Paul is returning to a question brought up in chapter 3 – why not keep sinning so grace will abound? In chapter 5 he brings up two big events – the first Adam who brought sin into the world and the one righteous act by Jesus who undid that sin, and brought life and grace.
Paul’s analogy at the end of Chapter 5 needs some further explanation. He structures this around rhetorical questions that have an assumed “no” as an answer. That being said, it is more than a simple no.The ESV translates it “By no means.” It is a strong negation of the thought. He uses this phrase multiple times in chapters 6-7.
Some have falsely, and slanderously, accused Paul of teaching a doctrine of grace that allows for sin to continue. They even argue that Paul’s teaching means that sin ultimately leads to the glory of God (see Romans 3:5-8). The problem is not with Paul, but with their understanding of grace. Paul works to clear that up in the coming chapters.
In chapter 6 Paul reminds them of how they have been transferred from one realm into the other, from that where sin reigned into that where grace abounds.
Should we continue to sin so grace increases?
1. No! Baptism moves us from Adam to Christ. Rom. 6:1-5. If you continue to sin you will be pulled closer and closer to death. Instead enter the domain of grace which leads to life. Once you enter the Christ domain you have left behind the domain of sin. You have died to your old self and now walk in newness of life.
2. No! We are under the rule of grace and life. Rom. 6:6-14. A change has been made in our lives so that now we can follow the will of our Savior. His point the whole time up until chapter 6 is the law of Moses is no longer the standard to live by. But He is not against all law.
3. No! Slaves obey their master. Rom. 6:15-23. We need to avoid the tendency to look back at our previous life of sin and how free we were to do as we pleased. Do not glorify that life. What we should glory in is the change that has taken place in our life.
Count yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, Rom. 6:11. You killed that old man, why would you want to continue to sin? There’s no purpose, there’s no hope. In contrast, the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sermon by Brent Moody
