Romans 6:1–14 Read Romans 6:1–14 (NKJV)
💬 From the Pastor’s Heart
Many Christians battle sin as if they’re still chained to an old master.
But Romans 6 shouts: “You’re free. Walk in it.”
Your fight against sin is not a fight to earn God’s favor —
it is the fight of someone who already belongs to Christ,
who has already died with Him, and who already shares His resurrected life.
Holiness isn’t self-improvement.
It’s learning to live out who you already are in Jesus.
🧠 Context & Background
Romans 6 follows Paul’s explanation of abundant grace in Romans 5:20–21:
“Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”
Paul anticipates a dangerous conclusion:
- “If grace covers sin, shouldn’t we sin more?”
Romans 6 answers with the deepest theological foundation for sanctification:
Union with Christ
Death to sin’s dominion
Resurrection to new life
This is not behavior modification.
It is radical identity transformation.
🌿 Key Themes
Union with Christ: The heart of sanctification. What is true of Christ is now true of you.
Freedom From Sin’s Dominion: Sin’s rule is broken; believers no longer obey it as master.
New Life Through Resurrection: Sanctification flows from resurrection power, not human willpower.
Baptism as Symbol: Burial with Christ and rising with Him.
Presenting Yourself to God: Sanctification involves active surrender to righteousness.
📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
“Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” (v. 1)
Paul refutes the idea that grace encourages sin.
A heart transformed by grace cannot desire sin as before.
“By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (v. 2)
Believers have undergone a decisive break with sin’s dominion (not presence).
Sin may tempt, but it no longer reigns.
“Baptized into His death… buried with Him” (vv. 3–4)
Baptism paints the picture of union with Christ.
Burial with Christ = death to the old life.
Resurrection with Christ = newness of life.
“If we have been united with Him… we shall certainly be united with Him” (v. 5)
Union with Christ is both present and future.
The same power that raised Jesus fuels sanctification.
“Our old self was crucified with Him” (v. 6)
Your old identity in Adam has been executed.
Sin’s authority is broken.
Christians fight sin as freed people, not captives.
“For one who has died has been set free from sin.” (v. 7)
Death ends all legal claims.
Sin no longer has the right to command you.
“If we have died with Christ… we will also live with Him.” (v. 8)
The believer’s life is resurrection-powered.
Sanctification is participation in Christ’s life.
“Death no longer has dominion over Him.” (v. 9)
Christ’s resurrection was final and irreversible.
Believers share in this victory.
“So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God.” (v. 11)
The Christian life includes a new mindset.
You are to reckon (count as true) your identity in Christ.
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body” (v. 12)
Paul moves from identity → action.
Because sin no longer reigns, do not let it act as if it does.
“Do not offer your members to sin… but to God” (v. 13)
Sanctification includes bodily obedience.
Hands, eyes, thoughts, desires — now belong to God.
“For sin will have no dominion over you.” (v. 14)
This is a promise, not merely a command.
Why? “You are not under law but under grace.”
Grace empowers what law commands.
🔍 Trusted Insight
“Freedom from sin’s tyranny does not mean sinless perfection,
but a decisive transfer of lordship — from sin to God.”
— John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans
Summary: Sanctification is the outworking of our union with Christ, who breaks sin’s rule and empowers new obedience.
🧩 Review Questions
What misunderstandings about grace does Paul correct in this passage?
How does union with Christ give us power over sin?
What does Paul mean when he says you have “died to sin”?
Where do you struggle to “present your members to God” rather than sin?
How would living from your identity in Christ change your fight with sin this week?
🔍 Definitions
Union With Christ: The believer’s spiritual connection to Jesus in His death and resurrection.
Old Self: Your former identity in Adam, ruled by sin.
Dominion: A ruling authority; sin no longer has legal claim over the believer.
Sanctification: The Spirit’s work of transforming believers into Christ’s likeness.
🙋 Application Questions
Where do you feel tempted to believe sin still owns you?
What would it look like to “consider yourself alive to God” today?
How does knowing Christ’s resurrection life lives in you give hope in your battle with sin?
🔤 Greek Keywords
βαπτίζω (baptizō): to immerse; symbolic of union with Christ.
συναποθνῄσκω (synapothnēskō): to die with.
συζάω (syzāō): to live with.
κυριεύω (kurieuō): to rule, to have dominion.
📚 Cross References
Galatians 2:20 — Crucified with Christ, yet alive in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 — New creation in Christ.
Colossians 2:12 — Buried and raised with Christ.
Titus 2:11–12 — Grace trains us to live godly lives.
Ephesians 4:22–24 — Putting off the old self, putting on the new.
📦 Next Study
Next Study → Romans 7:1–6