Freedom From Sin - Part 3 — Roy Hession

Death to Sin and Union With Christ

We're going to read the whole of this chapter and a few verses of the next. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin? Live any longer therein?

Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death. Not only dead but buried out of sight. That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father.

Even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing this that our old man that is the man of old.

The man whose self whose center was self knowing that that man of old was crucified with him. That the body of sin might be destroyed. I pause there. There's been interpretation put upon that very largely.

That the body of sin is the end tale of sin the last remains of sin, but that should be destroyed and wiped out and upon that has been built the doctrine of a Sanctification whereby the last remains of sinful tendency is extracted from us as you would a bad tooth.

But the body of sin should be destroyed. But if we look at it exactly what it says it says this body of sin the body belonging to sin and when I'm away from God under the minion is in my body is sins body and God's purpose is that my body.

As sins body should cease to be that it should become God so it is that sins body should be enough. Because it is through the body that we sin. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that sins body Might be another there's more literally the word that henceforth.

We should not serve sin. For he that is dead is free from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead Died no more Death have no more dominion over him.

For in that he died he died of the sin one, but in that he liveth he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon he also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. But alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that you should abate in the life.

Neither yield ye as you used to your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as Instruments of righteousness unto God for sin shall not have dominion over you for you're not under the law but under grace.

Slavery to Sin or Righteousness

What then shall we sin because we're not under the law but under grace God forbid? No, he not that to whom you yield yourselves Service to obey. I'm going to translate you could put that as it really is.

No, he not that to whom you yield yourselves slaves to obey. His slaves he are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness. But God be fact that she were the slaves of sin.

But she had obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you Being then made free from sin. He became the slaves of righteousness. I Speak out to the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh.

For as you have yielded your members slaves to uncleanness and to iniquity unto further iniquity. Even so now yield your members as slaves to righteousness unto holiness. For when he were the slaves of sin, he were free from righteousness.

What a lovely phrase. You have free you were completely free from righteousness when you when you were the slave of sin. You can be as free from sin. As you were once free from righteous. Extraordinary phrase where he had a foot in it, but when he were the slaves of sin, he were free from righteousness.

What fruit had she in those things? Well of your now shame. For the end of those things is death but now being made free from sin and Become slaves to God you have your fruit unto holiness and the end.

Everlasting life for the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. No, you're not brethren for I speak to them that know the law. How that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he live it.

Freedom From the Law Through Christ

For the woman which hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he live it. But if the husband be dead she is loose from the law of her husband. So then if while her husband live it, she'd be married to another man.

She shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband be dead she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress though. She'd be married to another man wherefore my brethren Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of sin that she should be married to another.

Even to him who is raised from the dead. That we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were Provoked by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held now. That is quite clearly a Mistranslation in our dear authorized version it isn't the law that's died. The literal meaning is now we are delivered from the law.

Revised version having died to that isn't the law that's died as we've died like that husband having died to that wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

Well, I feel more than normally usually inadequate in dealing with this passage. I Feel I need to be taught so much about it myself in understanding it and in Knowing it in experience. It isn't that it hasn't been much preached on.

There's been so much said and some of it has seemed to take away from the simplicity that ought to characterize our understanding of truth, so we will depend upon the Lord and Well, I trust that you will have Understanding given you even beyond what I may say now the first thing I want to do is to praise God for the wonderful way in which he's been leading in our evening meetings and how they have Complemented the messages of the morning.

Grace and Repentance

It's quite obvious to the most cursory observer that the emphasis in the morning as we've studied this epistle is on the grace of God and That the emphasis in the evening has been upon repentance and those two always go together.

Indeed repentance is built in to grace. In a way it isn't built into any other Aspect. Grace requires repentance. Even more obviously the Lord does. Actually Lord only asked you to turn over a new leaf.

Grace asked you to turn back the path you see Grace is God Justifying the ungodly. Declaring him to be right. Who admits he's wrong. Who admits he's wrong? That's repentance and there's a lot in there admitting you're wrong.

