Romans 6:8-14
Review:
We have united ourselves with Christ.
This identifies us with two major events in Christ’s life:
a) His death
b) His resurrection
Since we have united ourselves with Jesus we also have:
a) died which separates us from our old nature. Romans 6:6 says that old, wornout, worthless nature has been crucified or left inoperable
b) resurrected to newness (new quality and new character) of life which we can now live (Romans 6:4)
Verses 6:5-7 show the relationship between the believer and sin. Namely, the believer has been separated from sin.
Verses 8-10 discuss the positive side that since in one case we died to sin, in the other case we live to Christ and by means of Christ.
6:8
“Live With Him”
The phrase “also live with him” may refer to:
a) living with Christ after death
b) living with Christ in the millennium and eternal state after the resurrection
c) living with Christ daily in our temporal lives now
Paul is referring to the “new” life after our “death” to sin at the point of conversion.
So, in a sense all three are in view, but Paul’s theme seems to be focused on the application of this truth to sin, the old nature,
and the believer’s daily life.
Wuest’s translation
says:
“Now, in view of the fact that we died off
once and for all with Christ, we believe
that we shall also live by means of Him.”
Christ Paid Penalty &
Broke the Power
Christ’s death on the cross:
a) Paid the penalty for the sin of Adam and our individual sins
b) Broke the power or the authority of the indwelling sin nature in our lives
i. Since 6:6 says the “old self was crucified with him”
ii. Which left us “justified from sin” (6:7) or released from any kind of responsibilities, obligations or debts to the old (worn, worthless) sin nature or any actions caused by the old sin nature
6:9
Death No Longer Has
Any Power Over Jesus
Sin no longer has mastery or authority over us because death no longer has mastery or authority over Jesus.
Acts 2:24
Revelation 1:18
Christ’s resurrection was not like Lazarus’ death and resuscitation.
Christ’s death changed things and altered history.
Jesus death ended death’s authority over him and all the others who enter into his death.
Resurrection For All
In fact, because Jesus was resurrected we know that others will also be.
1 Corinthians 15:23
We are living in that life of Christ before that resurrection.
Notice “For we know”
Paul again appealing to the truth he teaches and the truth that we know
6:10
Restatement
This verse restates the fact of verse 6:9 – “death no longer has mastery or lordship over him.”
6:11 - The Thought to
Conqueror Sin
outwV SO kai ALSO umeiV YE logizesqe RECKON eautouV YOURSELVES
nekrouV DEAD men INDEED
einai TO BE th TO amartia SIN zwntaV ALIVE de BUT tw TO qew GOD en IN cristw CHRIST
ihsou JESUS tw OUR kuriw hmwn LORD
outwV SO
kai ALSO
a) Paul is drawing a comparison between Christ’s death and resurrection to our death to old sin nature and our newness of life
b) The point will be:
1. If Christ has DIED to sin we need to regard ourselves as DEAD to sin.
2. Just as Christ was raised to life we need to live in the power of the new life we have been given.
logizesqe RECKON -
a) Present tense, Imperative mood means this is a command and we are to do it all the time.
b) The word means “to consider, to reckon, to count, to compute, to take into account.”
c) Along with the verb einai (present infinitive active of eimi) this means: “Continually consider yourselves to be dead to sin.”
Imperative is Not in
Dying but in Applying
The use of the imperative mood (command) with the verbs in this verse to not refer to the
death and dying, but to our appropriating and applying what God has done.
The “death” and “dying” to the power of sin is the work of Jesus and a gift to us from God.
We have given this and we have received this already as believers.
Our part is going to be to continue to:
1) Continually reckon and consider this truth (verse 11)
2) Continually make ourselves apply this truth and activate this power (verse 12-13)
“Alive to God in
Christ” (end of verse 11)
This position and this power is only available to those who are “alive to God”
And you can only be “alive to God” if you are “in Christ” as seen in the end of the verse
6:12, 13 - The Action to Conqueror Sin
In 6:12-13 Paul gives the believer 2 prohibitions and 1 command to conqueror sin.
Prohibitions:
1) Do not let sin reign
a. This is the conclusion based on the information of 6:1-11.
b. This command is only possible because the statement of truth in 6:14, “For sin shall not be your master.”
c. 6:1-11 states the case for the conclusion in 6:14. This makes 6:12 a real possibility for you the believer
d. Telling a person who is not in Christ to “not let sin reign” is like telling a drowning person to go ahead and swim to shore.
e. Some would interpret this to say, “Stop letting sin reign.”
f. “reign” means “kingly authority.”
2) Do not offer the parts of your body (your members) to sin
a. “Your members” refers to all of your being including will, intellect, intelligence, talents, abilities, body, thoughts, etc.
b. These parts are your weapons to fight with and live by in this age.
i. 2 Samuel 1 – the weapons of war have perished
c. There is no neutral position
Command
1) Offer yourself to God
6:14
Here Paul returns to the indicative with a statement of truth.
Sin shall not have lordship over you.