How does Romans 6:14 connect to Ephesians 2:8-9 about grace and faith? Grace Reigning Over Sin “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) Saved by Grace, Living by Grace “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) How the Passages Interlock • Romans 6:14 declares the believer’s new realm: grace, not law. • Ephesians 2:8-9 reveals how we entered that realm: grace received through faith, never earned. • Together they show grace as both the entrance (salvation) and the atmosphere (daily freedom from sin’s mastery). Grace’s Two-Fold Work 1. Saving Grace • Initiates new life (Ephesians 2:5). • Cancels condemnation (Romans 8:1). 2. Sanctifying Grace • Continues to train us to “deny ungodliness” (Titus 2:11-12). • Empowers victory so sin “shall not be your master” (Romans 6:14). Faith: The Hand That Receives • Ephesians 2:8 calls faith the channel, never the cause, of salvation. • Romans 5:2 links faith and ongoing grace: “through Him we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” • Daily trust keeps the believer under grace’s sway, not reverting to self-effort. Law and Grace—Right Roles • The law exposes sin (Romans 3:20) but cannot free from it. • Grace liberates from sin’s penalty (justification) and power (sanctification). • Believers fulfill the law’s righteous requirements by walking “according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4), a grace-enabled life. Living the Connection • Rest in the finality of Christ’s finished work—no boasting, no earning. • Respond to sin’s temptation by recalling its broken mastery (Romans 6:11). • Rely on the Spirit’s supply; grace “abounded all the more” where sin once ruled (Romans 5:20). • Refuse legalism; “having begun by the Spirit,” do not seek perfection “by the flesh” (Galatians 3:3). • Rejoice: the same grace that saved still trains, empowers, and secures (1 Corinthians 15:10; Hebrews 4:16). Key Supporting Verses • Romans 5:17 — “those who receive an abundance of grace… will reign in life.” • John 1:16-17 — grace replacing law through Jesus Christ. • Galatians 5:1 — stand firm in the freedom Christ provides. • 2 Peter 3:18 — “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.” Grace brings us in, keeps us safe, and moves us forward—by faith from first to last. |
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