How does Romans 6:1 connect with the concept of grace in Ephesians 2:8-9? Setting the Stage • Romans 6:1: “What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?” • Ephesians 2:8-9: “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 may boast.” These two passages address the same grace from different angles—Romans confronts a possible abuse of grace, while Ephesians celebrates its saving power. Grace Celebrated, Not Exploited • Ephesians 2:8-9 declares grace as God’s unearned gift that rescues us from wrath (cf. Romans 5:9). • Romans 6:1 counters any notion that this gift gives license to sin. • Together they reveal a balance: grace saves entirely apart from works, yet it never sanctions ongoing rebellion. Why Continuing in Sin Contradicts Grace • Grace unites believers with Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). • To “continue in sin” would deny that union, implying Christ’s work leaves us unchanged—contradicting 2 Corinthians 5:17. • Ephesians 2:10 follows 2:8-9, showing grace creates “good works” prepared by God, not an excuse for evil. Grace’s Purpose: Freedom and Transformation • Romans 6:6-7: our old self was crucified so we “should no longer be slaves to sin.” • Titus 2:11-12 echoes that grace “trains us to deny ungodliness.” • Thus, grace is power to live holy, not permission to live worldly. Grace and Faith, Not Works—Yet Resulting in Works • The source: God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8). • The instrument: faith—not merit, but trust (Romans 4:5). • The outcome: obedience springing from new life (Romans 6:17-18). Practical Takeaways • Celebrate grace: salvation is secure because God accomplished it. • Reject cheap grace: habitual sin is incompatible with true conversion. • Walk in newness: rely on the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) to manifest the good works grace intends. Romans 6:1 guards the doorway opened by Ephesians 2:8-9, ensuring grace leads us into holy freedom, never back into bondage. |
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