This posting is looking back at the last few posts in Romans, chapter 6, from a slightly different approach.
There is a lesson for Christian life embedded in these verses I want to explore. I am not sure where I learned or read this; I think I have pieced it together from several studies. Some of the information is from “The Normal Christian Life” by Watchman Nee; some is from Dr. Toussaint of the Dallas Theological Seminary. I apologize if I am copying some Christian author. But the thoughts here are important to me.
I have been watching a lecture series on Hebrews by Dr. Toussaint (Dallas Theological Seminary). He stated in one of the sessions that Faith has three steps: (1) Information; (2) Mental assent; and (3) Trust.
Although the lecture was on the Letter to the Hebrews, the letter to the Romans also lays out this concept in the following verses.
Romans 6:3, 6, 9 - Know - The first of the three steps Toussaint posits is knowledge. Contrary to some secular apologists, Christianity is not leap of blind faith. Christians are not losers - believing in a fairy tale. We know that Jesus Christ was born and lived in Israel during the Roman occupation. We know He was crucified by the Roman authorities at the Jewish leaders behest, and was buried in a guarded tomb. We know that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day after His execution. We know He was seen after the resurrection by many, many people. John wrote that he writes about that which he saw with his own eyes. (John 3:11) He also writes that we know that we are in Christ, and that he is writing so that we may know that we have eternal life. (See: 1 John 2:5; 5:13)
Paul also addresses this later in this letter: Rom. 10:14 - We have to hear about Christ before we can believe in Christ.
Romans 6:11 - Reckon - The second step is mental assent. The NASB uses the word “consider” in this verse; the KJV uses “reckon”. I suppose that ‘reckon’ and ‘consider’ are synonymous. For me, however, the difference is that “to consider” is contemplative, whereas “to reckon” is to have a new way of thinking and living. I am considering having a pizza for dinner, but I reckon my life is changed by accepting Christ as savior. That may be quibbling about word meanings.
As an example: in the early days of airplanes there were few maps to help the pilots navigate. The daring barnstorming and air mail pilots often flew by ‘dead reckoning’ - they basically said, “I need to go this way...” - and committed themselves to that direction. There was no flight plan, other than in their own head, plus their compass. They looked for landmarks to confirm they were going in the right direction. Famously, ‘Wrong Way Corrigan’ flew to Ireland from New York (instead of to Long Beach, CA) because he “got confused” and his “compass failed”. Also, in the move “Spirit of St. Louis”, James Stewart portrays a young Charles Lindbergh as mail courier pilot doing the same reckoning as he flew cross country. Consider the stress of flying across the Atlantic Ocean - no landmarks until he reaches the British Isles. He had to trust his compass; he had to trust it and his ability.
We are to take the information about Christ and make a decision - make the mental assent to have our lives directed by Him, being dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:13 - Yield - The word ‘presenting’ is adequate, but doesn’t quite get the feeling of what Paul says. For me, a clearer is: “Do not continue to yield your body to sin”. For example: We present awards, but we yield our allegiance. Yield has the meaning of surrendering of myself to Jesus. ‘Presenting’ has a passive connotation (for me, at least), with little personal involvement. Whereas, ‘yield’ involves a willful decision to give myself to another, in this case Jesus. Think of knights of old, bending down on one knee, handing their sword with both hands, palms up, to their king. They pledge their allegiance to the king.
The third step of faith is Trust: We take the information that Jesus died for our sins; make the mental assent that we will follow Him. This step is surrendering ourselves to Christ.
Romans 6:16-17 - Obey - This is a continuation of the third step: Trust. We are invited, required, to obey the Lord. Our faith in Christ is not passive, but an active living relationship with the Holy God, the Messiah, our Savior.
There is no way to yield to Christ and yet remain aloof. There is no way to surrender to Jesus yet be unfaithful on a continuing basis. I am not advocating for ‘sinless perfection’, but emphasizing that trusting in Jesus means surrender and obedience.
As long as we are in this physical body, we have two natures within us - the old nature and the new one from Jesus. There is a battle for our allegiance. Jesus knows we will fail. “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) The sin breaks the relationship. Does not end it, but damages it. God in His mercy has provided a way to return to Him. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
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