投稿者: Tomio Ohashi

             The will of God is that all people be saved. Paul has said this over and over again that what is needed is faith. Here is the heart of the Gospel, the salvation of man.  Today let’s look at three aspects of salvation by faith.

I.                Inspect the direction of zealousness (vs.1-3)

First let’s look at the point that you aren’t saved by just being zealous. Look at verses 1 to 3.  Paul always deeply desired that his fellow men, the Israelites be saved.  They were certainly zealous toward God, but unfortunately, their zealousness was not based upon correct knowledge.  To put it another way, their zealousness was not based upon a knowledge of God, but was zealousness of their own. 

In our life of faith, having zealousness is very important.  It is like the engine of a car. The car won’t move unless the engine is turned on.  In the same way, if there is no zealousness, there is no change in a person’s life.  The Bible tells us that zealousness is important.  For example, Romans 12:11, and Rev. 3:15.  God wants us to be either hot or cold.   God wants us to return to the basics of our faith.   When we first entered the faith we were so enthusiastic, but that enthusiasm gradually faded without us realizing it.  Heat heats other objects and influences them.  The heat becomes cold. Therefore, we need to continuously reset our faith by being enthusiastic and repenting.

The problem is the direction.  The Israelites were certainly enthusiastic, but the direction of their enthusiasm was wrong.   They were zealous towards God, but their zealousness was not based upon correct knowledge.  It wasn’t based upon the Word of God.  Therefore, even though they had zealousness, it was completely in the wrong place. They were completely outside of the will of God.

For example, Paul was like this.  Before he was saved he was very zealous.  The Bible tells us that he was so zealous that he arrested those who believed in Jesus and put them in the prison.  He thought that a person who was put on the tree was to be cursed and there was no way that such a person could be the Son of God.  He thought that those who believed in Christ were blaspheming God.  He went to Damascus to arrest the Christians.  In today’s world that would mean persecuting Christians not only in your country, but also going to a foreign country to persecute them.  What he was doing for God was actually being against God, and being an obstacle to the Kingdom of God.   This is zealousness that doesn’t bring life, but kills.  It is zealousness not for God, but a zealousness of your own.  Enthusiasm is a wonderful thing, but if that enthusiasm is not rooted in the Word of God, it can become like this.   We all have this tendency.  Therefore, Jesus said to Martha the words recorded in Luke 10:41-42.

Before we start running around being enthusiastic, we need to learn from Mary.  Mary didn’t run around being hospitable to Jesus.  Reversely, she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to the Word of God.  After a while, Martha who was fretting and was anxious came to Jesus and asked him to tell Mary to help her.  Jesus answered Martha telling her, “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41,42)    What “Mary has chosen” (Luke 10:42) which is better is to listen to the Word of God.  We need to first listen to the Word of God and then run.  We need to make prayer and the Word of God first, realize what the will of God is, open our ears to the Word of God and then we should eagerly serve the Lord.  While making worship and prayer meetings a priority, upon that foundation we should build our life of faith and build up our life.  This is what Mary chose.  This is what Jesus desires of us.  When the direction of our zealousness is right, then there is meaning.

II.              The salvation of Christ (vs. 3-7)

Next let’s look at the right direction which is Jesus Christ.  Let’s look at verses 3 to 7.　First in verse 3 the reason why they went the wrong direction is given.  God’s righteousness is an important theme of the Bible and runs consistently                     throughout the Old Testament.  That is how we mankind can be accepted by God, in other words, how we can be saved.  They didn’t know the salvation that God had prepared for them and tried to obtain salvation by　themselves.  They didn’t follow God’s way of salvation. However, the Bible says, “All men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23) Man was born as a sinner. If he opens his mouth, he curses and speaks bitterly.  It is like a poisonous snake spitting out poison everywhere.  This is because man has sin within him.  This is what mankind is like.  Therefore, man can never meet the demands of God.  Even if we were to outwardly completely follow the law, God who can see our hearts and thoughts would never be ale to accept us.     

