Romans 6:11-23

Key Verse: 6:13

In the previous passage we learned that we no longer live but Christ lives in us because the body of sin was crucified with Jesus Christ. Since we were justified freely through faith in Jesus, we became new creations in Jesus. Today’s passage reveals new direction for our new life. It is to offer the parts of our body to God as the instruments of righteousness. But it is not easy to do so. Why? Though we have new life in Christ, sin remains in this world. Our spiritual battle begins because we try to live by faith in this sinful world. Sin does not leave us alone. Therefore, our life goal is to give our life as the instruments of God while we live in this world. Our life will be measured whether we become the instruments of righteousness or the instruments of wickedness. George Washington gave his body as the instrument of the American Revolution and God established a new nation under God, the United States of America. In the same way let’s offer our life to God as the instruments of righteousness to make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. By the power of God we can overcome our sinful desires and have a holy life of mission. May God bless us to be the instruments of God as Bible teachers and servants of God in the upcoming fall semester.

In this part Paul urges us to believe that we died to sin so that we may be the instruments of righteousness. Look at verse 11. "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." We learned that we were baptized into Jesus’ death and our old self was crucified and buried with him. The body of sin was destroyed through the baptism of death. Now, we have to count or consider or regard ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. God solved our sin problem through Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. Our domain was changed from sin to God. This is the premise of our new life in Jesus Christ. Our new life should be filled with joy and spirit and love and power. We expect a trouble-free, sin-free, worry-free wonderful Christian life. There should not be any tinge of sin around us. But that’s not the case. We still suffer from the lustful desires and sin is hanging around us and inflicts our souls. Why is this happening? What is going on in my spiritual life? What is wrong with me? Do I have to struggle with sin again? We might ask, "Is the battle with sin automatically over when we are born again?" The war is over but the battle is not over yet. Each one must win their own battle with sin by depending on Jesus. In theory I don’t have any relationship with sin because I died to sin when Jesus died for my sin 2000 years ago. But in reality I still struggle with sin. I admit that the battle with sin is a positive sign that I died to sin. In my college days I was invited to UBF. My old friends asked me to come to the exam-ending drinking party and my Bible teachers asked me to come to 1:1 Bible study. I began to feel uncomfortable being around my drinking buddies. My struggle with sin began. I shouted, "Going to the Bible center or going to the beer hall, that’s the question." Jesus enabled me to overcome many of my sinful desires one by one. Though most of visible sins were conquered, I still struggle with my inner desires of flesh like human pride and worldly ambition. Christian life is a battle with sin until we will be liberated from this mortal body. We have to claim Jesus’ victory over sin daily so that we can fight a good spiritual fight. Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7a, "I have fought the good fight…" Jesus’ resurrection gives us confidence that we can win our spiritual battle against sin. The first step to have a victorious Christian life is to recognize that a fierce spiritual battle is going on even after we are saved by the grace of Jesus. That’s reason why Paul called Christians as soldiers of Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:3 says, "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. That’s right. Christians can not withdraw to a passive and complacent life but they have to participate in the spiritual warfare actively.

What does it mean in our practical lives to let sin not reign in our mortal body (12)? Look at verse 12. "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." This means that we should not allow sin to exercise authority in our life any more. Sin should not control our life any longer because we died to sin. Sin should not be a part of our life any more. Sin should be a stranger in our life. But in reality, our mortal body is tempted to obey its evil desires. This comes in the form of conflicts in our life. Once we were saved by God’s grace, we love to obey God and serve his will. But many times sin wants to be our master again with a sweet temptation, "Why do you have to deny yourself and take up the cross? Take care of yourself and have fun because life is short. Enjoy the pleasures of this world." We should not go near the source of sinful temptation and refuse to have any association with sin. Joseph in Genesis ran away from sin when tempted. We have to overcome evil desires by trusting in Jesus. As you know, Augustine was an intellectual hedonist and became a playboy of the first century. He bore an illegitimate child through his wild life of sin. Through his mother Monica’s unending prayer, he became a born-again Christian. After he met Jesus, he did not look back to his old sinful life. One time he saw his old girl friend coming in his way and he turned around and walked backward not to see her any more. He did not compromise with sin any more. He refused to entertain any sinful thoughts because he died to sin. He spent the rest of his life to promulgate the gospel of Jesus and wrote many inspired books like "The Confessions" and "The City of God."