It's just not done like that. How long and in what matters and on what occasion and how I mean putting it and admitting it. Is there something God wants you to do to put it, right? Not that my restitution can be at peace with God.

That's by the blood. But having got peace it may well be necessary to me to Make restitution. Make apology. Do something he may lead me to to put it right and so it goes very much together. We've understood these days that the gospel is good news for bad people on condition.

They acknowledge their bad. But that's not done like that bad in what matters and On what occasion and it's only brokenness. It is rarely willing to admit that. It's only when you can stand strict as a sinner.

That you appreciate this rightness with God, which is counted to the one who confesses it. I've often thought that that wonderful hymn we sometimes sing Jesus Christ is made to me all I need wisdom righteousness and power.

Is really the hymn or the message of it applies to the one who stands strict before God and sometimes his fellow. Without a stitch of righteousness He's shown up to be what he is and that's in his own acknowledgment.

And in the very hour that he sees he stripped of all righteousness God says now Jesus Christ is made to you all the righteous. You need grace only comes into play. Grace is only seen when man is in the place of complete abasement.

And so how wonderfully God's letters. I want to spend a moment emphasizing this wonderful Combination of grace and truth you like to turn to John 1 14 verse 17 rather John 1 17 for the law Was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Grace and Truth in the Light of the Cross

The contrast between Moses and Jesus law and grace. The law came by Moses and condemned of all of us. Grace comes to point us to Jesus of the finished work. It comes to us from Calvary. But will you notice it isn't only grace that's come by Jesus.

Otherwise that could be too sentimental God. Patting the sinner on the head. All right, didn't worry. No, no, it's grace and Truth that's come to me from Calvary. Truth me being being the truth about myself.

When I look at the cross I see what I must be how foul I must be how desperate my condition if it needed that remedy to put me back and I begin to see myself in the light of the cross grace and truth and God knows how to To blend the mix.

Sometimes you need more grace than truth. You know too much about yourself. You're sighing and struggling and I keep on repenting. You'll never get peace. You need the message of grace, but sometimes we know all about grace was singing about it, but it isn't working.

Things are happening on our lives. You know why you and I need an extra big dose of truth. And it's amazing to see how the Spirit knows how to do it. Sometimes the gathering comes everybody's praising and then something happens.

Jesus comes in whose eyes are the flame of fire and sin is judged. Only that grace Like the manifest living knowledge. And so it is yet so God knows how to. How to give us the righted mixture of grace and truth, but understand this it is much opposed to law as is grace.

It's not minimizing grace for one moment. As I said the law says turn over a new leaf try and do better. Truth says turn back in contrast to what law us and you know just to admit the truth is. Amazingly best I want to it occurs to me to bring you another verse on the same line because this is where something getting getting hold on in John rather 3 verse 20 for everyone that doeth evil.

Hated the light. Neither covers to the light lest his deed should be reproved. Is that clear? When a man's doing things he shouldn't do when a man doesn't want the other Christians to know. What how he's been going on he doesn't like the light for the light shows up everything as it is.

Certain types of fellowship are very full of life and Somehow you find it of spotlight. And you don't like those meetings everyone that do it evil shuns the light lest his deed should be discovered. But everyone that do is truth comes to the light that his needs these may be made manifest that they're wrought in God.

Now you would have thought.

That the opposite to doing Evil is.

Doing good that that verse 21 would have said but he that do is good comes to the light it doesn't say that. What it says is he that doing truth comes to the light in God's economy the opposite on the human level to good.

To evil is not good. The opposite to evil is truth. He said now look don't try and do good at the moment. Take me back for the moment what I want to do is to do truth. Oh now Face it out right to the bottom and the man who's willing thus to judge himself in the light of God Doesn't fear the light of fellowship.

He comes out into the light. He's done truth in the secret place before God. Therefore he that do it evil hated the light now to come to the light, but he that prepared to judge himself to do truth. That with a penitent sinner's testimony of what grace has done for him when he was prepared to Do truth, but I would take him quite a bit of time, but I think I hope it's properly In showing how God is giving us both grace and truth in these days and they're both come by Jesus and as I say doing truth is.

