Lesson 4

Intro Review:

Application:

First, concerning obedience and its relationship to overcoming the temptation of the indwelling Sin nature with its passions and lusts.

By understanding the facts presented in verses 1-10, [understanding of our position] we are to know for certain that we are dead to the power and rule of sin and alive in the power of Christ.

This means we have the resources necessary for obedience to God or as Paul puts it here, to present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. (Rom. 6:13b).

So what has Paul emphasized with Rom 6:

* First its imperative that know the facts of our identification with Christ (vs. 1-10).

* Then we must count on them as spiritual realities, by faith [believing them] (cf. vs. 11 with vs. 8).

* Third, knowing and believing in our new identification, we are to choose to present ourselves to God for obedience (vs. 12-18).

* This presentation is ultimately carried out through walking by faith empowered by the Spirit who dwells within each of us (Rom. 8:1-13; Gal. 5:16).

Conclusion

Since as believers we are complete in Christ, there is nothing they can add to gain salvation, or to maintain their salvation (Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 8:32-39).

We are saved by the record of the Savior, not ours.

Likewise, there is nothing believers can add to the work of Christ or to their new life in Christ in order to walk with God and experience true spirituality.

All this results in two strong implications here:

* Security: Believers are doubly safe with Christ in God (cf. John. 10:28-29; Rom. 8:38-39).

* Provision: The believer's life is nourished and supplied by hidden resources which the world cannot know nor give. [blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ]

Bottom Line:

The Spirit of God, whose responsibility it is to glorify Christ and mediate His life, Christ's life, to you and me, will never engender spiritual power or bring change into any life that is not resting in the merit, significance, and sufficiency of Christ as the source and ground of their life.

1:3-14 The Great Doxology - Praise to the Trinity

1:3-6 Praise to the Father

a. The Father's relationship to the Son. 1:3a

1. "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,"

- "Blessed = euvloghto,j; verbal adjective; indicates one who is worthy of blessing, based on their character!

God is not only the source of blessing as we will find but He is the only one who is worthy of ascribing praise, honor to.

2. "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,"

- What relationship is meant when Jesus is spoken of as having a God and Father? That God is both His God and Father?

- The point that He is making is that there is a unique relationship that I have with the Father that you do not! Its a distinct, different relationship!

- There is another aspect, the designation of Father points to the establishment of order in the Trinity.