Okay, now we're coming back to
Romans chapter 6. Let's take a look at verse 18
one more time. Being then made free from sin. Being made free. Being made free. By nature, we're born in bondage
to sin, aren't we? We're only made free from sin
because of the grace of God, because of the power of God,
because of the glorious sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
the only way we are free from sin. Because the Lord stood in
our place, took our sin in His own body, and put away sin by
the sacrifice of Himself. Being made free from sin, you
became the servants of righteousness. Turn over to Romans chapter Romans
8, verse 2. Being made free, free, free. The Lord said, you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Romans 8, verse
2. For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. Free from sin and dead to the
law. alive unto God, free from sin,
and dead to the law. Being so, we are made servants
of righteousness." Now, whenever I see the word righteousness,
as I pointed out before, I always think of Christ our righteousness. We are servants of the Lord Jesus
Christ who is made unto us righteousness. He is our righteousness. That's
why the Apostle Paul said, I count everything else lost, dumb, and
ruined that I may win Christ and be found in Him who is my
righteousness. The righteousness we enjoy in
the Lord Jesus Christ is the righteousness that justifies
us before God. Servants of righteousness. Believers are willing, loving,
bond servants to Christ. That's what the word servants
there means. He has made us willing to serve
Him in the day of His power. Now, having said that, look at
verse 19. He says, I speak to you, I speak
after the manner of men. Now, we know that the Apostle
Paul here is writing under the direct inspiration of God. The words that we are reading
here are the very words that the Lord gave the Apostle. But
here he's saying that even though he's speaking by the power and
authority of God, he's speaking in such a way as we as finite
creatures can somewhat understand what is being said. If God spoke
to us in that high and holy infinite spiritual language, Paul said,
I was taken to the third heaven and I heard things that I can't
even There's no way to even speak in that kind of language. So
aren't you glad the Lord brings things down to a level whereby
we can understand somewhat by the help of God revealing the
things of Christ unto us? We're going to see in our study
this morning from Luke chapter 12, the Lord uses a very simple
illustration of the birds and the flowers. He brings it down,
and I don't mean to diminish the Word of God, but He brings
it down to some kind of level of our understanding. I can understand
a bird. I can understand a flower. And
that's what Paul is saying here. He says over in 2 Corinthians
3, seeing we have such a great hope, we use great plainness
of speech. I speak after the manner of men
because of the infirmity of your flesh. the infirmity, the weakness,
the sinfulness of your flesh, and I have to say, my flesh,
our flesh, that which is born of the flesh, that's all it will
be, is flesh. I speak after the manner of men,
because of the infirmity of your flesh, or as you have yielded
your members, servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity, unto iniquity,
even so now yield your members, or present," remember that word
there, yield, is rendered also, "...present your members, servants
to righteousness and holiness." Now, what's he saying here? The Apostle Paul said, I speak
to you with familiar human terms because of the weak and feeble
and diseased flesh that we all have. I accommodate myself to
your capacity because of the weakness of your understanding
in spiritual things." He puts this great truth in simple terms
that we might, by the grace of God, understand what he is saying. Number one, as you have been
servants of sin, born in sin, shaping in iniquity. And we yielded
at that time, we yielded to the uncleanness and the iniquity
of our sinful bondage. But now, he says, now, even so
now, Now you've been made new creatures in Christ. Now you've
been called out of darkness into God's marvelous light. Now you've
been made object of His mercy. Now you've been made object of
His love, even so. even so now yield your members
servants to righteousness." Now what a contrast. Servants to
sin, going about to establish a righteousness of our own by
the deeds of the law. Servants to sin, even so now
yield your members or present your members servants to righteousness
and to holiness. Now, what does this mean? righteousness and holiness. This is not saying that we produce
a righteousness in the flesh. Now that would be totally contrary
to the teaching of Scripture, would it not? Remember in Romans
chapter 3 where it said, there is none righteous, no, not one. So this is not saying that we
produce a righteousness in the flesh that is pleasing to God. If righteousness comes by the
law, then Christ is dead in vain. It's not saying that we do in
the flesh or what we do in the flesh is holy. Now I can't think
of anything that is more repulsive to a believer than to think that
we produce a holiness or righteousness in the flesh. That would be totally
contrary to the teaching of Scripture. But rather what he is telling
us and teaching us, rather simply saying, now we are servants to
