CHAPTER 45 – Romans Six Reckoning. This is the next chapter of study in our look at The Realization of Spiritual Growth – Part 4 of The Complete Green Letters. To recap, we have previously reviewed Chapter 40 – Principles of Reckoning; Chapter 41 – the Three Steps in Reckoning: 1) Know and Reckon, 2) Abide and Rest, and 3) Depend and Walk; Chapter 42 – Knowledge of Reckoning; Chapter 43 – Spirit-applied Reckoning; and just completed Chapter 44 – Service and Reckoning. Chapter 45 and the following two chapters will walk us through this topic by taking a look at Romans 6, 7, and 8.
I AM not going to make any opening comment so we can get right to the reading and prayerful consideration of the important instruction found here, with one exception. …In the eighth paragraph where our author refers to the ASV, a similar reference can be made to the NKJV as well. I have a deep appreciation for the King James Version, but do concur with with our authors’ assessment, assumptions, and conclusions made on this point.
WITH that said, let us get to the matter at hand. By necessity, it is a lengthy excerpt and reading.
In the inexorable riches of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa 30:15, Jas 1:2; Prov. 21:30
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Chapter 45 — Romans Six Reckoning
When we first encounter the identification truths, the most serious mistake we can make is to try to reckon ourselves to be dead. Surprising as it may be to some, the Word does not teach that we are to reckon thus! Neither does it teach that the world, the flesh, and the devil are to be reckoned dead.
It is quite common for the awakened believer, one who is yearning for the liberation of the cross in his life, to concentrate upon reckoning himself to be dead. He is sincere about fully entering into this first aspect of identification. Although he is still aware of the old life within, he feels that if he just reckons upon his death in Christ intently and consistently he will in time come to the place where there is no longer any response to sin and self.
Others press this matter a step further, claiming that self is dead at the very outset of their reckoning it so. To uphold this claim, any subsequent manifestation of sin or self in the life is to them “just a shadow cast by the enemy”; they do not consider it to be sin. Also, these uprisings of sin within are considered to be simply “old habits seeking to reassert themselves,” which they feel will soon be replaced by the development of new, righteous habits.
But this desired result cannot follow, as the entire principle is erroneous. Sad to say, the problem of faulty reckoning in this instance, due to a wrong interpretation, is mainly caused by an inferior translation in our beloved King James Version. In Romans 6:6 the word “destroyed” is used in reference to “the body of sin” (the law of sin in our members), thereby causing many to take for granted that self is dead and gone once they begin to reckon it so.
In the first place, the content of Romans Six has to do with the tyrannical reign of the principle of sin—not its symptom, sins. The problem of sins has been dealt with at the source by the crucifixion of the cross. The King James Version’s use of “destroyed” in verse 6 is far too strong for that particular Greek word. In the Greek it has reference to enslaving power, setting forth the fact that the old man has not been annihilated, but crucified; its power has been “annulled,” “put down,” “made without effect.”
This same Greek word (katargethe) is used in Hebrews 2:14, where at the cross our Lord is said to have “destroyed” the devil. Rather, it is there that He broke the enemy’s power—he certainly was not annihilated! In Romans 3:3 this word is translated “make without effect”; in 3:31, “make void”, in 7:2, “loosed”; and in 7:6, “delivered.” Self has been crucified at Calvary so that it may be rendered powerless to enslave us; made without effect so that we may be delivered from the reign and tyranny of the indwelling principle of sin, that henceforth we should not have to serve sin.
Our King James Version has a tendency to lead one astray in the area of reckoning because of its failure to set forth our death with Christ in the past tense. In this Version, the present tense is used in connection with these truths: concerning self, “our old man is crucified with him”; and concerning the believer, “he that is dead is freed from sin,” and “if we be dead with Christ” (Rom. 6:6–8).
The American Standard Version (1901), which is more accurate for study purposes, gives us the contrasting correction. In Romans 6:6, “our old man was crucified with him”; verse 7, “he that hath died is justified [released] from [the tyranny of] sin”; and verse 8, “if we died with Christ.“ Thus the ASV makes it possible for us to reckon aright. In both versions, Romans 6:11 calls us to reckon ourselves dead unto sin, but alive unto God. The ASV enables us to see and understand that we have died unto sin but are now alive in Christ. We are not dead, but very much alive as new creations.
The usual mistake made in reckoning is to stop at the wrong point. The purpose of reckoning is that we may abide in Christ, who is our life. The first half, “dead unto sin,” is but the stepping stone into the Land. If we stop short there, we are stranded in midstream. True reckoning is to step out firmly, and keep on going. We have died to the old Adamic source, but have been resurrected and are now alive in the new Source. Death was the means, life is the goal. …to be continued
