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#44.
Sanctification. Its sphere: "Under grace" (6: 1-14).
pp. 206 - 210
We now have, for the first time in the epistle, an exhortation:--
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts
thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but
yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye
are not under law, but under grace' (Rom. 6: 12-14).
In these three verses we have three features:--
The exhortation, negatively: "Let not"; "Yield not."
The exhortation, positively: "Yield yourselves and your members."
The assurance, positionally: "Under grace."
Dr. Weymouth's rendering in modern speech is suggestive:--
"Let not Sin therefore reign as king in your mortal bodies, causing you to be in
subjection to their cravings; and no longer lend your faculties as unrighteous weapons
(tools or implements) for Sin to use. On the contrary, surrender your very selves to God
as living men who have risen from the dead, and surrender your several faculties to God,
to be used as weapons (tools or implements) to maintain the right."
When we were studying the epistle to the Hebrews, we observed that it was at the
point where doctrinal instruction ended that exhortation began. "Having therefore . . . . .
let us . . . . . let us . . . . . let us" (Heb. 10: 19-24). And so it is in Rom. 6: as it must ever
be.
The word "reign" includes in its scope the word "king", just as "dominion"
carries with it the thought of the "Lord". These verses in Rom. 6: refer back to
Rom. 5: 12-21:--
(1)
Death reigned (Rom. 5: 14). \
through ADAM.
(2)
Sin reigned (Rom. 5: 21).
/
(3)
Grace reigns (Rom. 5: 21).
\
through THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
(4)
Believers reign (Rom. 5: 17). /
The reign of sin and death is over so far as we are concerned. Why is this? Is it
because we are not now mortal? That cannot be, for quite apart from experience, the
context itself speaks of our "mortal bodies". Is it because sin has ceased to exist within
us? This, too, would be quite contrary to our experience, and would deny the whole
argument of Rom. 7: The true reason is that "death hath no more dominion over HIM"
(Rom. 6: 9). He died for and to sin, and death reigns only through sin. The sting of
death is sin. But in Him, all that has passed. We are on resurrection ground, and can no
more be bondslaves to sin than Israel could be bondslaves to Pharaoh after the crossing