Until now Paul has said that man is made righteous by faith.  In chapter 5 Paul tells us what the result of man becoming righteous by faith, in our life what fruit it will bear.  Here it says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1)  By believing in Jesus Christ we are able to have peace which we didn’t have at all up until the time we believed.  Another way of saying it is like verse 10,  “We were God’s enemies.”  However, God’s only son, Christ, to pray the price for our sins died on the cross so that he removed the enmity between God and us and reconciled us to God.

What happens if we continue in a relationship as enemies?  If you think about it on a human level it is easy to understand.  For example, when there is a crack in the relationship of a couple, both of them irritant and there is no peace and it leads to divorce. When there is no peace in the family it is like hell. That’s because the home is supposed to be a place where you can experience refuge and peace, but that peace has disappeared.  If there is no peace within the relationships of the national government, then war occurs and causes confusion throughout the world.  In the work place, the greatest problem that occurs is not the amount of salary, but troubles in human relationships. This is a very difficult situation.   It takes a lot of endurance to have to work everyday with a person who you can’t stand to see his face. The same is in the church.  When there is no peace in the church then grace and strength disappears, and conflict is never ending.  Peace is the most important ingredient needed for man to live. It is God who gives peace.   Peace with God is the base of all relationships of society and from it peace is born.  Peace with God comes from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Up until man’s relationship with God was as it says in verse 10 was a relationship as “enemies”. There was no peace between ourselves and God.  In other words, it was an attitude of antagonism toward God.   If such a person came before God, he would have to die. That’s why in the Old Testament, there was a high priest because man couldn’t go before God.  The only way that a person could come close to God was once a year when the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of an unblemished lamb upon the ark of the covenant.    By pouring out the blood of the lamb the wrath of the Lord was appeased.  When the High priest did this, he wore two things when he went into the Holy of Holies.  One thing was a rope that was tied to his waist and the second were bells handing from the hem of his clothes. They did this because the High priest that entered into the Holy of Holies could not go before Holy God and there were some people who died.  To go before Holy God was to put your life on the line. Therefore, if the people could not hear the bell, then they would know that the High priest had died. No one could go inside so they could pull on the rope and pull him out. This rope and bell was a symbol of how fearful it is for sinful man who is antagonistic towards God to go before God. 

However, by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are given peace with God.  We can boldly come before God.

Hebrews 10:19

By Jesus dyeing on the cross, we are set free from this type of fear and can go boldly before God.  We can see this in by the fact that when Jesus was put on the cross, the curtain of the temple was torn in half.

Matt. 27:51

Up until now the wall that was between God and us was completely removed  By the blood of Jesus we can boldly enter the Holy of Holies and go before God.

Paul says about this event, “Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” (1,2)  “This grace in which we now stand” means that we can without fear boldly go before God.  God who up until now was only an object of fear, is now our Father whom we can run to be with and can boldly come before.  “Gained access” means to go near.  It also means to be led and introduced.  It means that Jesus takes the hand of us who as a result of our sins, our relationship with the Holy God was broken and leads and introduces us and brings us near to our God, the Father. The way that this is done is by us believing in our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ that he died for us on the cross.

Such amazing grace!  By Jesus, “we have gained access by faith into this grace.” (2)  It is not because of something that we have done.  There is nothing that we have done, it is only by faith that this way was opened. As a result we now can boldly by the name of Jesus Christ go before God and pray.

II.              Rejoice in our sufferings (vs. 3-5)

Not only did it become possible for us to have peace with God, but we can also rejoice in our sufferings.  Let’s look at verses 3 to 5.

A big difference between Christianity and other religions, between new religions that are considered to be self profit religions is that in general other religions see sufferings and troubles as evil and look for ways of escape from them.  However, in Christianity this is not necessarily so.  In Christianity suffering and troubles are not necessarily seen as evil.  They are seen as things that should be welcomed.  Here we are told to “rejoice in our sufferings”. (3)  The reason is “that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us” (3-5) The believer’s hope is the blessed assurance of our future destiny.  Heaven in promised to those who believe in Jesus Christ.  

