Romans 6 vs 1 vs 23 - Corps Notes - 8
Publication Date: 1973
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Romans 6:1-23
Lesson 8
All right, we’re in Romans, class, in chapter 6. I’m going to read the sixth chapter with
you from King James, then we’re going to go to some of these other translations and read
them, so you get a little feel of the impact of this great chapter. We have just finished that
section in Romans 5, which we handled very detailed. And we get to verse 1:
Romans 6:1-10:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death?
Therefore we [were] 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 [shall]
walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also
[and] in the likeness of his [properly supplied] resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man [was] crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be [done away], that henceforth we should not [be in bondage to] sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also [do what?] live with
him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no
more dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once:...
You see, in the mass he dies daily. Every time a mass is held. The Bible says he
doesn’t die daily, he died how many times? {Once.} That’s why the alter at the back of the
church is totally erroneous, because the alter is for a sacrifice, and Hebrews says he entered
in, how many times? Once, see? That’s the same it says here in Romans, he died unto sin
how many times? Once. This is why in the Roman church, only the vicar of Christ can
drink the wine. Not a bad idea, but it’s the only reason for it, because of the apostolic
succession and everything else involved, he represents God in Christ (he represents Christ)
and therefore it is he that drinks it and indicates thereby that Christ is dying. It’s a real trip
on believing.
Romans 6:10b, 11:
...but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
[Verse 11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead...
It doesn’t say you are, it says reckon it. You got to reckon it. You know in Christ it’s
one thing but for you to know it, that your dead and that it’s all taken care of, it’s
something you do with your mind, believing.
Romans 6:11b-15:
...to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts
thereof. [In the category of the five senses.]
Neither yield ye your members...instruments [or weapons] of unrighteousness
unto sin: but yield [yourself] unto God, as those [who] are alive from the dead,
and your members as [weapons of righteousness,] instruments of righteousness
unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion [lordship] over you: for ye are not under the law,
but under grace.
What then? [Since we’re under grace,] Shall we sin, because we are not under the
law, but under grace?
He must have had a real problem with those people in Rome, huh? Since we’re under
grace we can just sin like crazy, that’s what they’re saying. Do anything we want because
we’re going to go to heaven anyways.
Romans 6:15b-23:
...God forbid.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye
are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto [what?]
righteousness?
But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from
the heart that form of doctrine [right believing] which was delivered unto you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of [what?] righteousness.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye
have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity;
even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto [what?] holiness.
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. [You
didn’t have any.]
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end
of those things is death.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants [of] God, ye have your
fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Isn’t that a fantastic chapter? I wanted to read to you tonight, Lamsa’s. And just sit and
enjoy it and just listen to the difference in how this thing works. Therefore, here we go:
Romans 6:1-23 (Lamsa):
What shall we then say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
Far be it. How shall we that are dead to sin continue to live in it?
Do you not know that those of us who have been baptized into Jesus Christ have
been baptized into his death?
Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death, so that as Jesus Christ
arose from the dead by the glory of his Father, even so we also shall walk in a
new life.
For if we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death, so shall
we be also in the likeness of his [what?] resurrection:
For we know that our old selves are crucified with him, so that the sinful body
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we are dead with Christ, let us believe that we shall also live with Christ.
We know that Christ rose from the dead, and dies no more; and that death has no
more dominion over him.
For in dying he died once for sin; and in living he lives to God.
Likewise, you also must consider yourselves as being dead to sin, but alive to God
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts
thereof.
Neither should you yield your members as instruments of iniquity to sin; but yield
yourselves to God, just as if you were men who had risen from among the dead,
and let your members be instruments of righteousness to God.
Sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are no longer under the law, but
under grace.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Far be
it.
Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
you are; for you obey him, whether it be to sin or whether it be of obedience to
righteousness?
But thank God that you, who were once the servants of sin, now obey from the
heart that form of doctrine which has been delivered to you.
Now, being made free from sin, you become the servants of righteousness.
I speak after the manner of men because of the weakness of your flesh; for as you
have yielded your members to the servitude of uncleanness and iniquity, so now
yield your members to the servitude of righteousness and holiness.
For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness.
What kind of fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?
For the end thereof is death.
But now being made free from sin and become the servants to God, your fruits are
holy, and the end thereof is life everlasting.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Now I want to read you the New English.
Romans 6:1-23 (New English):
What are we to say, then? Shall we persist in sin, so that there may be all the more
grace?
No, no! We died to sin: how can we live in it any longer?
Have you forgotten that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus we
were baptized into his death?
By baptism we were buried with him, and lay dead, in order that, as Christ was
raised from the dead in the splendor of the Father, so also we might set our feet
upon the new path of life. [Isn’t that neat?]
