"The grace of God has given us the freedom to choose life over the enslavement of death."
This Week's Text: Romans 6:1-18
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Questions to Ponder...
Q: What does it really mean to be alive to God?
Q: Since we are dead to sin then how does that make us no longer a slave to sin?
Q: Have you removed the seemingly repulsive sins to please God because they are so bad while fostering more subtle sins?
Q: What is it about being under grace rather than the law that keeps sin from being master of your behavior?
I'd love for you to come and enjoy our fellowship at Downtown Church. We hope to be a challenging and useful resource for you in your life. And if you know someone who you feel would benefit or enjoy this weekly email, feel free to forward this to them.
Worship time 10:30 am. On McBee just off main street. Teaching Pastor James White Downtown Church 101 West McBee Ave. Greenville, SC 29601
www.downtownchurch.net
>>To Learn More Call 864-235-5746
Worship at Downtown Church is open and engaging and contemporary. We hope to assist you in your journey to find Christ and learn his ways, and we offer a ministry filled with love and worship, music and fellowship, and many opportunites to learn the Scriptures and engage in service. >>Learn More
What's New:
>COMING SOON: Sermons on iTunes! Watch here...
>See the new decor for the Children's Center, generously provided by our friends...
>Questions to Ponder...
1. How can ritual, tradition and religious structure take our hearts away from God? Is the problem ritual/structure or is the problem the focus of our hearts? What will bring our hearts back to God?
2. What is the difference between serving God and serving Christianity? How do our actions affect the way that the world views Christianity? How do our actions affect the way that the world views God?
>And a new VIRGIL'S PURSE in Resources, for your financial life.
Life Groups Meet: Our Life Groups are the small groups where real community and caring take place. They're an open and welcoming atmosphere for finding friends, asking questions and finding answers in Christ, together. Currently we have several groups meeting at various times about the city and suburbs. Just contact Pastor James White or one of the group leaders and we will help guide you into one! >>Learn More
Downtown Children: Coming soon; designed to give our students a place to come and have a blast while learning about the truth in Scripture.
Teaching Pastor James White