This hope is brought about by suffering.  “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us.” (3-5) Therefore we can rejoice in suffering.  If we can we want to avoid trouble.  However if troubles cause us to grow and lead us to heaven, then we should rejoice.  Therefore, James said, “Consider it pure joy, my brother, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

“Character” means “Finished the test”. It is like when a factory makes a knife.  It is put through fire and hammered and put in fire and stretched. This is repeated over and over again.  Through sufferings God produces character within us.

In the Bible there are many saints that experienced sufferings. One of such people was Jacob in the Old Testament. When he was born he was grasping his brother’s heel. During his lifetime he deceived many people for his own profit. God caused him to suffer over and over.   He deceived his father and brother and had to leave his home.  He worked for his uncle and next his uncle deceived him.  He suffered over and over.  As a result of such troubles in his life, he searched for God, and spiritually was made into good character.  On his way back from Laban he wrestled with God for a whole night and God put out his hip.  Through such an experience he was made into Israel, in other words, he realized that victory is in God.

Jacob suffered and persevered. For Jacob Rachel’s, whom he dearly loved, death was a very knocking down experience, but he continued to have hope.  This is what a person who has experienced God working in his life is like.

Psalm 119:71

The Gospel is strength.  Man’s real strength comes from the Gospel, from the Word of God.   The ability to rejoice in our sufferings is the real strength.  Those who believe in Christ have been given this strength.

III.            God has poured out his love (vs. 5-11)

The third point is the reason that hope does not disappoint us.  That is “because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (5)   This verse tells us how we can control our emotions when we are suffering.  It is “because God has poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (5) that we are able to have joy in the midst of suffering. When “God has poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (5) we are able to be full of peace and joy and hope.  No matter what king of suffering comes our way, we are able to rejoice. 

Vs.6-8

Here Paul is telling us about the greatness of God’s love which can be seen in that God poured his love out on those who weren’t worthy. Paul uses 3 words to describe those who aren’t worthy. One is “when we were still powerless”(6).  Another is “ungodly”. (6) Another one is “sinners”. (8)  “powerless” (6) means not having power.  In other words it is the condition of having no spiritual strength. For example, Paul said to the Ephesians, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) They were powerless in this way.  They were powerless spiritually.  They tried to cover it by putting up a front.

“Ungodly” (6) refers to those who do not worship God.  When God made man, God made him in God’s image. However when man sinned he lost this spiritual side.  As we saw in chapter 1, man didn’t worship God as God, they weren’t thankful, and “their foolish hearts were darkened.” (1:21)   The “ungodly” are like this.

  ”Sinners” originally meant those who miss the mark. Man missed the mark of what God made him to be and did what he was not to do.  He began living the way he wanted to.  This is what a sinner is like.

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men.” (1:18) but Jesus died for such men and thus showed his love for man.  God hates sin, but at the same time he loves sinners.  No matter how deep a sinner, God loves him.  This can be seen in the fact that God gave his only son. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (6-8) 

Man respects righteous people.  However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is willing to die for such a person, but someone might be willing to die for an outstanding person. However, it is unlikely that someone would die for an unrighteous, sinner. But there was someone, God’s son, Jesus Christ. Christ’s love never changes.  This unchanging love is now being poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  God’s love never changes.  Therefore, Paul said, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (9-11) 

We who have already been made righteous by Jesus Christ, “how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! “. (9)  We who were the enemies with God, by the death of the Son we have been reconciled with God, “how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (10) That is “because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” (5)  That is how much we are loved.  We can rejoice in the Lord.

Sometimes we get discouraged, but in reality we have a huge power.  We who have already been made righteous by Jesus Christ have been reconciled to God, “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (11) This is “because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” (5) This love gives us life.

This love is the most necessary thing that is needed for this country as it moves to recovery after this huge earthquake.  “And hope does not disappoint us.” (5)  May we take this hope and one step at a time and rebuild this country.  

