> The sixth chapter of the book of Romans is one of the clearest expositions in Scripture on the believer’s relationship with sin and righteousness. Paul, in this section of his letter to the Romans, draws out profound truths that form the bedrock of Christian living, and in doing so, addresses the key questions of grace, sin, and sanctification. For believers today, Romans 6 provides foundational lessons on what it means to be united with Christ in His death and resurrection and how that impacts our daily lives.
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Lessons We Can Learn from Romans 6:
1. We Are Dead to Sin, but Alive in Christ
Romans 6 begins with Paul asking a critical rhetorical question: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2, ESV).
The first key lesson from this chapter is that believers have died to sin. This death is not physical but spiritual. When we trust in Christ for salvation, we are united with Him in His death (Romans 6:3-4). This means that the reign of sin over us is broken. Sin no longer has dominion or mastery over those who belong to Christ. While we may still experience temptation and occasionally fall, our identity is no longer that of a slave to sin but of one who is free in Christ.
Paul urges us to live in this reality: “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). This truth means that sin’s power to rule over us has been rendered powerless. We no longer have to obey its desires or commands. In Christ, we have the power to resist sin, live in righteousness, and walk in newness of life.
2. Baptism Symbolizes Our Union with Christ’s Death and Resurrection
Paul uses the imagery of baptism in Romans 6 to help believers understand their spiritual union with Christ. He writes: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
Baptism is more than just a religious ritual; it represents a profound spiritual reality. In baptism, we are symbolically buried with Christ. This means that our old sinful self has been put to death. But just as Christ did not stay in the grave, neither do we remain in a state of spiritual death. Through Christ’s resurrection, we are raised to new life—this is our spiritual resurrection. We are no longer who we once were. This is not merely a future hope but a present reality. As new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), we are called to live in the power of the resurrection today.
3. Grace Is Not a License to Sin
Another critical lesson from Romans 6 is that grace is not an excuse to continue living in sin. Paul addresses a common misunderstanding: if grace covers all sin, why not keep sinning to increase grace?
Paul’s response is emphatic: “By no means!” (Romans 6:2). Grace, far from encouraging sin, teaches us to reject sin and live in righteousness. The grace we receive in Christ is transformative. It leads to a life marked by holiness and devotion to God.
As Paul writes elsewhere: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12). Grace not only justifies us but also sanctifies us. It doesn’t leave us where we are; it changes us from the inside out, giving us both the desire and the power to pursue righteousness.
4. We Are Slaves to Righteousness, Not Sin
Paul continues to unpack this theme in Romans 6 by contrasting two types of slavery: slavery to sin and slavery to righteousness. He writes: “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).
Before coming to Christ, we were in bondage to sin. Sin was our master, and we obeyed its desires. But now, through the work of Christ, we have been set free from sin. However, this freedom doesn’t mean we are autonomous or independent. Instead, we have become slaves to righteousness. Our new Master is God, and we live to please Him. This is true freedom—not the ability to do whatever we want, but the ability to do what is right and pleasing to God.
Paul’s metaphor of slavery emphasizes that every person serves something. The question is, what are we serving? Those who are in Christ are called to present themselves as *“slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification”* (Romans 6:19).
5. The Wages of Sin Is Death, but God’s Gift Is Eternal Life
The final verses of Romans 6 contain one of the most well-known summaries of the gospel in Scripture: *“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”* (Romans 6:23).
Sin always pays its wages, and the payment is death—both physical and spiritual. This is the inevitable outcome of living in rebellion against God. However, the good news is that God offers a free gift, one that cannot be earned: eternal life through Jesus Christ. This gift is offered to all who will repent, believe, and follow Christ.
Eternal life begins now and lasts forever. It is not just life after death, but a quality of life lived in communion with God through the Holy Spirit. This life, full of grace, righteousness, and hope, is ours because of what Christ has done.
Conclusion: Walking in Newness of Life
Romans 6 challenges believers to live in the reality of what Christ has accomplished. We are no longer slaves to sin, but we have been set free to live for God. Through our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, we have been given new life and a new identity. The old self has been crucified, and we are now called to live as slaves to righteousness, pursuing holiness as we walk in newness of life.
As we meditate on the truths found in Romans 6, may we embrace the freedom that Christ has purchased for us, reject the temptations of sin, and live as those who have been raised to life with Christ, always remembering that the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
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