Sanctification - Dead to Sin and Alive to God

Romans 6:1-23, Galatians 2:20

Background: In Romans 4 Paul uses the lives of Abraham and David to illustrate that Justification with God is through faith – not by our works. In Romans 5 Paul goes on to say that all men are condemned before God because of Sin which began with the first man, Adam. Man’s condemnation before God was due to the transgression of one man – Adam. But the Good News pointed out Paul is that due to the righteousness of one man, Jesus Christ, men are made righteous before God through the actions of Jesus. Justification is by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus, the Christ. Romans 6, deals with living the Christian Life – Sanctification.

There are three steps to Sanctification:

I. Step 1—Know (6:1–10): Believers must be aware of three facts

They have been crucified with Christ (6:1–3):

V.1 – Paul begins the chapter with an idiomatic question. He asks it in such a way that there can be but one answer.

V.2 – That answer is, of course, No. The very fact that Paul is asking this question makes it obvious that he understood justification to mean a declaration of righteousness; that it did not mean to make a person good, but to declare a person good. Justification means that the guilt or the penalty of sin is removed, not the power of sin in this life.[1] Now he is going to talk about removing that power of sin from the Christian’s life.

Died (an aorist tense in Greek) points to a definite time in the past…[2] Many believe on the basis of the next verse that Paul had in mind the moment of water baptism. However, the Bible speaks of more than one type of baptism (which means to be immersed).

Baptism in water: Matt 28:19 – the Believer is immersed in water. Another Believer is the baptizer.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Acts 1:5 – the Believer is immersed in the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the baptizer.
Baptism into the Body of Christ: 1 Cor 12:13 – the Believer is immersed (made a part of) the Universal Church, the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the baptizer.

The Greek aorist (past) tense for “died” suggests a specific point when the action occurred, at salvation. Death, whether physical or spiritual, means separation, not extinction (cf. vv. 6-7, 14). Death to sin is separation from sin’s power, not the extinction of sin. Being dead to sin means being “set free from sin” (vv. 18, 22).[3]

V.3 - Gal 3:27 says “For as many of you as vwere baptized winto Christ have xput on Christ.” - “Put on” is ἐνεδύσασθε (enedysasthe) in the Greek which in this usage is a metaphor, very often, of the taking on of characteristics, virtues, intentions, etc.

In verse 3 Paul is saying as he did in Gal 2:20, that the Believer has been crucified with Christ on His cross and died to sin when Jesus died. This is made manifest by our faith in the finished work of Christ and is typified in water baptism, which a witness to the change that has happened within.

They have been resurrected with Christ (6:4–5). Cf 2 Cor 5:17

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is ain Christ, 1he is ba new creature; cthe old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Being a new creature is what Jesus referred to in John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one ais born 1again he cannot see bthe kingdom of God.”

Christ’s burial shows that He actually died (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3-4). Christians’ “burial” with Christ shows that they in fact died with Him to their former sinful ways of living. The purpose of their identification with Christ in His death and burial is that just as Christ was raised from the dead (lit., “out from dead ones”; cf. Rom. 4:24; 8:11) through the glory (a synonym for God’s power; cf. Eph. 1:19; Col. 2:12) of the Father, we too may live a new life (lit., “so also in newness of life we should walk about”). The Greek word “newness” (kainotēti) speaks of life that has a new or fresh quality. The resurrection of Jesus was not just a resuscitation; it was a new form of life. In the same way the spiritual lives of believers in Jesus have a new, fresh quality. Also, a believer’s identification with Jesus Christ in His resurrection, besides being the start of new spiritual life now, is also the guarantee of physical resurrection.

This work of God at salvation in identifying a believer with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection—thus separating him from sin’s power and giving him a new quality of life—is the basis of the Holy Spirit’s continuing work in sanctification.[4]

They are now both dead and alive (6:6–10).

