Romans 6 "The Eternal Kind of Life!"

Click Here to Read or Listen to Romans 6 

All quotes in italics are from David Guzik's commentary Enduring Word, unless otherwise stated. 

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

In the beginning of chapter 6, Paul addresses an issue which is just as relevant today, as it was in his day. We call it "cheap grace". It is basically characterized by, "Well I'm forgiven, so I guess I can do whatever I want! I can do it and just ask for forgiveness later!"

It is also evident in the popular phrase, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!" Paul addresses this issue at the church in Rome by saying, 

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2

When he says, "By no means", he is saying something like, "Really, you've got to be kidding me!" And then he uses this phrase that we are, "Dead to sin, but alive in Christ!" What does this mean?

Paul establishes an important principle. When we are born again, when we have believed on Jesus for our salvation, our relationship with sin is permanently changed. We have died to sin. Therefore, if we have died to sin, then we should not live any longer in it. It simply isn’t fitting to live any longer in something you have died to.

When Paul says we are "dead to sin", it also means that sin no longer has a grip on us. Meaning we don't entertain it, mess with it, or indulge in it, lest we give it power in our lives. It is like a slave that has been set free going back to his shackles. Makes no sense right! 

Then Paul moves to how we practically can live out this new life in Christ and not return to the death our old life brought. 

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

This is a great summary of the Christian life. To "count" means to "mentally consider" and or to "make an advance decision". As in any commitment we make in life, it starts with our intention and willingness to make it happen. So how can we do that?

Paul says not to let "sin reign in your body". We could say, "Don't let sin get a hold of you and become your master". Or "Don't get addicted to sin." Paul don't let any part of yourself to be governed by sin. I think he means anything in your body, mind, or soul. 

Your members are the parts of your body – your ears, lips, eyes, hands, mind, and so forth. The idea is very practical: “You have eyes. Do not put them in the service of sin. You have ears. Do not put them in the service of sin.”

Instruments could be better-translated weapons. The parts of our body are weapons in the battle for right living. When the parts of our body are given over to righteousness, they are weapons for good. When they are given over to sin, they are weapons for evil.

Here is the key verse, 

For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

It is grace that frees us from the power of sin, not the law. Just being told you are doing something wrong, or being scolded, or even being disciplined is not likely to lead to transformation. Grace is getting something you don't deserve. It is a free gift. Grace empowers us, because we can choose not to indulge in our sinful nature, because our heart has been changed. It is not law it is the promise. 

When grace is truly operating in our hearts, "sin seems uninteresting". When we are steeped in the grace of God in Christ and enjoying the love of God in our hearts, sin is seen for what it is. It offers nothing close to the joy we are currently experiencing. 

This shows again that a life lived truly under grace will be a righteous life. Grace is never a license to sin. “To treat being under grace as an excuse for sinning is a sign that one is not really under grace at all.” (Bruce)

Slaves to Righteousness

As the musician and song writer Bob Dylan said, "You gotta serve somebody!" And he is right. If someone is set free but doesn't live in this newfound freedom, they are likely to go back to their old life. Nature abhors a vacuum. Paul says, 

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Instead of being addicted to sin, we now become addicted to doing the right things. We are set free to serve and love the way God intended for us to do. We are beginning to experience the life we've always wanted, and the life God wants for the crown of His CREATION!

Paul sums it up with these verses, 

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The result of life led by the sinful nature is death. Death in our relationship with God, and death in our relationships with others. As we allow the sinful selfish natures take over our lives, we destroy the relationships with those around us, especially those closest to us. This is why many marriages don't work. Where is addiction to work, sex, money, or just plain "narcissism" a person can't meaningfully connect and be in a loving relationship. These are all products of the life ruled and dominated by the sinful nature. 

Yet, the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Importantly this word more aptly means, "the eternal kind of life." We often think eternal life is just when we die, but it starts now. Eternal life is lived realizing that the things we do in this life will make a difference for all of eternity!