This weekend begins the Advent season in the Western Calender and for the church I'm based, our preaching now takes a break from Romans and turns now to focus onto passages which speak clearly of Christ's second coming, our resurrection hope and the way sinners like us can be welcomed to the transformed and renewed creation which will be revealed on that Great Day.
DV, when we return to Romans in the New Year, we will pick up at Chapter 6 and I'm hoping that I get asked to do some preaching from this mind-blowing chapter. One reason for this, is that studying Romans 6 will help me to explore whether the widespread tendency amongst Christians to describe each other as "Sinners" with a capital "S" is actually right. How could this be so given passages like Romans 6:4:
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Or Romans 6:11-12:
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
Or Romans 6:14:
14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Similar sentiments are expressed by Paul in Philippians 4 as well as by the Apostle John in 1 John 2 + 5
So a question to you are we Sinners or Saints?
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