Resurrected to the Newness of Life
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Studying Paul's masterful dissertation on how Christians share in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ!
Text: Rom. 6:3-4
Date: 03/31/2024, the Combined service.
Series: "Your Word is Truth"
Occasion: Easter Sunday
Description:
In this Easter Sunday morning message, on a day when we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, we will delight in a study of Paul's masterful dissertation on how Christians share in His death, burial and Resurrection. When Paul speaks of the true believer's union with Christ he speaks in absolutes: we die to sin even as Jesus died to sin; we are buried with Him to loudly proclaim the end of our relationship to the "reign and realm" of sin; and we are resurrected with Him by the same glorious power that raised Jesus from the dead-- as new creations in Christ. We will realize that Paul is not discussing something that should or will happen to Christians as part of their sanctification-- but rather something that necessarily HAS happened as a result of their justification. Inherent in this teaching is Paul's refutation of "antinomianism" and the more modern ideas of "carnal Christianity" and "easy believism". Ultimately we will celebrate the immutability of our own union with Christ and what it means to be resurrected in Him to the newness of life!
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, Rom. 6:3-4.
A. Context, Rom. 6:1-2.
B. Dead, buried and resurrected into Christ.
1. Joined to Christ in death, vs. 3.
a. Words of exclusivity and inclusivity.
i. An unexpected ignorance.
ii. An inclusive/exclusive reference to the church.
b. The meaning of "baptized into Christ".
c. Joined to Christ in death.
i. United in death, burial, and resurrection.
ii. Focus on Justification.
iii. What does it mean to be "joined to Christ in death"?
1) Dying "to" sin, Rom. 6:10.
2) A relationship with the "reign and realm" of sin.
iv. The implication for Christ's followers.
2. Joined to Christ in burial, vs. 4a.
a. Probing for the meaning.
i. A continuation of thought.
ii. Buried with Christ.
1) Affirming the meaning of "baptism".
2) Burial affirms and proclaims death.
b. The end of the "reign and realm" of sin.
i. A "loud" proclamation.
ii. Proclaiming the end of slavery to sin, Rom. 6:6.
3. Joined to Christ in resurrection, vs. 4b.
a. Probing for the meaning.
i. Holding the thoughts together.
ii. In the likeness of.
iii. The reality of Christ's resurrection, Rom. 10:9.
b. By the glory of the Father.
i. Defining the "glory" of the Father, John 12:28, Heb. 1:3.
ii. The truths the Resurrection reveals.
1) Three well-known accomplishments.
a) That Jesus was who He said He was, John 10:30, 14:9.
b) That Jesus did what He said He would do, Mark 10:45, Luke 19:10.
c) That God accepted His sacrifice as substitutionary.
2) The victory over sin, Acts 2:24,27.
3) A battle at the tomb.
4) The defeat of evil.
iii. A resurrection like Christ's, Rom. 6:5.
1) What it doesn't mean.
2) What it does mean.
c. The newness of life.
i. A spiritual resurrection, Eph. 2:5.
ii. The same power, Eph. 1:19-20, John 10:27-29.
iii. The meaning of "newness of life", 2Cor. 5:17.
1) A new creation, John 3:3.
2) A product of justification.
3) The relationship to the narrow door.
iv. The absurdity of "carnal Christianity".
v. Explaining the "old self", John 1:12.
III. Application
A. A warning for the "easy" believer.
B. Encouragement for the true believer.
IV. Conclusion, Rom. 8:35-39.