Therefore we should not depend upon our own righteousness, but follow God’s righteousness, Jesus Christ.　“Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” (4) No matter how strong a will, no matter how high of morals, no matter how much steel like strength, none of these things can solve the power of sin, but Jesus through the cross, was able to do this.  This is the method that God prepared.  The methods of world were impossible, but God’s cross was the special method that God prepared.  By God having His only Son die on the cross, the price of each of our sins were paid on our behalf.  Therefore, we need to just believe that Jesus who died on the cross is our Savior and live depending upon him. God gave this only one way to be saved to the world

Acts.4:1

Jesus also said that through the cross Jesus was the only way to be saved.

John 14:6

However, mankind is stupid and thinks of other solutions.  Even though the road of the cross is the way to life, they try taking other roads.  For example, they compare themselves with other people. However, God does not grade on the curve.  Anyone who believes can go to heaven. Also if you do not repent and believe in Jesus Christ then you will go to hell.

Other people think that if they do good things they will be saved.

Romans 6:23

No matter how small a sin we sin, the result is death.  Doing just a little good won’t cover it. However, God by sending his Son to die on the cross, Christ took upon himself all of our sins. Therefore, we need to believe in Jesus who died in our place on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven.

III.            Depend on our Lord Jesus (vs. 8-13)

Therefore, the third point is to depend on our Lord Jesus.  Let’s look at verses8-13.

We need to only believe in the words of faith. If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, then you will be saved. In order to go to heaven, it is not necessary to strive to do many things, but to concentrate on Christ, and to believe from your heart the Gospel, and to confess with your lips. “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (10) “It is with your heart that you believe” (10) means that you accept the Gospel, in other words, the salvation of Christ that God prepared in your heart. “With your mouth that you confess” means not to hide and clearly say what you believe.  Baptism is one way to do this.  In other words, this Gospel of Jesus’ cross is to be believed in with your whole heart.  This is not just by words.  It is not going around acting like a Christian. It is to respond with your whole self to the salvation that Jesus obtained by his life.  This is faith.  God gave Christ that through Him God gave us salvation and this the only way that we can be saved. There is no other way.  There is no difference between Jews and Greeks.  “The same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.” (12)  Anyone who calls upon him will be saved. ”Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (13)  What are you looking at as you live?  What are you zealous for?  Jesus Christ is our savior that God prepared so that we could be led to heaven.  “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1) Let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, concentrate on Him, and climb the stairs to Heaven one step at a time.

              When we think about things, we have a tendency to think about them from our own perspective.  A prime example of this is when you have group pictures and you are trying to decide which ones are good and which ones aren’t, you tend to look at yourself and whether you look good in the picture or not.  Even if as a whole the picture is good, if you yourself do not look good, then it is not a good picture for yourself.  However, if we look at faith through theses eyes, we will get stuck.  If we go this way, we crash.  If we go that way, we crash. In the end, no matter how long we wait, nothing changes.  The important thing is so look at things from God’s eyes.

              When Paul thought about the salvation of his people the Israelites, he had heart ache, and sorrow.  Even though they were a people chosen by God, they refused to try to believe in Jesus as their Savior. However, that does not mean that God’s Word has failed or the Israel is left out of God’s salvation.  Salvation is not by man’s desire or effort, but by the mercy of God.  It is by the only way grace of God that a person is destined to be saved.  God has a plan and that is why now they don’t believe. God’s Word has definitely not failed.  As Paul prayed for the salvation of the Israelites, his eyes were opened to see God’s will.  That is that the Gentiles are saved and added to the people of God and along with remnant of the Israelites will be made into a new Israel.  The will of God is far above the thinking of man and is seen within the expanse of history.  Today I would like to talk about three aspects of how the will of God will take place.

I.                Those who weren’t the people of God will become the people of God (vs. 25,26)

First let’s look at God’s will for the salvation of the Gentiles.  Please look at verses 25 and 26.

Israel’s history is the history of God’s election.  God “bore with great patience” (22) and mercy the Jews whom it would not have been strange to have destroyed. However, that is not just the Jews.  The Gentiles are the same.  All men are born with sin.  Even though because of that sin it would not be strange for them to be destroyed, God in his great mercy by mercy saved some from among the Jews; some from among the Gentiles, in other words, some from among the world. This is written in the book of Hosea.