It is as much opposed to law as his grace, it's so restful Lord. I'm a flop. It's no good be struggling. I'm just hope it's all right. That's it do truth and then grace comes in and does for you what you can't do.

Instead of striving to be right. Acknowledge how wrong you are and peace comes and Jesus comes and takes over and then things can happen and. So there is that great. With grace and by the way that same mixture is to be manifest.

Grace and Truth in Christian Fellowship

In our relationships to others God brings us grace and truth and we're to manifest the same. We're always thinking about manifesting grace. More about Jesus would I know more of his grace to others show and that's very important.

But is it in Colossians? I haven't looked it up, but you can Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with salt the salty tang of loving challenge that can't tell a lie and can't pretend everything is all right when it is.

But has sometimes in full grace to be truthful and help about. That's how to our fellowships to be always with grace, but seasoned with salt only season with it. Don't put too much. We don't die. You see God only seasons grace with salt.

You can't live on salt and you can't live on no exposure. But that exposure is necessary for tasting the sweet grace of God and we are said called to be the salt of the earth. You see our very presence would be a challenge to say in your.

Salt speaks of a different taste in contrast. Well now we're going to try and get a little further into Romans 6. You know the reason why I'm little frightened. Little out of the day and yet We're not going to have anything that isn't simple because God's truth is simple.

The Gospel of Grace and the Problem of Practical Holiness

Now when you address yourself to this chapter Paul is Facing a problem, which is raised by the very gospel. He's been preaching. The gospel he's been preaching is of the grace as he says that justifies the ungodly.

That declares him to be right who confesses himself to be wrong. He's told us how God for Christ's sake and because of the blood of Christ is pleased to impute Righteousness apart from works to the one who repents and puts his faith in me.

He's made it clear that he does this while we're still sinners. You're not accounted right with God when you've improved some it even while you're a sinner on the condition. You fully acknowledge that thing.

He's pleased to count you, right? And then to this righteousness is imputed it's not imparted. At least the one he's speaking of there's a little impartial imparting a much much. But when he talks about this glorious initial great work of grace, it's an imputed righteous.

It's wrecked you impute motives to people which they may not have and God imputes a rightness with himself to the believer, which he hasn't got in himself and he does it while he's a sinner. But on this condition he repents and acknowledges and More than that this rightness with himself Is unconditional being justified declared right with God freely.

Gratuitously by his great now that is the gospel that he's been proclaimed and whereas it certainly gives sinners a chance. Opens up possibilities for a man like me. It raises problems and The problem he is facing now in in Romans 6 is how to secure practical daily holiness.

Under such a system a man may say well, that's how it is. What I do whether I act wrong or right doesn't seem to matter. I'm reckoned right with God apart from work. And if I do sin, I can always repent.

There's grace and he recognized that fact. Shall we continue in sin? You might well say that grace may bow and it wasn't nearly a theoretical difference. It was something desperately practical. Because whereas it was only this message it could have been brought hope to the pagan Gentiles.

There are very disturbing movements in the early church. Where looseness was coming in and because of this very fact, it's great. It's all right. We talk about the Pentecostal Church. And the Church of the end it was not one bit better than the church today.

You wouldn't have had three-quarters of Paul's epistles if it had been a perfect church. All his epistles 75 of them are correct because of things going on and one of the things Paul says to you there are certain men.

Correct in a way in unawareness who were before of all of old ordained to this condemnation. Ungodly men turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. That was a very practical thing. They said oh it is wonderful this thing you can commit adultery.

It doesn't matter about sexual impurity. It's all right under grace. Our relationship with God is unconditional. We can do what we like and so Paul really had to address himself to this. He knew it was happening all over Asia Minor.

Mostly not everywhere not in every person, but there was this movement creeping in unaware. No doubts about its origin. It's of the devil. And they're of old ordained under condemnation. They turn the grace of God into the seriousness.