the Lord Jesus Christ, being made new creatures in Christ,
who is our righteousness, and who is our holiness. He is our sanctification. He
is our wisdom. Remember in 1 Corinthians 1.30,
He is made unto us, but of Him are you in Christ. How do you
get in Christ? But of Him are you in Christ,
who is made unto us. Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. You see, in salvation, the Lord
Jesus Christ, He is all and in all. Hold your place there, and
I will turn to Ephesians chapter 4. Let's read here just a minute. We were the servants of sin,
being born in sin and being born in bondage to sin. No way of
delivering ourselves from the bondage of sin. Ephesians chapter
4, notice verse 17, This I say therefore and testify in the
Lord that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in
the vanity of their mind, that is in the way of idolatry and
self-righteousness, having their understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is
in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being past
feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work
all uncleanness with greediness, but you've not so learned Christ.
If so be that you've heard him and have been taught by him as
the truth is in Christ Jesus, that you put off concerning The
former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according
to the deceitfulness of lust. We don't trust the old man for
salvation, do we? Verse 23, and be renewed in the
spirit of your mind. That's regeneration. That's being
made a new creature in Christ. And that you put on the new man.
That's being born again, that's the new birth. Which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness. Notice, it's created. We are His workmanship in Christ
Jesus created. We are His workmanship created
in Christ Jesus. Created in holiness, created
in righteousness. You see, Christ is all and in
all, and we stand complete in Him. You remember from our study
in Hebrews 12, where it says, follow peace with all men. Follow peace. Now we know that
the Lord Jesus Christ made peace for us with his own blood. Follow
peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see
the Lord. Now whose holiness there is he
talking? What holiness would recommend
us unto God? Certainly I would never ever
call anything I have ever thought, said, or done holy. Would you? Everything I think, say, or do
is tainted with sin because of what I am. Any righteousness
that we enjoy is Christ. Any holiness we have before God
has to be the Lord Jesus Christ. It's created and given to us
as the gift of God. We don't go around to establish
a righteousness by our deeds, do we? Or our morality. Morality is one thing, but, and
I'm all for morality. But never mistake morality for
righteousness or your morality for holiness. That is a deadly,
deadly mistake. And that's where, sadly, that's
where most religious folks go. They think if they don't do this,
and don't do that, and don't say this, and don't go here,
that somehow that's a holiness and a righteousness that recommend
them to God. No, that's filthy rags. That's
all that is. In God's sight. Now, let's read
on. Verse 20. For when you were the
servants of sin, Again, he talks about where God found us dead
in sin. We were servants to sin. When
we were servants to sin, we were free from righteousness. We didn't know anything before
the Lord taught us the gospel. We didn't know anything of righteousness
that's freely imputed and reckoned and given unto us. Did you ever
hear anything about that when you was in false religion? Righteousness
being freely imputed? Well, absolutely not. I was taught
from the time I was knee-high to a jackrabbit that we were
made righteous by what we did. The religion that I grew up in,
Mormonism, we didn't use tobacco. We didn't drink alcoholic beverages. We didn't even drink iced tea
because it had caffeine in it. Now they've taken it so far that
those people won't even drink a Coca-Cola because of the caffeine
in it. And you think about that, how
silly that sounds to us. But that's their righteousness
before God. Isn't that sad? They know nothing
of the Lord Jesus Christ who is totally and only our righteousness
before God. Well, when you were the servants
of sin, before you knew the Lord in saving mercy and saving grace,
before we were made new creatures in Christ. If any man be in Christ,
he is a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold,
all things have become new. All that we did was to serve
self and sin, We were slaves to sin, going about to establish
a righteousness of our own by the deeds of the law. We were
without a justifying righteousness before God. We were dead in sin
without God, without hope and without life. Dead in sin. Now by the grace of God, we are
dead to sin. As it says there in verse 2,
God forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer
therein? Again, he says in verse 11, likewise
reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, for
sin shall not have dominion over you. Verse 14, for you're not
under the law, but under grace. How? That's the blessedness we
have in the Gospel. Now look at verse 21. What fruit
had you then in those things whereof you now ashamed? Did
you have any fruit unto holiness? Did you have any fruit unto righteousness? Did you have any fruit unto life?