1. Dead to their sin (6:6–7): We should no longer be slaves to sin, for we have been crucified with Christ.

6:5-7. The first clause should be translated, “Since (not if) we have become united in the likeness of His death, ” because the statement is assumed to be true and is true. It affirms the certainty of the second clause of the sentence, which promises that believers are united with Christ in the likeness of His resurrection. As a result we know (ginōskontes suggests experimental or reflective knowing, not intuitive knowledge as in eidotes in v. 9) that our old self was crucified with Him. Literally, the last portion of this sentence is, “our old man was crucified together,” obviously with Christ. A believer’s “old man” is the person as he was spiritually before he trusted Christ, when he was still under sin (3:9), powerless and ungodly (5:6), a sinner (5:8), and an enemy of God (5:10).

2. Alive in the Savior (6:8–10): We are now to live in the resurrection power of the one who rose from the dead and is forever alive. Cf Gal 2:20

6:8-11. These verses state much the same truth as verses 5-7 and in the same format, beginning with if (“since”). Those who by faith receive Jesus Christ and are identified with Him have died with Christ (cf. vv. 3, 5). Because this is true, we believe (pres. tense, “we keep on believing”) that we will also live with Him. The sharing of the resurrection life of Christ begins at the moment of regeneration, but it will continue as a believer shares eternity with the Lord. Again as a result we know (eidotes, “intuitive knowledge,” perceiving a self-evident truth [cf. v. 15], not ginōskontes, “experimental or reflective knowledge” as in v. 6) that Christ’s resurrection was a removal from the sphere of physical death to an unending spiritual form of life. Having experienced physical death once and having been removed from its realm by resurrection life, Jesus cannot die again (lit., “dies no more”). In resurrection Jesus Christ was victorious over death (Acts 2:24) and death no longer has mastery (kyrieuei, “rules as lord”; cf. Rom. 6:14) over Him as it does over all other human beings (John 10:17-18).[5]

II. Step 2—Reckon (6:11): We are to count our crucifixion and resurrection as accomplished events.

“Reckon” doesn’t mean I “reckon” or “suppose,” as some of us Texans use it. Rather, we are to count on the fact that we are dead unto sin and alive unto God. We are to reckon (count on it) that our old nature lay in Joseph’s tomb over nineteen hundred years ago, but when Christ came back from the dead, we came back from the dead in Him. [6]

III. Step 3—Yield (6:12–23): Paul describes two kinds of yielding. Cf v14 to 1 Peter 2:24

A. The wrong kind (6:12–13a): We are not to yield the members of our body as tools of wickedness.

6:12. The attitude of mind that a believer has died to sin must be translated into action in his experience. Paul commanded, Therefore do not let sin reign (pres. imper., “do not let sin continue to reign”) as it did before salvation. The present imperative negative can also be translated, “Stop letting sin reign.” When sin reigns in people’s lives and bodies, they obey its evil desires. Sin enslaves (v. 6), making a person subject to his own desires. Epithymia refers to “longings” or “desires,” which may be either good or evil, depending on how the word is used. Here, in the case of sin, the desires are evil. In your mortal body means that sin manifests itself through one’s physical actions in this body. The Greek here stresses that the body is mortal or dying. Perhaps this suggests the foolishness of giving in to the desires of a body that is transitory and decaying. To give in to a dying master is strange indeed.

6:13a. Actually this verse repeats the command of verse 12 in more specific terms. Do not offer (lit., “do not continue to present,” or “stop presenting”) the parts of your body (lit., “your members”; cf. v. 19) to sin, as instruments (hopla, frequently in military context, “weapons” or “armor”; cf. 13:12; 2 Cor. 6:7; 10:4) of wickedness (adikias, “unrighteousness” in contrasting parallelism with righteousness, later in Rom. 6:13).[7]

B. The right kind (6:13b–23)

1. The confusion (6:15a): “Since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning?”

The mention that believers are “under grace” (v. 14) raised another aberrant idea that the apostle refuted. The question is, Shall we sin because we are . . . under grace instead of the Law? The Greek aorist (past) tense here may have the sense of committing an act of sin now and then, in contrast to living a life of sin as stated in verse 1. Paul’s response is the same as in verse 2 – by no means.

