Dead to Sin

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Romans 6:1–14 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. 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. 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. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 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. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Context

In our series on the book of Romans, we have been looking at salvation through faith.

Last week as we explored the second half of Romans 5, we saw that there are two types of people in this world.

1. Those who are in Adam: this is the natural state of mankind.

Since our first father Adam sinned, those who came after him inherited his sin nature, and death as the result of sin.

2. But then there are those who are in Christ: These are those who have received the free gift of salvation by faith.

And by faith they inherit: grace, justification, righteousness before God, and eternal life.

Tension

All this, this free gift of salvation, this free gift of grace, sounds great! But what does this mean for our day to day lives? How now shall we live?

If we believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. Does that mean that we can just believe with our minds and hearts and then go about our lives. Doing whatever we want to do?

We see this kind of thing often. People pray a prayer to receive Christ at camp, or at church or some event. And they treat that prayer of faith sort of like fire insurance.

They prayed the prayer, and now they don’t have to worry about going to hell when they die.

But their lives look no different than anyone else.

They would generally hold to the same morality as the culture.

And when you look at their life, they would participate in the same sins and vices as the culture as well, without a hint of remorse.

Though they claim to be a Christian, there is no concern or effort made to be obedient to Christ.

Exposition

The Question (v. 1)

This leads us to the question that Paul anticipates in verse 1 of our passage.

Romans 6:1 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?

We see throughout the book of Acts how much opposition the Apostle Paul faced as he proclaimed the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire.

Much of this opposition came from his fellow Jews as he preached in their synagogues.

It is thought that this question was regularly asked by Paul’s Jewish detractors.

He already posed a similar question in Romans chapter 3, where he says in verse 8:

Romans 3:8 (ESV)

And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying.

See in hearing that all people, Jews and Gentiles, are justified, declared innocent before God, by faith.

This may have led to a concern amongst the Jews that not only would people treat this justification by faith as some sort of fire insurance. But that they might pursue sin all the more.

As verse one of our passage says, “Continue in sin that grace may abound.”

If God is glorified by bestowing grace, why wouldn’t those who have been justified by faith sin all the more? More sin = more glory to God.

Now the question does seem kind of ridiculous; so it may not have been asked out of a genuine concern, but rather to mock justification by faith.

The Short Answer (v. 2)

Regardless of whether it was a legitimate question or one posed in mockery; Paul anticipates it, and uses his answer to teach us about the new life we have in Christ.

The question again is: “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”

Paul gives his short answer in verse 2:

Romans 6:2 ESV

By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Paul’s answer is strong here: “by no means”, “perish the thought”, “are you kidding me?!” “How can we who died to sin still live in it?”

That was the short answer.

But Over the next few verses Paul will expand his answer.

And I want you to notice what he focuses on as the reason why those who are saved by faith would not continue living in unrepentant sin.

What he grounds his answer in is the believer’s union with Christ.

Union with Christ

Now we need to spend some time on what “union with Christ” means; because in our culture it is not something that is often talked about, nor easily understood.

But union with Christ is absolutely essential to understanding, not just this passage, but much of what we read in the New Testament.

And not only that, it is also essential for understanding how we live out our day to day lives as Christians.

Personally, I find this doctrine of union with Christ a huge encouragement as I pursue holiness and obedience in my own walk with the Lord.

A Real Spiritual Union

First of all we need to deal with a big assumption that can get in the way of understanding union with Christ.

The assumption is this: That, even as Christians, when we hear the word “spiritual” we can too often take it to mean “not real”.

In North America we have been so steeped in materialism that many christians are basically materialists with God added on.

One of the effects of this is that the christian faith too often gets reduced to pop-psychology.

Look at the majority of the books that are sold to Christians, and you will see that most of them are of the “self-help” variety.

Even the teaching from many prominent evangelical pastors and teachers is merely pop-psychology dressed up in christian language and proof texts from the Bible.

That is what happens when the spiritual reality of Christianity is abandoned. It becomes pop-psychology and self help.

If there was no real spiritual union between Christ and his people, how do you think Paul would have answered this question from the Jews?

His answer might have looked a lot like our Christian self help books and ted-talk sermons.

But the Christian Faith is a real relationship to God who exists and connects with us through his Spirit.

When we receive the free gift of salvation through faith, we are made spiritually alive, and through the Holy Spirit we have a real spiritual connection to Jesus Christ.

This is not a metaphor, it’s not figurative language, it’s not some sort of psychological mindset.

It is spiritual and it is real.

Our union with Christ is a real, spiritual union with him.

Union With Christ in the Scriptures

We see the truth of this real, spiritual, union with Christ all over the New Testament

Nearly any time you read the phrase “In Christ” throughout the New Testament it is referring to our union with him.

