Sermons
Baptized Believers Are Dead to Sin and Alive in Christ Jesus
Series: The Message of Romans6The Message of Romans
Baptized Believers Are Dead to Sin and Alive in Christ Jesus
Rom. 6:1-23
Introduction:
1. In this series we have focused attention on The Message of Romans.
2. We have observed that the letter naturally divides itself into two sections.
a. The first, is Paul’s development of the idea of salvation by faith in God’s power as executed
in Jesus Christ through the cross (1-11).
b. The second (12-16), involves the practical application of what he has said in the previous
chapters.
c. Chapters 1-11 gives the “Why.” Chapters 12-16 gives the “Go and do this.”
3. The gospel is summarized in the statement, “By faith the righteous shall live.”
4. Why do we need the gospel? Because all have sinned.
5. But the righteousness of God comes to us based on our faith in what God has done in Jesus Christ.
6. Just like Abraham, if we believe God, it will be reckoned to us as righteousness and so we can have peace with God.
7. There is no reason for boasting because it is all founded on God’s power, not our own. The only boasting that we can do is in the magnificence of God’s power to save us from our helpless condition.
8. But we are left with some questions. “If we are justified by faith apart from works what about law? What about sin? What about obedience? Has God’s law now become irrelevant? Can we just sin and it not matter?
9. Paul answers in chapters 6-8.
a. “Baptized believers are dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus” (chapter 6).
b. “We are now married to Christ” (chapter 7). Joined to Christ we bear fruit.
c. “There is no condemnation for those in (married) to Christ” (chapter 8), but a putting to
death of the deeds of the flesh.
10. Our focus in this lesson is on chapter 6: “Baptized believers are dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus.”
11. Read Rom. 6:1-4.
Discussion:
I. We died to sin when we died with Christ in baptism (1-11).
A. This passage is not primarily about baptism being essential. It is about the fact that
having been baptized we cannot go on sinning.
B. Having been baptized . . .
1. We have died with Christ.
2. We have been raised from the dead.
3. We now walk in newness of life.
C. Having been united with Him in the likeness of his death we shall also be in the likeness
of His resurrection (5).
1. We have died (6-7).
a. The old self was crucified with Him.
b. The body of sin now done away with.
c. We are no longer slaves of sin.
d. We are freed from sin.
2. We have been made alive (8-11).
a. We live with Christ (8-10).
b. We are alive to God in Christ Jesus (11).
D. “As Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,” we too are
raised from the dead through the glory of the Father (4).
1. The resurrection of Jesus Christ exemplifies the life-giving power of God. Paul reflects
on this in Eph. 1:18-20. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that
you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us
who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him
at His right hand.”
2. I take this to mean that Jesus was raised by the glorious power of the Father and that
it is by means of this same power that we are raised. Col. 2:12 says, “ . . . having been
buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in
the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
3. Later in 8:11 Paul will say that the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead will
give life to your mortal bodies and “if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds
of the body you will live” (8:13). God has given us His Spirit to help us put to death the
deeds of the body. It is not without our effort but we are not just on our own either.
4. We need to see that the power of God is the means of our resurrection and life.
And NO we cannot continue to sin, now that we are under grace!!!! We have died to
sin and been raised to walk in newness of life. Baptism is the transition point.
II. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body (12-14).
A. Sin will dominate us if we allow it too. It will be king over us if we obey its lusts.
B. The admonition is do not let it do that. Instead, present yourselves as instruments of
righteousness to God.
C. Sin shall not be master over you.
1. It is if we are under law.
2. But we are under grace. Forgiveness frees us from being enslaved to sin.
III. Under grace we are slaves for obedience (15-19).
A. Paul began the chapter with a series of rhetorical questions (1-3).
1. What shall we say then?
2. Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Never!
3. How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
4. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been
baptized into His death?
B. He now returns to the same kind of questions in verses 15ff.
1. What then?
2. Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Never!
3. Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for
obedience, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of
obedience resulting in righteousness?
C. This last question presents two options: either we are slaves to sin and death OR we are
slaves for obedience resulting in righteousness.
1. Under grace we are slaves for obedience.
2. Being a slave is often regarded negatively. But here being a slave for obedience
involves being freed from sin and its consequences.
3. Indeed there is responsibility to obey, but the benefitis righteousness, sanctification,
and eternal life. Not that we have earned it. It is the gift of God. BUT we are
responsible to evidence signs of the life that we now have.
D. Having been freed from sin and enslaved to God results in sanctification and eternal life
(20-23).
1. As we have seen, to be justified means that we are not condemned.
2. Sanctification involves the on-going process of putting to death sin and living like the
Lord wants us to. It involves appreciating what God has done for us.
3. Anything else and we devalue what God has done for us. We make it cheap!
Conclusion:
1. Since we are saved by the goodness of God, we should be even more appreciative of what He has done for us.
2. Our motivation for the obedience of faith should be most intense.
3. Our justification is founded upon God’s gracious gift. Will we despise it? Will we continue in sin despite the precious blood He has used to purchase us?
4. Or will we humble ourselves before Him and rest confident and secure in what He has done for us?
5. Yes, we have been baptized. We have died with Him and been raised to walk in newness of life. Let us offer up a sacrifice of praise and give our lives to the service of our great God.
