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Lesson Seven
Romans Chapter 6
Our death is to get to Christ’s death
and
freedom through slavery
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Romans 6:1-2
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may
abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
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As Paul describes the gospel, the emphasis has been that we are saved by
grace through faith because Jesus Christ was the propitiation for our sins.
This is true so that, even as "sin increased, grace abounded all the
more" (Romans 5:20). The point is: grace is powerful enough to cover all
our sins and reigns through righteousness "leading to eternal life in
Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:21). That being true, one might draw the
conclusion, "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?"
(Romans 6:1). In other words, "Let’s really give God a chance to show
His grace by committing lots of sins." This thought is condemned in the
strongest of terms. The answer is translated variously as "God
forbid!," "May it never be!," "By no means!," or
"What a ghastly thought!" The idea of purposefully sinning is
totally foreign to the Christian life. The reason is: "How can we who
died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:2). The idea of sinning on
purpose so that grace can abound is diametrically opposed to the death to sin
that is a part of being a Christian.
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Romans 6:3-5
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by
baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall
certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. |
To illustrate why a Christian will not purposely sin, Paul reminds them of
what happened when they were baptized. First, those who have been baptized
"were baptized into his death" (Romans 6:3). That is, those who were
baptized came into contact with the death of Christ, thus his blood, when
baptism took place. This explains how we "have now been justified by his
blood" (Romans 5:9). It helps us understand statements made by others such
as Peter (Acts 2:38, I Peter 3:21) and Ananias (Acts 22:16). Notice that to get
"into Christ" one is "baptized into Christ." (Romans 6:3 and
Galatians 3:27). Baptism may be considered the door by which one enters
"into Christ." When one is "in Christ" she/he becomes
eligible for many promises to be fulfilled:
- The person becomes a "new creature" – II Corinthians 5:17
- He/she is known to be a part of a collective group of children or
"sons of God" – Galatians 3:26
- God "forgave you" – Ephesians 4:32
- There is "no condemnation" – Romans 8:1
- This is how one obtains "salvation" – II Timothy 2:10
- The person receives "eternal life" – I John 5:11
- This person is blessed with "every spiritual blessing" -
Ephesians 1:3
- The promise is given of being blessed even in death for, "blessed
are the dead" – Revelation 14:13
Those who were baptized "were baptized into his death" (Romans
6:3). Just as he was buried in a tomb in his death, we are "buried
therefore with him in baptism" (Romans 6:4). This alludes to the
"how" of baptism, that is that the original form of baptism was a
"burial." The meaning of the original word for baptism means to
"dip," "plunge," or "immerse." However, it was not
Christ’s intent to remain buried in the earth, and it is not the intention of
those who are proper candidates for baptism to remain immersed, but rather that
"just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too
might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). This newness of life will have
several aspects:
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Romans 6:5-11
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall
certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our
old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be
brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For
one who has died has been set free from sin. 8Now if we have died with
Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ
being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has
dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all,
but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider
yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. |
 | We are "united with him in a death like his" (Romans 6:5). |
| Just as he was crucified, we are crucified to sin "so that we
are no longer enslaved to it" (Romans 6:6). |
| "If we have died with Christ, we believe we will also live with
him" (Romans 6:8). |
| "Death no longer has dominion" (Romans 6:9). |
| "Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God" (Romans
6:11). |
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Romans 6:12-14
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey
their passions. 13Do not present your members to sin as instruments for
unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been
brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for
righteousness. 14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not
under law but under grace. |
Since the above is true, the admonitions to Christians are:
| "Don’t let sin reign in your mortal bodies" (Romans
6:12). |
| Don’t present your bodies to sin "as instruments of
unrighteousness" but present your bodies "to God as
instruments of righteousness" (Romans 6:13). |
| Remember that you "have been brought from death to life"
(Romans 6:13) |
The result: "sin will have no dominion over you" (Romans
6:14). This is the final answer to the question in Romans 6:1!
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Romans 6:15-23
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under
law but under grace? By no means! 16Do you not know that if you present
yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom
you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which
leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God, that you who were once
slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of
teaching to which you were committed, 18and, having been set free from
sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19I am speaking in human terms,
because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your
members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more
lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness
leading to sanctification.
20When you were slaves of sin, you were free in
regard to righteousness. 21But what fruit were you getting at that time
from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is
death. 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become
slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end,
eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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One of the interesting concepts that Paul shares is that slavery isn’t a
choice but who will be our master is. We will either be slaves of sin or of
righteousness (Romans 6:17-18). Who/what you are a slave to depends on
obedience. If you obey sin, it will lead you to death (Romans 6:16). If you
obey "from the heart" the standard of teaching set forth in the
gospel, you will be set free from sin and become a slave to righteousness
(Romans 6:17-18). There is "fruit" (i.e. pay off) involved in either
lifestyle choice:
Sin = Death – (Romans 6:21)
God = Sanctification and eternal life – (Romans 6:22)
The reason that we do not "continue in sin that grace may abound"
is that "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Review Questions:
1. Some of the Roman Christians had a warped idea about sin, that is,
"Let’s really give God a chance to show His grace by committing lots of
sins." Discuss Paul’s reaction to this idea.
2. How does one get "into Christ?"
3. List the blessings that one is promised as a result of being "in
Christ."
4. Describe how the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is symbolized
by baptism.
5. In part four we stated that, "This is the final answer to the
question Paul asks in Romans 6:1." How can this be?
6. Paul tells us that we are going to be slaves but that we get to choose
whom our master is. How do we know whom or what our master is?
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