Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet

Death's Dominion is Done

Bryan Schneider · April 16, 2022

Romans 6:1-14

sharonrpc.org/sermons/death-s-dominion-is-done

Summary

The resurrection stands at the heart of Christianity because Jesus has broken death's dominion and lives forever.
Sin entered through Adam, enslaves every person, promises satisfaction, and instead produces shame, misery, separation, and death.
No sinner reaches God's standard of righteousness, but Christ died for sinners, paid their debt, bore God's wrath, and gives his righteousness freely to those who believe.
Jesus was raised for believers' justification; the resurrection confirms the once-for-all sufficiency of his sacrifice and his continuing life as Prophet, Priest, and King.
Those united to Christ are united to his death and resurrection, so sin is no longer their rightful master and they are called to walk in newness of life.
Grace never licenses a return to slavery; believers reckon themselves dead to sin and present themselves to God for righteousness.
The resurrection confronts complacent hearers, calls nominal Christians to genuine faith, and comforts contrite believers who continue to struggle against sin.
Christ's resurrection guarantees the future resurrection of his people, when death and the believer's struggle with sin will finally end.

Why does Christianity collapse if Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead?
How does Romans describe sin as a reigning power and cruel master?
Why can no accumulation of moral works meet God's standard of righteousness?
What did Christ accomplish by dying once for sinners?
How does the resurrection confirm justification and the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice?
What does baptism into Christ's death and resurrection say about a believer's identity?
Why is continuing in sin incompatible with grace rather than a way to magnify grace?
How should a complacent Christian respond to the resurrection?
How does the risen Christ comfort a contrite believer who still struggles with sin?
What hope does Christ's resurrection give concerning believers' graves and the end of death?

Resurrection: Jesus' bodily rising from death on the third day and the promised future raising of all the dead.
Dominion of death: The reign of death that entered through sin and can no longer hold the risen Christ or finally hold those united to him.
Slavery to sin: The fallen condition in which sin rules desires and actions as a cruel master that ultimately pays death.
Justification: God's free act of pardoning sinners and accepting them as righteous solely because of Christ's righteousness received by faith.
Imputation: God's accounting of Christ's perfect righteousness to believers rather than judging them by their own failed record.
Union with Christ: The Spirit-given bond by which believers share in the saving benefits of Christ's death and resurrection.
Sanctification: God's continuing work of freeing believers from sin's rule and conforming them to holiness.
Final resurrection: Christ's future raising of the dead when he returns to judge and to perfect his people in embodied holiness and life.