Dead or Alive

Larry Kirkpatrick.  Price Seventh-day Adventist Church

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Opening Hymn: #338 Redeemed! Closing Hymn: #240 Fairest Lord Jesus

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Why Belong to a Church? Click and find out out.

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Romans 6:11

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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We are born under the dominion of death

Happy Sabbath, Brethren! Do you want the good news first, or the bad news? Let's start with the bad news. How's this for bad news: you and I were born into this earth under the reign of death. Turn with me to Romans 5:12.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

The Bible makes it clear that we are all born with a death sentence hanging over our head. We are like AIDS babies--we have inherited something that we didn't ask for. We are born into our lives "without strength" (Romans 5:6), subject to a moral-warpedness, a gross tendency towards evil. God designed us to be worshiping beings from the beginning, but our trait of worshipfulness is all bent-up, and unless we turn to the Living God, we inevitably turn to the worship of unliving gods. We are born under this reign of death; we are born into a situation that we must each, individually, purposefully resolve. If we do not turn to the only Being in the universe that has the power to restore us, then we will never be remade--never be repaired--never be made capable of dwelling with everlasting burnings (Isaiah 33:14), of living in the same universe as our God who "is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). Our God is holy, and only a holy people can dwell in His presence. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that unless we are changed, we'll go up in a whisp of smoke when He appears (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9; 2:8). Ah yes; that's the bad news. But that's not the only news...

As Soon As There Was Sin, There Was a Savior, Jesus, Who Instituted the Reign of Grace

You see, as soon as there was sin, there was a Savior. Look to Romans 5:15.

But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

What God has done is so much different from what Adam did! Because Adam disobeyed God, all humanity inherited a double booby-prize. We all received the first death--the sleep death; and everyone of us is going to sleep that sleep of death unless we are translated when Jesus comes. But that death is a consequence of sin, not a directly accountable moral penalty upon us individually. Just like the infant born with AIDS who will eventually die through no moral fault of its own, we are born into a diseased body doomed to dissolution. But that is not as bad as the second half of the results of Adam's disobedience. We also come into this world with an inborn tendency towards evil. If we remain plugged-in to that tendency, we will inevitably go down into destruction. Through the offense of one the whole human race was put on a hopeless road, not merely to the sleep death, but to eternal death, because there was no reserve power left in us to bring us back; Adam's transgression was a one-way door to doom. But that's what grace is all about. God reached down into the abyss of our hopelessness. He gave His Son Jesus so that that door could be pulled open. See, God's side of the door still had a handle on it; ours didn't. He could die to meet the demands of the Broken law in our place, and purchase for us again a fresh opportunity to be changed. Jesus' death is not for only an elite few, but for all.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only-Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him might not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

The gift by grace that comes through Jesus has abounded to many. Many have received the grace that brings salvation, and empowers us to live "soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:12). Grace is given, not as a cheap cloak to hide our sin, but as a medicine to heal our broken minds and hearts, to heal us, and release us from our prisons. But some have radically redefined grace and made it into license--the very thing that Paul in Romans six warns us against! You see, Satan has been trying to hide this truth from us for thousands of years, because his only hope is to keep the universe locked into a sufficient doubt of God's goodness to keep Satan in business. As long as there are still some angels that aren't sure that God is right and Satan is wrong, the demonstration of God's kingdom of grace and Satan's kingdom of sin goes on.

