Dead to Sin

 Last week I said that we are stepping off into the deep waters of Romans as we work our way through chapters 6-11. We looked at Rom. 5:12-21 and saw that all of humanity is either identified with Adam, the man of sin and death, or with Christ, the man of grace and life. When we trust in Christ, we receive his righteousness and our status changes from the kingdom of death to the kingdom of life. Now, Paul begins the process of answering a host of questions that people may have about this salvation that comes through faith in Jesus Christ, and we find the first question in Rom. 6:1-14. In this passage we find three things that change when we come to Christ. We experience a change of identity, a change of nature, and a change of will.

First, let’s consider the change of identity from verses 1-4. In verse 1 we find the first question that Paul imagines someone could ask: “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” You can imagine the person that would ask this question thinking, now wait a minute, Paul! Are you saying that I must be saved totally and completely apart from the Law and good works? Are you saying that salvation is totally by God’s grace, and I can’t do anything to affect that? What motivation would I have for living a holy life if everything is of grace?

Paul answers this question with two spiritual truths. The first truth is that our identity has changed. Paul says that in Christ, we have died to sin through our faith in Jesus Christ. As I explained last week from Chapter 5, we are no longer in Adam. We are now in Christ. Our old life is gone, and now we have new life in Jesus. And, this is all symbolized in an act every Christian carries out as their first profession of faith. Paul says, in verse 3, that the baptism we participate in symbolizes the change in identity that we have received. When we pass under the waters of baptism, it is as though we are buried with Christ. And, when we are raised up out of the waters, it is as though we are raised to new life in Christ.

Oh, Christian, take heart in this truth! I know that the struggle against sin is real, and many times the temptation to sin is ever before us. There are times when we fall back into sin, and Satan immediately pounces to use that sin to shame us into ineffectiveness and despair. In those times of temptation and remorse, remember that you are dead to sin and alive to Christ. Remember that your identity has changed, and sin no longer has a claim on your life. Remember your baptism. Your baptism is not meant to be a constant washing that you come back to. I know, it has become popular in our day to seek baptism again when you feel guilty or ineffective, but baptism isn’t meant to be a continual washing. It is meant to be a symbol of the reality of your change of identity. So, when you face that temptation, or when shame of your past sin overwhelms you, remember your baptism.

The second spiritual truth that Paul gives to answer this question leads me to my second point: a change of nature. In verses 5-11, Paul teaches us that the change that happens to us through faith in Christ is not just an issue of our status or identity. No, something actually changes within us. In verse 6, he says that our old self was crucified with Christ, and as a result, we are no longer slaves to sin. You cannot miss what this means. Remember, Paul has already established in Rom. 3:10 that everyone is sinful, and no one seeks after God. In Eph. 2:1, Paul goes so far to say that we are dead in sin. In other words, those who are outside of Christ cannot help but sin. Now, that doesn’t mean that unbelievers are always sinning, or that they cannot resist certain sins while doing others. No, what it means is that, outside of Christ, we have no power over sin. We see this slavery to sin all around us. We see it in the child of abuse who goes on to abuse his own children, all while hating his father and carrying the shame of each strike that he exacts. We see it in the drugged out 18 year old girl, groomed from her early teens to turn tricks for drugs, producing child after child and wanting to break  the cycle but sinking deeper and deeper into sin. We see it in the upstanding businessman that everyone applauds for morality, but who secretly harbors bitterness and hatred towards his fellow man. So, he knows that all of that praise for his outward morality is built on a lie, but he can’t change the bitterness of his heart.

But, when we turn to Christ, we are set free from that slavery to sin, and in its place, we receive life in Christ. Now, instead of the destruction of sin, we have the life of the Spirit. That life of the Spirit brings me to my last point: a change of will. In verses 12-14, Paul admonishes us to live in light of the fact that our identity and our nature has changed. He charges us to use our bodies as “instruments” for righteousness, not unrighteousness. The Greek word for “instrument” here is “hoplon,” which was the circular shield a Roman soldier would carry into battle. This shield was not simply used for protection, but as a means of pushing against the enemy to advance the army. So, it served both a defensive and offensive purpose. Our bodies are like those hoplons. We can use them for evil ends, conquering others for our own selfish satisfactions. Or, we can use them for righteous ends, serving the Lord and fighting his battles. But, because we are in Christ and we have been set free from sin, we can no longer claim our slavery to sin as an excuse for pursuing unrighteousness. Our wills have been changed. Before Christ, our will was enslaved to our sinful desires. But in Christ, our will is free and empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey God. In other words, the Christian doesn’t get to use the excuse: “The devil made me do it.” You can resist that temptation to turn back to your past ways of sexual sin, through the freedom you have in Christ and the power of the Spirit. You can put down the bottle through that same Spirit of freedom. You can forgive and reconcile with your loved one because you are free from sin and alive in the Spirit.

Friend, sin is a slave master, plain and simple. You may feel that you have your sin under control, but in truth you are under its control. The only way to escape the ruin of sin is to turn to Christ in faith, believe that he died and rose for you, and be saved.

Brothers and sisters, in Christ, we have a new identity, nature, and will. We are no longer slaves to sin, tossed about by every temptation. We are free to live for Christ. But, living for Christ is something that we must choose, daily. We must choose to follow the leadership of the Spirit. We must choose to create habits that keep us from temptation. We must choose to adopt disciplines that keep us in faithful fellowship with Christ. Dying to sin and living for Christ is not an “in-the-moment” thing. If you wait until the moment of sin to decide, you’ve already made your choice. Instead, what you have to do is recognize where the temptation starts and make your commitment there. And, it’s not just about taking away or avoiding things. Living in the Spirit also means filling your life with the things of God, dwelling in His Word, walking with His People, and forming your life around the worship of him. May we commit to live faithfully in light of our freedom in Christ.