Here’s how the study works: Read the chapter mentioned in the heading several times during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for a chapter creates the opportunity to reread it several times and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
It seems to me that there are similiarites between circumision in the OT and baptism in the NT.
“We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised (baptised) or before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of circumcision (baptism), a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised (not baptised)” 4:9-11.
Possibly because of my church background I take this to mean that a person is baptised as a sign that they have accepted what Jesus has done on their behalf. That is, I see baptism as a testimony to what has already happened in a person’s life. The symbolism of baptism can be quite dramatic – of going down into the water (death 6:4) and coming up out of the water (resurrection 6:5).
[Baptism can be a tricky subject and I understand that others may not see it like this.]
I love the way our past life is described in past tense. “we died to sin”; “were buried with Him” ; “was crucified with Him” ; “were slaves to sin” all in the past. But now, in the present tense, we “are not under law but under grace” v.14.
PS The crazy thing about having word verification is the number of times I get it wrong like tonight!
It seems to me that there are similiarites between circumision in the OT and baptism in the NT.
“We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised (baptised) or before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of circumcision (baptism), a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised (not baptised)” 4:9-11.
Possibly because of my church background I take this to mean that a person is baptised as a sign that they have accepted what Jesus has done on their behalf. That is, I see baptism as a testimony to what has already happened in a person’s life. The symbolism of baptism can be quite dramatic – of going down into the water (death 6:4) and coming up out of the water (resurrection 6:5).
[Baptism can be a tricky subject and I understand that others may not see it like this.]
I love the way our past life is described in past tense. “we died to sin”; “were buried with Him” ; “was crucified with Him” ; “were slaves to sin” all in the past. But now, in the present tense, we “are not under law but under grace” v.14.
PS The crazy thing about having word verification is the number of times I get it wrong like tonight!
i cant explain it here, for it would take to long, but a good bok that deals with some of these issues in chapter 6 is “The Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges. I dont agree with everything he says, but it is a good read none the less
i cant explain it here, for it would take to long, but a good bok that deals with some of these issues in chapter 6 is “The Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges. I dont agree with everything he says, but it is a good read none the less
dI don’t know if I can get a copy of that book or not. I live in a small town without a Christian bookshop and our little library at church doesn’t have a copy. I’ve asked my daughter to check her church library for me.
dI don’t know if I can get a copy of that book or not. I live in a small town without a Christian bookshop and our little library at church doesn’t have a copy. I’ve asked my daughter to check her church library for me.
if you are not uncomfortable e mailing me your address, susan, i have the book and will probably not read it again. of course, that’s if you have no local options available. you can find my e address on my profile.
this chapter begs the question for me: what is sin? is it an external thing? meaning actions that we do or do not engage in? (as many would maintain) or is it rather an internal thing? (which i believe paul and jesus would say)
because the answer to that question has more of an impact on our “not continuing in sin” than any other, i think. it can be easy to come under condemnation or be deluded into a false security if we do not have the correct answer.
did i just say that? sorry. that was really absolute for a PoMo like me. but then again, SOME things ARE absolute. so maybe this is one.
what are your thoughts?
gfkecdlp (wow. that was creative.)
if you are not uncomfortable e mailing me your address, susan, i have the book and will probably not read it again. of course, that’s if you have no local options available. you can find my e address on my profile.
this chapter begs the question for me: what is sin? is it an external thing? meaning actions that we do or do not engage in? (as many would maintain) or is it rather an internal thing? (which i believe paul and jesus would say)
because the answer to that question has more of an impact on our “not continuing in sin” than any other, i think. it can be easy to come under condemnation or be deluded into a false security if we do not have the correct answer.
did i just say that? sorry. that was really absolute for a PoMo like me. but then again, SOME things ARE absolute. so maybe this is one.
what are your thoughts?
gfkecdlp (wow. that was creative.)
Thanks for the offer, Jon. I’ll check out the local options and see how I go.
I tend to think of sin as more of an internal thing which is why I think Jesus was so upset with the Pharisees who were great at the eternals but harboured bad attitudes.
Luther felt that if the greatest commandment was to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves, than the greatest sin was to fail to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to fail to love our neighbour as ourselves. I don’t know if that is true but it is interesting to think about.
PS What’s a PoMo?
Thanks for the offer, Jon. I’ll check out the local options and see how I go.
I tend to think of sin as more of an internal thing which is why I think Jesus was so upset with the Pharisees who were great at the eternals but harboured bad attitudes.
Luther felt that if the greatest commandment was to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves, than the greatest sin was to fail to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to fail to love our neighbour as ourselves. I don’t know if that is true but it is interesting to think about.
PS What’s a PoMo?
v.21-22 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
There is a benefit to us of being a slave of God which is holiness and eternal life. These are benefits from a gracious God not entitlements.
v.21-22 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
There is a benefit to us of being a slave of God which is holiness and eternal life. These are benefits from a gracious God not entitlements.
V.11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
In the first few verses Paul explains what we know (v.3, 6, 9). On the basis of this knowledge we are to "count" or "reckon" ourselves "dead to sin". We apply the truth we have learnt.
V.11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
In the first few verses Paul explains what we know (v.3, 6, 9). On the basis of this knowledge we are to "count" or "reckon" ourselves "dead to sin". We apply the truth we have learnt.
v.13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
After knowing and reckoning we offer ourselves to God.
v.13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
After knowing and reckoning we offer ourselves to God.
V. 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
After knowing, reckoning, offering we obey. This is the process of sanctification. Even so, through we are free from the power of sin, we can't avoid its presence in the world or its enticements.
V. 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
After knowing, reckoning, offering we obey. This is the process of sanctification. Even so, through we are free from the power of sin, we can't avoid its presence in the world or its enticements.
v.9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
Christ's resurrection is proof of his mastery over death. His resurrection doesn't save us, his death did that, and his resurrection is the proof.
v.9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
Christ's resurrection is proof of his mastery over death. His resurrection doesn't save us, his death did that, and his resurrection is the proof.
v.17-18 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
By considering ourselves dead to sin (regardless of our feelings), and by choosing not to continue in sin we are set free to live righteous lives.
v.17-18 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
By considering ourselves dead to sin (regardless of our feelings), and by choosing not to continue in sin we are set free to live righteous lives.
From the Message:
v.1-2 If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!
We live in the new country of grace, why would you ever want to go back?
From the Message:
v.1-2 If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!
We live in the new country of grace, why would you ever want to go back?