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not　my loved one.” (Hosea 1:10, 25)

Hosea was commanded by God to marry a woman who would betray               him.  He got married the way he was commanded, and a child was born, then the woman went to another man and both the man and she left their homes.  However, their present life wasn’t so easy. The woman who betrayed Hosea and left his home in due time came to the end of her rope, and fell into the condition of being a slave. It was at that time that word of God came to Hosea again. He was told by God to “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another.” (Hosea 3:1) Therefore he “bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lathek of barley.” (2)  He saved her from condition as a slave.  Once again he brought her back to his place and set her free.  This truly shows the relationship between Israel and God.   Israel who was loved by God as His people turned their back on God. They sinned by worshipping the gods of Assyria, Babylon and Egypt.  They committed spiritual adultery.  They were no longer called God’s people. They were a people forsaken by God. However, by the abundant mercy of God by his one way mercy he redeemed them.  Those who were not the people of God once again were called the people of God. Paul applied this to mean that not Israel, but that the Gentiles would be saved.  In other words, the Gentiles who were not called the people of God would be called the people of God.

Paul quotes from the prophet Hosea to show that God’s will has come true in this way.  For him it was a great pain and sadness that Israel did not accept Christ. He couldn’t understand why the Jews who were chosen by God couldn’t believe.  In the midst of this he understood the meaning.  That is that God’s will is not just that the Israelites be saved, but that that grace reach to the Gentiles too, and that the entire world be saved.  This would come about in a way that was way above his understanding.

In our daily lives there are times when we struggle and are troubled and can’t understand why things happen.  However, God’s will is much higher than our thinking and it appears in the vast expanse of history.

I heard his story from a wonderful pastor. When they were in the process of building a church building, they ran into a situation that they never dreamed would happen.  They had drawn up the plans for the building and had been making preparations to build, but when it came down to the final decision, it was a close vote, but it was rejected. As a pastor I can imagine that shock.  However, the conclusion was that on the contrary that was the best.  Once again they readjusted the plans, and as they looked over the proposals again,                                              parking and other problems that a solution had not been found for yet were amazingly solved.

Our lives are like a trip on a train to a new place.  The scenes that appear before our eyes cause continuous excitement within our hearts.  However, from God’s view point there are mountains and valleys, railroad crossings                       and tunnels, and fields for example where you can over the whole picture.  We can’t see up ahead so there are times that we go through the dark tunnels with anxiety.  Sometimes things go well and we may sing along the way going through beautiful hills and fields. The important thing is the fact that everything is in the Lord’s large hand, and under the Lord’s watch care.  The road of life sometimes is unthinkable, but let’s believe that behind these unthinkable events the Lord is there and look at things from the Lord’s view point.        

II.              The Remnant(vs.27-29)  

Next let’s look at verses 27-29.  Next Paul talks about the salvation of the Israelites.

Here Paul quotes from 2 passages in Isaiah to show that many Israelites will be deserted.  First is verse 27.  This is a quote from Isaiah 10:22 and 23.  He uses this verse to show that even though Israel maybe as numerous as the sand on the seashore, only a few will be saved.  Lot’s of Israelite will be destroyed for their sins.  The second is verse 29.  Here Paul is quoting Isaiah 1:9.  This is a prophecy about God’s work in saving a remnant from the coming Assyrian destruction.  The suffering of God’s people at the hands of the Assyrians and others would make them feel as if they would certainly be destroyed.  God assures them that this is not the case.  He will always preserve His remnant.  The theme of both of these passages is the remnant.  By this remnant they will be saved.  This is God’s plan. God’s election and commission does not change.  This is called “the theology of the remnant” by theologians.