One of the clearest pictures of this union is from Jesus himself in John 15. We read in verses 4-5

John 15:4–5 ESV

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

By faith we abide in Christ, we are in Christ, and he is in us.

This is a real, spiritual union with Christ that every believer has by faith.

Paul grounds his answer to the question, “why not continue in sin?” in this union with Christ.

Union: Baptized into Death (vv. 3-4)

We see this union with Christ through the ordinance of baptism in verses 3-5:

Romans 6:3–4 ESV

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

Hard to understand

I love how Paul asks the Romans in verse 3, “Do you not know?” as if it’s clear that they should already know…

That those who have been Baptized in Jesus name were baptized into his death.

Now we as moderns once again can get a bit turned around by this kind of language.

Often when we read passages like this, we can easily just skip over them.

It’s these moments when I am comforted by what Peter says about Paul’s letters in 2 Peter 3:16, “There are some things in them that are hard to understand.”

But as we look at this, keep in mind the reality of the believer’s union with Christ, and this will hopefully make more sense.

Baptism

In verse 3 we see baptism referenced.

Romans 6:3 ESV

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

Now its here that vigilant Baptists can be on high alert.

This passage can almost sound as if our union with Christ, our salvation, is achieved through the act of baptism.

But this is not at all the case. Paul has just spent the last several chapters telling his audience that salvation is through faith.

So what is he saying here?

Water Baptism

First of all I believe Paul here is talking about the ordinance of water Baptism.

Very often people argue that the baptism spoken of here in this passage is the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”.

This satisfies the concern that people might take this passage to mean that we are saved by baptism, or what is called baptismal regeneration.

But that interpretation is not something you can plainly draw from the text. It is imposed on it.

To be “baptized into Christ” is the same language that Jesus uses in his great commission in Matthew 28. Where he tells us to, “Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

And that passage is clearly talking about water baptism, not the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So I believe that this passage is also talking about water baptism.

Baptism and Salvation

It is true that baptism does not save. We do not believe in baptismal regeneration.

Paul himself sees a distinction between salvation and baptism. He says in 1 Corinthians 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel.”

His priority was not to baptize people but to preach the Gospel. He says in Romans 1 that the Gospel, “Is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

Baptism is not the means for salvation.

Baptism rather is the sign that saving faith has occurred.

We see them paired together over and over in the book of Acts, “Believe and be baptized.”

Baptism is not the means by which a person to be saved, but it is the sign that a person has been saved by faith.

Baptism as the sign of Union with Christ

And the symbolism in this sign points to the very real union that we have with Christ, especially the union we have with him in his death and resurrection.

Our death and resurrection with Christ are what is symbolized in baptism.

1. Buried with Christ

For those of us who have been baptized, you can remember the moment you were lowered down into the water. You can remember when the the water covered your face.

That is a symbol of being buried in Christ. A sign that you are united with him in his death.

This is why pastors will sometimes say, “Buried with Christ in the likeness of his death,” as they are lowering the person into the water in baptism.

Just as we see here in Romans 6:3 “that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”

Being buried under the water in baptism is a sign of our spiritual union with Christ in his death.

2. Raised with Christ

And if you were baptized, the pastor didn’t only lower you into the water, but hopefully he brought you back up out of the water.

You might remember when you took in that gasp of air after you were raise up out of the water.

Think about that first gasp of air Jesus breathed when he was raised form the dead in the garden tomb.

Being raised up out of the water is the symbol of being raised with Christ. A sign that you are united with him in his resurrection.

This is why pastors will sometimes say, “Raised with our Lord in the likeness of his resurrection,” as they are lifting the person out of the water in baptism.

Being raised up out of the water is a sign of our spiritual union with Christ in his resurrection.

Just as we see here in Romans 6:4:

Romans 6:4 ESV

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.

The Spiritual Reality Marked by the Sign

This sign of baptism, being symbolically buried and resurrected, points to a spiritual reality; that in the union that we have with Christ by faith, we receive the benefits of his death and resurrection.

This is why verse 4 says that, “We too might walk in newness of life.”

In receiving salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, a believer is made spiritually alive, they have received a new spiritual life from God.

They have been spiritually resurrected to a new life in Christ.

We see this also in Ephesians 2:4-6

Ephesians 2:4–6 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

In Christ, through union with him by faith, we receive a new spiritually resurrected life.

Why This Matters in Paul’s Argument

So why does Baptism matter to Paul’s argument?

Remember what got us started in this passage.

Paul is answering a question posed by his detractors, “Why wouldn’t people who’ve received salvation by faith just continue in sin?”

Paul is grounding his answer in the spiritual reality of the believer’s union with Christ.

He is saying this to the Romans and to us: “think about your baptism, and what it symbolized.”

