(Romans 6:1-14) （罗马书6：1-14）

There is a beggar adopted by a King who wants to train him to be a prince, 有一个乞丐被国王收养，想要训练他成为王子，what happens if the beggar continues to beg, rather than acting like a prince? 如乞丐要继续去乞讨不像个王子, 会怎样？Will he be qualified as a king,他是否有资格成为王？Of course, he won’t. 当然，他不会。We are like this beggar, 我们就像这乞丐，adopted by our God into His Kingdom, 被神带入祂的王国，the King of kings our Lord Jesus, 主耶稣这万王之王，who is training us to be like Him in all things, 他正要借一切的事来训练我们像他一样，so that one day we may be qualified to reign with Him when He returns.  以便有一天我们有资格在他再来时与他一同作王。

Paul the apostle in the book of Romans tells us that the story of redemption involves three major doctrinal themes. 使徒保罗在罗马书里告诉我们，救赎涉及三个主要的教义主题。

1) The sin of man (1:18, 3:23), 人的罪（1：18,3：23），Because of the sin of human nature, 因为人性的罪，we are hopeless and guilty, 我们是无望和有罪的，and doomed to be apart from the eternal God. 注定要与永生神分开。

2) The justification of man (3:24, 4:25). 人的称义（3：24,4：25）。Despite the worst of our sins, 尽管我们犯了罪，yet God offers his full pardon, 但上帝却完全赦免，including justification through the finished work of Jesus Christ to us who believe in His grace. 借着耶稣基督成就的工作，使我们这信祂恩典的人称义。Justification is a free gift for those who believe in Jesus. 对信的人，称义是白白的礼物。

3) The sanctification of man (6:22, 8:12-14) 人的成圣（6：22, 8：12-14）Romans 6:22, But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness (Sanctification), and the result is eternal life. 22 但 现 今 ， 你 们 既 从 罪 里 得 了 释 放 ， 作 了 神 的 奴 仆 ， 就 有 成 圣 的 果 子 ， 那 结 局 就 是 永 生。 Take a look carefully here, what is eternal life the outcome of? 仔细看这里，什么是永生？It clearly says that eternal life is holiness or sanctification or “freedom from sin and slavery to God”. 22节 清楚地说永生是圣洁或成圣，或“不再做罪的奴仆，反是上帝的仆人”。Because eternal life is Jesus himself, 因为永生是耶稣自己，in Him there is holiness and sinlessness. 在他里面是圣洁和无罪。I heard somebody say, 我听有人说，“God has justified me by grace through my faith in Christ, 借着我对基督的信，借着恩典的称义，上帝不会再审判我了。so that He will not judge me anymore.祂都不会在审判我了。He will always love me and protect me no matter what I do, 无论我做什么，他都会永远爱我并保护我，I’ll be sanctified automatically through the work of Jesus. 借着耶稣成就的工，我自然就成圣了。” Is that what the bible says? 这是圣经说的吗？

1, Is grace a license to sin? 恩典是罪的许可证吗？

Because of the wrong belief that sanctification is an automatic work by Jesus, 由于错误地认为成圣是自动的工作，after receiving Jesus, 在接受耶稣之后，some Christians continue gambling, sexual sins, drug and alcohol abuse, 继续赌博，性犯罪，吸毒和酗酒，malicious talk, 恶意论断，to love money or love worldly things, and so on. 爱钱或爱世俗事物，等等。And they don’t ask God’s grace to change them from the old habits, 他们并没有求上帝的恩典改变他们的旧习惯，for they don’t think that’s a problem. 因为他们认为这不是问题。For they claim that Jesus has done everything for them, 因为他们称耶稣已经为他们做了一切，so that they are no longer under the law but under grace. 所以他们不再受法律约束，而是在恩典之下。