This is written more clearly in chapter 11, but simply put, God’s promises are not carried out by the whole nation, but God works through the remnant. It is through the remnant that the history of salvation continues.  If we look at the Bible this theology of the remnant can be seen when God works.  For example, Israel sent 12 spies to search out Canaan.  10 of the spies reported negatively about the land, but Joshua and Caleb only said that they should go in and take the land.  God worked through the remnant, Joshua and Caleb.  Through the remnant God’s promise was fulfilled and his blessings poured out.  Israel’s salvation is the same.  God is planning to save Israel through the small remnant.

We can see one truth from this passage.  That is that there is always a remnant.  Until the end of the world, until Jesus’ second coming there are always a promised people that strictly follow the faith, that follow God.  No matter how huge a persecution or how hard a situation there is by God’s grace a remnant who is always preserved. In Noah’s age it was the same.  The present day people “had corrupted their ways”. (Genesis 6:12) However, God left Noah who walked with God as a righteous man as a remnant.

Therefore, we must not seek comfort in numbers, but we must continue to confirm whether God can see faith within us or not, if God can see vision within us or not.  It has nothing to do with numbers. No matter how small of numbers, if we hold on to our vision, God will through us work in history.

There is no reason to be discouraged if the number of people who attend weekly worship is small.  We must not give up because 3 or 4 people come to prayer meetings.  That is because God always leaves a remnant and through that remnant God works. When Elijah fought with 450 prophets of Baal and the 450 prophets of Asherah, Elijah lamented, “I am the only one of the LORD’s prophets left.” (I Kings 18: 22)  When we see a small Christian meeting, we tend to lament that we are the only one.  In reality that is not so. God says, “I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (I Kings 19:18)  God always prepares a remnant. Even a church that can’t withstand fighting with troubles, there are companions who pray and keep the faith until the end.  Even if a lot of people waiver from the God, there are God’s people who remain to the end following God’s Word and not giving up the faith.  We are not by ourselves.  God keeps a remnant.  It is how the will of God takes place.  We must not take our eyes off of that.

III.            Trust in the Lord (vs. 30-33)

Therefore, let’s trust in the Lord.  Please look at verses 30 to 33. 

Here Paul is giving us the reason why the Gentiles were led to salvation and why even though the Jews are as numerous as the sand on the beaches only the remnant will be saved. That is determined by whether a person believes the promises of the Word of God and accepts them the way they are or if he tries to be saved by his own strength.  The Gentiles have become righteous by faith. They believe in Jesus Christ whom God has prepared.  On the other hand, the Jews were different.  To the end they depended on their own strength and by works tried to be righteous.  For them Jesus Christ was a “stumbling stone” (32), “a rock that makes them fall”. (33)  That was because they had a preconceived idea that a person that was hung on a tree was cursed.  Therefore they couldn’t believe in Christ who had hung on the cross.  However, salvation depends on whether you can accept what God has prepared for you or not.  That is because man is by sin spiritually powerless, and morally bankrupt.  By your own strength, we can’t meet the standard that God requires for righteousness.  Therefore, in order to be saved we must accept the method that God has prepared for salvation.  There is no other way.  It is only by accepting through faith this salvation that we can be saved.

The Israelites couldn’t understand this.  Therefore, they stumbled on Jesus Christ.  It was a “stumbling stone” (32) that God put in front of them.  This stone  today is in front of us especially since effort is strongly rooted in Japanese society and there is a principle of exerting yourself. However, when we try to be strong, reversely, we see our weaknesses. We see that we are really weak, and feel like we have been knocked down.  The point is what we do at such times. When we see with our eyes, and accept our condition, then we can see the salvation of the cross.  That is because Jesus taught that those who are weak will become strong.  Weakness is neither a fault nor shameful.  It is a new turning point, and starting point.  Therefore, we need to admit that before sin we are powerless, seek to be strong by the power of God, and accept the salvation that God has prepared.  This is the way of faith, and of a blessed life.

The important thing is to depend on God who has a perfect plan and leads us and leave everything in His hands.  If so we won’t be disappointed, and all things will work for our good.

