romans 6:1-8:39: sanctification

Christianity doesn't end with salvation; the next three chapters are devoted to what happens to the Christian after receiving justification through faith. Basically, life for the Christian should involve becoming more like Christ, a process (or act) we call sanctification.
There is some disagreement about what sanctification is; but all Christians agree that Paul is clearly saying that there is a separation from sin that takes place with salvation, and that the Holy Spirit provides the power for the Christian to become more like Jesus Christ, the author and perfector of our salvation.

1. Rom 6:1 - 7:13: Unity With Christ Makes Obedience Our Only Option.

1. Salvation means we have died with Christ and are starting new lives (6:1-6:14)

The question: Does Grace mean we can sin? (Christians gone wild)

NO! (remember this from Rom 3:8)

The point of the next 3 chapters is to end any discussion of this topic.
Basically, Paul will prove that this is impossible for the Christian.

Spiritual Reality: We are unified with Christ. (6:1-11)

"Spiritual reality" - we are dead to sin and alive with Christ.
Our unity with Christ is a major theme of Paul's; our justification flows from our association with Christ.

The picture is baptism.

we are dead to the old ways, we have give our lives for the pearl of great price.
i love baptism because of this passage.

Current Imperative: "do not let sin reign"

Notice the tension?

calvinist: you have been baptized. you are dead to sin. sin/death are no longer our masters
arminian: you - do something. "consider yourselves to be dead to sin", "do not let sin reign"

We must live this way very actively!

2. Time for illustrations! (6:15-7:13)

See, it's like slavery (6:15-6:23)

Illustration:

Prior to Christ, we were slaves to sin and could not be free!
No we are slaves of righteousness

Point:

You didn't have the option to obey rightesousness previously.
Now you don't have the option to obey sin.

Either way, you're required to "serve somebody".

Basically, that's the point.
You are required to set out in service of one or the either.
Either you are making God your master, or you are enslaved to sin.

interesting description for the Christian; one who presents himself as a slave to obedience.
fits well with Christ's talk of giving all of ourselves and our possessions for salvation.

See, it's like marriage (7:1-7:6)

Marriage illustration

You were married to the law.
but, as death frees you from marriage, so your death in christ frees you from the law.

Sidenote: The Law didn't provide salvation, it illuminated sin (7:7-7:13)

So...if the law didn't save, what did it do?
it revealed sin.

remember this from 5:13 ("but sin is not imputed where there is no law)?
the law showed man's need for salvation.

huh? the major revelation of one the Old Testament's biggest items is to show us how bad we are?

yup.
God considers it important that we realize how badly we need him

question: what command is paul saying he failed on?

"thou shalt not covet"
which commandment is it? (the last one)
what's different about it than the others (commands the heart, rather than an action)

Bottom line: "the christian can not, and should not, let sin reign"

2. Rom 7:14 - 7:25: But Obedience Is Hard!

This is one of the more heavily argued about sections in Romans. Some argue that Paul is speaking of his current struggles, some argue that Paul is speaking of his past, pre-Christian life, and a few others argue that Paul is personifying Israel and it's struggle to follow the law. Deciding which of these views is correct is usually a result of how you believe Christians are sanctified; in other words, people read this passage as their views require.
I believe that this is Paul is expressing the difficulty every believer suffers in trying to obey God and failing.

Read Rom 7:14-7:25

The options are:

reformed:

sanctification is linear; sin exists for all believers, but decreases somewhat with increasing maturity.

weslyan (aka weslyan perfectionism):

sanctification is an event. the christian undergoes a crisis of sanctification, after which he/she does not sin.
god continues to show the believer new areas to change after the crisis, so increasing maturity results, but not in the presence of sin (as there is no knowledge of the areas requiring change).

keswick:

sanctification is an event and a process. the christian undergoes a crisis of faith and devotion, after which he/she does not sin intentionally (sins of comission). ongoing sanctification takes place beyond this, allowing the christian to become more christlike (sins of omission).

i'm reformed and consider the other views odd.

if sanctification is an event process, why is this not more clearly defined in scripture?
why are there no commands to 'be sanctified' or to 'seek the sanctification experience'?
further, i personally see no textual evidence that rom 7:14-28 is anything but personal and current.

what is this section here for?

this section balances the spiritual reality of 6:1-7:13 (we are free from sin) with our present experience (it's hard and we want to sin).
paul attempts to resolve this tension in chapter 8.

Bottom line: "obedience isn't easy"

3. Rom 8:1 - 8:39: The Holy Spirit Works Within Us To Help Us Obey

Remember the question: What is the Christian's relationship to sin?
so far we've seen that the christian is free from sin but still struggles with sin.
paul will here say that the spirit will lead us to less sin; god loves and helps us.

1. 8:1-8:25 Christians set their minds on the things of the Spirit because the Spirit indwells them.

Read Rom 8:5-17

is this evidence of salvation?

you are setting your mind on the things of the Spirit
the spirit is within you giving you life (to set your mind on the things of the spirit).

8:18-25

very similar to 2 cor 5:1-10.
life for us is about hope; present sufferings vs future glory

2. 8:26-8:39 God loves us, cares for us, and will conform us to the image of Christ.

8:26-30 - God (the Spirit) intercedes for us
8:31-39 - God loves us and will save and sanctify us.

so...can the christian sin all day?
no. that shows a misunderstanding of what salvation is.

1. christians are free from bondage to sin.
2. that doesn't mean that we don't struggle with sin though.
3. the spirit indwells us and allows us to set our mind on the things of the spirit.

further. the spirit prays for us. and god loves us - he will carry us through to the end.

Bottom line: god loves us and will help us to look like christ