Is grace a license to sin? 恩典是罪的许可证吗？Does grace allow us to be law-breakers? 恩典允许我们成为违背神的律法？Of course not! 当然不是！True Grace doesn’t nullify the law but causes us to more than fulfil the law, 真正的恩典并不是废掉法律，反而是叫我们超越行法律，so that through God’s grace we yield the fruit of the Spirit借着神的恩典，使我们结出圣灵的果子- Love instead of hatred, 以爱代替仇恨，joy instead of worry, 以喜乐代替忧愁，peace instead of arguing, 以和平代替争吵，patience instead of impatience, 忍耐代替急躁，kindness instead of meanness恩慈代替刻薄，goodness instead of wickedness, 良善代替恶毒，faithfulness instead of telling lies, 信实代替说谎，gentleness instead of grumpiness温柔代替发怒, and self-control instead of self-indulgence. 自制代替自我放纵。

The grace of God helps us to be sanctified by the truth. 上帝的恩典是帮助我们因真理成圣。For Jesus says, 因耶稣说：“and for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. John 17:19为了他们的缘故，我使自己成圣，使他们也可以被真理所成圣（ 约翰福音17:19）” Apparently, as believers, 显然，作为信徒，we can’t become more righteous, 我们不能变得更加的义，but we can become more sanctified like our Lord, 但我们可以像我们的主一样成为更加圣洁，it depends on how we live our lives, in terms of our faith in Jesus. 这取决于我们如何因信过我们的生活。Therefore, progressive sanctification is not automatic, 因此，渐进式的成圣过程不是自动就有了的，it requires our faith to cooperate with the Holy Spirit through our obedience to God’s word. 它需要我们因信借着顺服上帝的话语与圣灵配合。We can also see this principle from the following verses:我们也可以从以下经文中看到这个原则：V.1  What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 这样，怎么说呢？我们可以仍在罪中、叫恩典显多吗？ 2 By no means! 断乎不可！We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 我们在罪上死了的人岂可仍在罪中活着呢？3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 岂不知我们这受洗归入基督耶稣的人是受洗归入他的死吗？ 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, 所以，我们借着洗礼归入死，和他一同埋葬，just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.原是叫我们一举一动有新生的样式，像基督借着父的荣耀从死里复活一样。

Later Romans 5:20 says, 罗马书后面，5:20说，“where sin increased, grace increased all the more. 罪在哪里显多，恩典就越发的增多。” But that doesn’t mean that we are to go on sinning, 但这并不是说我们要继续犯罪，so that grace might increase. 这样恩典就会增加。V. 2-4, explains to us that “we can’t continue living in sin, because we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. 第2-4节，向我们解释说“我们不能继续生活在罪中，因为我们受洗归入基督耶稣的人是归入他的死。How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 我们向罪死了的人怎能继续在罪中活呢？What Paul is saying is that by grace through faith alone, 保罗所说的是，唯有凭着恩典借着信心，we are justified, 我们被称义了，which is on the basis of Jesus’ righteousness, not ours. 这是基于耶稣的义，而不是我们有义。

Baptism is a symbol of dying to sin and living for God. 洗礼是向罪死向神活的象征。But afterwards, 但过后，we should long to be sanctified (sanctification) by literally living in this truth, 我们当渴慕真正地活在这个真理里而成为圣洁（成圣），to be consistent with what we declare in faith. 与我们所宣称的信仰一致。If we still practise our old ways to increase grace, 如果我们仍然活在旧人罪的道路上来增加恩典，does God’s grace contradict His righteousness? 上帝的恩典难道和祂的义是矛盾的吗？The bible tells us, that “Grace might reign through righteousness” (Romans 5:21). 圣经告诉我们，“恩典借着义作王”（罗马书5:21）It doesn’t say, that Grace might reign through sin, but through righteousness 经上没有说恩典借罪作王，而是义。Namely,也就是说 if we live righteous lives, 若我们活出义的生命，we show that we are under God’s grace 我们因此见证我们在恩典之下。For apart from God’s grace,因为离开神的恩典， we can only live sinful lives.我们只过着罪的生活。Therefore, if a born-again Christian still lives a sinful live, 所以一个重生的基督徒若还是在罪中生活，he has fallen away from grace. (Gal 5:4) 就说明他远离了神的恩典。（加拉太书5：4）

