THE KING’S BUSINESS
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forth by ah illustration from slavery (vv. 15-23). Our identification with Christ has brought us into the service and under the control of a new Master. The recognition of this fact leads the believer to make, not only a definite surrender of his members to Christ, his new Master, once and for all, but also to make( a constant series of such surrenders or presentations of his members as opportunity may arise from time to time. ' There is a sense in which the state of grace is a state of slavery, but this service is perfect freedom. The Christian is saved to serve. Like the servant in the Old Testa ment who was unwilling to leave his master, and to exhibit his devotion, was willing to have his ear bored to the post, and say, “I shall not go away free,” so is the believer in relation to Christ,-his new Mas ter. Antecedent to our conversion we were slaves to Satan, the master of sin. To him and his service we yielded our members— eyes, lips, tongue, feet, hands, and mind— but now having died unto that life, and having risen to the new life in Christ, we have our service unto righteousness. Just as sin grew by the continual handing over of our members to its.service, so we grow in sanctification by the constant and con tinual handing over of our members to righteousness. To practice sin would be to belie our new Master. We have taken His form of doc trine, and so must take His form of life. Christians or believers can do just what they want to do. They are free in this respect, but they will not want to do what is displeasing to their new Master. It is possible for them to do always those things that please Christ. To this position the Roman Christians had evidently attained (cf. vv. 17, 18) by the process mentioned in verse 19. When they were living in sin they were free from the claims of right eousness (v. 20). Now that they are living in righteousness they are free from the claims of sin. The fruit of their former service, as they lbok back upon their .past, was shame (v. 21) ; the fruit of their new service is life and peace (vv. 22, 23).
to present “our members/* which indicate the different partial presentations from time to time. Such a surrendered life is made possible because of the omnipotence of the grace of God, in which element the believer now lives» His identification with Christ permits him to do things it was impossible for him to do when “under the law/’ L essons from 6 :1 -1 4 There are some interesting and helpful lessons to be derived from a general view of these verses. They may be summarized as follows: First. The identification of the believer with Christ in His death and resurrection makes it impossible for such an one to live in a state of sin- (cf. 1 John 3:7-19); Second. Nor is it necessary for such a believer to commit individual acts of sin. To him has been granted “the expulsive power of a new affection” (cf, 1 John 2:1). Third. When a believer comprehends what has actually taken place in his life, in his state and standing because of his relation to the Lord Jesus Christ, he has found the secret of a victorious life (cf. the expressions, “Know ye not?” 6:3, 16; 7:1). Just as failure to enjoy'the peace of God-comes from failure to grasp the fact that peace with God has already taken place through Chrijt (5:1), so is it with regard to a victorious Christian experience. There is great need today of teaching these deeper truths of the believer’s standing in Christ Jesus. Fourth. To understand the import of the words, “reckon,” “reign,” “present is to enter into the divine secret of triumphant living. A B rief E xposition of V erses 15-23 The first part of this chapter (vv. 1-14) presented the matter of sanctification from the divine side—the key-word was “reckon.” The section we are now to consider (vv. 15-23) presents it from the human side— the key-word is “present.” The method of victory over sin is set
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