“Dead to Sin, but Alive to God” (Romans 6:1–14)

“Dead to Sin, but Alive to God” (Romans 6:6–14)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, October 22, 2017

 

Romans 6:1–14 (NIV)

6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—⁷ because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

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.

1. Can we keep sinning because God’s grace is so bounteous? No! (vv. 1–2)

2. Why can’t we keep sinning in light of God’s abundant grace? (vv. 3–11)

a. As believers, we have been united with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (vv. 3–5).

i. God’s action: We died with Christ and will be raised like Him (vv. 4a, 5).
ii. God’s intention: That we should live a new life (v. 4b).

b. In union with Christ, we have died to sin and have been made alive to God (vv. 6–11).

i. God’s action: Our old self was crucified with Christ (v. 6).
ii. God’s intention: That we should not serve sin (vv. 6–7).
iii. God’s action: We know that we will live with Christ (vv. 8–10).
iv. God’s intention: So see yourselves in Christ Jesus as dead to sin but alive to God (v. 11)

3. God’s abundant grace does not give us permission to use our bodies however we like; rather, it teaches us to use our bodies to serve God and his righteousness (vv. 12–14).

a. Do not let sin reign (vv. 12–13a).
b. Offer yourselves to God (vv. 13b–14).