Essay on Romans 6

DEAD TO SIN
Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.  How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

There is more to salvation than being delivered from the penalty of sin and receiving eternal life.  When we by faith accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, our union with Jesus Christ delivers us from the power of sin.  We are "dead to sin" (v1), "baptized into his death" (v3), "crucified with him" (v6), "dead indeed unto sin" (v11), "made free from sin" (v18, 22).

Romans 6:6-7 "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin."

The "old man" is a body of sin with a corrupt, sinful nature that yearns to sin.  The "old man" is a servant to sin; the "old man" yields his members to obey and serve sin.  The "old man" cannot serve Jesus Christ as his new  master because he is required to serve one master, sin, until death.

When we by faith accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, our "old man" is "crucified with Christ", "baptized into his death", "made free from sin".  Dead men don't serve masters; dead men don't sin.  The death of the "old man" released me from my bondage to sin.  I am no longer required to serve sin; I am dead to sin.

ALIVE UNTO GOD
Romans 6:11 "Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Just as the "old man" is dead indeed unto sin; the "new man" is alive unto God.

Romans 6:4-5 "...that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."


Romans 6:18 "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."
The "new man" is not required to serve the old master, sin.  He is free to serve a new master, righteousness.

Romans 6:4-5 "...that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."
The "new man" has a new life, and a new way of life.  His way of life will not resemble that of the "old man", but rather that of Christ.
The "new man" is free to "yield his members servants to righteousness unto holiness" (v 19).

I am no longer dead in trespasses in sins; I am alive unto God.