Last time Paul had left us with two very important realities for believers. 1.) Our old man is dead and 2.) Our body of sin is destroyed. Through our identification with Yeshua in His death and resurrection we are freed from sin. Paul then spoke on the natural result of these realities.
Romans 6:12-15 (KJV)
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye 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.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Paul charged the believers not to let sin reign in or to obey the lusts of the physical body (verse 12). Now that the old man (the natural, carnal nature) and body of sin are dead, the believer's inability to refrain from sin has been severed. Through the Holy Spirit's indwelling, the believer's new man is able to live righteously. Let me say that again, believers are able to refrain from sin!
At the same time Paul admonished the believers not to use their bodies as "instruments of unrighteousness" (verse 13). Instead they are to yield themselves unto God. They are to live like those risen from the dead and to use their bodies as "instruments of righteousness."
According to verse 14 sin no longer has dominion over believers because they are no longer under Torah, but are under grace. But what does " no longer under Torah" mean? Traditionally, it has been accepted that believers are no longer held to Torah observance, but that meaning doesn't make sense in the context of the verse. It would be saying that sin no longer has dominion over believers because they no longer have to obey the Torah. This gives the idea that sin was wiped away by grace. This is not true. Rather, "no longer under Torah" reflects the change in status of the believer. Sin no longer has dominion over believers because they are no longer under the condemnation of Torah that law-breakers deserve, they have been saved and changed by grace.
Paul then asked the leading question, "Shall we sin because we are not under Torah, but under grace? Again, Paul answered negatively, "God forbid!" If believers are no longer under the condemnation of Torah, what is the big deal if they sin? Paul will further explain in the next post!
Next:
born
again Believers not standing under the condemnation of the Torah upon
Law-breakers, - See more at:
http://messianicpublications.com/j-k-mckee/paul-opposed-or-not-opposed-to-the-torah/#TN4
born
again Believers not standing under the condemnation of the Torah upon
Law-breakers, - See more at:
http://messianicpublications.com/j-k-mckee/paul-opposed-or-not-opposed-to-the-torah/#TN4
Amen.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
KW