Death to Sin

Romans 6:5-10

⁵For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

⁷For one who has died has been set free from sin.

⁸Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

⁹We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

¹⁰For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

¹³Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

¹⁴For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Every week I lead 4 different Bible studies so I’ve seen this particular situation many times over. The conversation in the group eventually arrives at the point Paul discusses in these verses; the death of our sin in the death of Jesus. These words usually bring silence. And I know why. Every person in the room knows that they sin every single day. If all of us are honest we could recount in detail where we have messed just in the last few hours. Sin pervades our lives. And now Paul tells us that we are no longer slaves to sin. It just doesn’t ring true. And that is where faith comes into the picture yet again.

As I read these verses over and over again today one phrase sticks out.

⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (ESV)

I love this particular translation of this verse. “…that sin might be brought to nothing…” There it is. The NIV has two translations of this verse. “…sin might be done away with…” or “…sin might be rendered powerless.” Looking at those three phrases helps to snap this concept into the light.

Sin might be  . . .

• “brought to nothing”
• “done away with”
• “rendered powerless”

What Paul doesn’t say here is that we won’t sin anymore. As we read over this passage I think that’s were our minds go. As first blush it sounds a little bit like he’s saying that since we believe in Jesus, our sin is buried in His death and we are born new in His resurrection. And guess what? That’s exactly what he is saying! But we know with certainty that we are still sinners. So – I lean into this verse that says that sin has been rendered powerless. I am no longer a slave to sin. I don’t have to sin and that sin also no longer has the power to condemn me to an eternity separated from God. Sin’s power is gone and I embrace God’s grace for that uncountable number of times I still sin.

It’s a big concept – I know. And because of that Paul will continue to expand upon this truth for a few more chapters. It’s worth the time and it’s very important that we hold onto these truths even if the tension of the dichotomy is tough to take.