Romans 6 · The Lantern

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

What then will we say? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

For in that He died to sin, He died once for all; but in that He liveth, to God He liveth. Thus, too, repute ye yourselves dead indeed to sin, but living to God through Christ Jesus." Therefore, Christ being once for all dead, none who, subsequently to Christ, has died, can live again to sin, and especially to so heinous a sin.

He is again turning off to exhortation, yet introducing it not directly, lest he should seem to many to be irksome and vexing, but as if it rose out of the doctrines.

After showing that it is through Christ's grace that we are freed from the sin of our first parent and from that which abounded by reason of the law, the Apostle now shows that Christ's grace gives us the power to resist further sin. In regard to this he does two things: first, he raises a question suggested by the foregoing; second, he answers it, at God forbid!

Never would it be! We who died to sin, how will we still live in it?

Likewise also Paul in the Epistle to the Romans writes: "We who are dead to sin, how shall we any longer live in it? Because our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed," down to the words, "do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin."

Paul wants the baptized person to be steadfast and virtually perfect.

Then when he says God forbid, he answers the question. First, he states why we should not continue in sin; second, he ends with an exhortation, at let not sin therefore reign (Rom 6:12). In regard to the first he does two things. First, he shows why we should not continue in sin; second, he shows that we have the power not to continue in sin, at knowing this (Rom 6:6).

Or are you unaware that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Concurring with these statements, Paul, speaking to the Romans, declares: "Much more they who receive abundance of grace and righteousness for [eternal] life, shall reign by one, Christ Jesus." It follows from this, that he knew nothing of that Christ who flew away from Jesus; nor did he of the Saviour above, whom they hold to be impassible.

Do you not know about this sacrament of baptism? In the Scriptures baptism is received in three ways: with water, with the Holy Spirit (who is also called "fire") and with blood in martyrdom. We who are believers have died with Christ in our baptism.

Then when he says, know you not, he proves the antecedent, namely, that the faithful are dead to sin: first, he presents the fact he uses to prove his point; second, he proves it, at for we are buried together.

We were buried therefore with him through the baptism into the death, so that just as Christ was raised up out from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we ourselves may walk in newness of life.

Every soul, then, by reason of its birth, has its nature in Adam until it is born again in Christ; moreover, it is unclean all the while that it remains without this regeneration; and because unclean, it is actively sinful, and suffuses even the flesh (by reason of their conjunction) with its own shame.

Paul shows that we were baptized so that through the sacrament we are buried with Christ, dying to our sins and renouncing our former life. So just as the Father is glorified in the resurrection of the Son, so too on account of the newness of our lifestyle he is glorified by us all, as long as none of the signs of the old self is recognizable in us.

Then when he says, for we are buried together, he proves that we are all baptized in conformity with the death of Christ, saying, we are buried together with him by baptism into death. As if to say: burial is only for the dead. Let the dead bury their dead (Matt 18:22). By baptism, however, men are buried with Christ, i.e., conformed to his burial.

For if we have become united in the likeness of his death, certainly we will be also of the resurrection;

knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, so that the body of sin may be annulled, that we no longer be enslaved to sin.

But to us the apostle says, "Now we know this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.".

Through baptism you who have been made a member of Christ's body were crucified with Christ. He hangs his innocent body so that you may have the power to restrain your guilty body from sin. Similarly, Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness so that every form of wickedness might be torn down, because each vice is a member of the body of sin.

After showing that we should not continue to sin after baptism has made us dead to sin, the Apostle now shows that we have the means to do this. Concerning this he does two things. First, he indicates the benefit we have received; second, the effect of this benefit, at for he that is dead. Concerning the first he does two things.

For the one having died has been justified from sin.

But He set a bound to his [state of] sin, by interposing death, and thus causing sin to cease, putting an end to it by the dissolution of the flesh, which should take place in the earth, so that man, ceasing at length to live to sin, and dying to it, might begin to live to God.