Living under God’s grace has nothing to do with how much money you earn. 活在恩典下和你赚多少钱无关。It has something to do with freeing us from sin and condemnation, 是关于使我们脱离罪恶和定罪，and delivering us from the torture of the evil powers, 关于使我们脱离邪恶势力的折磨，and giving us His Holy life which is eternal. 并和赐给我们永恒的圣洁生命有关。

Just as the beggar can’t automatically become like a prince in character, 就像乞丐的性格不能自动变得像王子的一样，unless he stops his old habit of begging, 除非他停止乞讨的旧习惯，we also can’t be more sanctified automatically, 我们也不能自动成为更圣洁，unless we practice our faith by dying to sin and living in Jesus. 除非我们也当通过操练我们的信心 过向罪死 向耶稣活的生活 。

2, Our position when dying to sin 地位上我们向罪死

Paul continually explains that he is not referring to water baptism itself in this paragraph, 保罗继续解释 他在本段中并不是指水洗，but referring to a spiritual union with Christ. 而是指与基督的属灵联合。V. 5 For if we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 我们若在他死的形状上与他联合，也要在他复活的形状上与他联合； 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin因为知道我们的旧人和他同钉十字架，使罪身灭绝，叫我们不再作罪的奴仆；7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 因为已死的人是脱离了罪。

Does Paul say that we then will not sin anymore? 保罗说我们不会再犯罪了吗？Because we have been united with him through baptism in his death, 因为我们 借着水洗在死的形状上与他联合，and the body of sin has been done away with, 使罪身灭绝，will we automatically become sinless people? 我们会自动成为不犯罪的人了吗？That’s not the point! 那就理解错了！For Paul doesn’t say, 因为保罗没有说，“your old self was crucified with Him, 你的旧人与他同钉十字架，so that there is no need for you to do anything, 所以你没有必要做任何事了，or no need to obey His word. 或者没有必要服从神的话。” Rather, he says, “相反，他说，we should no longer be slaves to sin.” “我们不再是奴隶了罪。”

Our position, When Jesus died, we died. 地位上，耶稣死了，我们也死了。That’s a status in Christ for us, 这是我们在基督里的地位，and it is true that our old self was crucified, 我们的旧人被钉在十字架上，and we are no longer to be slaves of sin; 我们不再是罪的奴仆; We are freed from the power and consequences of sin, 我们从罪的权力和刑罚里得释放，for we died, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3). 因​​为我们死了，我们的生命现在与基督一同藏在神里面（歌罗西书3：3）。The moment we make the decision to repent of our sins and receive baptism by trust in what Jesus has done for us, 当我们决定悔改我们的罪并通过相信耶稣为我们所做的一切而接受洗礼时，we no longer belong to Satan. 我们就不再属于撒但了。We belong to Christ. 我们属于基督。

And we are credited as righteousness through Christ. 我们因信基督而被称义。Positionally, sin has no rights to overcome us, 在地位上，罪无权战胜我们，and it is beatable, 它是可以击败的，because Jesus has overcome it. 因为耶稣已经得胜了。This is the doctrinal truth. 这是教义的真理。We can be victorious. 我们可以得胜。We don’t have to be bound by our old habits of wrongdoing. 我们可以从旧人的罪习性里被释放。We don’t have to live in defeat. 我们不必生活在失败中。Victory is ours! 得胜属于我们！Because Jesus is ours who is the Victory!因耶稣的得胜在我们里面！