2. The correction (6:15b–18): “Of course not! Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.”

3. The challenge (6:13b–14, 19–22): We are to yield the members of our body as tools of righteousness.

6:13b. On the contrary, in sharp contrast, Paul commanded, offer (aorist imper., “present once and for all”; also used in v. 19) yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life (lit., “as if being alive out from dead ones”; cf. John 5:24) and offer the parts of your body (lit., “and your members”) to Him as instruments (hopla) of righteousness (dikaiosynēs). A related passage is Paul’s exhortation, “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices . . . to God” (Rom. 12:1). Because they were once dead in sin (cf. Eph. 2:1) but have been given new life (Rom. 6:11) believers ought to live for God. Their bodies should be used not for sin (v. 12) or unrighteousness (v. 13) but for promoting righteousness (cf. “bodies” and “body”; 7:5, 23; 1 Cor. 6:15).

6:14. God’s design is that sin shall not be your master (kyrieusei; “shall not rule as lord”; cf. v. 9). The reason this should not happen is that you are not under Law, but under grace. Paul had already explained that “the Law was added so that the trespass might increase” (5:20), and elsewhere he declared, “The power of sin is the Law” (1 Cor. 15:56). If believers were still under the Law, it would be impossible to keep sin from exercising mastery. But since believers are “under grace,” this can be done by following Paul’s instructions.

4. The conclusion (6:23)

a. “The wages of sin is death” (6:23a).

The wages (the Gr. word opsōnia originally meant a soldier’s pay) of sin is death (eternal death here, in contrast with “eternal life” in v. 23b). This death is eternal separation from God in hell, in which unbelievers suffer conscious torment forever (Luke 16:24-25). This is the wages they have earned and deserve because of their sin (cf. Rom. 5:12; 7:13).[8]

b. “The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:23b).

By contrast, the gift (charisma, “grace-gift”) of God is eternal life (cf. John 3:16, 36). Eternal life is a gift that cannot be earned (cf. Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

Three times in this chapter Paul wrote that sin results in death (Rom. 6:16, 21, 23). But believers have been set free from sin (vv. 18, 22) and are no longer slaves to it (vv. 6, 20) but are “slaves to righteousness” (vv. 16, 18-19; cf. v. 13). Because they are alive to God (v. 11) and have eternal life (v. 23) they should present themselves to Him (vv. 13, 19) and live accordingly, not letting sin master them (vv. 6, 11-14, 22).

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[1]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (4:682). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[2]Newman, B. M., & Nida, E. A. (1994). A handbook on Paul's letter to the Romans. Originally published: A translator's handbook on Paul's letter to the Romans. 1973. UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (112). New York: United Bible Societies.

cf. confer, compare

vv. verses

[3]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:461). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

v Rom. 6:3

w See Acts 8:16

x See Rom. 13:14

metaph. metaph. = metaphor(ically)

a Rom 16:7

1 Or there is a new creation

b John 3:3; Rom 6:4; Gal 6:15

c Is 43:18f; 65:17; Eph 4:24; Rev 21:4f

a 2 Cor 5:17; 1 Pet 1:23

1 Or from above

b Matt 19:24; 21:31; Mark 9:47; 10:14f; John 3:5

cf. confer, compare

lit. literal, literally

[4]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:462). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

v. verse

cf. confer, compare

vv. verses

pres. present

v. verse

lit. literal, literally

[5]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:463). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[6]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (4:684). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

pres. present

imper. imperative

v. verse

lit. literal, literally

cf. confer, compare

v. verse

[7]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:463). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

v. verse

imper. imperative

v. verse

lit. literal, literally

cf. confer, compare

v. verse

Gr. Greek

v. verse

cf. confer, compare

[8]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:465). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

cf. confer, compare

vv. verses

cf. confer, compare

v. verse