In chapter 9 Paul begins to talk about God’s will for the salvation of Israel.  Just before this he talked about there was nothing that could pull us away from the love of God, but here all at once he talks about Israel’s salvation.  Probably, that is because through the salvation of Israel he wanted to talk about the salvation of the world. Even so, Paul was considerably troubled as to why even though the promised Messiah came, the Israelites didn’t believe. This can be seen in verse 2 where he says, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” Paul received a clear revelation from God about the salvation of the Israelites.  That is “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (33) Israel will be saved.  Today through Israel’s salvation let’s look at three aspects of the salvation of “my people”. (3)

I.             Paul’s earnest desire (vs. 1-3

First of all let’s look at Paul’s earnest desire.  Let’s look at verses 1-3.

Paul who talked about Christians being more than conquerors starts chapter 9 with, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” (2) The “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” (2) can be seen in verse 3. Paul says, “I… wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race.” Paul’s “great sorrow and unceasing anguish”(2) was that his own people, the Jews didn’t accept Jesus Christ and didn’t believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Therefore, his earnest desire was the salvation of his people, the Jews.

In the whole world, the group of people that don’t believe in the Gospel and don’t believe in Jesus Christ the most is God’s chosen people, the Jews.  Paul too at first couldn’t believe in Jesus.  Paul who followed the law strictly as a Pharisee of Pharisees couldn’t believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, Christ.  That was because in the law it was written that a person that was hung on a tree was cursed.  Therefore, a person that died on the cross couldn’t possibly be the Messiah, the Savior.  Jesus disgraced God, and could not be forgiven. He arrested the Christians and persecuted them.  However, when he was purposely on his way to Damascus to do this, he met the risen Lord Jesus. When Paul heard the voice “Saul. Saul. What are you persecuting me?” he realized that Jesus was Christ, the Messiah, the Savior.  Then he became the new Paul.  Up until now he had persecuted those who believed in Christ.   Now he became a person who preached Christ. No matter where he went, he preached, “Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior. Whoever believes in him will be saved.”     Since then he was hated by the Jews, and was persecuted terribly, but even so he wanted many people to be saved so he proclaimed Christ who was crucified.  However, the Jews thought that they were the chosen people of God, and they bragged that the law had been given to them so they thought they would be automatically saved by following the law ritually. Therefore, they didn’t believe in the Gospel that Paul was preaching.  Paul’s “great sorrow and unceasing anguish”(2) was that they didn’t believe. He was willing to be “cut off from Christ” and be cursed if by doing so they would be saved. That’s how much he desired for the Jews, his people, to be saved.

  When we think about Paul’s “great sorrow and unceasing anguish”, (2) I wonder about how much I have prayed for the salvation of the Japanese.  The Japanese are not as bad as the Jews, but even though they hear about the grace of Jesus, they are a people who have a difficult time believing.  Our neighbors, Korea is 25% Christian, but Japan is less than 1%. The evangelism of Japan no matter whether you push or pull, it doesn’t go well.  When you are in that situation, you begin to think that there is no use in doing anything and feel like giving up.

In the reality of Japanese evangelism where there is no response, there are times like you feel like giving up.  However, God proclaims that there will come a time when such hardened hearted Jews will all be saved. Now is the time of preparation for this. We need to continue praying with patience and endurance.

It’s too bad, but lots of people think that present day people have no interest in spiritual salvation.  People are interested in only making money, going to a famous college, and living in a huge house, but that is not so.  They have a hunger for            salvation.  I sometimes have a chance to talk to people who are thought of as having succeeded in society or who have become rich, but this type of people are interested in the Gospel, and listen with open ears.  They are not just interested in politics and economy.  They realized that those things are not a source of hope. Their hope is how their hungry hearts can be filled, how they can be saved.  Therefore, if we boldly preach Jesus, they will hear the Words of God and be saved.  That is because only our Savior Jesus Christ can fill our spiritual hunger.

It seems like the Japanese are not opening their hearts to the Gospel, but in reality they have fear, and anxieties. They have a spiritual hunger.  God wants us to earnestly pray for the salvation of the Japanese.