Freed means "alienated" from sin, for the dead do not sin in any way. "No one born of God commits sin," for since he has been crucified and all his members are filled with regret, he will hardly be able to sin.

Then when he says, for he that is dead, he clarifies what he had said: first, in regard to the first effect; second, in regard to the second, at now, if we be dead. In regard to the first it should be noted that the assemblage of sins is destroyed when a man has his sins remitted.

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

knowing that Christ, having been raised up out from the dead, no longer dies; death no longer rules over him.

He declares in the plainest manner, that the same Being who was laid hold of, and underwent suffering, and shed His blood for us, was both Christ and the Son of God, who did also rise again, and was taken up into heaven, as he himself [Paul] says: "But at the same time, [it is] Christ [that] died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God." And again…

We shall not fear the second death if we have died willingly. Or it may mean: "You cannot be baptized a second time because Christ cannot be crucified for you a second time," as Paul writes to the Hebrews. He does not say that these people cannot repent, but he does not allow them to repeat their baptism.

Then when he says, knowing, he describes the condition of life of the risen Christ: first, he states it; second, he proves it, at for in that he died. First, therefore, he says: we believe this, I say, because we know that Christ, rising again from the dead, dies now no more, but will live an everlasting life: I died, and behold I am alive forevermore (Rev 1:18).

For that which he died, he died to sin once for all; but that which he lives, he lives to God.

So also consider yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but living to God in Christ Jesus.

Whence also with good reason he adds in what follows: "So do you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord" — namely, that by the imitation of Christ we may die to sin, being made strangers to it, and live unto God by joining ourselves to Him and becoming one spirit with Him.

As members of Christ you should understand that having died with him once for all you ought now always to live for God in Christ. In him our life is hidden with God, and since we have been clothed with him we should follow his example.

Then when he says, so do you also, he reaches the intended conclusion that we are conformed to the life of the risen Christ both with respect to its death to sin, i.e., to the mortal life which has the likeness of sin, never to return to it, and with respect to living conformed to God.

Therefore let not sin reign in your mortal body, in order to obey its desires,

If, therefore, flesh and blood are the things which procure for us life, it has not been declared of flesh and blood, in the literal meaning (proprie) of the terms, that they cannot inherit the kingdom of God; but [these words apply] to those carnal deeds already mentioned, which, perverting man to sin, deprive him of life.

[Daniel 5:19] "'He slew whomever he would and smote to death whomever he wished to; those whom he wished he set on high, and brought low whomever he would.'" Thus he sets forth the example of the king's great-grandfather, in order to teach him the justice of God and make it clear that his great-grandson too was to suffer similar treatment because of his pride.

After showing that we ought not remain in sin and that we have the faculty for this, the Apostle concludes with a moral exhortation. And concerning this he does three things: first, he proposes an admonition; second, he assigns a reason, at for sin shall not; third, he raises and solves a question, at what then? Shall we sin.

neither yield your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but yield yourselves to God as living out from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness.

After these things there follows: "Neither present your members as weapons of iniquity unto sin; but present yourselves to God as those living from among the dead, and your members rather as weapons of righteousness unto God." Observe point by point the wisdom of Paul, that he uses necessary distinctions.

Every part of the body can become a weapon of wickedness which will defeat righteousness if it turns its purpose to bad use. At the same time, note that it is by freedom of choice that a man offers his members to the side of his choice.

Then when he says, so as to obey, he clarifies this admonition. In regard to this it should be noted that sin reigns in man in two ways: in one way, through internal consent of the mind. To remove this he says, so as to obey the lusts thereof. For it is by obeying the passions of sin with our minds that sin reigns in us: go not after your lusts (Sir 18:30).

For sin will not rule over you; for you are not under law but under grace.

Those who hold that for them there is no difference between right and wrong force a few passages of Scripture and think they favour their own immoral opinions.

Sin will not overcome you, for you are not children but adults. It is like the teacher who says to a student: "Avoid stylistic errors; you are no longer learning from a primary school teacher but from a professor." Paul offered teaching and example as a way to overcome sin by grace.

