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Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 - |
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A RESULT OF
JUSTIFICATION: VICTORY OVER SIN (Rom 6:1-2)
9/2/07 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. PRELIMINARY
QUESTION A. Rom 5:20-21 teaches that wherever sin has increased,
grace (introduced by the Second Adam) abundantly supersedes it (“abounded” huperperisseúō - superlative of
greater degree; used only twice in the N.T.). Now, through Christ, grace
reigns triumphant unto eternal life for those who believe. B. The question that begs to be asked is, “If
grace abounds where sin has increased, then would it not be better for the
believer to “continue in sin so that grace may increase (vs. 1)?” C. Paul responds to that question in vs. 2
with as strong a negative as is grammatically possible, “May it never be!” (mē génoito). 1. The
negative (mē) is emphatically placed
first in the construction. 2. Furthermore, it is combined with génoito, which is an aorist middle optative
of gínomai (to be, exist, become,
or happen) and would strongly declare that there is not even the
slightest degree of possibility that such a statement could be true. 3. It is also translated as, “By no means!”
(NIV); “God forbid!” (KJV); “Absolutely not!” (NET); and “En ninguna manera” (“in no way” -
Spanish Reina-Valera-60) D. Saving
grace assures the believer that his life will change (Rom 6:4; 2Co 5:17). II. PRELIMINARY
ANSWER A. Refutation
of Antinomianism (Rom 6:14-16) 1. Even
before Paul tells how the believer is to have victory over sin, he dismisses
the charge that he is teaching “Antinomianism.” But in spite of what Paul has
said, there were and there are Christians who misunderstood and promote
“Antinomianism.” 2. Simply stated, Antinomianism is
“anti-law-ism” (Grk. anti - against; nomos - law; ism). It is the philosophy
that “denies or downplays the significance of God’s law in the life of the
believer (Sproul, R. C., “Essential Truths of
the Christian Faith”). 3. The old rhyming cliché for Antinomianism
is, “Freed from the law, O blessed condition; I can sin all I want and still
have remission.” This cliché, while probably not written by any Antinomian, resembles
its logical outcome. 4. This attitude can never be the deliberate
sentiment of a true believer and Paul rightly exclaims, “Absolutely not!” 5. It is true that the believer has been freed and delivered from
the Law (Rom 10:4; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14). However, a true believer has the
desire and power through the Holy Spirit to live in
conformity to the moral principles contained in the Old and New Testament
commandments, which are based on the character of God (Rom 6:14-16;
8:4; Joh 14:15; 1Jo 2:3-6; 5:2;). B. Refutation
of Cheap Grace (Rom 6:4-6) 1. “Cheap
Grace” is a term that was coined by Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
a German Lutheran minister who was hanged in 1945 for his resistance against
the Nazi regime. 2. Bonhoeffer,
unfortunately a promoter of Neo-orthodoxy, did recognize a movement in
Christianity that viewed grace as a means of forgiveness of sin but neglected
the necessity of repenting of sin. 3. “Cheap grace means grace sold on the
market like cheapjacks’ wares….Cheap grace is not
the kind of forgiveness that frees us from the toils of sin. Cheap grace is
the grace we bestow on ourselves….Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness
without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion
without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is
grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace
without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 45–47) 4. The believer is saved by grace and grace
is free indeed. But grace cost God His Son and grace also instructs the
believer to deny ungodliness and live righteously (Rom 6:4-6; Tit 2:11-12). C. Refutation
of Quietism (Rom 6:12-13) 1. Quietism
could be called, “do-nothing-ism.” It would teach that victory over sin is
wholly the work of God without the believer’s cooperation. There is no need
for a believer’s response to God’s grace. 2. In its extreme variety, quietism is a
spiritual passivism in which God becomes wholly responsible for the
believer’s behavior, and the believer feels he must never exert personal
effort to pursue righteous living. Quietists have popularized the phrase,
“Let go and let God. (MacArthur,
Our Sufficiency In Christ) 3. The Bible clearly teaches that
sanctification and victory over sin is through God’s sovereign grace. But,
the Bible also clearly teaches that the believer has the responsibility of
cooperating and acting upon that grace (Rom 6:12-13; Phil 2:12-13; 1Co
15:10). D. Refutation
of Pietism (Rom 6:8-11) 1. The
Opposite of Quietism is Pietism, which could be called, “do-everything-ism.”
While Quietism disregards the believer’s efforts in victory over sin, Pietism
disregards God’s role in victory over sin. 2. Pietism overemphasizes human effort and
often leads to defeated Christian living or to pride and legalism. 3. “Pietists
emphasize self-discipline and holy living often to the extreme of adopting
legalistic standards for living. Pietism places so much emphasis on external
righteousness and human effort that it ignores God’s role in sanctification.
The Pharisees were early advocates of a brand of pietism.” (MacArthur,
How To Meet The Enemy) 4. The believer must understand his position
in Christ, which has made him dead to sin but alive to God. It is this work
of grace that the believer must rely upon by faith as he says no to sin but yes to God through
the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20; Rom 6:8-11). E. Refutation
of Perfectionism (Rom 6:22; 7:18) 1. Perfectionism
is the belief that a person can attain a state of sinlessness.
It is primarily the belief that the Christian life can be lived without sin. 2. First of all, there is no such teaching
found in Scripture. This is an erroneous conclusion coupled with an erroneous
definition of sin. 3. Secondly, Scripture confirms that the
believer will struggle with sin his entire life (Rom 7:15-18), no one attains
to sinless perfectionism in this life (Phil 3:12-14), and if we say we have
not sinned, we are calling God a liar and His word is not in us (1Jo 1:10 - “have
not sinned”- perfect indicative of hamartánō - lit. “have not and continue not to
sin”). 4. The truth is that while we will never be
sinless in this life, we will by the grace of God, sin less and have victory
over sin. F. Biblical
View of Victory Over Sin 1. Admit
that you have sinned (1Jo 1:9). 2. Understand your position in Christ (Rom
6:1-14). 3. Walk by the Spirit in obedience (Rom 6:12
Gal 5:16, 25). 4. Memorize and meditate on Scripture (Psa
119:11; Rom 12:1-2; 6:19). |
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