Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 6:1-11.
If God loves to forgive and we love to sin, should we just keep on sinning? St. Paul answers in clearest terms: “Absolutely not!” Sin no longer is the defining reality for Christians because Christians have died to sin. God has accomplished this in Holy Baptism. When a person is baptized, that person is united with Christ. In Baptism, Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection become our death, burial, and resurrection. This is His gift to us right now by faith even as we await its full fulfillment by sight on the Last Day at the resurrection of all flesh. St. Paul reminds us that our connection to Christ in Holy Baptism is the defining reality for our lives right now. Because we have died with Him, we have been set free from sin, and we will be raised with Him on the Last Day. The basis for this truth is Jesus’ own death and resurrection. He has died once for all and has been raised so that death no longer has any dominion over Him. For this reason, the Apostle commands us right now to consider ourselves the way God considers us in Christ: dead to sin and alive to Him.
“The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Human righteousness cannot save, because all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Only the righteousness of God can bring life and forgiveness to sinners. This is the righteousness that He has fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the righteousness that is revealed in the Gospel, the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. This is the righteousness that is not earned, but is freely given by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
