Lesson  81

The Christ-Centered Life

                               The Foundation is our Position in Christ - Rom 6

Review:

 

 

 

Observations:  6:7-10;

1.  This whole context is not directed toward the unbeliever, unsaved at all but to the believer.

 

2.  Christ's death, burial, resurrection and our identification with Him are all His work on behalf of us, the believer in Christ.

 

3.  The believer is now to look back to the cross, upon all that Christ has accomplished and to see just how it all applies to him/her in their life after salvation.

 

4.  Only as we apply these truths are we able to walk in newness of life, to walk worthy of our calling in Christ!

 

5.  Need to Rem: none of it is effective apart from the ministry of the 3rd person of the Trinity.

  

 

6.  The sin nature is still alive/well but it has been judged by Christ's death to it, and our identification with His death!

 

7.  What we need to learn, is that none of this works or is effective if we attempt to live in this sphere of the newness of life, in our own energy! 

 

 

8.  The whole argument of the passage revolves around our vital living union with Christ. 

 

 

9.  The ultimate purpose is to get us to realize one great truth!

- that we are able through the grace resources given to walk in newness of life; God honoring, holy life, to walk worthy.

 

10.  That I believe is the ultimate divine objective here in this context; the manner of the Christian's walk.  2 Cor 5:15

 

Intro:  Next section

Ø      6:11-13  Our Responsibilities in view of the Cross; as a result of our Identification with Christ's work on our behalf.

ØPaul teaches that we as Christians have certain responsibilities (6) in light of our freedom from the sinful nature and our resurrection with Christ. [our CPT]

6:14 We have the reason for our ability to effectively carry out our responsibilities.

 

Ø      6:11a   Our first responsibility [1 of 6]

"Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin,"

 

 

- consider  [reckon]  logizomai  

The stress of the use here lies with the process of reasoning;

i.e. to calculate, to take into account, to deliberate, the idea is that it refers to something that is carefully thought through.

 

 

 

 

- Our first responsibility as a Christian, then, is that every time the sinful nature tries   to               us, to manipulate us and motivate us to commit sin we should remember the fact that that the old nature is no longer our                  .

 

 

Ø      6:11b Our Second Responsibility  [related to our CPT]

   - We are to reckon ourselves "alive to God in Christ Jesus"

       

 

 

 

The second responsibility of the Christian, then, is that every time the sinful nature tries to exert control of our decisions and actions which always result in sin;

We are to remember the fact that we now live in a unique personal relationship with God; therefore, our life is to be characterized by that relationship, i.e. remember its Christ's life.