Not at all. For the end of those things is
death. Now here's what I've got written
down. What fruit, benefit or profit, What advantage does sin
and rebellion against God bring? What does it bring? Any advantage? None whatsoever. Nothing but
condemnation, guilt, judgment, and death. What fruit had you
in those things whereof you are now ashamed? Look at Romans 7
verse 5. Romans 7, 5, "...for when you
were in the flesh, the motions of sin which were by the law
did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." That's
all sin produces is fruit unto death. Ezekiel said, the Lord
says in Ezekiel 18, "...the soul that sinneth it shall die." The
end of those things is death. All sin is deserving of What
is sin deserving of? Death, judgment, condemnation. That's all sin is deserving of. Believers are now ashamed of
their past and never, never proud of it. I'm ashamed that I was
a self-righteous religious person going about bypassing the gospel
of Christ and trying to save myself by my good works and by
my deeds. I'm ashamed of that. I'm ashamed
of it. But now, verse 22, but now, Now, I love that word in Scripture
that we often read, B-U-T, B-U-T. Who makes you to differ from
another? But God who is rich in mercy. When we read over here, let's
turn back to the book of Galatians and see if we can find that Scripture.
Turn to Galatians or Ephesians, I mean, Ephesians chapter 1,
Ephesians chapter 1. but now being made free from
sin. Who made you to differ? Only
the grace of God that has made us to differ. In Ephesians 2,
look at verse 1. And you, and you hath he quickened
who were dead in trespasses and in sins, wherein time past you
walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience, Among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature
children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ, it's by
grace that we are saved. But now, but God being made,
notice what it says there again, being made free from sin. Why does he keep repeating this?
It's that truth worth repeating over and over and over again. Being made free from sin, free
from its penalty, free from its guilt, free from sin's power
to condemn us in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is therefore no
condemnation to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ being
made free from sin. Our Lord said, you shall know
the truth. "...and the truth shall make
you free." The Apostle Paul said, "...stand fast therefore in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." And then he says
in the next verse, "...don't be entangled again with the yoke
and bondage of the law." Being now made free from sin, you became
servants to God. The Apostle Paul, remember how
we started this epistle out? Turn back to Romans 1.1. The
Apostle Paul calls himself the servant of the Lord. We've been
made servants to God. and you have your fruit and the
holiness and the end is everlasting life. Romans 1.1, Paul a servant
of Jesus Christ. He considers it a great honor
and privilege, he doesn't say Paul the apostle, And oh, by
the way, I'm a servant. You see, an apostle naturally
thinking we would think it would be a higher title. But Paul rather
says, first of all, I'm the servant of the Lord. That's a high title. You know, the Lord Jesus Christ
is called in scripture. The servant of the Lord, Isaiah
42.1, Behold my servant, my elect, and whom my soul delighteth.
That is a high title to be called a servant of the Lord. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look back at Romans 6.21,
What fruit had you in those things? Were you now ashamed? The only
thing we had was fruit unto death. For the end of those things is
death, verse 22, but now being made free from sin, you became
servants of God, servants to God and servants of God. He has
made us servants of God. You have your fruit unto holiness
and the end everlasting life. Fruit unto holiness. Now what
is this talking about? Same thing we mentioned before.
