A copy of God's Word with you this evening. Turn with me to Romans chapter 6. Romans chapter 6. Romans chapter 6 beginning in verse 1. Hear now the Word of the Living God. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us, as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died to sin once for all. but the life that he lives, he lives to God. Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the word of God and we say, thanks be to God. Let's pray. Lord, now would you encourage feed, nourish, convict, guide, comfort, and console your people, we ask humbly through the word of Christ, which is our food, which you give us aid both in the hearing of the word and in the preaching of the word. And would gospel saints Be born again tonight or furthered on the road to glory tonight through this precious Word. In Jesus' name, Amen. Well, last week due to a power outage, we were not here together. And so tonight we're looking at two weeks worth of catechisms. But they, in God's providence, really relate. Because last week's catechism consisted of two questions, which essentially asked this, since we are redeemed from our misery, our sin, by grace, without any merit of our own, but only through Christ's, why must we do good works? And then the second question went like this, can they then be saved who do not turn to God from their unthankful, impenitent life? In other words, if we're saved by the works of Christ alone, then why is it that we must do good works? If they don't contribute to our salvation, if they don't merit eternal life, if they don't add to the work of Christ, why must we do them? And the question goes further to ask if there are those who are claiming Christ, but who have not turned in repentance. and in the desire to be godly. Can they truly be saved? But this week the questions continue. These are all on the back of your bulletin by the way. And they further this discussion. Question 88. In how many things does true repentance or conversion consist? Answer. Two things. The dying of the old man and the quickening or the enlivening of the new man. What is the dying of the old man? Heartfelt sorrow for sin, causing us to hate and turn from it always more and more. What is the quickening of the new man? Heartfelt joy in God, causing us to take delight in living according to the will of God in all good works. And then the final question, what are good works? Are they the things that we dream up? As a Christian, can I say this and that thing is a good work? Or does the Scripture Specifically the commandments of God declare to us what good works are. And it's the latter. So tonight we're looking really at the question of the Christian and good works. The Christian and good works. It's almost as if the writers of the Heidelberg Catechism were familiar with Paul's writing in Romans chapter 6. Because much of what we've just read really is a distillation of some of what Paul says here in Romans 6. Paul has just finished this glorious discussion. The first five chapters of Romans go like this. Everyone is a sinner. There's no one righteous, no not one. And Jew and Gentile alike are both sinners before the tribunal of God, before the judgment seat of God. And all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But then, in Romans chapter 4, Paul makes a bold statement. He's just finished saying that God's righteousness comes to the sinner through faith in Jesus Christ. In chapter 3, Paul writes this, God set forth Jesus as a propitiation, a wrath-bearing, atoning sacrifice by His blood through faith to demonstrate His righteousness. And then Paul says in Romans 4, that to him who works, his wages are counted not as grace, but as a debt. But in Romans 4, 5, Paul says this, but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. So Paul says in Romans 5 verse 1, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the main descriptions of a Christian is a person who is at peace with God in Christ. That's your resume. That you justified by faith alone in Christ alone, are at peace with God. And Romans 5 says that through Jesus we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. So Paul is boldly declaring the gospel to Jew and Gentile, a church in Rome separated into two groups. Those who had the law and had the prophets and those who didn't that were coming from pagan Gentile backgrounds together in one church both looking to Christ and he says, it is all of grace. So in chapter 6, when he asks the question that he asks, it's because he's boldly declared God's grace. What's the question? Romans 6.1, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? In other words, if our salvation, our forgiveness, our peace with God is based solely on the merits of Christ, His sinless life in our stead, His death on the cross, His resurrection, His ascension, shall we continue to sin? That grace may abound? Because of all of our sin, Christ's grace abounds the more. So should we continue in sin? Another way to ask this is, if our lives are not the basis of our standing before God, our salvation, then does it matter what we do? Does it matter what we do? Might we just continue to live however we desire, however we like? Paul's answer in verse two, certainly not. And then rather than scolding us for the question, or for the assumption, or for the inquiry, he tells us more about ourselves. Look what he says there in the latter part of chapter six, verse two. