Romans chapter 6

The biblical term "grace" explicitly means: intentional favor and kindness that requires no deserving or recompense of any sort and yet, when grace is exacted and experimented, will compel willful loyalty. When we measure God's grace from this understanding... we then understand that there can be no compromise in the fabric or culture of God's grace, or else, grace fails to be grace.  Romans chapter six presents God's grace as the only means that makes life meaningful.

 
I.  The Matter Of Grace - vs. 1-7

•  A Foolish Argument Against Grace - 1a - What shall we say then?
  • An Argument Based On False Assurance - 1b  ...Shall we coninue in sin...
  • An Argument Based On A False Assumption - 1c  ...that grace may abound?...  
• A Fool-Proof Answer For Grace - 2-7
  • Note:  He Is Emotionally Faithful - 2a  ...God forbid...
  • Note:  He Is Devotionally Faithful - 2b  ...How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
  • Note:  He Is Doctrinally Faithful - 3-7
  1. A Doctrine Learned - 3   ...Know ye not...
  2. A Doctrine Discerned - 4 ...Therefore we are buried...
  3. A Doctrine Yearned For - 5  ...we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection...
  4. A Doctrine Of Concern - 6-7  ...Knowing this... we should not serve sin...freed from sin.

II.  The Manner Of Grace - vs. 8-11

• Grace Is Believable - 8 ...we believe...
• Grace Is Achievable - 9  ...death hath no more dominion over him... he liveth unto God.
• Grace Is Conceivable - 10  ...For in that he died, he died unto sin once... he liveth unto God
• Grace Is Receivable - 11  ...Likewise reckon... yourselves... alive unto God through Jesus Christ...

III.  The Manager Of Grace - vs. 12-19

• Grace That Commands - 12, 14  ...Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body...
• Grace That Reprimands - 15,   ...shall we sin... God forbid.
• Grace That Demands - 16,23

1. Demands Our Attention - 16  ...Know ye not...
2. Demands Our Affection - 17, 23

             > Affection For God - 17 ...But God be thanked... 
             > Affection For Godliness - 18,19   ...ye became servants of righteousness... unto holiness...
IV.  The Man Of Grace - vs. 20-23

• The Man Who Needs Grace - 20-21  

1. Man Is A Slave To Sin - 20  ...For when ye were the servants of sin...
2. Man Is Slaughtered By Sin - 21 ...fort the end of those things is death...

• The Man Who Gives Grace - 22-23 - Note John 3:16; Romans 5:8

1. God The Father Through God The Son (The God-Man) - 22-23a    Salvation is perfectly described at the onset of verse 22a  Note:  ...Buy now being made free from sin.. and become servants of God... Salvation is presented as God doing the purchasing  (redeeming) and noted as the exclusive owner.
                                                                                                                                                        
   
   •  Note:  Salvation Is Internal - 22b  ...ye have... 
   • Note:  Salvation Is External - 22c  ...fruit unto holiness..                                                        
   • Note:  Salvation Is Paternal - 23a  ..the gift of God...                                                                
   • Note:  Salvation Is Eternal - 23b  ...is eternal life...                                                                   
   • Note:  Salvation Is Personal - 23c   ...through Jesus Christ Our Lord... 

Obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ is born and enabled only by the grace of God exacted by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). Obedience is not impulsive boldness as with Peter who walked on water and yet followed Christ from a distance on dry ground. More often than not, it is our pride and/or human instincts or peer pressure that motivate us to survive the difficult and unusual moments. Obedience to the will of God must not be viewed as an alternative or optional. 

The most dangerous challenge and liability to obeying God is our good intentions (Proverbs 3:5,6). It takes the grace of God to become instinctively obedient in a manner that is consistent and confident in and with the life and lordship of Jesus Christ.  Paul demonstrated that salvation is not by grace and works... but by grace that does work.