Today let’s look at Abraham’s faith.  Up until now Paul has talked about the sin of the Gentiles and of the Jews and that all people are sinners before God and “fall short of the glory of God.” (3:23) before God there is no one who can be proud.  People try all sorts of things to save themselves, but nothing is able to solve the problem of sin。 By the strength of man you are never able to come before God. As a result mankind is left with only discouragement and depression.  However, God by His abundant grace prepared a way for man to be saved. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.” (3:21)       God promised that by believing in the cross of Jesus Christ that man can be saved.

              To be made righteous by faith is called justification by faith.  In other words, by faith a person is made righteous, and he is saved.  However, mankind says that they can’t understand that and doesn’t seem to be able to believe.  It seems like it isn’t right for a person to be saved for free. Man isn’t used to things being for free.  Man feels more comfortable working hard for something.

              However, the Bible teaches that it is only by the grace of God, only by faith that a person is saved.  An example of this is Abraham.  When Paul said that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (23, 24) some of the Jews said that he was wrong and that Abraham was justified by his works.  Therefore, Paul gives the example of Abraham and shows that salvation is just by 1 means, in other words, it is only by faith in Jesus Christ. Today let’s look at 3 aspects of this.

I.             Abraham who believed in God (vs. 1-16)

First of all, Abraham was considered righteous because he believed in God, not because of works. First let’s look at the first 3 verses. 

Here Paul is telling us about how our forefather, Abraham was.   That is because Abraham was considered to be the originator of the Jewish people.  The question is when was Abraham considered to be righteous.  That is because “If in fact, Abraham was justified in works, he has something to boast about.”(2)  However, that is not so. The Bible says,” “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3)  These words are recorded in Genesis 15:6.  At this time Abraham had lived in Canaan for 15 years are was 90 years old, but he still had no children.  God had promised in 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  But still he had no children.  His wife Sarah had already turned 80 so he must have wondered what that promise meant.   One night when Abraham was discouraged, God took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the starts…so shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5)   No matter how you think about it, humanly speaking that was impossible.  Even so Abraham believed these words.  “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)   In other words, Abraham’s faith moved God’s heart, and by that faith, Abraham was considered by God to be righteous. 

The Jews when they heard that salvation was by faith became very objective.  That was because they thought that Abraham was considered to be righteous because of his works.  When God said to be circumcised, he was circumcised.  When God said to take Isaac to Mt. Moab and sacrifice him, Abraham seriously was going to slaughter him. Therefore, the Jews thought that since he did these things, God considered him as righteous.  They believed that Abraham was considered righteous because of his obedience.  Towards such thinking, Paul says, “But what does the Scripture say?” (3)  Paul said to look at the order in the Bible.  Abraham was circumcised in Genesis chapter 17 and sacrificed Isaac in chapter 22.  In other words, this was after he was credited as righteous. “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) The proof of this is that he was circumcised and that he sacrificed Isaac.  Therefore, Abraham was not saved by works, but was saved by faith.  As a result the works of faith were born.  This order is very important.  In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the basis of salvation is the same. That is that you are saved by faith.

The example of David you can say the same thing.  Let’s look at verses 6 to 8.  “David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.’” (6, 7) King David was representative of the Old Testament, who it was prophesized would be the ancestor of the Messiah so he was an extremely important figure.  This David here is confessing the blessedness of having his sin forgiven.   This is referring to the sin that he committed with Bathsheba that he struggled with and he realized that he could not hide his sin from God.    This passage shares what he experienced when he confessed his sin before God. His sin was forgiven not because he did something good or did something in compensation for what he had done wrong, but because he realized and confessed his sin before God. Then God forgave his sin, and considered him righteous.   Just repent, and depend on the grace of God.  In other words, David also “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3)

The conclusion is verse 16. “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all.” In other words, it is guaranteed for not only those who are under the law, but for those who have faith like Abraham. “As it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’” (17) Abraham is the father of all. Therefore, we are his offspring by faith.  This is by faith that is guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring. 

