The Christian life is often a battle. One of these battles is against indwelling sin because, as John Owen put it, we must be killing sin or sin will be killing us. In this passage, the Apostle Paul exhorts all who are united to Christ to fight sin and to be instruments for righteousness.

Having considered, on Good Friday, the death of Jesus Christ and what it accomplished. On Easter morning our focus shifts to Jesus’ resurrection and what it accomplished. This Resurrection Sunday we will look at what Romans 6:1-11 teaches us about the implications of Jesus’ resurrection. 

Good Friday is a day to reflect on the death of Jesus Christ and consider what it accomplished. We will do this by continuing our current sermon series through Romans, as the very next verses point us to the cross and the significance of Jesus’ death. Here we are told of Jesus’ obedience and how his one act of righteousness leads to our justification.

The greatest problem facing humanity was brought about by one act of transgression done by one man. Because of that one sin committed by that one man, death became the inheritance of all men. But even as that one trespass led to condemnation for all men, one act of righteousness accomplished by one man eradicated the problem of death by bestowing one free gift of justification and life to all those who would receive it. That is the essence of the gospel. Come join us as we take a deeper look at the great blessing of hope that is the inheritance of the Christian, provided without charge through the sacrifice of the one man Jesus Christ.

In the first four chapters of Romans, the Apostle Paul put before us the righteousness of God, the unrighteousness of man, and the truth of justification by faith alone. Paul will now place before us the great blessings of justification. All who have been justified by faith in Christ have lasting peace with God, hope in their suffering, and the assurance of God’s love.

With the closing verses of Romans chapter four the Apostle Paul assures us that God’s declaration of Abraham’s righteousness by faith is for all, who like Abraham, trust in the God who raised Jesus from the dead. What precious words these are for all who believe in the one who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification!

In Romans 4:13-22, Paul continues to unpack the wonderful reality of justification by faith alone. Nothing in us can ever earn salvation. It is entirely a work of God that we receive by faith.

The Apostle Paul again uses Abraham as an example to demonstrate the truth of justification by faith alone. This time, Paul draws our attention to Abraham being justified before he was circumcised. That justification came before the covenant sign of circumcision has implications on the relationship between believing Jews and believing Gentiles and our understanding of the New Covenant sign of baptism.

In this passage, the Apostle Paul uses Abraham as an example to demonstrate the truth in the previous passage that when it comes to justification, no one, not even Abraham, has something to boast about. By doing this Paul explains how sinners were justified in the Old Testament before the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.