II.           God’s chosen people, Israel (vs. 4, 5)

The reason Paul so earnestly desired Israel’s salvation was not because they were the same Jewish people as Paul, but also because they were God’s chosen people.  Let’s look at verses 4 and 5.

Paul wasn’t a betrayer that betrayed Israel. For Paul the Jews were God’s special chosen people, a special people, and he had a strong assurance that finally they will surely be saved. However, we, Gentiles, are not the same.  According to Ephesians 2:12 we were far from Christ, outside the Israelite kingdom. The promise of the covenant was for another country. We had no hope in this world. We were without God.  However, by the grace of God, we repented of our sin and by a faith that believes in Jesus Christ, we became a child of God.  Those who had been that far from God, at the moment when they believed in God, God’s Spirit was given so that we can call “Abba, Father”. However, Israel is not the same.  Israel is God’s special chosen child.            They are a special people.  Here it gives us examples of what a special people they are.  That is “glory” (4) and “covenant” (4) and “the law”(4) and “worship”(4) is theirs.

First of all Israel had glory.  They could go to tabernacle and meet God. God’s shining glory was always there.  They could in God’s presence fellowship with Him like Moses met God face to face on the Mt. Sinai. Also they were given a covenant with God, the law. By following it they were promised that they would be really blessed.  Even though it is said that the earth is wide, there is no other people to whom such a promise has been given.  This was something really special.  Also more than anything, the Savior, Christ was promised to come from Israel.

Genesis 12:1-3

In other words, The base of Israel’s blessing was that they were God’s specially chosen people.  Now lots of Jewish people are against accepting the Lord. Even if they are against the Gospel, someday they will certainly believe.  Paul believed this strongly. 

This is the same for Christians who are saved and are chosen by God.   Ephesians 1:4

God “before the creation of the world”(Ephesians 1:4) chose us. We were chosen specially by God.  This means that we were not chosen because of our condition, or our qualifications, or desires, or our effort, or our many relationships, but by something greater than these. It is because we are chosen to be saved.  Therefore, we certainly will be saved no mater what.  Peter denied Jesus three times saying that he did not know him.  Paul arrested Christians and put them in prison.  Even so God forgave them and saved them.  This was because of God’s deep mercy they were chosen.  Whoever is chosen by God, no matter what will be saved.  This is what is meant by “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (33) This was the assurance that Paul had.

III.         For the salvation of my people (3)

Therefore the third point is that we who are chosen by the grace of God should be thankful and earnestly desire that our people be saved. That is why Paul said, “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race.” (3)

Ezekiel 22:30

“The gap” (Ezekiel 22:30)refers to is the gap between man and God caused by sin. At that time the Southern Kingdom, Judah, was going against the will of God, and was extremely filthy with sin.  Towards them before God sent his judgment upon them, there was a possibility that God would not send his judgment upon them if there was someone that would intercede for them. Someone was to stand before God “in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30).  However, there was no one found that could stand before God “in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30) and pray.  Therefore, God allowed the Babylonian invasion and Jerusalem was destroyed.  God searched for someone to stand “in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30) between God and man and intercede.

Paul was such a man that stood “in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30).  He said, “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race.” (3) He is saying that if he could, he wanted to be exchanged for the Jewish people’s salvation.

Moses too was such a man that stood “in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30). When Israel was in the desert and they made a golden calf and worshiped it and there received the judgment of God, Moses prayed, “But now, please forgive their sin-but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” (Exodus 32:32) God heard Moses prayer and forgave the Israelites.

  God hears the prayers of those who pray with all their might.  Are we praying like this?  The road to the salvation of our people is the working of God’s power. This type of prayer will not return void.  In the end, it will produce saved hearts.

We who are chosen and have entered into the grace of salvation, and so God desires that we become a person that stands “in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30) and seriously pray for the salvation of our people. We need to pray like Paul, “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race.” (3) We need to pray for the salvation of our people, the Japanese. Those prayers will not be in vain.  God will answer this intercessory prayer and will bring about the works of salvation. That time will surely come. “The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (33) For this day of salvation let’s become serious intercessors. This is the commission that has been given to those who are chosen to be saved through grace.

            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.