 |  |
How is this freedom attained, and what is the nature of the bondage
from which it liberates? The first part of the question is answered in
Romans 6:7; the second in 6:14 and 8:21:
'He that is dead is freed from sin' (Rom. 6:7).
Dominion nullified
'Crucifixion with Christ' is set forth in Romans 6:6 as having a
specific object in view: 'to render the body of sin inoperative' (katargeo)).
There are five other occurrences of this word in Romans (3:3,31; 4:14; 7:2,6)
where it is rendered 'make without effect', 'make void', 'loosed from sin'
and 'delivered from'. In no case can the word 'destroy' in its true sense be
rightly substituted. The following passages give some further A V.
renderings of the word:
'To bring to nought' (1 Cor. 1:28).
'Come to nought' (1 Cor. 2:6).
'Done away'; 'Abolished' (2 Cor. 3:7,11,13,14).
'Make ... of none effect' (Gal. 3:17).
'Become of no effect' (Gal. 5:4).
'Then is the offence of the cross ceased' (Gal. 5:11).
'Who hath abolished death' (2 Tim. 1:10).
'Destroy him that had the power of death' (Heb. 2:14).
Logizomai: Reckon
To return, then, to our theme: How is the believer to make these
blessings something more than a part of a creed, and so believe them that his
knowledge shall be neither barren nor unfruitful? The answer is found in
Romans 6:11: 'Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin;
but alive unto God, through Christ Jesus our Lord'.
As the true meaning of the word 'reckon' is vital to our appreciation
and appropriation of the work of Christ, no pains must be spared to arrive at
as true and complete an understanding of it as possible. Logizomai 'to
reckon', comes from leloga, the middle perfect of lego, 'to gather or
collect' as in 1 Corinthians 16:1,2. Its proper meaning is to reckon
arithmetically. The usage of the word in the New Testament will enable us to
get some idea of its general bearing:
(1)
To Reason Or Argue Rationally.
'They reasoned with themselves' (Mark 11:31).
'When I was a child ... I thought as a child' (1 Cor.
13:11).
(2)
To Infer, Conclude Or Balance After
Hearing Reason.
'Therefore we conclude that a
man is justified by faith'
(Rom. 3:28).
'I reckon that the sufferings
of this present time'
(Rom. 8:18).
'Accounting that God was able
to raise him up'
(Heb. 11:19).
(3)
To Think.
'And thinkest thou this, O man?' (Rom. 2:3).
(4)
To Account.