God's Kingdom, Front and Center

The difference between the reign of sin and the reign of grace is vast. Sin reigns unto death; that's not too complicated. If we continue to sin, we will die--we'll be fully identified with sin and ultimately destroyed with it in its final end. But how does grace reign? It reigns "through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:21). Grace doesn't simply "reign;" it reigns through righteousness, not unto death, but unto "eternal life." How does it reign "through righteousness?" The answer is "by Jesus Christ our Lord." Look at Romans 6:3-4. Those verses tell us that baptism into Christ means burial into the death that Adam managed to saddle us with, and that Jesus experienced for us. The result is present living in newness of life. The next two verses tell us that our "old man" is crucified with Jesus to free us from the reign of sin. Sin's reign has ended for us because Jesus has paid its penalty. We are living now unto God, who gives newness of life to the resurrected. The rite of baptism does not change us--it testifies publically to what Jesus did for us at the cross, and what Jesus is doing for us now in the heavenly sanctuary. It marks one's recognition of their condemnableness, because it says "Jesus died for me, because I deserved to die." It marks one's public commitment and desire to live the resurrected life, and to be a part of God's present covenant community, living and breathing and existing here and now in this world and in this age! It marks a commitment to discipleship--to following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. Finally, it marks not merely a potential triumph of God and the gospel, but the actual triumph of Jesus over the dominion and reign of sin and death; it is the very symbol of the resurrection of Christ. He walked out of the grave, and when you are baptised, it says to all "I too am walking out of the grave, right here and now..." Who or what is the "old man?" Some have understood this to mean our fallen or sinful nature. But listen, when do we get to trade in that nature? Not until glorification when this corruptible puts on incorruption (1 Corinthians 15:53). The phrase that we are looking at is used by Paul three times; in Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; and Colossians 3:9. In Ephesians 4:22 the Bible tells us to stop behaving like the "old man." God asks us to "put off concerning the former conversation the old man." "Conversation" was the old english word commonly used to mean "behavior," so this text is saying "don't do those things from your old life when you were under bondage to sin." Verses 23 and 24 there urge us to be renewed, and that we "put on the new man." So you see that this must be something that we can experience now, through the power of the Living God. Colossians 3:9-10 tells us that we are not to engage in the old behavior, "seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new." The old man is the crispened, burned character we've built up onto the top of our sinful, fallen nature. We can cooperate with God and see Him change us--change our character while we live. He brings newness of life to us. The fallen nature will cry out; it will whine and roar and holler and provoke; but its power has been neutralized. We can steer out of the ruts of sin and up onto the highway of holiness. The chains are loosed. The question then is whether we will swallow hard and take hold of God's help, or whether we will sink back into the darkness where our darling sin-habits await our indulgence and Satan awaits our destruction. God's kingdom is front and center because His people are no longer under the dominion of sin. Sin's reign has, for us, ended. The question is, can anyone in the universe tell by looking at us?

Joining the Kingdom

Well, and just where is the kingdom of God? Jesus said "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). The new-agers love that verse. But if they looked more closely at the Greek they'd realize that among "you" is in the plural, and that the Greek word for "in" translates equally well as "among"; that is, Jesus was saying that the kingdom of God was there, then present among them. He also said that His kingdom was not of this world. John 18:36. He also said that we must be born of both the water and spirit or we cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:1-8). Wow. What a literalist! But why did Jesus insist on this? Why does He insist that we publically participate in this outward rite? It is because when we come to God, He is going to brag on us. When you enter a race, you get a number. A race car has the names of the companies that are sponsoring it painted all over it. They want to identify their products with that car when it wins. And God our Father in heaven wants to identify His products [us] with Him when He wins the great controversy. Indeed, He has put us into a very important role in the great controversy so that He can win it. Our lives will show the universe whether the kingdom of grace is what God claims it to be, or just a blast of hot air out of the heavenly throne-room. Turn with me to Ephesians. What do we find there? We find out why God wants us to join ourselves to an organized church on this earth here and now. Look at Ephesians 3:9-10.

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.

God wants us to be part of a literal church body so that all--not just all men, but all throughout the universe, all angels and anyone else who might be lurking out there--may see what is the fellowship of the mystery. It is important for Him to make known to principalities and powers in heavenly places that He has been truly just in dealing with the sin problem in this universe. How does He demonstrate this? "By the church," that is, by means of the church; the church is the earthly instrument of demonstration. See, God owns the soundstage of this universe. And He wants someone to go up on that stage and live out His gospel. And we got the part. God is making a visible demonstration. See, He knows our hearts, that is true. But the demonstration is not for Him. It's for everyone else--all the other beings who cannot see our hearts except through our actions. Look down the page a bit further there. Look at Ephesians 3:21.

Unto Him [God] be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages."