Denying the Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Practically is not their etiquette. They're denying him and so he has to stretch himself to this problem. I would like to say I'm sure those of you who who live with Paul Will know that there are two there were two tremendous anxieties in his heart.

Law and Licentiousness

He has to combat these two all along. The one is law all the time these Judaizers these supposed heathen Christians would dog his steps come into the assemblies and try and add law to grace and Thus destroy grace altogether and so many of his epistles are on that night.

But there's another anxiety of his and that's lucid law and Lucid there's not an epistle in which he does not talk in very faint terms about impurity and About practical relationship. He's counseling against care.

He has to show them that now they're saved by grace grace commits them to a life of practical holiness and quitting sin and Putting things right. Came to me early this morning, but those are the two big anxieties all the time.

You see on the possible part law on the one hand. And the six told grace and keep grace to be grace. And yet his concern this grace should be. And now he gives us his answer in Romans 6 to this great problem.

Does grace lead Pollution. Well now we saw yesterday that he doesn't safeguard grace. By tightening up on grace by minimizing grace by making the blessings of grace conditional on behavior. Whereas that might do some of us good perhaps It would do others of us.

Yeah, it might challenge some. It would make others whatever answer he's got with it. You're going to be quite sure it's going to be consistent with grace. Grace is still going to be grace. Although holiness must be the result.

He's not going to go back to other rules. Now that is the normal way of doing it. I think very often in our teachings. Now praise the Lord you're saved by grace. Now if you're going to be a successful Christian, we give them rule.

We tell them what we must give up or suggest things and so on and so on and so on. But that we're back to the to the to the path of do do do. We've left that sweet place of down by Jesus on the cross and as we try to do.

We find we don't succeed and we get back to the theme that our peace with God is dependent on our doing as we don't do. We're condemned again, and we're under dominion of sin again, and the devil builds that great superstructure again that overshadows us.

So the way of holiness must be and is Consistent with grace. Well now in this passage Twice over he states the question this problem and asks the question. You notice it comes twice virtually the same thing in the first verse shall shall we continue in sin that grace may abound and.

Then in verse 15 he almost says the same thing again. Shall we sin because we're not under the law but under grace. So he he asked the question twice and he gives two answers. Now the answer to the first is he tells us Something has happened.

Knowing, Reckoning, and Yielding

Which Severs our connection With sin. He says you have died. To see how shall we that are dead to see? Now So often if you have a revised version you will notice that the tense is a change consistently.

In many places where it is it in that part possible you have done things you have seen not in every place but in certain places where the authorize says you have seen the revised rightly puts you sin and Where it says, you know, you are dead.

The revised says you die. For instance in Romans 5 it says Death passed upon all men for all that have sinned. That might mean we have sinned. But it isn't literally that the revised is for all sin. All sin, that's how that they all did it together.

They did. When did all sin. They were reckoned to all. Difficult to receive sometimes why should I be accounted a sinner because of Adam but we've had to deal with. Now here it isn't you are dead to sin.

Which would describe perhaps a condition that you say isn't this true that you died you have died you died to sin. You when did I die to sin when Christ died, please turn the cassette over now. Do not fast wind it in either direction.

Into that at the moment. Here is the method of rest. Paul says something has happened to you. Something is a fact for you now act according. Now the normal way would be. Try and crucify the old man. Try and crucify your your your simple pen and when you've really done that then you can regard yourself as having died to sin.

But that's law me trying to crucify the old man trying to get myself into a certain condition. But grace says I tell you at the beginning you have died. You are in that condition now simply be what grace says you are.

Now to see this method of grace perhaps the I mean all over the New Testament. But perhaps you can see it clear is in Ephesians 5 verse 8 this method of grace. Ephesians 5 8 verse 7 it says be not therefore partakers with these workers of darkness and.

Then in verse 8 for ye wear sometimes at one time darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord? Walk as children of light. He doesn't say now if you walk as children of light and give up sin and give up darkness.

