I. The Righteousness of God

a. The key questions:

i. If our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? Is God unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (Romans 3:5)

ii. If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner? (Romans 3:7)

iii. Why not say….”Let us do evil that good may result?”

iv. Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (Romans 6:1)

v. Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? (Romans 6:15)

b. Paul’s address:

i. The way of righteousness is not the way of “works”, but the way of faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:22)

ii. God credits righteousness apart from works, based on trusting God who justifies the wicked (Romans 4:5)

iii. God’s love demonstrates God’s righteous character. God takes the initiative to make us right with him:

1. When we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6)

2. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)

3. We have been made right with God (justified), how much more will we be saved from God’s wrath through him (Romans 5:9)

4. We were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus –the atonement for our sin, thereby reconciling us with God—and we are now saved through the life of Christ (Romans 5:10-11)

II. Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

a. The contrast between the “trespass” and “the gift”:

i. sin was in the world before the law revealed it (Romans 5:12-13)

ii. Sin reigned from Adam to Moses, even though the law was not present to create an accounting for sin (Romans 5:14)

iii. Death entered the world through the sin of Adam, and came to all because “all sinned” (Romans 5:12)

b. The gift follows many trespasses and brings justification (Romans 5:15-16)

c. The gift brings life to many: the reign in life through Jesus Christ (an expression of the kingdom of God) – Romans 5:17-21

i. Expressed in terms of obedience (see next section in Romans): the disobedience of Adam made many sinners. The obedience of Jesus makes many righteous.

III. Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

a. The statement of baptism: Death to sin, Alive to Christ (Romans 6:4).

i. A statement of union with Christ

1. buried, then raised with Christ

2. united with him in his death

3. united in his life through the resurrection

ii. Death to sin means freedom from sin, no longer the need to be enslaved to its desires (Romans 6:7)

iii. Just as Christ died to sin, and now lives to God, so we must “count ourselves dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:8-11)

iv. Therefore, sin must not be allowed to reign in our mortal bodies (Romans 6:12). How?

1. Do not offer the parts of our body to sin as instruments of wickedness

2. Rather, offer ourselves to God, as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13-14)

3. Why? Because sin is no longer our master: we are not under law, but under grace.

b. The issue of obedience (illustrated by the concept of “slave”) – Romans 6:19-23)

i. We are a slave to what we obey:

1. We either obey the desires of sin in our bodies

2. Or, we obey God

3. We will obey one or the other

ii. We are controlled by what we obey

1. What benefit do we derive from that which we obey, and therefore that which controls us?

2. Sin brings shame

3. Righteousness brings the benefit of holiness

4. The wage of sin brings death

5. The gift of God brings eternal life.