Sanctification in Romans Chapter Six (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday November 1, 2023

Sanctification Series: Sanctification in Romans Chapter Six

Lesson # 7

In Romans 6:1-2, Paul emphatically rejects the idea that a Christian living under the dominion of the sin nature accentuates the grace of God.

Romans 6:1 Therefore, what is the conclusion that we are forced to? Should we persist in living under the dominion of the sin nature in order that grace might increase? 2 Absolutely not! We, who are indeed of such character and of a particular class of individuals, have died with reference to the sin nature, how shall we still live under its dominion? (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:3, he speaks of the justified sinner being identified with Christ in His death so as to solve the believer’s problem of being spiritually dead.

Romans 6:3 Or, are some of you in a state of ignorance concerning the fact that all of us who have been identified with Christ, who is Jesus, have been identified with His death? (Pastor’s translation)

Then, in Romans 6:4, he speaks of the justified sinner being identified with Christ in His physical death so as to solve the problem of possessing a sin nature.

Romans 6:4 Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism with respect to His physical death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead ones through the glory of the Father, in the same way, we, ourselves will also walk in the realm of an extraordinary life. (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:5, the apostle teaches that the justified sinner is identified with Christ in His resurrection in order that the believer might receive a resurrection body like the last Adam, Christ so as to replace his sinful body.

Romans 6:5 Therefore, if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that we are entered into union with Him, conformed to His physical death. Of course, we believe this is true. Then, certainly, we will also be united with Him, conformed to His resurrection. (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:6, we studied that the believer’s old Adamic sin nature has been crucified at the cross in order that it might be deprived of its power so that the believer might not be its slave.

Romans 6:6 This we are very familiar with through instruction, namely, that our old man was crucified with Him in order that the sinful body would be deprived of its power with the result that we are no longer in a perpetual state of being slaves to the sin nature. (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:7, Paul teaches that the believer is freed from the tyranny of the indwelling old Adamic sin nature because they have died with Christ as a result of having been identified with Christ in His death.

Romans 6:7 For you see the one who has died is freed from the power of the sin nature. (Pastor’s translation)

Paul instructs the Roman believers in Romans 6:8 that since they have died with Christ through the baptism of the Spirit, they will as a certainty, in the future, at the resurrection, i.e. rapture of the church live with Christ in the sense that they will receive a resurrection body like Christ.

Romans 6:8 Now, as previously stated, if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that we have died with Him. Of course, we have already established that this is true. Then, we do have this absolute confidence that we, as a certainty, will in the future also live with Him. (Pastor’s translation)

Then, in Romans 6:9, he teaches that physical death no longer has dominion over Jesus Christ because He has been raised from the dead.

Romans 6:9 Because we know for certain, namely that because Christ was raised from the dead ones, He can never again die. Death can never again have dominion over Him. (Pastor’s translation)

Paul in Romans 6:10 instructs the believers in Rome that the Lord Jesus Christ died physically for the destruction of the sin nature but now lives to God.

Romans 6:10 For you see, the physical death that He died, He died for the destruction of the sin nature once and for all but the life that He now lives, He lives forever for the benefit of God the Father. (Pastor’s translation)

Then, in Romans 6:11, the apostle Paul commands the Roman believers to regard themselves as dead with respect to the sin nature but alive with respect to God in union with Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11 In the same way, also, on the one hand, all of you without exception make it your habit to regard yourselves as dead ones with respect to the sin nature while on the other hand those who are alive with respect to God the Father, in union with Christ, who is Jesus. (Pastor’s translation)

Then, in Romans 6:12, Paul prohibits the believers in Rome from letting the sin nature reign as king in their bodies with the result that they obey its lusts.

Romans 6:12 Therefore, do not make it a habit to let the sin nature reign as king in your mortal body with the result that you habitually obey its lusts. (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:13, Paul prohibits the Roman believers from placing the members of their bodies at the disposal of the sin nature as instruments of unrighteousness and commands them instead to place the members of their body at the disposal of the Father as instruments of righteousness.