This is the status that Jesus brought for us through His death and resurrection. 这是耶稣借着他的死和复活带给我们的地位。What does status mean? 地位是什么意思？For example, if you are acquitted by a court, 例如，如果你被法院宣告无罪，you have attained a position of freedom. 你就获得了自由的地位。But this is just a status you have; 但这只是你拥有的一种地位;  it doesn’t mean that you are already free. 并不意味着你已经自由了。Unless you put your faith into practice by walking out of the door of the jail, 除非你凭着信走出监狱的门 把你的信付诸行动，then you are free indeed.那样你才真自由了。

There is a typical example in the OT, 在旧约中有一个著名的例子，God promised the people of Israel defeat of the nations in the promised land through Moses in the book of Deuteronomy 7, 在申命记7章中，上帝借着摩西应许帮助以色列人击败那应许之地的列国，and they were given the promise of victory to possess the Land by God. 并且给他们得胜的应许。That’s the position (status) they had. 这就是他们的地位（地位）。

However, in practice, they were defeated. 然而，在实践中，他们被击败了。With God’s strength they could have completely defeated their enemies, 借着信靠上帝的大能，他们可以完全击败他们的敌人，but in experience, 但在实际经历中，they didn’t put their trust in the promise by being obedient to God’s commands, 因他们并不顺服上帝的命令，rather, they trusted their own eyes and thoughts, 而是相信他们自己的眼睛和判断，so they were defeated. 所以他们被击败了。

3, Dying to sin in practice操练向罪死

Then same for us, 同样，positionally, What Jesus has done for us by grace gives us the promise of victory, 地位上，耶稣恩典的救赎为我们带来得胜的应许，and puts us in position where we have died with Christ to the old self, 把我们置于与基督一同向旧人死的位置，sin can’t overcome us. 罪不能胜过我们。But to make it become a reality in our lives requires the faith to live as if our old selves are dead. 但要使它成为我们生命的实际，需要靠信心，去活出如同旧人已死的生活。That’s why Paul continues his teaching in this way:这就是为什么保罗这样教导说：11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 这样，你们向罪也当看自己是死的；向　神在基督耶稣里，却当看自己是活的。  12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 所以，不要容罪在你们必死的身上作王，使你们顺从身子的私欲。13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, 也不要将你们的肢体献给罪作不义的器具；but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 倒要像从死里复活的人，将自己献给　神，并将肢体作义的器具献给　神。 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. 罪必不能作你们的主；因你们不在律法之下，乃在恩典之下。

In view of our new position, 因我们的新地位，we are taught to live a life consistent with it by counting ourselves dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 主教导我们过一个与信仰一致的生活，那就是，向罪看自己是死的，在基督耶稣里向神是活的。What does it mean to be alive to God? 向神是活意味着什么？ It simply means that we live abiding in His words. (John 15:1-17) 那就是，我们住在他的话语里。(约翰福音15：1-17)。In order that sin can’t reign in our bodies, 以至于罪不能在我们的身子上作王，and we become instruments of righteousness by obeying God’s commands, 而我们因遵行神命令就成为义的器皿，to show that we are really under grace. 以此表明我们是活在恩典之下。

But it is not easy, 这样行出来并不容易，for if we don’t seek sanctification (to be sanctified by the truth), 我们若不追求成为圣洁（因真理成圣），sin remains alive and overtakes us, when we give in to the desires of the old-selves. 当我们屈服于旧人的私欲，罪仍然活着并要胜过我们。This is why many Christians are still bound by addictions and sins. 很多基督徒仍然被各种瘾和罪所捆绑的原因就在于此。Unless we start to seek to be in line with the position God gives us by practicing and obeying God’s commands in our daily lives. 除非我们每天在日常生活里开始操练遵行神的话语，活出与我们地位相称的生活。I’ll never forget the first lesson about how to practice dying to the old-self, which I learnt 14 years ago. 我永不会忘记十四年前，我学的第一个 操练向己死的功课。

