Likeness
LIKENESS
ROMANS
CHAPTER SIX
1
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound?
4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even
so we also should walk in newness of life.
5
For if we have been planted together in the likeness
of his death, we shall be also in
the likeness
of his
resurrection:
6
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should
not serve sin.
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- Some in the church of Rome were still astride law and grace. It is not possible to keep two conflicting covenants. Thus Grace filled worshipers had inquired of Paul whether or not those who were committing of disobedience were forever doomed to death. The apostle is very stern in pressing the necessity of holiness and withdrawal from partaking of sin. He, in no way, condemns, diminishes or deletes the free grace of the gospel, but he shows that connection between justification and holiness are inseparable. “Good grief,” how could anyone having realized their sinning and ask forgiveness continue in their sin that grace may abound. If believers are dead to sin, they ought not to indulge in it. No man can, at the same time, be both dead and alive. The person is a fool who, desiring to be dead unto sin, thinks he may live in it.
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3-10 Baptism teaches the necessity of dying to sin, and being as it were buried from all ungodly and unholy pursuits, and of rising to walk with God in newness of life. Unholy professors may have had the outward sign of a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness, but they never passed from the family of Satan to that of God. The corrupt nature, called the old man, because derived from our first father Adam, is crucified with Christ, in every true believer, by the grace derived from the cross. It is weakened and in a dying state, though it yet struggles for life, and even for victory. But the whole body of sin, whatever is not according to the holy law of God, must be done away, so that the believer may no more be the slave of sin, but live to God, and find happiness in his worshiping service.
- Believers must die to willful sin, and live completely devoted to God. We take on Christs likeness if we follow His example and go as He went. We signify this in our life by a Christian baptism and union with Christ. We are made alive to God and dead to sin for we are freed from the dominion of sin. Sin ends in death; and holiness unto everlasting life. Romans 6:5 “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” We gave up that likeness through Adam and Eve when they chose to be in the likeness of Satan. Our Heavenly Father has given us a way back to His likeness and unto everlasting life. I John 3-4 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” No liar shall enter into the heaven of rest because they bare not the likeness of God. Know God Know Peace. Amen. 12-06-2019 BLL
Genesis
1:26 “And
God said, Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the
fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and
over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
- Genesis 5:1 “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
- Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
- Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
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- Acts 14:11 “And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
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- Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
- Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Very well expressed. If only those who claim to be the Lord's people would in, fact, pursue Godliness and Minister one to another, the presence of the Lord would outshine the aberration that has become the church, and turn to the Godliness of Christ's Church!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your comment. I am just a lowly country evangelist. Pass the site location on to your friends, please. May God bless you. Amen
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