For if we have become incorporate with him in a death like his, we shall also be
one with him in a resurrection like his.
We know that the man we once were has been crucified with Christ, for the
destruction of the sinful self, so that we may no longer be the slaves of sin,
since a dead man is no longer answerable for his sin.
But if we thus died with Christ, we believe that we shall also come to life with
him.
We know that Christ, once raised from the dead, is never to die again: he is no
longer under the dominion of death.
For in dying as he died, he died to sin, once for all, and in living as he lives, he
lives to God.
In the same way you must regard yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God, in
union with Christ Jesus.
So sin must no longer reign in your mortal body, exacting obedience to the body's
desires.
You must no longer put its several parts at sin's disposal, as implements for doing
wrong. No: put yourselves at the disposal of God, as dead men raised to life; yield
your bodies to him as implements for doing right;
for sin shall no longer be your master, because you are no longer under law, but
under the grace of God.
What then? Are we to sin, because we are not under law but under grace? Of
course not.
You know well enough that if you put yourselves at the disposal of a master, to
obey him, you are slaves of the master whom you obey; and this is true whether
you serve sin, with death as its result; or obedience, with righteousness as its
result.
But God be thanked, you, who once were slaves of sin, have yielded wholehearted
obedience to the pattern of teaching to which you were made subject, or which
was handed onto you.
and, emancipated from sin, have become slaves of righteousness
(to use words that suit your human weakness) - I mean, as you once yielded your
bodies to the service of impurity and lawlessness, making for moral anarchy, so
now you must yield them to the service of righteousness, making for a holy life.
When you were slaves of sin, you were free from the control of righteousness;
and what was the gain? Nothing but what now makes you ashamed, for the end of
that is death.
But now, freed from the commandments of sin, and bound to the service of God,
your gains are such as make for holiness, and the end is eternal life.
For sin pays a wage, and the wage is death, but God gives freely, and his gift is
eternal life, in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Many of these translations when you read them just for flavor, they give you insight
and feeling into the Word, and this is why if you’re really working the word and digging it
out, you’re going to basically at times check other translations to get the flavor of it. As a
matter of fact as I told you this before: before you start working the Word, like if you’re
going to work Romans, you just read it and read it and read it until you get the whole heart
and the feel of the book. You must always keep separated what God has wrought in Christ
and what we are in him at the time of his death, and what becomes ours when we accept
him as the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why, verse 3, we’re baptized into Jesus Christ, we’re
baptized into his death, right? But I wasn’t living when he died. But in the mind of God,
because of God’s foreknowledge, he knew that I would come along someday, that you
would come along and you would believe on him. Therefore when Christ died, you already
died with him; you were baptized in his death. And being in his death, you were buried
with him. Really something. Baptized in his death and baptized in his burial. Two things
here, see them? Now the word “death” does not include buried in verse 4. Buried comes
after Jesus Christ has done everything he can do for mankind; fulfilled all the law as far as
his work is concerned. That’s why it says baptized into his death. Now the buried part,
Nicodemus took care of him. He took him off of the cross, or was it Joseph of Arimathea?
Took him off the cross and buried him. So, we were baptized into everything he did for us
in death and further than that, when he was buried, we were buried with him. Now, some
groups take this buried with him by baptism into death by the method of water baptism
called immersion. And they’ll teach that, as Jesus Christ was buried in death, buried, being
dead; therefore you when you go under the water are being buried and the water symbolic
of washing away of all your sin, and then you come up, Craig Martindale (He's laughing at
this teaching. He understands this one.), then when you come up you have newness of
what? Life. This has nothing to do with water, has everything to do with what was wrought
in Christ. When he died, we died with him, and our death with him is a baptism in his
death. When he was buried we were buried with him. This burial is in his burial.
Now, when I accept the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, I’m
baptized “in the name.” Acts, remember? Whatever that name represented, well what did it
represent? Here, you have two or three great truths. So, when I receive him, I am baptized
with the presence of Christ, in his name; whatever that name represents, which we know is
Christ in you, the hope of glory. But before, I got saved, I was already saved in God’s sight,
you know, what he had paid for because He knew that I would someday believe; so it’s
already paid for in Christ when he died. Tremendous time of the week to read this, happens
to be Tuesday night, see? Really, a lot of things go through a person’s mind, when you’re
in this kind of a week, but isn’t that wonderful? You see, if the water baptism that man
goes through and works accomplishes something then what happens to this whole chapter?
Falls apart, because Christ is the end of the law, no longer under law but under grace.
Really something.
Romans 6:5 (Lamsa):
...planted together...in the likeness of his death. So shall be also in the likeness of
his [what?] resurrection.
