The Triumph of Grace over the Power of Sin. - Rom 6:1-11
Introduction
His point here is that the law of Moses has done nothing to change the situation of sin and death introduced into the world by Adam. Indeed, the law has made things worse, increasing the trespass by turning sin against God into a more serious rebellion against his explicit commands (see the comments on 4:15). Yet even where sin thus ‘increased’, God’s grace increased all the more. As a result, Paul concludes, the reign of death has been replaced by the reign of grace for those who are in Christ, bringing to us a new status of righteousness (cf. 3:21–4:25) and leading inevitably to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sanctification is the continuing work of God in the life of believers, making them actually holy. By “holy” here is meant “bearing an actual likeness to God.” Sanctification is a process by which one’s moral condition is brought into conformity with one’s legal status before God. It is a continuation of what was begun in regeneration, when a newness of life was conferred upon and instilled within the believer. In particular, sanctification is the Holy Spirit’s applying to the life of the believer the work done by Jesus Christ.
There are two basic senses of the word “sanctification,” which are related to two basic concepts of holiness. On the one hand, there is holiness as a formal characteristic of particular objects, persons, and places. In this sense holiness refers to a state of being separate, set apart from the ordinary or mundane and dedicated to a particular purpose or use.
The other sense of sanctification is moral goodness or spiritual worth. This sense gradually came to predominate. It designates not merely the fact that believers are formally set apart, or belong to Christ, but that they are then to conduct themselves accordingly. They are to live lives of purity and goodness.
They have been crucified in Christ (1-3)
What, then, is the meaning of baptism? To answer this question, we note, first, that there is a strong connection between baptism and our being united with Christ in his death and resurrection.
Baptism is, then, an act of faith and a testimony that one has been united with Christ in his death and resurrection, that one has experienced spiritual circumcision. It is a public indication of one’s commitment to Christ.
They have been resurrected with Christ (4-5)
In other words, justification by faith is not simply a legal matter between me and God; it is a living relationship. It is “a justification which brings life” (Rom. 5:18, literal translation). I am in Christ and identified with Him. Therefore, whatever happened to Christ has happened to me. When He died, I died. When He arose, I arose in Him. I am now seated with Him in the heavenlies! (see Eph. 2:1–10; Col. 3:1–3) Because of this living union with Christ, the believer has a totally new relationship to sin.
They are now both dead and alive. (6-11)
Dead to Sin (6-7)
Alive in the Savior (8-10)
Conclusion Statement (11)
Romans 3:21–5:21
Romans 6–8
Substitution: He died for me
Identification: I died with Him
He died for my sins
He died unto sin
He paid sin’s penalty
He broke sin’s power
Justification: righteousness
Sanctification: righteousness
imputed (put to my account)
imparted (made a part of my life)
Saved by His death
Saved by His life
Takeaways
We have been baptized into Christ. Our baptism acted out our dying to sin and rising to new life with Christ. We are far too closely identified with Jesus to carry on sinning. We have died to sin. In theory, we can no more sin than a dead body can!
Of course, we still have free will. We can sin if we want to, but it will be out of keeping with our Christian character. But look at it positively: instead of letting sin dictate our actions, we are free to do right! And which master do we prefer? The only wage sin ever paid was death. But now God gives us eternal life. To serve him is perfect freedom.