Returning to the focal verse in this series–Romans 6:23–let us see how Satan uses one of his most effective ploys to control the whole of Catholicism/Protestantism. This ultimately effective tool consists of convincing Bible readers to ignore part of a verse or passage. But before we look into that we will examine another favorite ruse designed to keep Bible owners (and hopefully studiers) from obeying God’s study instructions found in Isaiah 28:9,10. Here the prophet wants to know whom God can teach knowledge about His Word. The answer is two-fold: one must 1) be mature and 2) must study every bit of information about the subject being investigated. With this in mind we will study the verses leading up to Romans 6:23 which will explain the importance of the verse’s final two Words–“our Lord”–which are summarily ignored by professing Christendom.

As is often the case when studying the Scriptures, verses leading up to the focal message often teach us a lesson about a totally different subject. Romans 6:1 is no exception in that it destroys a universal church “truth”–“The Law (10 Commandments) was nailed to the cross.” See God’s Royal Law for proof that it was the sacrificial “law of Moses” that was nullified by Christ’s death. Notice that the Apostle Paul was writing to his spiritual “brethren” in Rome who not only “know the Law” but know that “the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives” (Rom. 7:1). To further establish God’s Truth relative to the Law, let us interject 1 John 3:4 at this point: “To transgress the Law is sin, for sin is the transgression of the Law.” The Law defines sin as disobeying the Law. Therefore righteousness is obeying the Law. THIS WAS WRITTEN TO THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH.

In Romans 6:2 Paul equates the “death” of Christ at His baptism to the “death” of the believer at his baptism. Both came up out of the water (grave) a new creation, their sins washed away, their spiritual slates wiped clean. Of course Jesus had no sin, but, because He was a man, baptism was undertaken in order to “fulfill all righteousness,” as He said to John. From that point on whatever sin the believer commits is due to his/her choice. How do we know this? Keep reading.

In verse 2 Paul states that following baptism the convert is “dead to (the pull of) sin.” He then asks how one who is dead to sin could continue to sin? One can’t. That is, unless one belongs to “the church,” in which case one is “saved,” which allows him/her to sin and get away with it. This convenient bit of “truth” cannot be found within the pages of the Holy Bible. With true conversion (not salvation) one’s sin-ladened, Satan-obeying “old man” is done away with and is replaced by a righteousness-soaked, God-obeying “new man.” As Paul put it verse 3, with one’s true conversion one’s “old man is crucified with Christ (so that) … hereafter we must not serve sin (obey Satan). For he that is dead (to sin) no longer sins (“serves sin”). For he that is dead to sin is FREED FROM SIN,” not freed TO sin as the church teaches. Note verse 8 where we find that there is a condition the convert must meet in order to live with Christ eternally: “Now IF WE (Paul included) ARE DEAD (to sin) WITH CHRIST … (then) WE SHALL LIVE WITH HIM.” One’s death to sin–requirement for future salvation–is proved by the convert by his/her post-baptism God-obeying life. This proving period lasts until physical death or Christ’s Second Advent, whichever comes first. L.J.