1. Remember when you were lowered into the water? What do you think that meant?

It pointed to the fact that by faith you have been united to Christ in his death.

2. Remember when you were brought back out of the water? What do you think that meant?

It pointed to the fact that by faith you have been united to Christ in his resurrection.

Your baptism should remind you that you have a new life, you are spiritually alive in Christ.

This is a spiritual reality. But this spiritual reality will one day also be a physical reality.

Union: Resurrection (v. 5)

Romans 6:5 goes on to say.

Romans 6:5 ESV

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.

Through our union with Christ, the resurrection we have experienced spiritually will one day be experienced physically in our bodies.

We have a new spiritual life, but we will also have a new physical life after the resurrection of our bodies when Christ returns.

This is our ultimate hope as Christians, that Like Christ rose from the dead, we too will one day rise from the dead to eternal life.

We don’t have time to get into this further this morning, but we will be speaking all about the resurrection of the dead at our easter service in two weeks, so you can look forward to that.

Dead to Sin (vv. 6-7)

Paul goes on to talk about how our union with Christ in his death, frees us from slavery to sin in verses 6 and 7 of our passage.

Romans 6:6–7 ESV

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. For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Just like a slave who has died is no longer in thrall to his master, our death in Christ frees us from our enslavement to sin.

The moment we believed in Christ for salvation our old sinful self was crucified with Christ.

Galatians 2:20 says something similar. Galatians 2:20

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Our union to Christ in his death, crucified our old self that was enslaved to sin, totally freeing us from the power of sin.

As verse 7 says, “For one who has died has been set free from sin.”

Alive in God (vv. 8-11)

But through union with Christ in his resurrection, we also receive new life. A new life that lives for God. This is what Paul tells us in our passage in verses 8-11.

Romans 6:8–11 (ESV)

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Through your union with Christ by faith, you are dead to sin, no longer enslaved to it because of Christ’s death.

And not only that but through Christ’s resurrection, you are spiritually alive to God.

And it is only because of this spiritual reality through our union with Christ, that we can be obedient to what Paul writes next in verses 12-14.

Let Not Sin Reign (vv. 12-14)

Romans 6:12–14 ESV

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

Remember Paul is answering the question, “Why wouldn’t people who’ve received salvation by faith just continue in sin?”.

We have already seen that he bases his answer in the reality of our union with Christ.

That in Christ’s death, we have died to sin.

In Christ’s resurrection, we have been resurrected to a new spiritual life.

And because of this we have been set free from slavery to sin.

1. Let not sin reign in your mortal body. (v. 12)

So Paul says here in verse 12 to 14, that we must not let sin reign over us while we are still in these mortal bodies.

If we are obeying it’s passions, it’s whims, it’s lusts, that is exactly what we are doing. Allowing sin to reign in us.

When we present our members, our bodies, to sin as instruments (some translations say “weapons”) for unrighteousness, we are serving a slave master from whom we have been freed.

In Christ you are dead to sin, don’t let it reign in you! As verse 14 says, “Sin will have no dominion over you.”

2. Present yourselves to God. (v. 14)

Rather, because of our union with Christ, we can now present ourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life, and our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness.

Sanctification

This growing in the righteousness of God is called Sanctification. Those who are in Christ are progressively made more and more like him.

Sanctification is the process where sin is killed in our lives and we instead pursue greater and greater obedience to God.

This is a process, and one that takes place throughout the life of a believer.

God, through our union with Christ, empowers us to pursue obedience to him, rather than be enslaved to sin.

Application & Conclusion

This is one of the most difficult parts of the christian life, sanctification.

I think we all know what it’s like to keep going back to serve that slave-master sin even after we have been saved. I certainly do.

But I’ll tell you what has given me so much victory over sin in my past, and it is the point I want you to take away from this message today.

Union with Christ is both why and how we are sanctified. (x2)

Why do those who have truly received salvation through faith pursue sanctification? Because of our union with Christ. Think of Paul’s short answer from verse 2, “How can we who died to sin (in Christ) still live in it?”

How do those who have received salvation through faith pursue sanctification? Through union with Christ. Just like Jesus says in John 15, “abide in me, apart from me you can do nothing”.

Don’t expect to have victory over sin in your life without fervent prayer to the Lord for forgiveness and strength.

Don’t expect to be walking in holiness and obedience without diligently seeking out God’s instruction in his word.

Don’t expect to live the Christian life without abiding in him by the Spirit.

But let me tell you what you can expect. That if you pursue greater union with Christ by faith, sin will have no dominion over you.

When you face temptation, when your former slave-master sin calls you to give into him.

Remember your baptism, and what it signifies.

You are united to Christ.

In him you have died to sin, and through his resurrection you are raised to new life.

By his power, may we all live as those who have been brought from death to life.