Romans 6:13 Nor, all of you place the members of your body at the disposal and benefit of the sin nature as instruments, which produce unrighteousness but rather I solemnly charge all of you to place yourselves at the disposal and benefit of God the Father as those who are alive from the dead ones and in addition your members as instruments, which produce righteousness for the benefit of God the Father and do it now! (Pastor’s translation)

Paul teaches the believers in Rome in Romans 6:14 that the sin nature is not to be their master since they were no longer under law, but under God’s grace.

Romans 6:14 For the sin nature, will, as a certainty, never again, have dominion over all of you for all of you are by no means under the authority and dominion of the Law but rather under the authority and dominion of grace. (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:15, in response to any possible misconceptions regarding his teaching in Romans 6:14 by those Jews who insist that the Law is necessary to restrain sin and those Christians who might erroneously conclude that grace is a license to sin, Paul emphatically rejects any idea that grace is a license to sin.

Romans 6:15 What shall we conclude then? Should we commit an act of sin because we are by no means under the authority and dominion of the Law but rather under the authority and dominion of grace? Absolutely not! (Pastor’s translation)

Romans 6:16 emphasizes that there is no compromise with sin now that the Christian is no longer under the Law but under God’s grace policy.

Romans 6:16 Are you totally unaware concerning this fact, namely that the one whom you desire to place yourselves at the disposal of as slaves for obedience, you will be slaves for the benefit of this one whom you desire to obey, either the sin nature resulting in temporal spiritual death or obedience to the Father’s will resulting in righteousness? (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:17, Paul thanks God the Father because the Roman believers were once perpetual slaves to the sin nature but then they obeyed the gospel and as a result were delivered positionally from the tyranny of the sin nature.

Romans 6:17 But now, thank God! Because all of you were once in a perpetual state of being slaves to the sin nature but then all of you obeyed from the heart that particular doctrinal standard with respect to which all of you were taught. (Pastor’s translation)

Then, in Romans 6:18a, he teaches the Christians in Rome that they were freed from the sin nature through their obedience to the gospel.

Romans 6:18 And also, because having been set free from the tyranny of the sin nature, all of you became slaves of righteousness. (Pastor’s translation)

In Romans 6:19, Paul commands the believers in Rome to present the members of their bodies as slaves to righteousness just as they presented the members of their bodies as slaves to impurity and lawlessness prior to being declared justified.

Romans 6:19 I am speaking according to your human frame of reference because of the weakness, which is your flesh. Therefore, just as all of you placed your members as slaves at the disposal of and with respect to that which is impurity and in addition with respect to that which is lawlessness resulting in further lawlessness, in the same way, now, I solemnly charge all of you to place your members as slaves at the disposal of and with respect to righteousness resulting in sanctification and do it now! (Pastor’s translation)

Then, in Romans 6:20, Paul explains why the Roman Christians should obey the command to place their members as slaves at the disposal of and with respect to God who as to His nature is righteousness.

Romans 6:20 For you see, when all of you were once in a perpetual state of being slaves to the sin nature, all of you were in a perpetual state of being free with respect to righteousness. (Pastor’s translation)

Next, in Romans 6:21, Paul poses a rhetorical question to the Christians in Rome reminding them that prior to their justification to Christianity that their actions of which they now were ashamed only served to perpetuate their status of being spiritually dead.

Romans 6:21 Therefore, what benefit were all of you at that time in a perpetual state of possessing because of those things, which all of you are now at the present time ashamed of? In fact, the result produced by these things is spiritual death. (Pastor’s translation)

Then, the apostle Paul in Romans 6:22 teaches that because the Roman Christians have been freed from the sin nature and enslaved to God, the benefit that they now possess is that of being a servant of God rather than the sin nature, which results in sanctification and eternal life.

Romans 6:22 But now, at the present time, because all of you have been set free from the tyranny of the sin nature and because all of you have become slaves to God the Father all of you at the present time possess your benefit (of being a servant of God) resulting in sanctification and the result, eternal life. (Pastor’s translation)

Romans 6:23, Paul teaches that the wages of sin is spiritual death resulting in physical death and ultimately the second death in the eternal lake of fire but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 For you see the sin nature pays out spiritual death however God the Father graciously gives eternal life in the Person of Christ, who is Jesus, our Lord. (Pastor’s translation)