Then when he says, for sin shall not, he assigns the reason for this admonition. For someone might excuse himself, alleging that sin's dominion is an obstacle to obeying the admonition. But the Apostle excludes this, saying, for sin shall not have dominion over you, i.e., if you begin to resist sin and yield yourself to God: draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

The Wages of Sin

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Never would it be!

Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey — whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness?

"Do you not know that to whomever you present yourselves as servants to obey, you are the servants of him whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto justice? But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine into which you have been delivered.

Righteousness and sin are mutually incompatible. As the Lord himself said in the holy Gospel: "No man can serve two masters."

In the same fashion he answers here, God forbid that we should sin, because we have been set free from the law; because if we were to sin, we would once more be reduced to the slavery of sin. Hence, he continues, know you not that to whom you yield yourselves of your own will as servants to obey voluntarily, his servants you are whom you obey.

But thanks be to God that you were slaves of sin, but you have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were handed over.

And having been set free from the sin, you have become slaves to righteousness.

I speak in human terms on account of the weakness of your flesh. For as you yielded your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness unto the lawlessness, so now yield your members as slaves to righteousness unto sanctification.

But also each and every one of the members, if they serve in the offices of the commandments of God, are to be called circumcised; but if they run riot beyond the laws divinely prescribed for them, they are to be reckoned uncircumcised.

Paul is saying, in effect: "Although you ought to serve righteousness much more than you previously served sin, I nevertheless make allowance for your weakness so that you might serve righteousness just as much as you once served sin." Or perhaps it is this: Whatever the soul does in a carnal fashion is held against the flesh, but if the flesh performs a spiritual deed the whol…

After showing with a reason based on God's grace that we should not continue in sin but should serve God, the Apostle shows the same thing with a reason based on a condition of the former life.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.

What fruit therefore had you then, in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

"What fruit, therefore," he says, "did you have then in those things of which you are now ashamed? For their end is death." Divine Scripture teaches that there is fruit both of good things and of evil, as the Savior himself says in the Gospels: "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil.

And what fruit did you have from impurity? None, except dishonor — and why do I speak of dishonor? You had death as your fruit: "for the end of those things is death," both bodily very often, and spiritual always. But from death you have been delivered by the grace of Christ, and the shame still remains not without benefit; for now you are ashamed of those sins.

Then when he says, what fruit therefore, he shows the effect of sin. One effect he excludes, namely, a fruitful return, when he says, what fruit therefore had you, namely, when you were committing those sins.

But now, having been set free from the sin and having become slaves to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.

But on us it is incumbent to reach the unaccomplished end, obeying the commands-that is, God-and living according to them, irreproachably and intelligently, through knowledge of the divine will; and assimilation as far as possible in accordance with right reason is the end, and restoration to perfect adoption by the Son, which ever glorifies the Father by the great High Priest…

Of the former, the fruit was shame, even after the being set free. Of these the fruit is holiness, and where holiness is, there is all confidence. But of those things the end is death, and of these everlasting life.

Then when he says, but now, he describes the state of justice: first, he describes a condition of this state; second, the effect, at you have your fruit; third, the end, at and the end life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But again, those who assert that He was simply a mere man, begotten by Joseph, remaining in the bondage of the old disobedience, are in a state of death having been not as yet joined to the Word of God the Father, nor receiving liberty through the Son, as He does Himself declare: "If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." But, being ignorant of Him who from the…

One who does military service for sin receives death as his wages. Paul does not use the term "wages of righteousness" because there was no righteousness in us before our baptism which God could repay. Righteousness is not obtained by our effort but is a gift of God.

Then when he says, for the wages of sin, he clarifies what he had said about the ends of evil and of good. First, in regard to evil he says: we have stated that the end of sins is death: for the wages of sin is death. Wages or stipends were the salaries paid soldiers. These were paid in money.

Romans6

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

The Wages of Sin