Romans 6:1-14

Check out our conversation with Beverly Gaventa distinguished professor of NT at Baylor
For some background- check out last week’s notes on Romans 5

Addressing sin straight on- probably not the norm for many of our churches- we all still sin, but don’t want to talk about it
Not sure if a unison confession counts as addressing it either- maybe we need a new ritual?
The gift of AA and other support groups- no pretending, accepting our flaws and working with and through them

Through Baptism we see the world and ourselves differently- we are a “new creation”
Being a new creation is both faith and action- Christianity is a lived faith that permeates every part of who we are because of whose we are

Paul addresses the logical concerns raised at the end of chapter 5: “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more...”
Should we sin more?

If God’s grace is SO abundant and offered to all people, then why stop sinning? Doesn’t greater sin invite greater grace?
Is the grace amazing if I am not wretched?
Shawnthea Monroe - When my son was in preschool, he accidentally spilled an entire carton of milk on the floor. He was devastated by his mistake. So as I mopped the floor, I reassured him that everything was going to be just fine. I said, "Look! Now the whole floor is nice and clean!" He turned to me and said brightly, "Hey! Maybe I should spill on the floor more often!" Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year A, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).

V.2-11 are the answer - No, because to accept the Way of Jesus is to dramatically change your heart and mind (metanoia/repent)

To accept the grace of God is to recognize the fallacy of sin
We cannot keep sinning without denying the grace of God and therefore denying who we have become.

Those who are dead cannot sin (because they are dead), “Paul is clear that death itself pays the price of sin…The dead, among other things, are no longer in any position to rebel against God.” Paul J. Achtemeier, Interpretation: Romans p. 104.
So in order to stop sinning - we must die. How do we die and yet live? Through baptism.
Christian’s dying to sin meanings - Thomas L. Hoyt Jr., “Romans” True to Our Native Land. p. 258

There is a close relationship between the law and sin. “The law is the means by which sin is able to get at us and induce us to follow the promptings of sin… Freed from domination by sin and its captive, the law, the Christian can now lead a life led by the Spirit, not law.” (Achtemeier p. 116)
“Paul is completely unwilling to say the law is evil or to equate it with sin. On the contrary, he explicitly affirms its goodness (7:12) and denies that the law itself is sinful. It is that attitude that has allowed Paul to draw points from the law all through his argument. If the law has a close relationship to sin, which has taken it captive, it also has a close relationship to faith, upon which it is based… In itself the law is neutral. The neutrality is the strength and the weakness of the law. It is the law’s weakness because when the law is dominated by sin (when it is ‘letter’) it serves evil ends, persuading people they can save themselves from sin by following the law. It is its strength because when the power of sin is broken the law can serve God and point people to the correct way to act toward him and toward their fellow human beings. (Achtemeier p. 117)

From The Message (Rom. 6:2-8) “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! When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country. Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life - no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection.”
Baptism- death of the old, and rebirth to the new

We no longer sin- or at least we no longer sin willingly because we choose the way of Christ

Most likely the thought of baptizing children was not even considered during Paul’s time
Baptism is a sacrament of one committing to the way of Jesus Christ
So then- why do we baptize children?
Is Baptism our action or Gods? Baptism is our response to God’s love and grace. The grace is God’s gift, the baptism is our response to that gift - a commitment

Baptism is a dying or drowning to the old life of sin - a painful experience and as Paul will explore- not an easy experience (the shackles of sin are pervasive, but through the strength of God in Christ we can overcome.
“Christ died to be sure, but he also rose from the dead. So by dying, Christ conquered sin; and by rising he conquered death. “ Achtemeier, p. 104.

“For [Paul], our participation in the resurrection, of which Christ was the first example, involves a total transformation of reality, including the transformation of our bodies of flesh into bodies of spirit (cf. 8:21, 23; 1 Cor. 15:42–44, 49). For that reason, Paul is clear that we do not yet share in Christ’s resurrection the way we share in his death.” Achtemeier, p. 105.
Perhaps participation in the resurrection and life of Christ is the ongoing work of Christian life- the ongoing work to live the life abundant - to live in the Kingdom of God. When we live life to its fullest expression of grace and love (as embodied in Jesus) then we participate in Christ’s resurrection.

It is ironic that baptism has become a cultural or familial celebration when it is actually incorporation into the body of Christ which may draw you away (or even in opposition) to your family (Matthew 10:34-38; Luke 14:26)
Furthermore Baptism is not salvation from pain or suffering (like the Prosperity Gospel might claim), but rather calls us into crucifixion - both figurative and, in the case of several of the early apostles, literal.
Baptism and Confirmation should be turning points in our lives - where we acknowledge and become aware of the ways in which we have sinned, continue to participate in system of sin, AND choose to no longer participate in those actions and systems but work to overcome/dismantle them. In short- we can no longer claim ignorance.

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Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com,@pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Miserlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”,"Real Ride"and“Summertime”) and Bryan Odeen for our closing music.