Right. And that agrees with Corinthians where we shall see him face to face, where we
are going to have a body fashioned unto like his glorious body. All of this stuff will fit
together. Knowing that our old man, the old man was crucified. Baptized into Jesus Christ,
we’re baptized into his death so everything that he accomplished for us, with his death is
ours when we were baptized in that name of Jesus Christ. And the old man right up here,
was crucified. Now, if it’s ever going to be crucified in life I have to believe that it was
crucified in him. Then I renew my what? {Mind.} That’s how it works. But as far as God is
concerned, it’s all taken care of. What about the old man then? The potential is that we
could put on the new man and walk in that greatness of newness of life. Now if I continue
to walk in the old man, can only be that I have not renewed my mind, as far as God is
concerned he’s already dead in Christ, isn’t that beautiful? Oh, kids, that stuff is just
fantastic.
Romans 6:6:
...that the body of sin might be [done away,]...
We know that the man we once were has been crucified with Christ.
Romans 6:6 (New English):
...for the destruction of the sinful self...
For the destruction of the sinful self – that the body of sin might be done away; that
the body of sin might be done away. They [New English] translate “for the destruction of
the sinful self.” I think that’s a good translation, it’s real neat.
Romans 6:6 (not KJV):
...for the destruction might be done away, destroyed, of the sinful self, that
henceforth we should not be in bondage to sin.
“So that we may no longer be the slaves of sin” is how they [New English] translate it
over here. “In bondage” is how I translated it, “But henceforth we should not be in
bondage to sin.” No place does it say that you are not going to sin. There is a translation
that we read a little while ago that could give that implication, but that implication is
exactly what the church through the years has utilized and therefore they have taught if you
live under grace, you can’t sin anymore and what do you do? Anything you want, no sin.
But what he is talking about is that in Christ it has that repentance and remission trip in it
and forgiveness. It is the repentance and remission that is dead in Christ. The future walk is
in the forgiveness category. But even in that forgiveness category, as far as God in Christ is
concerned, it’s already paid for. No wonder it’s a mystery that’s kept secret. It’s still a
secret for most people, that’s right.
Romans 6:6 (not KJV):
Knowing that our old man was crucified, with him, that the body of sin might be
done away (for the destruction of the sinful self, the body of sin), that henceforth
we should not be in bondage or slaves to sin.
Doesn’t say we aren’t going to sin, it just says we shouldn’t be in bondage to it.
Everybody’s going to sin. But if you think it’s all a grace and you can’t sin, then pretty
soon you’re going to be in bondage to sin; that, verse 7:
Romans 6:7:
For he that is dead is freed from [what?] sin.
Right, but “since a dead man is no longer answerable for his sin,” is how they [New
English] translate it. So, in Christ when we died with him, what happens to our sin? It dies.
No longer answerable for it, because as I taught you in the Foundational Class that sin is
not what keeps us out of heaven, it’s the rejection of the savior from sin the Lord Jesus
Christ. [KJV:] “For he that is dead is freed from sin.” [New English:] “Since a dead man is
no longer answerable for his sin.” I wonder what they [American Standard Version] did
here with that, how they translated it. This is a very good translation. “For he that hath died
is justified from sin.” Justified, that’s a pretty good trip. Because, of what Christ did. He
made us what? Just. Therefore we are justified in Christ from the sin which he took; he
paid for it.
Romans 6:8, 9:
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe we shall also live with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no
more dominion over him.
But death still has dominion over us, in one sense; but in another sense it doesn’t.
Don’t you see it? In the physical sense, yes; but in what we have in Christ it’s eternal or
everlasting what? {Life} Now, these are just things you have to understand from the
greatness of his Word. Verse 11:
Romans 6:11:
Likewise reckon ye...yourselves to the dead...
You just have to reckon it to yourself, you have to regard yourself, look upon yourself
as being dead. But you’re alive unto who? [God through Jesus Christ our Lord.] That’s it.
Romans 6:12 (not KJV):
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies [have supremacy, a ruling],...
That doesn’t mean that you won’t sin, but a sin that has a supremacy. Do you
understand that stuff, the fine line of demarcation? It would be sin that’s like a possession.
Let him who stole to what?
[Students:] Steal no more.
Okay. Let him who lie quit lying. Now if you keep lying and lying and lying and lying
after you’re saved, that lying, that stealing has a supremacy arraigned, got it? That doesn’t
say you’re not going to sin, it just says don’t let that sin do, what? {Reign.} That doesn’t
give us a license to sin, it just tells us what is to be done about it. Look any other thing you
argue about will never fit. It won’t fit with life and it won’t fit with the Word because all
men will sin after they’re saved. But God made a way up and out that man need not be in
that sin. A lifetime held in by it. Because if he confesses he’s faithful and just to do, what?