Don't turn. Let me just read this to you.
I want you to turn and find John 15. Turn there. Let me read Galatians
5... Galatians 5.22. But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
meekness, temperance, faith. The fruit of the Spirit. The
fruit of the Spirit. He raised us up from the dead
that we should bring forth fruit unto God. What fruit is that? The fruit of the Spirit, not
the fruit of the flesh. John 15, turn there. Look at
verse 4. We'll begin reading at John 15,
verse 4. Abide in me, and I in you, as
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except you abide in
the vine, no more can you except you abide in me. He is the vine. He is the true vine. You are
the branches. He that abideth in me and I in
him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me you
can do nothing." Now does the branch produce fruit in and of
itself? If it's severed from the vine,
it dies. The only fruit the branch produces
is what comes from the vine. And that Christ is the true vine.
Read on, John 15. If a man abide not in me, he
is cast forth as a branch and is withered, and men gather them
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide
in me, And my word abideth in you. Ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done." Verse 8, "'Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit. So shall ye be my disciple.'"
Now turn back to the book of Romans and look at verse 4 of
chapter 7. We'll read this again. Romans
chapter 7, verse 4, "'Wherefore, my brethren, ye are also become
dead to the law, dead to sin, by the body of Christ, that you
should be married to another, even to him who is raised from
the dead, that you should bring forth fruit unto God." It's the
fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
and no sin. And then look back at Romans
6.22. And the end? What is the end? everlasting life. That is eternal
life. He that hath the Son hath life. He has given us fruit unto holiness
which is coming from the vine, Christ our holiness, and in the
end, He gives us everlasting life. He said, My sheep hear
My voice, I know them, I give unto them eternal life, and they
shall never perish. No man can pluck them out of
My hand. My Father which gave them Me
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of
My Father's hand. The end is everlasting, everlasting
life. Now, what is the contrast to
everlasting life? Everlasting condemnation. Now,
verse 23. Now we quote this verse all the
time and it's certainly a verse worth re-quoting. The wages of
sin. It seems to summarize everything
that he said here in chapter 6. This would be the summary. The wages of sin is death. The wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life. Now remember, through Not through
the deeds of the law. Not through your obedience. It's not obedience unto salvation.
It's obedience unto righteousness in Christ. For the wage of sin
is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord. It's through His faithfulness.
It's through His obedience. It's through His righteousness.
The wages of sin is death. This is what we've earned and
consequently this is what we deserve. We don't deserve salvation,
do we? It's the gift of God. All have
sin that comes short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. How did we become sinners? In
Adam all died. Sin was charged unto all of Adam's
race. But the gift of God is eternal
life. all of our salvation from election. The glorification is the gift
of God freely given. God who spared not His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also
freely give us all things? Justified freely by His grace. From election to glorification
and everything in the middle is by the free sovereign grace
of God. You mean I have no merit to recommend
me to God? Absolutely zero. A man in his
best state is altogether vanity. Zero. Zero. You mean everything
I've done counts for nothing? Zero. Zero. The gift of God is eternal life.
You see, faith is a gift of God, is it not? Faith is the gift
of God. Where does a man get faith? He
doesn't just muster up some faith. Faith is the sovereign gift of
God. True, saving faith is the gift
of God. Repentance, likewise, we're going
to see in our study in Luke chapter 13, the Lord says, except you
repent, you're going to perish. Repentance also is the gift of
God. He grants repentance to whom
He will. It says in Acts 11, when they
heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God,
saying that God also had granted repentance unto the Gentiles.
So faith is a gift of God, repentance is a gift of God, and eternal
life, salvation, that's eternal life, salvation is the gift of
God. The free gift of God. The free gift of God. We read
this, every good gift And every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning." And then the Apostle Paul said this,
"...thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." The wages
of sin is death. That's the bad news. The good
news, but the gift of God in eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Okay, we'll pick up there chapter
seven next week.