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Paul is echoing here what he says elsewhere. For instance, in Galatians 2.20, I'm crucified with Christ, therefore it's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me in this life that I live in the body now. I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me. He says, we've died to sin. So he turns the question on its head. He doesn't say, you're crazy. You need to hear the law. He says, no, let me remind you of who you are. You have died to sin. Now you might be thinking, the first century in Rome or in the 21st century here in Hampton, Virginia, when did I die to sin? And herein lies the doctrine of union with Christ. Look what he says. Therefore we were buried, verse 4, with him through baptism into death. That just as Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. So for the Christian, not only is peace with God eternally on our resume, but so is the righteous life and death and resurrection of Christ in our stead. We are united with Christ. Now to be clear, we don't become Christ. We are united to Him. We've been baptized into His death. And so when Jesus hung on the cross all of those hours at Golgotha, our sinful record, our hypocrisy, our pride, our adultery, our lust was being punished. There was not one single deed that you have done, Christian. It was sin in your life. It was not punished on Christ. Little white lies. All the way up to the greatest thing that you can imagine, that you feel shame and guilt for. All of these things, God's wrath was poured out on Christ. And according to His humanity, He suffered and bled and died. And as we confess in that great ancient creed, He took our hell for us. The eternal weight of the hell that you and I deserve was poured out on Christ. You see, in that moment when Christ died, I died. And every good deed and every passing of the test of temptation and every God glorifying moment, every prayer that was completely God saturated, every thought that was for the zeal of the Father in the life of Christ. That's mine. Because I'm united to Christ. Make no mistake, I didn't do those works. But Christ did. And because I'm united to Him, because you Christians are united to Him by faith, that's your record. There is not a record room in heaven where a scribe, or an angel, or an apostle, or a dead loved one is sitting there waiting for you to merit salvation. There's no one tapping the Lord Christ on the shoulder saying, but who's going to atone for that new one? No, every evil deed was punished on Christ. And so the deserving death for sin that you and I have hanging over us was taken in Christ. And His resurrection is our resurrection unto new life. So we need to be clear. Christ's work is the foundation. You and I don't provide the foundation. We don't provide the cornerstone. The whole building stands only because of Christ. But Paul continues, doesn't he? Verse 5. For if we've been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection. We spoke of this this morning. The glorious resurrection of Christ is our empty grave. Verse 6, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him. This is not the sinful nature, right? You and I still have a sinful proclivity. It's not as if when Christ died we no longer sin. But it's our old man, the old order of how we lived, our sin-driven self, was crucified with Him. There's a beauty here, for this happened 2,000 years ago, long before any of us was born. Our old man, our record, before we even lived it out, was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been free from sin. Yes, Jesus died, but He never sinned. When Jesus died, you and I died, so we have been freed from sin. Sin no longer reigns. It no longer rules over you. So as difficult as the struggle with sin is, it is not your master, because you have died. Now verse 8, if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Paul, in verse 9, makes a bold statement. Christ dies no more. None of us is sitting here tonight thinking, well, Christ is going to die again. We know that. The newest believer to the most seasoned believer in the room tonight is not looking for Christ to die again. But think about what Paul is saying. Because Christ's death was once for all and utterly complete, there's no more death. There's no more sacrifice. There's no more meriting of atonement. Christ dies no more. And death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all. But the life that He lives, He lives to God. So here's part of the thesis, verse 11. Likewise, you also reckon, some translations say, Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." So, the first thing that we saw is this, Christ's work in person is the foundation. That's the foundation. But secondly, as we see in the text, our work is that of living and dying. Now you say, wait a minute, I thought Christ was the one who died. It is. And I thought, it's in Christ's life that we live. It is. But what are we to do but to continue to be who we are? The foundation is laid. We need not lay any more cement on the ground. It's laid. Our work is that of living and dying. Those are new words. The old words were these, mortification and vivification. Big words, boys and girls. What does mortification mean? To mortify means to kill. To put to death. What is vivification? Vivify. What does that mean? It means to bring to life or to live according to. That's essentially what the writers of the Heidelberg Catechism are saying in questions 89 and question 90. That we hate sin more and more and more, and we want to root it out. But our rooting out of sin is not a power that we have until we have been free from the reign of sin. And this is why Christ is the foundation. We don't walk around killing sin. An unbeliever can't put to death the reign of sin. And a believer hasn't put to death the reign of sin. They're resting solely in the only one who can put to death the reign of sin. That's Christ. So our work is essentially to live our daily lives, living unto who we are and dying to the old man based solely on Christ. When you read the Puritans and you see the word mortify or vivify, they don't mean that we are earning our way to heaven, nor do they mean that we're able to end the reign of sin. What does Paul say in Ephesians chapter two? And you were dead in the trespasses in which you once walked, following the course of this world, among whom we all once walked, following the power, the prince of the age. And we're by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. That's who we were. And if you're here tonight and you're an unbeliever, that's what the Bible says