Discover the empowering message of faith as we navigate through Paul’s teachings in Romans chapter 6. This episode sheds light on the profound relationship between humanity’s hardships and the hope of resurrection in Christ. By delving into the theological implications of Christ’s death, we understand how believers are invited to partake in a newness of life despite earthly struggles. Embrace this transformative understanding that assures us of righteousness through Christ, encouraging a life that echoes His resurrection.
So if you look at the larger picture, what Paul is doing in Romans chapter 6 is telling us that everything Christ went through, humanity goes through. I mean, what led Paul to be able to say, therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death? What led him to say that? Did he have some special insight that we do not have? Or did he learn from the nature of how salvation works and how God accounts all humanity in Jesus Christ, that when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, he was doing that on behalf of all humanity? And so Paul is able to say, therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death. For we have been united together in the likeness of his death. How in the world could Paul come up with that? If not through the Holy Spirit, who made it clear to him that Jesus Christ represented the whole human race. How do you identify yourself? How do you stand before God? How do you know how you stand before God? The answer is Jesus Christ. When Christ died and yet God raised him from the dead, it indicates that Jesus Christ, by the will of the Father, was not going to stay in death. You will not leave my soul in Sheol. You will show me the path of life, Psalm 16. And so God was not going to leave Jesus in the grave, and that means God is not going to leave humanity in the grave. And since Jesus rose from the dead, so also will humanity rise from the dead. Let’s look at these verses again then. Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? You say, ah, Colin, that’s just a limited few, those who are baptized. No, you have to bring all Scripture together and everything that Paul has said. And look at verse, just a few verses before. Paul said in 5 verse 18, Therefore, as through one man’s offense, that’s Adam’s judgment, came to all men, in other words, all men went through sin and death, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man’s righteous act, that is the righteousness of Christ, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. And so, when Paul says, therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, he’s not limiting salvation to those simply who have been baptized. He’s saying what happens to humanity is typified or exemplified or illustrated by baptism. We go down into the water as if we die, and we rise from the water as if we are raised from the dead. See, the whole issue here, the whole matter is our identification with Jesus Christ. And God, through the good news of the gospel, is going to enable men, by faith and women, to identify with Jesus Christ. And also, if they resist that, he takes them through the judgments, which take place here on earth and also in the final judgment. And what happens then? Every knee shall bow and every tongue take an oath that in Christ alone is their righteousness and strength. That’s what it says in Romans chapter 14. So, you see, we are given our destiny here, and this is what you cling to by faith. This is what helps you not to get morose and frightened and guilt-ridden and depressed about the future death that you will go through. No, you will rise again. Whoever believes in Christ, though he die, yet shall he live. This is the beauty of the good news of the gospel. We can go forward confidently, recognizing that our future, which is eternal life, is just about to begin. Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Now then, what is this newness of life? Some people get scared about that and they say, oh, it means I’m going to become altogether righteous and I don’t think I can do that. Well, it’s different things for different people. Some people will stop doing their regular sins, but some people will be forever addicted to their sins in this world and not finding total freedom. But what they will do is they will put that struggle they’re going through in the resurrected life of Jesus Christ, or they will recognize it as in the resurrected life of Jesus Christ. And therefore, their newness of life will be forever blessed. bringing up their struggle in Christ, knowing now that there is no condemnation and knowing that each struggle or temptation or failure is a training of their faith. They will not go into the darkness of despair as if they were still in the sin kingdom of Adam, because they’re not. So Paul says in verse 5, For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. And again, you can misunderstand this verse, and you can look at it perfectionistically as if to say, okay, I’ve got to be united with him in the likeness of his death. How do I do that? I need to meditate on his death for an hour or two every day. I need to go through the pain of his death and imagine it. All this sort of… medieval mysticism that people go through. As I think I’ve mentioned before, there are people even today in the Philippines during Easter who, a few people, put themselves on the cross, have themselves nailed to a cross to be united with Christ in his death. That is pure nonsense. Paul is talking about faith, faith that by understanding that Christ is our substitute, we recognize by trusting him that we are identifying, are being identified with his death. so that his death is counted as if it were ours. His execution, the judgment that went upon Christ, is counted as if it were our judgment, so that we are released from the judgment of sin. That’s the wonder of faith. You have to understand how Paul makes use of the word counted. We are counted as righteous. The word is imputed. You remember chapter 4, verse 5, But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted, or accounted as righteousness. Faith in Christ’s righteousness is the act of trusting God that his death is counted as ours. You see then that the Christian life is not simply about living moral lives, living ethical lives and taking care of others. Yes, that’s part of the result. But the real Christian life is our identification by faith with Jesus, because Jesus went through death and resurrection on behalf of all humanity. If we have been united with him then, And we have, because you say, well, how do I know? I mean, I haven’t had enough faith. But look, Romans 5, verse 10 again. If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, you were reconciled to God. While you were an enemy, so who was doing the reconciling, you or God? Well, enemies don’t reconcile to God. They’re enemies. It is God who reconciled himself to you and you to himself. He accounted you his child and his friend through Christ and therefore gives you gradually through life the news of your reconciliation until you believe it. If we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also will be in the likeness of his resurrection. And this is where we as Christians need to put the priority where it lies. What is the priority? Is it to emphasize that we have to die in Christ or that we are resurrected in Christ? Well, it’s not really either or, is it? We are identified in the judgment that came upon Christ, so that the judgment no longer comes upon us. But don’t forget to go beyond that. We are now resurrected with Jesus, which means that everything that goes on in our life is whether it’s whatever kinds of trouble it is at work or at home, financially or health-wise, those troubles are now counted as in the resurrection of Jesus. And so we say, Father, I thank you for this sickness I’m going through right now, for this is not unto death. even if I should die. It is unto resurrection, for I will rise again with Christ. And if it’s just a common cold or flu or something, Lord God, through this sickness I have right now, I will learn more about my resurrected life in Jesus. I know this sounds wacko to those who don’t believe, but those who do believe really understand what I’m saying here. So look at verse 6. Let’s take verse 5 again for connection. For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, verse 6, knowing this, that our old man, that is our humanity in Adam, was crucified with him. Now, don’t look at this as a past tense. In the past, I had an old man called my sinful nature, and now, because I was born again and have been converted, I no longer have that sinful nature. I am in my new nature in Christ. Don’t look at that in terms of time, that a year ago I was in my old sinful nature, and this year I’m in my new nature in Christ. It’s not about time. It’s about spheres of existence. You and I still walk around in our old nature because we get sick, because we get depressed, because we fail and sin, and because we die. But we are not counted in that old nature, which is why Paul is able to say, our old man was crucified with him. We are counted now, having been counted as crucified in Christ’s nature, Christ’s body that is, we are now counted as in his resurrection life. So this is how you need to look at all your struggles, all your temptations, all your sins, all your stresses in life. They are now counted in the resurrection of Christ, and they become instruments of grace by which you grow in your faith. Thank you very much. repeated at four in the morning in the Denver and Colorado and surrounding states areas on KLTT AM 670. And if you’d like to make a donation, it would be so much appreciated. It’s listener-supported radio. Send your donation to FaithQuest, P.O. Box 366, Littleton, Colorado, 80160, or make your donation online at faithquestradio.com. Thanks. See you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