You will then qualify to be called a child of light. There's this you are there. By virtue of the fact the blood of Christ has cleansed you you pass from death and to life by grace you are a child. Much as the blood can make you now simply be what you are.

You are that even if you don't let it all succeed to be what you are you are that grace tells you. You no longer belong to the dead. You'll be translated from darkness to light. Now walk and be what you are.

Now that is the method of Grace is still great. Grace tells what is done for me out now be what you are. Walk as a child. Child of that doesn't hide. I don't you have. Walk and the child that see you see III.

I am there. I remember Fred Vaughn giving a talk once he put in the blackboard a one line down the center. Kingdom of darkness was written on one side Kingdom of life on the other. And he said if you receive Christ you belong to the kingdom of life.

But you can be if you like walking as a child of darkness belonging to one kingdom. But walking in the other and when I repent of that I come to be in experience what I always was by grace. And I become consistent With my calling.

So I met in any case. And whatever your experience is you have done With now yesterday we tried to Explain this ministration on what this business of dying to sin having died to sin with Christ is and how it brings freedom.

Dying With Christ and Freedom From Sin

We thought of the illustration of the man who volunteered for another and when the substitute died. The one for whom he was a substitute was regarded by the Lord to have died too. And therefore was free from any further obligation along that line.

And then we saw the illustration of Daniel Illustrating I through the Lord dead or he couldn't go into that pit anymore for that Breach of the law of the meats and persons he'd been When he come out of it.

He was free from them and we saw That. This question of dying having died with Christ is simply an extension of the truth that Christ died for me if he died for me. It's as if I died if he paid the price that was that I was owing it as if I paid and God records me To have paid.

No wonder he said he that is dead is free from sin payment. God cannot Christ demand first at my bleeding savior's hand and then again mine. I've paid it in my Savior in my substitute. But he says that's not just a nice little theory a nice little way of putting it.

You're going to take that you you have died With Christ. To see you've paid the price you see Jesus didn't have to pay it again. He says in that he died he died for sin once his blood was enough. But I believe we're sinners more than Sands upon the ocean shore thou hast from all atonement made you don't need to go again and do the job again.

One day one shedding was enough. They're free and I can be free. I'm free free from the law free from condemnation free from that super structure. No, happy condition. Jesus is there and there is remission.

Yes, he says now that's that's the way you get free, but it is. I use it as a practice. God regards you as you yourself having done. Oh, there's so many implications. As we saw yesterday one implication is it doesn't expect any any good from a dead man.

The man who centers himself God has judged ended in rather than meditative his hopes are holiness not from you. But from the Lord Jesus whose life you share who lives in. But then another implication the one he seems to be dealing with mostly is it how absolutely Contrary to reason it is for you to play with that to which you're dead.

Take your stand. This is something that that I've been judicially severed from it's very interesting note. The three things he says about our Lord Jesus in Romans 6. He says he died Verse 3 with that in his death.

He was buried verse 4. He was raised from the dead and God says I count all that as having happened to you. I count you my reckoning. That nice good man who's hoping for a piece of respectability is so hopeless and rotten that I've had to crucify.

Something's already happened. The lady went up to a preacher once and said would you please pray that I shall be nothing. He says madam. You're that already take it by faith. And You know this work of me being crucified as much a it's better as much a finished work as my sins being put on Christ.

If someone here repenting of their sins and coming to Jesus for the first time is Oh God, please put my sins on Jesus. God will say I won't. You won't put my sins on Jesus. No, I won't. Why not Lord. I've done it already.

Take it by faith that you're free and The same way when a man is struggling with an old eye and I remember the time years ago when God showed me the first I Was struggling with jealousy. It was supposed to be dead, but it wouldn't lie down.

I couldn't suppress it. And I said Oh Lord crucify just I it's just I trouble. I was an eye specialist. I Already take it by faith and I remember the one when I took that by faith. Relations to attend and I was reading that.

