Chapter # 6 Paragraph # 2 Study # 1
July 31, 2016
Humble, Texas
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Thesis: The Sin seeks to operate both as "king" and "lord" by lies.
Introduction: In our last study of the first extended paragraph in Romans 6 we considered Paul's exhortation to live "by faith". He didn't say it that way; rather, he said "Reckon...". But that verb is used in contexts where the issues of "faith" are most fundamentally highlighted: a setting of contrary options that must be considered; a definitive drawing of a conclusion as to which option is "true"; and then active decision-making with that option clearly in mind. These issues are always present in every circumstance of life and "faith" follows their processes. We are to "believe" that we are "dead indeed to The Sin". and "alive to The God". Then, we are to move to the next issue of "faith": we are to make active decisions that are rooted in these twin realities. This is the focus of Paul's next words and of our study this evening.
- I. The "Loop" in Romans 6:12-14.
- A. At the beginning of the "loop" is Paul's command that we refuse to allow The Sin to "act as a king" in our mortal bodies.
- B. At the end of the "loop" is Paul's promise that "Sin" shall not "act as a lord" over us.
- II. The Dual Issues.
- A. The concept of "king" is the concept of a sovereign of a territory and a population in which the king both establishes and enforces the "rules" (he is the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of his kingdom all rolled into one).
- B. The concept of "lord" is most heavily tilted toward the judicial aspect that is involved in whatever setting is in view (Note Romans 14:4 where the "lord" is the judge).
- C. Thus, the distinctive is that "King" is the larger field of meaning and "Lord" is a subset of that same field of meaning.
- III. The Significance of Paul's Choices of Words.
- A. At the beginning of his summary exhortation(s) in 6:12-14, at issue is the broader scope of a "king's" functions with a set order of priorities.
- 1. In the legislation aspect of a "king's" function, there is the establishment of what is to be "true" in the kingdom as the foundation for the rules.
- 2. The "kingdom" of which Paul writes is the Kingdom of The Sin.
- a. This means that the establishment of what will be "true" for the kingdom will inevitably be an extremely deceptive body of lies.
- b. This explains why Paul chose the terms "unto the obedience".
- 1) Biblically, "obedience" is never simply conforming to the rules.
- 2) The root idea of biblical "obedience" is that one "hears" the disputation involved in the process of "reckoning" what is to be accepted as truth, and then "submits" oneself to that "truth".
- 3) The outcome of "hearing unto submission" is behavior that conforms to the demands of the "truth".
- c. Thus, if a lie, or a series of lies, can be "established as true", all is lost.
- 1) The root truth of divine revelation regarding our position as subjects to a king is our indivisible unity with Christ so that we are "in Him" and He is "in us".
- 2) This root is established so that "lies" are exposed and defeated at the "reckoning" level.
- 3. Then, in the executive aspect of the "king's" function is the actual behavior that is pursued.
- 4. And, finally, in the judicial aspect of the "king's" function is the "force" that enables the kingdom to withstand both inner and outer opposition.
- a. In the Kingdom of The Sin, the Justice of God is a primary focus of force and actually becomes the sponsor of many sins (1 Corinthians 15:56).
- b. In the Kingdom of God, the grace of God is the primary focus of entreaty and becomes the sponsor of many actions of righteousness.
- B. Thus, we begin with the decision of Who is the King and end with the promise of success by His grace as "Lord", the authority of Judgment Who sets Justice aside "in Christ".
- IV. The Particular Issues Involved in The Lies.
- A. First is the "mortal body".
- 1. The "mortality" of this body is at the root of a great number of "sins" because of the fear of death.
- 2. And the "bodiness" of this body is at the root of our understanding of how evil is perpetuated in the physical world.
- B. Second is the "potent lusts" of The Sin.
- 1. The most dominant of these "lusts" is the desire to be "ministered unto" as one "worthy" of acclaim and honor.
- 2. Falling into line beneath this dominant desire are those desires that align themselves under the "fear" that is lodged in the soul and the "fear" that is lodged in the body.
- a. Thus "fear" is the root and evil behavior is the fruit.
- b. And God's answer is "peace".