about you, that you are dead spiritually in sin. There is nothing you can do. You're not mostly dead. You're not partially dead. You're all dead. But what does Ephesians 2.4 say? But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which He loved us, what did He do? Made us alive together with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly places. Raised us up. See, God has united you, Christian, to Christ. So that His death is your death. There's no more death to have. Now you simply live according to who you are. A Christ follower. Who's not ruled and reigned over by sin anymore. Romans 6, 9. Death no longer has dominion over Him. Verse 11. So you reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin. So Christ's work is the foundation and our work is living and dying solely based on that foundation. The last point would be this. His work propels us to work. His work propels us to work. Verse 11, likewise you also reckon yourselves, consider yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ our Lord. So the writers of the catechism can say something which to many of us might sound like they're going too far. Number 87, can they then be saved who do not turn to God from their unthankful and penitent life? The answer? By no means. For as the Scripture saith, no unchaste person, idolater, adulterer, thief, covetous man, drunkard, slanderer, robber, or any such like shall inherit the kingdom of God. We can do two things with that statement, which is really 1 Corinthians 6, 9-11. We could either say Jesus dies for us, He starts the process, and now we're on our own. And if we commit adultery, or robbery, or we lie, or we're idolaters, even though He started us down the road, we're not going to make it to the end. It's one way to look at it. The other way, and I think the only biblical way, is to say Christ has done it all. But when a person is saved, the work of Christ is so powerful for tomorrow that it affects today. that a Christian, a true believer, will be growing in sanctification. What does Paul say to the Thessalonians? What is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus? Your sanctification. Now there's a lot of discussion in our time about the connection between justification and sanctification. I use those words. We need those words. Sometimes we need to take big words and make them smaller, but a lot of times we just need to leave big words alone and just do our best to explain them. Justification. It's a big word, boys and girls, that means that God declares me and you, if you're one of Jesus's, righteous. He looks at me, and sees sin. But because of the death and perfect life and resurrection of Christ, he looks over to his son and sees Christ's perfection and he says, that's how I see Pastor Ryan. It's justification. It's a once for all thing. Declared righteous based on the merits of Christ. That's justification. But sanctification means that we are being furthered and furthered in the growth of holiness, being conformed to the image of Christ. Well, what does Paul say later in Romans 8? He says a verse that sometimes is taken out of context, verse 28, and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. If you are predestined, you will be called by the Holy Spirit. If you are called, you will be justified based solely on the merits of Christ. And if you are justified, you will be conformed to the image of the Son of God. And what's the end of the beautiful chain in Romans 8? If you're justified, sanctification will take its completion when you are with Christ face to face. You will be glorified. So I think the biblical way to understand Christ's work and our work is this. You are saved by works. Solely the works of Christ. But His works are so impactful, so powerful, so glorious, so perfecting, so beautiful, that when you are indeed saved and justified solely based on His works, Your whole existence can't help but have the ripple effect of being conformed to the image of the Son of God by the Spirit of God through the Word of God. So there is no salvation for a person who has no care in the world about growing in grace. Put it another way, when you throw a huge boulder into the ocean, there will be ripples. Christ's death and life in your stead is the boulder in the water. But the ripple effects are that you and I continue to grow in our service to Christ because we're being changed from the inside out. So what does Paul tell us then, verse 11? Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin. So how do you conquer sin? You consider yourselves to be dead to it. You constantly reckon yourself to be dead to it. It is the corpse of your former life. But also reckon yourselves to be alive to God and Christ Jesus, our Lord, so this week temptation will come. And temptation and even giving into it do not undo who you are in Christ. But every time it comes, go back to who you are. Sin, temptation, enemy, be gone. You must have made some kind of misunderstanding. For you think that you still reign over me. You think that there is still power, that you can control me to do this lust, to do this lie, to do this idolatrous deed. But you're wrong. Don't you remember Satan? Don't you remember old man? Don't you remember sinful lusts? That 2000 years ago, as regards to me, you died. So be gone. For I have far too much living to do for the Christ who will soon bring me home, than to trifle with you. So be gone. Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let's pray. Almighty God, help us to see in the glories of Christ the death of our sin. That Christ's finished work means that we are now marked by His record. And so while sin may indeed still exist in our lives, it doesn't rule our lives. Lord, would You give us the grace To look to the cross and the empty tomb every time temptation comes. And when we fail, bring us swift repentance. And we dust the dust off of ourselves and continue the journey. For nothing but Christ's record rules and marks us now. Help us we pray this week ahead. In Jesus' name, Amen.