In the Bible, glory often carries the meaning of "brightness," but just as often carries the meaning of "character." God wants His church to shine, but how can we shine unless God is changing our character? "Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord..." (Isaiah 43:10). And Matthew 24:14 says that "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." God is sending His people out there into the world to live this gospel. Changed people are His witnesses, because unchanged people have not experienced inwardly the power of the gospel; they have only an empty bucket. How do we change? Can we do it on our own? Our strength comes from God, doesn't it? So He would know the best way to lead us to nurture that strength and growth. And what do we find? God's people all the way down through time have always been bound together by Him into covenant communities. Look at this: in Acts 7:38 He refers to Israel in the wilderness as a church! Interesting, eh?

This is he [Moses], that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us.

Well, what about it? Weren't they really there, an identifiable, organized, flesh-and-blood grouping--a church-- there on God's stage in the wilderness? And they were a covenant community, bound together to each other and to God; they were not a blurry hodge-podge of individuals each going their own way. Exodus 24:8 shows us a specific flesh-and-blood group of believers, bound under a covenant of blood. What did Paul do when he was converted? He tried to join the church. It took him awhile to get in, too, because they weren't too sure about him at first (Acts 9:26-28). God added to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47). He gave the members of His church gifts to lead it, to nurture it, and to grow it too. Listen to this from Ephesians 4:16.

From whom [Christ] the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Friends, if we are joined to Christ, we are joined to His body, and His body is a church; it's alive. The kingdom of God is among us, but it is not of this world. That living community of faith out in the desert in the wilderness--that "church," as the Bible calls them, was under the blood. And in the very end, so too will be all who are saved. God will have His last day people under His blood too. Let's make our last three stops today in the book of Revelation. First, turn with me to Revelation 1:5, the last part, and verse 6 too.

Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

God's last-day people are washed in the blood; they too have entered into the blood of the covenant; they are a family, bound together into a community with God and with each other. And let's look over at Revelation 14:4 too. What do we find there?

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Now in the figures of the apocalypse, you know a woman represents a church. These are they then, who "are not defiled with women," that is, they have removed themselves from false churches that rise up in the last-days that misrepresent God and His kingdom--who are not His witnesses, but someone else's witnesses. And do you see that "these were redeemed from among men," that is, they have been redeemed--bought back. But bought back by what means? Consider 1 Peter 1:18-19:

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

We have been bought back by the precious blood of Jesus and washed in the precious blood of Jesus. We've been redeemed. We're involved in the blood of the covenant. Together.

An Appeal to Join the Kingdom

Let's turn to our last Scripture today, on the last page of your Bible. Revelation 22:17.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.

And isn't that what the Holy Spirit is saying to us today? Come! Let us rejoice in the fellowship that we share; let us encourage one another as we see the day of Jesus' return fast approaching; let us remember our covenant with the Lord and experience "newness of life" in Him; and if anyone here has not been born of the water, then the bride--the church--says "Come." Prepare for baptism. Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

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End

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Paul's argument in Romans 5:12-7:6.

Romans 5:12-19 The reign of death began with the fall through the one, Adam, but the gift of God began with the one, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:20-21 Sin --> Death Grace --> through righteousness --> Eternal life. Grace reigns through righteousness.

Romans 6:1-2 The purpose of grace is not to facilitate sin, but to remove it from the life in the present.

Romans 6:3-4 Baptism into Christ means burial into the death that Adam managed to saddle us with, and that Jesus experienced for us. The result is present living in newness of life.

Romans 6:5-6 The old man is crucified with Jesus to free us from the reign of sin.

Romans 6:7-10 Sin's reign has ended for us since Jesus has paid its penalty. We now live unto God, who gives newness of life to the resurrected.

Romans 6:11-14 Be aware that you are dead to sin and alive to God. We now yield ourselves to God and our members in particular to righteousness. We are not under the reign of sin's condemnation through the law, but under the reign of grace's righteous newness of life made possible through Jesus.

Romans 6:15-23 We may now freely obey to the working of righteousness. The fruitage of our freedom is the "telos," the outcome or arrival at the goal of eternal life.

Romans 7:1-3 The law has dominion over a person as long as they live (the law of the first husband).

Romans 7:4-6 Because Jesus died for us, we also have died, and are thus released from bondage to the first husband; we are free to be remarried to Christ and live in newness of spirit.