26-0517sc - Detailed Summary

Steve opens the Bible class on May 17, 2026, welcoming everyone and announcing the study of Romans chapter 6. He reviews key themes from earlier chapters, noting two paths to righteousness: through the law or through faith. Abraham was declared righteous based on faith before the law of Moses existed, serving as the model for both Jews and Gentiles. Righteousness in God’s eyes depends solely on faith, which pleases God since those who seek Him must believe He exists. The law of Moses reveals and identifies sin but cannot produce righteousness.

The law makes sin clear, as Paul learned through the commandment against covetousness, showing he could not achieve righteousness through it. Humans have an inner drive toward disobedience because of sin, which defeats willpower and self-control. Steve shares personal examples of addiction to foul language in his youth and smoking, explaining how both harm the body as God’s temple. He quit smoking for health reasons, to avoid offending others like Pentecostals and Seventh-day Adventists, and to set a good example. Sin keeps people from exercising self-control in areas like dieting or breaking addictions.

Chapter 6 explains benefits available only to Christians who have died to sin, not to those under the law. Sin holds power over non-Christians, limiting their ability to quit addictions through willpower alone. People are born under the law by default. Continuing in sin after becoming Christian returns one to that default state, with no remaining sacrifice according to Hebrews 10. Transfer to the law of faith requires first satisfying the original law.

Steve recounts observing court cases where judges set fines or jail time for minor offenses, after which family members paid the penalty. He created a parable of a 16-year-old caught speeding and running a stop sign whose parents pay the fine, satisfying the law regardless of who pays. This parallels judgment day: Satan accuses with a list of sins, the penalty is death and separation from God, and no family member can pay because they are guilty too. Only Jesus can die for the sinner, satisfying the law and allowing transfer to the law of faith. Righteousness covers many sins and has great value with God.

The law must be satisfied before justification and being declared righteous. Steve tells of a Black Panther fugitive who lived a model life for nearly 30 years but was still punished because the law was not satisfied by good behavior alone. When coming to Christ, a person confesses belief that Jesus is the Son of God and is baptized, dying to sin to receive power over it and the ability to exercise self-control. This fulfills Romans 8 where Christ condemns sin in the flesh.

Paul addresses baptized Christians who vowed obedience. He asks if we should continue sinning so grace may increase: "By no means!" All who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death, buried with Him through baptism, and raised to live a new life. The old self was crucified with Him so the body ruled by sin might be done away with; those who have died have been set free from sin. Christians no longer have to be slaves to sin and can walk in newness of life.

Believers who died with Christ will also live with Him. Christ died to sin once for all and now lives to God. Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Do not let sin reign in your mortal body or offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness. Instead, offer yourselves to God as those brought from death to life and every part as an instrument of righteousness. Sin is no longer master because we are under grace, not law. Self-control and willpower become possible through Christ.

Shall we sin because we are under grace? "By no means!" We are slaves to whatever we obey—sin leading to death or obedience leading to righteousness. Thanks be to God that though once slaves to sin, we obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching that claimed our allegiance. This pattern is confessing Jesus as the Son of God and being baptized for remission of sins, dying to sin and rising to new life. Paul emphasizes obedient faith, not faith only, as faith brings obedience.

Paul uses everyday examples: just as you once offered yourselves as slaves to impurity and wickedness, now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. Former actions produced shame and death; now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, the benefit is holiness and eternal life. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Heaven is the certain home for Christians through Jesus and righteousness. Steve closes by noting Paul’s consistent emphasis on obedient faith throughout Romans.