Freedom From Sin

One of the most dangerous things a preacher can do is to preach salvation by grace alone.

It can be interpreted as a license to do whatever you want.

Meaning that salvation is just a form of Fire insurance.

Due to this type of misinterpretation Paul was always on guard when he made really bold statements about grace.

If we look back in chapter 5 verse 20 Paul makes a statement that could if not expounded on could lead a person to think the more they sinned the more grace they would get.

Paul uses the beginning of chapter 6 to make sure that people don’t think this is what he is talking about.

The Nature of Our Identification with Christ (vv 2-10)

Paul was convinced that Christian living depends on christian learning, that duty follows doctrine.

This is the main reason why Pauls writings hold so much theological truths in them.

The key word in verses 3-10 is “know” which occurs three times v3 v6 and v9.

Paul is saying that we who have been born again have a knowledge of whats right and wrong not in our heads but in our hearts.

This is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Above all Paul wants us to know or understand the nature of our union with Christ.

The overall emphasis of these verses is upon our profound identity with Christ.

Baptism bears with it the idea of Identification.

Especially when it is linked to a persons name.

such as in 1 Cor. 10:2

1 Corinthians 10:2 ESV

2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

What this is saying is that they are joined with Moses in a way that they have never been before.

In the same way Paul is saying that we are joined to Christ in the same way that they were joined to Moses.

We are identified with Christ because of His actions and then our actions are to reflect Him.

We are in-dwelt with the sprit of Christ or the Holy Spirit that allows us to be the reflection of Christ here on earth.

The Reality of Our Identification with Christ (v11)

Here in verse 11 Paul once again uses the word Reckon, he uses it about 19 times in the book of Romans.

It means “to impute to ones account”

The idea here is that we are to reflect on our position in Christ.

Then we are to set two things to our account

1.) We are dead to Sin

2.) We are alive to God in Christ Jesus

We need to understand that we participated in the events of the Cross.

It was our sin that put Christ on the cross.

Also we are to put our own nature there every day and allow it to die to pick up the Cross of Christ and to do His will and follow His plan.

The Response To Our Identification with Christ (vv12-14)

In verses 1-11 Paul talks about identity and theory here in the the last 2 verses Paul talks about action to that theory.

Just saying you love Christ and follow Him are not enough there must be action to reenforce those words.

We must consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.