Sin No Longer Dominates Us Pt 2

Then Paul pointed out the absurdity of a true believer even asking the question, “are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” by reminding us of our identity. Paul vividly reminded us of our identity by calling our attention to our water baptism.

Romans 6:3–4 ESV

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We 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.

Romans 6:5 ESV

5 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.

Our water baptism identified us with Jesus Christ, that we are untied to Christ through our salvation, and that we share in the benefits of his death, burial, and resurrection.

How can such a person, who identifies as one who is untied to Christ and all of the benefits of such a union, even consider the idea of continuing in sin? The very idea is ludicrous!

Now Paul, continuing to address the issue of believers continuing in sin that grace may abound, explains to us how our identification with Christ and all its glorious truths works itself out practically in our lives to kill sin.

Paul wanted the Roman Christians to stop living under the domination of sin.

We must stop living in sin because sin no longer dominates our lives.

How do we stop living under the domination of sin?

I want us to look at three steps that will enable us to stop living under sin’s domination.

Step #1

I. We must KNOW the full implications of our death with Christ (vv. 6-10)

And what is it that Paul wants us to know?

A. Our old man was crucified with Christ (vv. 6-7)

Romans 6:6 ESV

6 We 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.

Old Man Position

Our old man is speaking of our old position in relationship with Adam. We used to be connected to Adam, how? By birth- we inherited a sin nature from Adam. That is what we were before Christ.

But NOW- the old man is dead- when we were untied to Christ- our old man was crucified together with Christ. We are no longer in that old position. We are no longer connected to Adam. We are now a “NEW MAN.”

New Man Position

The OLD MAN is dead- he was crucified together with Christ. You are no longer in a position of connection to Adam. You are now a new man- you are in a new position of connection with Jesus Christ.

You are in Christ, you are united to Christ and because of your union with Christ the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of Jesus Christ abounds to you! You have been taken out of the dominion of death and placed into the dominion of righteousness. You are no longer under the rule of sin, but under the rule of grace. Your position is entirely new! You are a “NEW MAN.”

Romans 6:6 ESV

6 We 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.

We know that our old man was crucified together with Him- why is that important to know? In order that the body or the “whole of my person” of sin- that is all of our sin corrupted faculties- might be brought to nothing.

With this purpose- that we would no longer be enslaved to sin- that we would no longer serve sin! Sin is no longer our master! I am a new creation. I am united to Christ. I have been transferred out of the realm and the rule of sin. I am now in Christ under the realm and the rule of grace.

Paul now moves on to the idea that we must know and understand the great power of the death of Christ and the effect it had on Himself.

Transition: Not only does Paul want us to know that our old man was crucified with Christ, but Paul also wants us to know about:

B. The finality and power of the death of Christ (vv. 8-10)

Romans 6:8 ESV

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Paul is reiterating a truth he has already brought to our attention back in v. 5.

Romans 6:5 ESV

5 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.

Paul wants us to think deeply on connection between dying with Christ and being raised with Christ.

Now IF we have died with Christ- conditional sentence. Paul wants us to think here: If we died with Christ. If you are a Christian, if you have been united to Chris through salvation- then it is certainly true that you died with Christ. So we could actually translate the verse in this manner:

8εἰ δὲ ἀπεθάνομεν σὺν Χριστῷ,

Now since it is true that we died (AORIST, act, ind) with Christ,

Because this is true of me and my salvation as something that has happened in the past, presently:

πιστεύομεν

We are believing (PRESENT, act, ind)

ὅτι καὶ συζήσομεν αὐτῷ,

that we will (FUTURE, act, ind) also live together with Him,

Debated meaning? Future tense- is Paul only thinking of the believer’s future resurrection from the dead? Or does Paul also mean for us to see of the believer’s present enjoyment of new life with Christ?

Certainly Paul wants us to connect the truth that since it is true that I already died with Christ, that knowledge bolsters my present faith that one day I WILL one day live with Christ. I will be raised up in the last day with Christ!

But, it is also clear from the context of the passage that our future resurrection life casts its shadow into our present experience. Paul wants us to see how our future confidence of resurrection life has present implications on living free from the dominion of sin.

Romans 6:4 ESV

4 We 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.

Paul goes on in his argument of helping us live free from the domination of sin, and turns our attention to Christ. Even though killing sin in my life is my own responsibility I cannot do it on my own! In fact, Paul purposely directs our eyes off of ourselves and our ability and our strength- and demands that we focus on Christ.

Set yourself completely aside for a moment and gaze at the beauty of Christ and it will make all the difference!

Romans 6:9 ESV

9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

We KNOW- We must know this if we are to live free from the domination of sin! And what must we know?

9εἰδότες ὅτι Χριστὸς

We know (perfect, act, part) that Christ

ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν

was raised from the dead

οὐκέτι ἀποθνῄσκει,

He is never going to die again,

θάνατος αὐτοῦ οὐκέτι κυριεύει.

death no longer has mastery (dominion, rule) over Him.

Paul wants us to gaze upon the finality and the overwhelming power of Christ’s death to sin!

