By: Junior Tate One of the greatest truths in the Christian life is that salvation does not merely forgive a sinner’s past; it brings that person into a new spiritual position before God. The believer is not only forgiven but placed “in Christ.” To be in Christ means the believer is united with Him in His death, burial, resurrection, life, righteousness, and victory. The title “Dead to Sin, Alive to God” comes directly from the truth taught in Romans chapter 6. The Christian life is not a life of continuing in sin because grace is available. It is a life of walking in newness of life because the believer has been joined to Christ. The Bible does not teach that a saved person becomes sinless in the flesh. Believers still battle temptation. They still must deny the flesh. They still must walk in the Spirit. But Scripture does teach that the believer’s relationship to sin has changed. Sin is no longer the believer’s master. The old life has been judged in Christ. The believer now belongs to God. The Great Question: Shall We Continue in Sin? Romans 6:1-2 (KJV)“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Paul asks a very important question. Since salvation is by grace, should believers continue in sin so grace may abound? His answer is strong: “God forbid.” Grace is not permission to live wickedly. Grace is the power of God that saves sinners and teaches them to live differently. A person who truly understands grace does not use it as an excuse for sin. Grace brings the believer into a new life. Paul says believers are “dead to sin.” This does not mean sin no longer tempts us. It means sin no longer has the same rightful rule over us. Before salvation, the sinner is under sin’s dominion. After salvation, the believer belongs to Christ. Baptized into Christ’s Death Romans 6:3-4 (KJV)“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Paul teaches that believers are identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Christ died for sin. He was buried. He rose again. The believer is spiritually united with Him. This is why the Christian is called to “walk in newness of life.” Salvation is not adding Jesus to an unchanged life. Salvation brings a new position, a new Master, a new direction, and a new walk. Baptism pictures this truth. Going down into the water pictures burial with Christ. Coming up from the water pictures resurrection life. Baptism itself does not save, but it gives a public picture of what has happened spiritually in the believer. The saved person is not called to return to the old life. He is called to walk in newness of life. Crucified with Christ Romans 6:5-6 (KJV)“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” The “old man” speaks of the old life in Adam, the old sinful identity under the rule of sin. Paul says the old man is crucified with Christ. This means the believer’s old position has been judged at the cross. The purpose is clear; “that henceforth we should not serve sin.” A Christian should not live as a servant of the very sin from which Christ delivered him. This does not mean the flesh disappears. The believer still must reckon, yield, obey, and walk in the Spirit. But sin is no longer the rightful master. Christ has broken sin’s dominion. Freed from Sin’s Dominion Romans 6:7-11 (KJV)“For he that is dead is freed from sin.Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This passage is the heart of the article. The believer is to reckon himself dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The word “reckon” means to count it as true according to what God has said. The believer does not reckon himself dead to sin because he feels strong. He reckons it because God says it is true in Christ. Christ died unto sin once. He now lives unto God. The believer is united with Him. Therefore, the Christian must not view himself as helplessly chained to the old life. He must believe what God says: he is alive unto God through Jesus Christ. Do Not Let Sin Reign Romans 6:12-14 (KJV)“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Paul does not say sin cannot tempt the believer. He says, “Let not sin therefore reign.” This means the believer has responsibility. Sin seeks to rule, but the Christian must not yield to it. The body can be yielded either to sin or to God. The hands, eyes, mouth, mind, feet, and heart should not be instruments of unrighteousness. They should … Read more