After having been healed from 5 years suffering from manic depression when I accepted Jesus, 刚信主后，神医治了我五年的狂躁症，I started to do my best in every way to please God, 我开始在每件事上努力讨神喜悦。but afterwards, I blew up at home when I took offence at Raymond’s words. 可后来，因为Raymond所说的一些话，我还是大大发怒了。But quickly my heart was filled with guilt and frustration. 很快我心里充满负罪感，也很沮丧。Kneeling before God with a heavy heart, 心里沉重跪在神面前，I couldn’t say a word, 我一句话也祷告不出来，for I didn’t want to hurt Jesus anymore by my old character of being angered easily. 因我实在不愿让自己易怒的旧性情继续去伤害耶稣。

“I’ve done my best, but I failed, 我尽力做好，可还是失败了，how can I overcome, and live a life of righteousness? 我怎能胜过、活出义的生命呢？” I asked Him in my heart. 我在心里问主。As I was waiting, 在等候时，words from Romans 6 came into my heart clearly although I wasn’t familiar with the bible verse, 《罗马书》6章的话清晰地出现在我心里，虽然那时我还不熟悉这经文。“Die to yourself. 向己死。” And along with the explanation about how to apply it in my daily life by following the footsteps of the Lord.与此同时也告诉我怎样在日常生活中跟从耶稣脚踪的解释。

v.11 teaches us, first, count yourselves dead to sin. 11节说，首先，要看自己向罪是死的。And then comes the key word “obey” in v.12, 然后，第12节中的关键词“顺从”， which tells us that whether we offer our bodies as instruments of righteousness depends on whom we obey. 指出我们是否把身体作为义的器皿，取决于我们服从谁。So my practice is this: 因此，我的操练就是：take anger as an example, 以怒气为例， in my situation, whenever I get angry or unhappy with anybody, 在环境里，每当我对任何人感到愤怒或不高兴时，no matter whether I’m right. 无论我对不对，I turn to God’s commandments about forgiveness, love, leaving the right to judge to God, and so on, 我转向神的诫命，去饶恕、爱、将审判的权利交给神等等，which depends on what commands I receive for that situation in my prayers. 这取决于我那时在祷告中所领受的诫命。And I declare my position in Christ that I am dead to sin, 并宣告我在基督里的地位，就是我向罪是死的，and turn to love and trust in God. 我转向爱神，信靠神。But if there is still anger in my heart, 但是，如果我心中仍然有怒气，it indicates that I’ve accepted or entertained the yeast of anger,这表明我已经接受或怀藏了怒气的酵，so I need to repent and be forgiven first, 所以我需要先悔改，被饶恕，and then turn to do God’s commands, like my enemies, etc. 然后转向行神的诫命，爱仇敌，等等。

I still remember that in the following months, 我仍记得接下来的几个月里，God frequently tested my faith to see whether I would apply this doctrinal truth of dying to the old self and living to Christ or not. 神频繁地考验我的信心，看我是否会把这个“向旧人死，向基督活”的教义真理活出来。And He even allowed somebody in my family to insult me, 他甚至允许家里的人侮辱我，“Don’t you love Jesus? 你不是爱耶稣吗？ Oh, you love Jesus, if you love Jesus, kiss my toes. 哦，你爱耶稣，如果你爱耶稣，就亲我的脚趾呀。”  You can imagine, as a new Christian, 你可以想象，作为一个新基督徒，at that moment, what my heart felt? 在那一刻，我的心是什么感觉？

