IN CHRIST WE HAVE DIED

I. SHOULD WE CONTINUE IN SIN?

Romans 6:1–2 (ESV)

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means!

II. WE HAVE DIED TO SIN.

Romans 6:2 (ESV) — 2 …How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:2b (ESV)

2 How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Tim Keller said that if we want to know what ‘died to sin’ means we must understand what it doesn’t mean. The following are 5 things he listed that it doesn’t mean:

1. “Died to sin” means we no longer want to sin; sin has no more power or influence over us. But if this were the true meaning, Paul would not have had to write verses 12–14. If a Christian doesn’t want to sin, why urge him or her not to? Also, 7:18 shows that a Christian still has sinful desires.

2. “Died to sin” means we no longer ought to sin; sin is now inappropriate for the Christian. The first interpretation goes too far; this one doesn’t go far enough. Paul says boldly “we died,” not “we ought to die.”

3. “Died to sin” means we are slowly moving away from sin; sin is weakening in us. But the term “dead” that Paul uses surely means something stronger than that. Besides, the Greek tense used on this verb is the aorist tense, which refers to a single, past, once-and-done action. Paul is not referring to a continual process.

4. “Died to sin” means we have renounced sin; at some moment (such as our baptism) we disavowed sinful behavior. In itself this is true, but it is unlikely this is what Paul is teaching here, because 6:3–5 explains that this “death” is the result of our union with Christ. It is the result of something done to us, not something we have done.

5. “Died to sin” means we are no longer guilty of sin; our sins cannot condemn us for they are pardoned in Christ. Again, this is true, but again that probably is not the meaning here. Paul needs to explain why, given that we are indeed no longer guilty of sin, we seek to live without sin—why the gospel makes any difference to the way we live. Simply restating the truth that we are pardoned in Christ is not an answer.[2]

What does it mean?

Romans 6:14 (ESV) — 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

III. HOW DID WE DIE TO SIN?

Romans 6:3–11 (ESV) —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. 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. 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. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the deathhe died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:3–11 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. 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. 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. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

So, how did we die to sin?

Romans 6:3–7 (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. 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. 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. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6:3–7 (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. 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. 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. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

“This verse exemplifies a well-known pattern in Paul: the indicative precedes the imperative. In grammar an indicative verb describes the way things are. An imperative expresses a command. Paul typically lays an indicative foundation before making an imperative declaration. What Christ has done gives the basis for believers’ identity and therefore their behavior. Their union with Christ enables them.”[3]

[1] The Westminster confession of faith. (1996). Logos Research Systems, Inc [2]Keller, T. (2014). Romans 1–7 for You(C. Laferton, Ed.; pp. 138–139). The Good Book Company. [3]Yarbrough, R. W. (2020). Romans. In I. M. Duguid, J. M. Hamilton Jr., & J. Sklar (Eds.), Romans–Galatians: Vol. X(p. 100). Crossway.