Bible Verse of The Day – 9-5-22

Romans 6:1-2 (NKJV) 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Sometimes the way various translations word a verse, or a group of verses, can make it harder to understand than is necessary.

These 2 verses are an example of that. But I’d like to break this down to make it clear and easy to know what is being said.

Verse 1 starts off with a question; “What shall we say then?”.

The wording of the question indicates that it is referring to something that was previously stated.

In this case, Paul is referring to the last part of Romans chapter 5, where he reminded the Roman people that, through Adam, sin brought death into the world, but in Christ came new life through the grace of God.

Under God’s grace, through the obedience of Christ (and our faith in Him), our sins can be forgiven.

Some of the Romans mistakenly thought that the abundance of God’s grace gave them a license to also abundantly sin, knowing that forgiveness was available.

Paul corrected them in the first section of Romans 6. This explains his question in the opening lines referred to above.

I remember reading these verses 30 or so years ago. It was life-changing for me because it showed me that God’s grace does not give us a license to sin, but that He actually desires that we live righteous lives.

The end of Romans 5 explains it very thoroughly. But verse 2, above, sums it up nicely in very few words when Paul states, “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”.

If we have put our faith in Christ, we have died and been born again.

When we died, our old (sin-laden) self also died.

The new person in Christ is no longer bound to the old, habitually-sinful self. The chains were broken and the new man/woman is no longer bound to their old lifestyle.

The new creation in Christ has an obligation to leave their old sins and their old lifestyle behind. That might be hard for some to accept.

Again, Paul stated it very plainly saying, “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”.

God’s grace is indeed abundant and sufficient for our sins.

But He wants us to let Him show us how to live lives that are no longer built around the old self, the old habits and the old way of life.

Very simply put, as people who have died to sin (in Christ), let us no longer live under the bonds of sin.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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