What decision of faith must we make to overcome our sinful desires? Look at verse 13. "Do not offer the parts of our body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life. Offer the parts of your body to God as instruments of righteousness." In any team sport competition, the best offense is the best defense. If one team possesses the ball in the football game, the other team has no chance to score the point. In the same way the best way to overcome our sinful desires is to offer the parts of our body to God positively as the instruments of righteousness. As long as we serve God diligently, sin has no opportunity to reign in our mortal body. In most cases sin is active when we have a lot of time to spend. Idle hands invite sin. Here the word "offer" implies active participation of the individual involved. Paul used the term "instrument" to describe our life as a spiritual fight. World history evolved around the improvement of weapons of war. The Atomic bomb was used as the instrument to end WWII. Paul talks about two kinds of instruments: the instruments of righteousness and the instruments of wickedness. This shows that we have two possibilities whether we will be the instrument of righteousness or the instrument of wickedness. We have to make a choice for our new life.

Let’s think about why we should not offer our body to sin any more. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:15, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!" We are the members of Christ and cannot unite our body with a prostitute. I Corinthians 6:19-20 says, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and we are bought by the precious blood of Jesus. We have no right to abuse and sell our life to sin. That’s the reason why we cannot offer the parts of our body to sin any more. Our body does not belong to us any longer but belongs to God. Ownership was transferred from sin to God. In the past we used to offer the parts of our body as the instrument of wickedness. Many heavy smokers offered their bodies to become the instruments of sin. They looked like chimney’s. Their bodies suffered a lot and many of them died of lung cancer. Many heavy drinkers offered their bodies as the instruments of alcohol. As a result, they became the instruments of many terrible car accidents. In America drinking and driving is the number one cause of death. Some people offered their bodies as the instruments of sexual immorality and paid the due penalty. The other day President Clinton made a confession saying, "My affair in the White House was a mistake." He implored American people not to punish Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore for his sexual misconduct. When we offer the parts of our body to sin, we cannot avoid the due penalty for our sins in the future.

Then how can we be instruments of righteous? Offer the parts of our body to God as instruments of righteousness. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." When we give our life fully to God, we become the instruments of God and will bear the fruits of righteousness. Paul said in Romans 12:1b, "Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship." Offer equals sacrifice. Offer means to sacrifice our life to God and participate in suffering to expand God’s kingdom. Sacrifice does not mean that we have to kill our life to God. It means that we have to give our life to God to be used as his instrument in his redemptive history. In the time of Isaiah no one was willing to be used by God as his messenger to the king. But Isaiah offered his body to be used by God. Isaiah 6:8 says, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? ‘ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’" Isaiah offered his life to be used by God for his own stubborn people. He did not say, "Lord, find someone else who is qualified better. I am too busy to go." Rather, he said, "Here am I. Send me!" Wow! What a courageous decision he made. Of course, he suffered a lot to deliver the message of God. At the same time he delivered the good news of Jesus’ birth. He became the instrument of God for his people. God used his life very preciously. Jesus was asked to come down from the cross to save his life but he sacrificed his own life to God completely as the instrument of God. God used him to save the whole world. Our life will reap different fruits depending on what kind of instruments we will be. Abraham Lincoln offered his body to God to free slaves in America with firm faith that all men are created equal before God. His tombstone says, "Abraham Lincoln, the man used by God." Martin Luther gave his body to God as the instrument of Reformation and was used by God to begin the Protestant Church.. Apostle Paul was the instrument of persecution to the early Christians when he offered his body to sin. But when he offered his life to God, he became the instrument of world mission. The Samaritan woman used her body to sin and then she became the instrument of an immoral life. When she offered her life to Jesus, she became a wonderful woman of faith.

Patrick Keenan offered his body as the instrument of God and became a powerful messenger. He said in his opening message, "Look up and not look down." The chosen and second generation teams offered their bodies to God as the instruments of dancing and we enjoyed their exciting dancing. Anthony Oporto and Anthony Ahmed offered their bodies in the early morning to God for their duo dramas and they made a good spiritual environment for the messengers. We all cried when Belsie and Jennifer gave their bodies as the instruments of crying and we all rejoiced when they offered their bodies as the instruments of joy. Whether we like it or not, we will be used by God or used by Satan. For example, a knife will become a cooking instrument if it is used by a cook but it will be a killing instrument if it is used by a robber. We can offer our mouth to teach the Bible or to complain. We can use our hands to beat up others or to write Bible messages. Though the Internet is a useful instrument to reserve tickets or to get maps and send emails, it can be the instrument of crime if it is not used properly. It is important to offer our life to God as the instruments of righteousness so that we can be used by God preciously to expand the kingdom of God for many young American students.