We need to only believe and we will be saved.  That is because salvation is from the one way grace of God.  Any one can receive it. When Israel was in the desert they complained.  God became angry and sent poisonous snakes that bit them.  Many people were bitten by the snakes and died.  God told them to only put up a snake on a pole. They need to look only at the snake and they are healed.  This was something that anyone can do. And whoever has faith and looks at the snake was saved. This is faith. It is by this faith people are recognized as righteous.  Only believe in God.  There is no other way.

II.           The faith of Abraham (vs.17-22)

Next let’s look at what kind of faith Abram had.  Here Abraham’s faith is described. The God that Abraham believed in “gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (17)  Abraham believed that God can do anything, that He is all powerful.

Our faith depends upon what we believe about God.  Those who believe in a dead god, their faith is also dead.  Those who believe in a living God, see the work of the living God.  If you believe that God can do anything, then you have no reason to be depressed.  If God is with you, then anything is possible.  We tend to make God smaller than He is.  We put God into our little boxes of thinking.  This comes from not recognizing God as all powerful.

Sometimes we think that something this too difficult for God. However, nothing is impossible for God. 

Col. 1:16

There is nothing that Christ can’t do.

Therefore, we need to believe that there is nothing that God can’t do.  It is necessary that we always boldly move forward.  We need to believe in the all powerful God and move forward. In verse 18 it says, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.” He was 100 years old and “his body was as good as dead” (19) and “Sarah’s womb was also dead.”(19), but his faith was not weakened.  “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” (20, 21)

In Luke 5 Peter who had fished all night and hadn’t caught even one fish, was told by Jesus to go out into deeper waters and put down his nets.  Jesus’ words didn’t make sense by human common sense. First of all this wasn’t time for putting out the nets.  Secondly, that was the wrong place to put out the nets.  Fish were usually in the shallow water not the deep.  Thirdly, this is the time that they should be putting away their nets.  Fourthly he was not in the position to take advice from Jesus.  Peter was a professional fisherman.  Why should he take advice from a carpenter like Jesus? However, Peter did what Jesus said, and the nets became so full that they started to break.

This is faith. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)  It is to believe that what God says will surely happen.  Abraham believed. He believed with certainty that what God promised would happen.  Even when it did not agree with his emotions or thinking, he still believed.  Even though he had become 100 years old and “his body was as good as dead” (19) and “Sarah’s womb was also dead.”(19), but his faith wasn’t weakened. This kind of faith is necessary. Abraham “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” (20, 21)

We need to just believe and follow. Even if it doesn’t agree with our thinking or not we should follow. We need to a people that believe in God and follow Him.  Abraham had such a faith.

III.         A faith that believes in Jesus Christ.  (vs. 23-25)

Thirdly, Abraham’s faith was a faith that believes in Jesus Christ.  Let’s look at verses 23 to 25.  Abraham’s faith was a faith that God would fulfill what he promised.  At the same time it was a faith that believed in the promises of Jesus Christ.  “The words “it was credited to him as righteousness” were written not for him alone but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness.”(23,24)  We are saved by having a faith that believes in God in “the God who gives life to the dead.” (17). In other words he believed in Christ, the risen Lord. A faith in the cross and resurrection.  This means to be considered as righteous, we need such a consistent faith.

I Cor. 15:1-5

The Gospel by which we are saved is the cross and resurrection.  With out the cross and resurrection, it would be impossible to be saved.  We are saved through the Gospel.  There is no other way.  That is because Christ died on the cross for our sins; Abraham had this kind of faith.  Abraham was before Jesus was born. Therefore the teaching that we are saved by Christ, existed from the beginning when man fell into sin. It became clear when Jesus was born.

Romans 3:23, 24

Jesus Christ is salvation.  There is no other name by which we can be saved. We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.  By believing in him, we are saved.  And we are designated as righteous.  This is Abraham’s faith. This is Paul’s faith. This is the faith that we need to be saved.  We need to believe in Jesus Christ who loves us and saves and by the grace of God live in faithfulness and thankfulness. You are saved by grace, by faith.