THE BOOK OF ROMANS, Chapter 6, Believers are Dead to Sin, Alive to Christ

 

The Book of Romans, Chapter 6

Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God.

I read this chapter and I think, “woe unto me”. It all sounds like some kind of double-talk: “All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?”; and again, “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.” Am I just dull witted? Am I blind to the Truth of God’s Word? Sometimes I just feel like shouting “help!” And God comes to our rescue.

Romans 6 teaches that salvation is not merely forgiveness of sins; it is liberation from sin’s rule through union with Jesus Christ. Believers are no longer condemned, no longer owned by sin, and called to live a transformed life empowered by God.

This is the future hope of the Christian promise: not merely forgiven sinners, but ultimately transformed people.

So the fact that we still struggle with sin does not negate the truth of Romans chapters 6 and 8. Those chapters describe a real liberation – but not yet a finished one. The chains have been broken, but the battle continues until Christ completes His work in you.

Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God

Romans6:1, What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Verse 2. Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

(Commentary Break): Paul’s letter here is a continuation of the previous chapter (5) and verses 18 through 21: “So then, as through one offense the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Chapter 6, verses 1 and 2, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” Paul is using rhetoric to compare and contrast such a ridiculous and ignorant assumption. Then he, almost sarcastically asks, “how can we who died to sins still live in it?”

To Paul’s question I thought, in exasperation, “Well, I can, and I do.” I don’t want to still sin, but the simple fact is that I do and I hate it. And herein lies the key: We are being sanctified – Hebrews 10:14 tells us that “for by a single offering He has perfected, for all time, those who are being sanctified. It is not that we are already and fully “set apart for God’s use and purpose”, (sanctified), we are in the process, which will be completely realized once we are reunited with Him. (Biblically:

• • • Your justification is complete now.
    • Your sanctification is presently underway.
    • Your glorification — the completion of sanctification — occurs at the resurrection and the return of Christ.

That is why Christians can simultaneously say:

• • • “I have been set free from sin” (true positionally and legally in Christ),
    • and “I still battle sin” (true experientially in this present body).

(End Commentary Break).

Verse 3. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Verse 4. Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. Verse 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, verse 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; verse 7, for the one who has died is freed from sin.

(Commentary Break): Confirming that a work in process which is to be completed in the future (verses 1 and 2), verses, 3 and 4 say, “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life”, use the perfect tense which describe an action performed in the past, which is completed and need not be repeated. And verses 5 through 7, “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 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, for the one who has died is freed from sin”, the future tense, which indicates the completed or certain occurrence of an event which has not yet occurred. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 8. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, verse 9, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. Verse 10. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all time; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Verse 11. So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

(Commentary Break): These verses graphically and perfectly describe a believer’s position in Christ, which is restated in John 14:20, “I am in the Father and you are in Me, and I am in you.” Therefore, when He died for our sins, we all died to our sins; hence, when He was raised from the dead never to die again, and we are now and forevermore made alive in Christ. It is helpful to know that to although time to us is past, present and future, but to God everything, past, present and future are simultaneous. So, what was, now is, and forevermore shall be. Many theologians call this “practical versus positional truth”. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 12. Therefore, sin is not to reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, Verse 13. and do not go on presenting the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your body’s parts as instruments of righteousness for God. Verse 14. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace.

Verse 15. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the Law but under grace? Far from it! Verse 16. Do you not know that the one to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? Verse 17. But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted, verse 18, and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness. Verse 19. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your body’s parts as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

(Commentary Break): Positionally, Romans 6:12-19 emphasizes that believers, having been freed from sin, are called to live a life of obedience and holiness, serving God and reflecting their transformation in Christ. Practically however, “we all are sinners and fall short of the Glory of God”. Therefore, we now have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who pleads our case before God when we sin. (1 John 2:1). And when we do sin, we confess our sins, and He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). The tension between our desire to obey God and live a righteous, sinless and holy and our proclivity to sin – the battle of our fleshly mind versus our reborn spirit – will persist until we are one day with Him in eternity. Until then, this tension, this conflict in our mind between good and evil that exists, is the litmus test that we are indeed saved and safe in His mighty grip! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 20. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in relation to righteousness. Verse 21. Therefore, what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. Verse 22. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. Verse 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (End Chapter 6).

I have barely scratched the surface of this treasure of scriptures. I have tried to find a bit of understanding that might lead to confidence and peace in Christ as we apply these truths to our mind and heart. Although I lack even a shred of Paul’s wisdom and understanding, I steadfastly hold to the promise that He will never forsake me, leave me nor fail me, and that He will lose none of us that the Father has given Him.

Thanks, praise, honor and glory to our Lord and God.

Your Brother and friend,

Mike Young

Next: (Coming Soon). The Book of Romans, Chapter 7, Believers United to Christ, The Conflict of Serving Two Masters

(Previous): The Book of Romans, Chapter 5, Results of Justification.

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