It was like the waves surging in the ocean, 它就像波浪翻腾的大海，but suddenly, thoughts came into my mind, 突然，我的脑海里出现了这样的想法： “what if God is watching?”“ 如果上帝在看着我呢？”What if this is just a test from God?” ”若这只是神的考试呢？““who do I love?” “我爱谁呢？” (later on I realised that this was God’s grace through the Holy Spirit reminding me to practice His words in faith, 过后，我才认识到这是神的恩典，藉着圣灵提醒我，要在信心中操练祂的话，so that I might experience the transformative power of His truth. 好让我经历祂真理的更新生命的能力。And I believe that God will also remind you of His commands in your situation.我相信在你的环境中，神也一样会用祂的话提醒你。But the matter is who is the one you obey. 但关键是你服从谁。At that very moment, I turned to Jesus, 就在那一刻，我转向耶稣， and prayed in my heart, 在心里祷告：“Lord, I love You because You loved me, I’m dead to sin.” “主啊，我爱你，因为你爱我，我向罪是死的。”Immediately, my heart was extremely calm. 即刻，我的心非常平静。Then I said to the one who teased me with gentleness and smile我就对那个戏弄我的人说：“I can’t kiss your toes, but love you.” 我不会亲你的脚趾，但我爱你。

That’s the first time I experienced the power of turning from living in sin to dying to sin and to living to God through His grace in faith, 这是我第一次因信借着恩典，经历到从“向罪活，转向向罪死，向神活”的大能，which really changed my inner life. 这真实地改变了我的内在。Your life only can be changed when the opportunity of the turning point comes, 你的生命唯有在那转折机会来到时才能被改变，if you turn from what you think you’re right to dying to it and to obeying God’s word. 若你从觉得自己是对的转向向它死，并遵行神的话语。

At that very moment, 在那个时刻，you will be transformed into a bit of His-likeness. 你会被改变一点点像祂。During these last 14 years, 在过去的14年里，as long as I failed to practice dying to the self, I failed. 什么时候没有操练向己死，我就失败了。

Brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹，in Jesus Christ, 在耶稣基督里，The Word became flesh to make the invisible Father visible in our midst, 道成了肉身，将看不见的父显给我们看，as His followers, 作为他的跟随者，God doesn’t want us to lay up knowledge about the Word in our heads that only increases pride and arguments, 神不愿我们光是在头脑中积累关于真理知识，那只是徒增骄傲和争论，but He wants us to follow Christ by living the Word through our mortal bodies –他愿我们在肉身里跟随基督活出这道，to follow His way of “the word becoming flesh”. 来跟从“道成肉身”的路。That’s why Paul said this in 2 Cor 4:10, .这就是保罗在（林后4:10）中所说，we always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 身上常带着耶稣的死，使耶稣的生也显明在我们身上。In the early church, followers consistently practiced dying to their own desires, 在初期教会，信徒们不断操练向私欲死，and allowing the life of Christ to live through them. 让基督在他们身上活出来。And they therefore influenced the world greatly with the gospel to the world 从而借着福音他们对整个世界产生了极大的影响。

Dying to sin, and living in Christ is the only way leads us to sanctification (becoming more like Christ), 向罪死向基督活，是我们成圣(变得更像基督) 的唯一方法，which is a progressive and lifelong process. 这是一个渐进的、持续一生的过程。But we will never automatically die to sin in experience, 但我们向罪不会自动死掉，unless we long for Christ to reign in us by obeying His commands.但是，除非我们渴慕顺服他的命令，渴慕基督在我们里面掌权。

We aren’t to follow the example of the Israelites, 我们不是要效法以色列人，they were given victory over their enemies and the promised land in position, 他们在地位上有胜过仇敌、进入流奶与蜜之地的应许，but they were defeated in experience. 但在实际中却被打败了。Similarly, we are also promised victory through Jesus Christ positionally, 同样，地位上，耶稣基督得胜的应许也赐给我们各人。and we are to experience The Word and live The Word, 我们将经历那“道”、活出那道，so that the glory of the triumphant Grace of God, through the righteousness of Christ, 让神荣耀的恩典，借着基督的义，freeing us from sin and condemnation can be literally revealed through our daily practice in faith. 释放我们脱离罪恶与定罪，可以真实地在我们每天的日常操练中显明出来。