What promise is given to those who offer the parts of their bodies to God (14)? Look at verse 14. "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." This verse frees us from the power of sin because sin has power only under law. Without law sin cannot accuse us. Since we live under the grace of God, we are free from the condemnation of sin. Well, we will make mistakes in the course of our spiritual struggles but we will not subject to fear and despair because sin is not our master any longer. We can trust God and he will welcome us whenever we come back to him with repentance. We can enjoy the peace of God when we offer our life to God and grow in the image of God.

In this part Paul encourages us to become slaves to God. In the verses 15-23 the word "slave" is repeatedly used. This word has the connotation of belonging to or being on the side of. Paul used this word to explain the core of our new life before God. In Paul’s time one third of the population of the Roman Empire was Roman citizens and two thirds were slaves. It was easy for Paul to illustrate our relationship with God through the examples of many slaves. Look at verse 15. "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!" Paul did not allow them to use grace for an excuse to sin freely. It was a warning to those who try to ignore the law and sin freely. Look at verse 16. "Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness." In the ancient times slaves were regarded as personal property and the masters expected absolute obedience from their slaves. Some masters sold their slaves to someone else. Some slaves were set free according to the mercy of the owner or after a number of years of service. There were many slave revolts in the Empire due to harsh treatments of the slaves. The Roman government treated slave rebellion very seriously. In the movie "Spartacus" many thousands of slaves who had rebelled, were executed on the cross along the roads lead to Rome to suppress any future revolts. One is a slave to the one whom he obeys. Obedience is a key in their relationship. Now Paul compares the difference between the servant of God and the servant of sin. The servants of God obey God who leads them to righteousness. The servants of sin obey sin which leads them to death. They obey different masters. By the grace of Jesus our master has been changed from sin to God. we were set free from our old master sin and therefore we have to obey our new master and live a new life before God.

What was Paul’s thanksgiving topic for the Christians in Rome? How did they become slaves to righteousness (17,18)? Look at verses 17-18. "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." Paul was thankful that the Christians in Rome obeyed the form of teaching to which they were entrusted. By doing so they have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Listening to the teaching of our Bible teachers is the beginning point of our spiritual growth.

Look at verse 19. "I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness." Here Paul emphasizes a holy life as God’s servant. When we continue to obey God, we can have a holy life in God. We can be free from sin. When we escape from God we invite the likely possibility to sin. It is true in the case of the parable of the prodigal son. The second son in Luke 15 got his inheritance and left his father for enjoying human freedom. But he became a slave of sin and spent all his money in his wild life. In the end he lost his freedom and became a voluntary worker to feed his empty stomach. The he realized that he sinned against heaven and his father. He returned home and was welcomes by his father and began to have a new life with his father. He tasted real freedom when he obeyed his father. When we were saved by God’s grace, we have a new nature to please our new master. We have inner joy to obey and to serve and sacrifice for God. Apostle Paul shows the difference between our present life as slaves to righteousness and our past life as slaves to sin in verses 20-23. In the past sin was our master and now God is our master. We were wicked in the past and now we are holy. In the past we did many shameful things in the darkness but now we love God and live in the word of God. In the past we were destined to destruction and now we are destined to the kingdom of God.

What is the result of sin (23)? What is the gift of God? Look at verse 23. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." People think that sinning is easy and there will be no consequences. But that’s not true. When man sins, he will receive a big payment. Death is not natural thing but it is the wages of sin. We earned it by our sins. But there is good news. The gift of God is eternal life. It is a free gift from God because we cannot earn it. Jesus earned the gift of life from God for us because he loved us. Let’s enjoy this precious gift of life by obeying God and serving his will in our life on earth. Let’s offer our life to God and become the instruments of righteousness so that we can live as the servants of God.

Let’s read the key verse 6:13.