The revised version. Not I am crucified. I have to. When was I crucified with Christ that morning? No. How many hundred years ago? I took it by faith. And I began to act and I began to deal with every rising with it as a man.

Who's just a prisoner coming out of his own back to prison? And he went back. It's on the name of the Lord he came out again. I said You see so so dear one you you you have you have. And this attempt to crucify the old man is trying to do what God's already done.

He knows how to make it through he knows how to practically implement it. He says you've got to be what you are. You have you deal with these things as things to which you have died. You're a petal thing.

I think things have no part in you. There's a dominion over. They even condemn you even if they happen you repent quickly that this is finished. No, this is the answer of grace to this thing. How would you secure holiness?

Grace says you have finished. Now If you had your hands be what you want then he said he was buried. It is we and the same to his weapon to us out of stuff I don't know. So I've agreed to me when I'm so worried about myself.

We'll accept this again. I think. Lovely to believe in your own judgment. Lovely believe that the that the sentence already be executed. No more to go milling over that man who got already finished it.

He's tired of him, but you rest from him soon. Very. I suppose it's possible to be sort of trying to trying to sort of to display One's holiness. No, no, you're dead. We don't want to see we don't want to even see your wonderful struggles they are.

Connection with that man of old whose self whose center with self is legally determined. But then he says Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the father that to its record to us to God doesn't see.

Struggling only having myself to allow he sees if I don't see myself. United to Christ like a branch to the vine sharing his life and he says you have to see yourself. We're always seeing ourselves join To the old man instead of joy to Christ.

The Old Man and the New Marriage

Now, that is the great Illustration that Paul gives us in Romans 7. It's the illustration that Paul gives us in Romans 7. I've given you two Mr. Yes. The one about the soldier and even Daniel that's a Bible story.

But we've taken as an illustration now. Paul himself gives us an illustration of this and he gets gives us the picture of a woman married to a husband and She's bound to that husband by the law as long as he lives.

If you shouldn't even live somebody else you've been adulterous and maybe it's a very unpleasant old man. He tries to improve him. Maybe you've heard the story of a little boy and a visitor came to their home and he asked the man.

And Where was his wife. And I haven't got a wife. He said well who teaches you. Who teaches you. Well, I guess this woman tried to teach the old man improve the old. But he wouldn't be improved. And she was bound to that old man.

Until now. The law binds you to your old man. And he's a nasty old man. You can't improve the old man. You can't teach the old man, but he's incorrigible. Oh, when shall I be free this cruel so how it strives within my breath, you know, there's what those hymns of sighing for deliverance.

Oh, if only this old man could die and I'd be free. Jesus says it happened already. You have become dead to the Lord. By the body of Christ when Christ died God says I regard it. And you can come into freedom from that old man.

God will God he says I want you to regard yourself as your first marriage as having been terminated by death and you're free now to marry again. To whom. To him who's raised from the dead. And there you have a consistent picture in Scripture.

Haven't you? Of the child of God. As the bride of Christ and the result fruit unto God the result of marriage is children fruit. And Fruit comes when I learn to count on the fact that that old man that man I love of old who sees me unimprovable is where God's putting me.

He is what God says he is. And I cease to expect good from him at the same time. I cease to let him operate. If he does he may. She's not eradicated. Back to April. You go back to the cross yourself and Lord.

This is part of that man. That you crucified of course you won't be too surprised if the old man proves himself to be what he is. You said I thought he was improved to say this thing's come up again. No, that old man doesn't improve.

God's purpose is not to improve Self don't but to impart Christ. This is where we have in the impartation. It's pretty basically from our justification and so he gives us this first answer to his first question.

We have to do two three things we have to know this fact. We could count on it in all this implication. You look there. You see those three words knowing. First six knowing that that man of old has been crucified secondly.

Reckoning. First of them in record count on this fact in all this implication. Let not sin. Rain is he defo. And. Then the third is you. The word yield doesn't mean a good thing to me really. Sometime came to me up here, but some other time and so you thank you so much for making.