{Forgive.} See it? God would have us and wills for us to walk perfectly with the renewed
mind. And not sin. But in His foreknowledge He knows we’re going to do what?
{Sin.}That’s right. That’s why you and I are not the savior. That’s why Jesus Christ was.
And basically the only difference between the Lord Jesus Christ and you is that God in His
foreknowledge knew he would walk on a perfectly renewed mind. And basically class, that
is where our salvation is, in Christ, in the renewed mind of what he accomplished. Tempted
in all things like what? {We are.} Yet without what? {Sin.} Did he have the potential of
becoming sick? {Yes.} How could he have redeemed us if he did not have that potential?
Did he have the potential to sin? How could he have redeemed us had he not had it? He
was the second Adam. Now, what I’m telling you now, I don’t expect you to teach, I expect
you to know it. So that you really build up, really, the Christ within you, the love that you
have for him. You know how difficult it is to walk one day with a renewed mind right?
Some, five minutes maybe. What about 30, 33 years of it? Now, how does a man get a
renewed mind? Is he born with it? How do you get it? Study the Word? And I teach this in
the Foundational Class I believe, where he only knew what he studied from the Word or
what he got by revelation. He had less Word of God available to him than you and I do He
didn’t have any less of God available, but less Word because it all hadn’t come. Boy, you
talk about he being the savior that just blows my mind. How, he under the administration
of the servant, how in that administration he could walk with that perfect renewed mind.
He must have been a man’s man beyond any man. And in that walk, is where he is God’s
only begotten son, the Savior, the Christ, who died for us. It’s in the renewed mind walk.
Physically in a body fashioned like unto the body we have. His color was a little different
maybe, few other little things. Genetically, the God side was dominant. But the recessives
were also there; the frailties of Mary’s blood stream were there. Yet in spite of that, he
believed God and never sinned; so it can not be in the birth. If it was in the birth, he could
not have sinned; and if he could not have sinned he could not have redeemed sinners. It’s
in his walk. When he died, he died unto sin, once. Who did it? He did it. Did it by his walk,
even death was a walk, it says so. Who for the joy that was what?
[Students:] Set before him.
See it’s a walk. So, everything we have, we got in Christ in his death. That’s where it’s
all covered, all paid for. But Jesus Christ did not get himself up. Who got him up?
[Students:] God.
God. By giving him a new life quickening spirit. This is why when you’re born again,
it is God in Christ in you, the hope of glory. Because, if you confess with your mouth what?
[Students:] The Lord Jesus.
Okay, that’s what he did, in his death, and?
[Students:] Believe.
God did what?
[Students:] Raised him from the dead.
Two things. Got it? God raised him from the dead, but in his death, we were baptized
and everything else, everything accomplished. But when he was put in the tomb, he did not
raise himself, he had no life within, no power. God raised him, that’s why in Romans 10:9
and 10, you have those two things. Got it? Confess with your mouth what?
[Students:] The Lord Jesus.
Okay, Jesus as Lord, okay. In this Romans trip here, we have in part why Jesus is Lord,
master. He mastered the whole trip, he walked it kids. He lived it. Not only when he died
but all of his life, tempted as we are. Bad food available, all the rest of the stuff. But God
raised him from the dead. That’s why we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, Jesus as
Lord. And believe in the inner most part of our being that God did what?
[Students:] Raised him from the dead.
That’s why when you believe that it’s God, in Christ in you the hope of glory. Yeah,
isn’t that something?
Wonder what they did here? Emancipated from sin, emancipated from sin [New
English], being made free from sin [King James Version], verse 18.
Romans 6:18-19:
Emancipated from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.
[Then verse 19] I speak after the manner of men [is to use words that suit your human
weakness, the manner of men,] because of the infirmary of your flesh: for as ye have
yielded your members servants to uncleanness, even so now, yield your members servants
to righteousness unto holiness.
Romans 6:22:
[But now, freed from the commands of sin and bound to the service of God.] But
now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, [That’s good.] you
have your fruit unto holiness [that’s the walk of the renewed mind.]...
Romans 6:23 (KJV):
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Good chapter? Great. Next week I’ll handle some more things in here that I plan on
working on covering. You see why Romans is the first book to the church? First in
revelation (you know, in here), not the first that was given by revelation; but it’s the first to
the church, because the whole foundation is there. Basically everything is here in the book
of Romans: man’s fight, sin, nature, sins the result of it, how to handle the situation, how it
was handled in Christ, what we do with it after we are born again, all of those things are
involved.