In v. 9 we are to see that Christ’s death was final- he will never die again. Unlike Lazarus for instance, who was raised from the dead by Christ. His resurrection was temporary. Lazarus died again. But Christ’s death was final. It was complete.

And it was powerful! Death no longer has dominion (mastery, rule) over Him. Think about this for just a moment. The power of his death is connected to his resurrection.

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead… How was Christ raised from the dead? What power effected Christ’s resurrection? Paul has already told us.

Romans 6:4 ESV

4 We 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.

Christ was raised from the dead by the GLORY of the Father! Do you know what that means? It means that the Father fully accepted Christ’s death as satisfaction for the payment for sin. If Christ’s death did not have the power to fully pay for sin, to fully satisfy the justice of God for sin, then the Father would not have raised Christ by means of his own glory. But, because the Father raised the Son by means of his own glory, its like a stamp of approval on the sufficiency and the power of death of Christ.

We know that Christ was raised from the dead (by the glory of the Father), and because of this Christ will never die again, and death no longer has dominion over Him.

In what way did death, at one time have dominion over Christ?

Galatians 4:4 ESV

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

Christ was born under the law, he was born under sin, not that He had sins of His own, but Christ entered into our realm. He entered into the realm of sin and death. He had no sins of his own, but he took upon himself the sins of the whole world, and in that sense death, for a time, had dominion over Christ.

But, now because of the finality and the power of the death of Christ- death no longer has any dominion over Him. He is finished with all that. He has conquered sin and death. He no longer has anything left to do in the realm of sin and the dominion of death. He victory is already complete and that was proved when the Father raised the Son from the dead by means of His own glory.

Romans 6:10 ESV

10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Here is the summary of the argument. The explanation point if your will!

10ὃ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν,

For the death He died (aor, act, ind),

τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ·

He died (aor, act, ind) to sin once and for all;

Paul states, because of what I just said- that he will never die again, and death no longer has dominion over him- why is that? For or because: the death He died, He died to sin ONCE AND FOR ALL!

KJV- He died to sin once. This does not bring out the force of the Greek. It is not simply He died to sin once. It is He died to sin ONCE AND FOR ALL. ONCE AND FOREVER!

There is a finality and a power to the death of Jesus Christ. When he shed his blood on the cross to pay for the sins of the world- it was a once and forever death. IT IS FINISHED! Jesus has paid it all! Jesus has conquered it all! He died once and forever for sin!

The author of Hebrews uses this same word three time in his epistle:

Hebrews 7:27 (ESV)

27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this ONCE FOR ALL when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 9:12 (ESV)

12 he entered ONCE FOR ALL into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Hebrews 10:10 (ESV)

10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL.

This is Paul’s point in Romans 6:10: Jesus Christ will never die again, death no longer has any dominion over Him- Jesus is completely finished with sin and its dominion- Why?

Romans 6:10 (ESV)

10 For the death he died he died to sin, ONCE FOR ALL, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Jesus’ death is a once and for all death, a once and forever death in relation to sin- and you must know this believer! There is finality and great power in the death of Jesus Christ for sin.

This finality and power of his death is proved by means of his resurrection. For the death, he died he died to sin, once for all, BUT

ὃ δὲ ζῇ,

but the life He lives (pres, act, ind)

ζῇ τῷ θεῷ.

He lives (prest, act, ind) to (the advantage of) God.

We know that Christ being raised from the dead (by the glory of God), he never dies again, he is no longer under the dominion of sin, he died a once and forever death to sin, BUT the life he is living (right now), He lives to the advantage, or we could say, He lives to GLORY of God!

Not that Christ never lived to the glory of the Father before, not at all. Everything Christ does is for the Father’s glory. But His resurrection has given Jesus new power to carry out God’s will and purpose.

And all of these glorious theological gospel truths are something that your must know! If you want to stop living dominated by sin in your life, then you must know truth, you must doctrine, you must know the many and multiple facets of the jewel that is your salvation in Christ.

Illustration: Puzzle of pulling apart a metal ring that is connected by a two metal chains. Seems impossible. Try and try, but to know avail. And then one day I worked out the solution. And from then on I could take that puzzle and solve it in a matter of seconds. I would impress my friends, but solving it so fast they could even see how it was done. At one time what I thought was impossible, became possible simply through knowing something.

Refutation: That’s all well and good for puzzle solving, but the problem of sin in my life is much bigger and harder than that. Surely, simply knowing truth is not enough!

John 8:32 ESV

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Knowing truth will set you free from the domination of sin in your life.

Application:

How well do you know the doctrine (the truth) concerning your salvation?

How many of you are still living on the milk of the Word?

You know a little bit of truth, you know a surface level of truth, but you need more.

Colossians 2:6 ESV

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

Colossians 2:7 ESV

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Do you know the full implications of your death with Christ that you can say, I am rooted and built up in Christ! I am like a great oak tree- I have deep roots in Christ. Are you built up in Christ- is your knowledge of Jesus like a strong tower? Have you been established in the faith?

If you are going to be free from the domination of sin you must know the full implications of your death with Christ.

How? Disciple-making opportunities! Follow one so you can lead one!

