This is the sixth installment of what I hope to be a complete “translation” of Romans. Please note that this is not scripture; it is my understanding of scripture. Any with questions or concerns should check the original.
Fifth chapter of Romans
If this is all true, what shall we say? Should we do whatever we want, believing that God will forgive us? God forbid!
Doing evil is part of our old nature, which is dead – how can we live that way any more?
Don’t you know that when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior our old nature was washed away? It died with Him on the cross so that, just as Jesus rose from the dead by the glorious power of God the Father, our new nature would rise into life – a new life.
And if we have were united with Jesus in His death, we shall also be united with Him in His resurection.
We know that our old nature was crucified with Him so that we should no longer serve sin: which is anything that against God’s will. Anyone who dies has been freed from the power of evil.
And if this is true of us, we believe that we will also live with Christ – knowing that death no longer has any power over Him, and never will. He died once, but now He lives for ever to glorify God the Father.
So, just as Jesus does, count yourself dead to sin but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Do not let sin reign in your life; do not obey its desires. And do not let your body be an instrument of evil, but instead, let God use you in His service as an instrument of good. Because sin is no longer your master: you are not governed by law any longer, but by the grace of God.
Now some might say, if we are not under the law any more, but under grace, should we just do whatever we want, even if it’s against God’s wishes? God forbid!
Don’t you know that when you offer yourself to someone, you are his slave? And being a slave to sin – anything against God’s will – leads to death. But obeying God leads to purity and a right relationship with Him.
Thanks be to God that even though you used to be slaves to evil, you have now been set free – having believed and trusted the teaching that you were given – set free to serve God by doing what is good.
Speaking in human terms, just as you used to offer your body to impurity and greater and great evil, now offer your body to do what is right, and to become closer and closer to God.
When you were the servants of evil, you were free from good. (And what reward did you have for that? the result of that life is death!) But now you are the servants of God and are free from evil … and the reward for that is a close relationship with God, and eternal life!
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.