Dead To Sin, Alive To God

Introduction

Romans 6:1–14 (KJV 1900)

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

In the first section of Romans, we learn that every human is under condemnation.

Mankind is sinful and prone to do evil, and because of this, man is under the wrath of God.

In the second section of Romans, we learn about salvation, we learn the fact that God desires to save sinful man.

Chapters 4 and 5 deal primarily with justification. It’s in these chapters, we learn that God’s justification of the sinner is by faith in Jesus Christ.

Justification is the act whereby we are declared righteous! To be justified is to stand before God just as if I’d never sinned!

In Romans 6 and 7, Paul takes up the doctrine of sanctification. I’m giving you all the keywords to the book of Romans by the way…Condemnation, Salvation, Justification, Sanctification.

Justification and Sanctification are close kin to each other, but there are some differences:

Justification is an act. Sanctification is a work.

Justification is the means. Sanctification is the end.

Justification is for us. Sanctification is in us.

Justification declares the sinner righteous . Sanctification makes the sinner righteous.

Justification removes the guilt and penalty of sin. Sanctification removes the growth and power of sin.

Justification is only the starting point—it is the beginning of God's purpose for us. Justification is where the saving process commences; sanctification is where the saving process continues on.

Notice with me:

1-The Believer’s Death From Sin

Romans 6:1–2 (KJV 1900)

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid...

There is probably no doctrine more abused than the doctrine of grace.

The argument in verse one says, “Well, if grace comes as the result of sin, then shouldn’t we just sin more so we can enjoy more grace?” Sadly, this is the philosophy of life that far too many Christians live by! Many know that they are saved, and that their salvation is eternal. They know they are eternally secure, so they live far below God’s standard, knowing they can repent at any time.

Folks, this is a dangerous way to live your life! If you have been caught in this mind set, your actions say one of two things about you:

1. You have never really been saved.

2. You don’t care what your life says about Jesus.

Either scenario places you on dangerous ground! If you are not saved, you are in danger of Hell. If you are saved, you stand to face the chastisement of God.

The answer to this argument is “God forbid!”

The idea here is to perish the thought! There is no basis whatsoever for such foolish thinking. The true child of God hates sin and wants to escape it rather than remaining captive to it.

He continues,

Romans 6:2–4 (KJV 1900)

2 ...How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

When Christ died on the cross, He died as our substitute. He died FOR us and in our place. He also died AS our representative, as us. When He died, we died. Our sin was upon Him. All in Christ are seen by God as having died to sin. That is our position in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:20 KJV 1900

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Listen to me now, we are baptized into Jesus and buried with Jesus!

Paul is writing to let us know that when we got saved, we were placed into the body of Christ!

Colossians 3:3 KJV 1900

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

It’s because of the Believer’s Death From Sin, that we also see:

2-The Believer’s Deliverance From Sin

Romans 6:5–6 KJV 1900

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Christ died for sin, and was buried. When he rose again three days later it was not to the former life. He rose to a new and glorified life. We too are changed as a result of dying in Christ. We now live in the likeness of his resurrection. We are different now!

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

We are a new creature. Not the same old man. He died. The new creature in Christ is indeed a new life with new desires!

Because of this, we should not serve sin...

You might be wondering, if all this is true, and it is, then why is it that so many still struggle with lives that are tainted with sin? The reason is that when you got saved, your body became the house for two natures. Your old nature is still in there trying to be the king. Now, there is a new nature there and it is trying to be the king.

Listen ya’ll…In Christ, we have a new life and a new Lord!

Are we perfect? No!

There will be ups and downs as we yield to either the spirit or the flesh…But listen, it’s clear that Christians cannot habitually live under the domination of sin. Why?

Because we are no longer slaves to it!

This leads us to point 3 today, sin has no dominion over us because we have been delivered from it…and in the remaining verses of our text, we learn about:

3-The Believer’s Dominion Over Sin

Paul concludes his argument by stressing three points. He uses three significant words to teach us how to bring our life in line with what God says. I would encourage you to highlight, underline or circle these words...The words are knowing, reckon, and yield.

In verses 9 and 10, there is something that we must comprehend - something that we must know...

Romans 6:9–10 (KJV 1900)

9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

We must understand that Christ died for sin and He rose from the dead. The reason for our confidence is His resurrection.

Since Christ conquered death Paul says, death hath no more dominion over him. When He went to the cross, He paid the sin debt in full. And because it does not have dominion over him, it does not have dominion over us, because we died and were raised with him.

Now that we know that we are dead in Christ, verse 11 tells us what we do with that knowledge…

Romans 6:11 (KJV 1900)

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul says to reckon our own selves dead.

The word reckon means to "count, to number, or to calculate." The idea that of reconciling a checkbook. We take the bank statement and our checkbook, sit down and make the checkbook agree with the bank statement. That is what God is saying when He commands that we reckon ourselves to be dead. God has already declared it so, now, as a child of God, reckon it to be so.

Before salvation we were under the dominion of sin. Our depraved natures ruled our souls. Sin was the ruler on the throne of the heart, and we did obey it.

But now! But now! We do the opposite!

How in the world do we live such a life!

Verses 13 and 14 tell us...

Romans 6:13–14 (KJV 1900)

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

The word yield means "to place at the disposal of another." It carries the idea of "presenting something to be used in the service of another."

The word for instruments is a military word that carries the idea of weapons. The members here speaks of part of our body—hands, feet, eyes, tongue, etc.

This paints a vivid picture.

Sin is an evil dictator who wants to use our own bodily members as instruments or weapons by which it can rule over us. Paul said that the key to overcoming the evil tyrant of sin is to not yield to him.

If we are driving down the road and come upon a yield sign, we must slow down and give the other guy the right-of-way.

We are not to give sin the right-of-way in our life.

Conclusion

Why does it seem that so many Christians struggle with sin?

I think the answer lies in the fact that they have failed to see themselves as they really are. They have never grasped the truth that they are dead to sin, but alive to God. They have never faced the fact that when sin and temptations come along, they do not just have to give in and go along. They are free to say no and to live for Jesus!

If we learn nothing else from the book Romans, let us learn the fact that we are dead to sin, because we were crucified with Jesus! Let us learn that what happened to Him has happened to us. When He died to sin, we died to sin! When arose in victory, we arose in victory. We are no longer slaves, but we are free!

We don’t need to abuse the grace of God in our lives. Those who have been genuinely saved no longer live under the control and authority of sin.

We are dead to sin and alive to God!