Transition: Knowing the full implications of your death with Christ is only the first step of being free from the domination of sin. We must now turn our attention to step #2.

Step #2

II. We must CONSIDER the full implications of our death with Christ (v. 11)

Simply knowing the truth of our union with Christ and the full implications of our dying with Christ is not enough. We must move on from merely knowing to considering the truth of our death with Christ as significant to me personally.

Romans 6:11 (ESV)

11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

So you MUST (Imperative) CONSIDER / RECKON the truth of your union with Christ to be true of you personally.

Consider- To determine by mathematical process to reckon or to calculate— In other words you must do the math. This is logical, it is mathematical. Work out Paul’s argument. Look to Jesus! Look to His death (its finality and its power). Look to His resurrection (how it lives unto God). Do the math and calculate all of that truth as applicable to your every day life.

What must you consider?

SO, lit. “In the same way”! That is an astonishing conjunction. IN THE SAME WAY, YOU TOO must consider. What is Paul saying? In the same way or manner as Christ. Why did Paul want us in the previous verses to take our eyes off ourselves and instead look at Jesus? Why did Paul want us to know deeply the finality and power of Jesus’ death and the glory of His resurrection? Because IN THE SAME WAY we must also consider / Reckon / Calculate what?

Consider yourselves to be dead sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Do you know what that means?

In the same way that Jesus is dead to sin, you are dead to sin! The finality and the power of Jesus’ death to sin is your death to sin. You have been united to Christ, you have been united with His death and His burial. You now participate in the same benefits of His death as He does! Wow! Consider this to be true in your life Christian.

No longer tell yourself the lie that you can’t stop sinning. No longer tell yourself the lie that sin will always get the better of you. It is false. It is a lie. It is not true whatsoever. Why? Because you are so special and great? NO, because you are united to Christ and his death, his once and forever death to sin, is YOUR DEATH!

Consider that to be true!

You are now alive to God! How alive are you? You share the same life that Jesus has! You are united to Him. Just as Jesus now lives to the advantage of God- that is to the glory of God because of his resurrection- in the same way you too can walk in newness of life. You have the potential to glorify God with you life, free from the dominion of sin because of your union with Jesus’ life! Reckon it to be true- do the math and consider it true of you personally!

Illustration: MBA beat Coleman for the first time in 4 years this weekend in the WACS tournament. MBA was the better team, they has the talent and the ability, but a key factor to the game was believing they could actually win. If they would have gone on the field thinking, “we have never beaten them before, we will never beat them now.” What would have happened? They had to consider, reckon, calculate the facts as true to themselves personally. And they won 8-0!

Refutation: So all you have to do to defeat the dominion of sin is to believe you can do it? Do I just need to believe in myself? NO! That is the mumbojumbo of the world. Paul is not saying belief in yourself- he is saying believe in Christ! You can defeat the dominion of sin when you by faith reckon that Christ’s death to sin is your death, that Christ life to God is your life!

Philippians 4:13 ESV

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Romans 6:11 (ESV)

11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God IN CHRIST JESUS.

Application: How do you do that? How do you consider these great truths true of yourself personally?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones:

The most essential step is constantly to read the Scriptures.

“If you look at any saint who has ever adorned the life of the Christian church, you will find that they have always done that. They have always been men and women who have spent a great deal of their time in reading the Bible, studying it and familiarizing themselves with it.

How you read it matter so much! It is not something that you do mechanically, as a chore that must be completed every day. You must read it so see God! You must read it to come to a deeper knowledge of the greatness and holiness of God. At time your reading must humble you that you bend your knees to God and weep on the floor. When is the last time your read your Bibles like that?

2. You must not only read the Scriptures, you must also meditate upon them.

“There is a line of a hymn which says, ‘Take time to be holy.’ I am not sure but that it is not something which we all ought to have pasted upon the walls of our homes in this foolish, ridiculous, hectic age in which we are living.”

Meditation is the lost art of talking to ourselves. Not like a crazy person, and not even out-loud. I mean that you all become preachers to yourselves using God’s word. Say to yourself, “Don’t you know who you are?”

Camp Joy men’s retreat: speaker Brother Dean Kurtz. Stand in front of a mirror and say to yourself biblical truth. Battling depression: I am a child of the King, I am co-heir with Christ, I am adopted into God’s family, and so on. Until he believed it. He was exercising faith in God’s Word. He was meditating upon God’s word, speaking to himself the truth.

Personally I ride my bike after a morning a deep study: And I talk about the Scriptures to myself. I make application of the truth of God’s word to me personally. The best time for the Spirit of God to illuminate my mind to the significance of the Scripture.

We must reclaim this lost of considering Scripture as true for us personally!

Read the Scriptures, Meditate upon the Scriptures, Place your humble trust in the truth of God’s Word, especially of you union with Christ and the power to overcome the dominion of sin in your life.

If we want to stop living under the domination of sin we must take the step of knowing the full implications of our death with Christ, we must consider the full implications of our death with Christ, and the final step is:

Step # 3

III. We must APPLY the full implications of our death with Christ (vv. 12-14)

Romans 6:12–14 ESV

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do 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. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

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