Romans 5 is to be a life-changing chapter. Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1). Through Christ we have access by faith into grace in which we stand (Romans 5:2). We rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:3). We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that our sufferings produce endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:4). Since we have been justified by his blood, much more will we be saved by his life (Romans 5:9). If we were reconciled to God while were enemies, much more, now that we are reconciled will we be saved by his life (Romans 5:10). How is this possible? This is possible because the one man, Jesus, came and reversed and overthrew everything that the one man, Adam, did (Romans 5:12-21). Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Romans 5:20). So, sin is no longer in charge and no longer reigning. Rather, grace is reigning through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus (Romans 5:21). Romans 6-8 are built upon the good news that we have learned in Romans 1-5. For this month we are going to focus our attention on Romans 6 and we are going to learn how to break the chains of sin that desires to rule over us. Open your copies of God’s word to Romans 6 and we are going to focus on the first five verses.
The Principle Way of Thinking (Romans 6:1-2)
Paul asks a question to help us understand the radical change that is supposed to happen in our lives. Are we to keep on sinning so that grace will continue to increase? Are we to continue in sin so that grace will abound? I want us to think about this question. Does it make any sense to continue to live under the power and rule of sin when, through Jesus and his righteousness, life and justification were brought to us (cf. Romans 5:18)? Since death spread to all because all sinned (Romans 5:12), why would anyone want to continue in that state now that through Jesus the many are made righteous (cf. Romans 5:19)? The rhetorical question is to draw us to the obvious conclusion that Paul states at the beginning of verse 2, “By no means!” Obviously not! It is a ludicrous idea. Listen to the principle for the Christian life in verse 2:
“How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Since Jesus has broken the power of sin, why would we still live for sin? How can the Christian continue in sin when you died to sin? I hope we see the really important principle that we may have forgotten. Being a Christian means we have died to sin. Following Jesus means we have made a break from the life of sin. The Christians consider themselves dead to sin. Friends, we live in a strange time right now where the Christian world wants to say that you can be a Christian and continue to live in sin. The reasoning behind this idea is that we have the grace of God. Please notice that the apostle Paul directly argues against this kind of thinking. The Christian does not live life saying, “I have grace so it is okay for me to sin.” Breaking the chains of sin begins with this principle way of thinking, “I have died to sin.” The Christian does not live thinking sin is okay. The difference between the Christian and the unbeliever is not merely that the Christian is forgiven and the unbeliever is not. The difference is also that the Christian lives life dead to sin. We do not keep living the way we used to live and we do not live the way those in the world live. We have died to sin. No Christian sees their sins as acceptable or tolerable. Belonging to Christ means we have died to self.
Participating In Baptism (Romans 6:3-5)
Paul reminds us about the significance of our baptism. When you were baptized into Christ, you were baptized into his death. Paul is telling us that baptism has meaning. You are baptized into Christ. The apostle Paul said it like this to the Galatians:
For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. (Galatians 3:27 CSB)
And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. (Galatians 3:27 NLT)
Paul does not say that when you believed that you were united with Christ. Paul does not say that when you prayed a prayer is the moment you were joined to Christ. Paul does not say that going to church services is how you were brought into Christ. Paul says that you are baptized into Christ. When you are baptized, then you are clothed with Christ. When you are baptized, then you are united with Christ. Baptism is a decisive moment when we join ourselves to Jesus. Why? While Paul does not explain this point here, the scriptures teach that belief must be put into action to be true, saving faith. There is no place in the scriptures that teaches or shows that prayer is the decisive moment when we are joined to Christ. True belief will act in true faith. Baptism is that decisive act of faith.
It is shameful that the Christian world has so denigrated the importance, necessity, and meaning of baptism. I would like for us to see that Paul does not give any indication that there is such a thing as an unbaptized Christian. This point that Paul is making would not make any sense if there were a bunch of people following Jesus who were not baptized. The reason Paul is using baptism to make his point is because every Christian has been baptized. In fact, Paul is showing us that when we were baptized, one of the things we were doing is showing our death to sin. In verse 5 Paul says that when we are baptized, we are being united with Christ. When we see that our baptism means something, then we can understand that baptism is not only important but it is commanded and it is necessary. Baptism means you have died to sin. Baptism means you have been united with Christ. Baptism means you have joined Jesus in his death.
I would like you also to notice that the meaning of baptism shows the form of baptism. Listen to the how Paul describes the meaning of baptism in verse 4. You were buried with Christ through baptism so that you are raised just like Christ was raised from the dead. This image is only seen when we are completely immersed into a body of water. Sprinkling water on a person does not show the symbol of being buried and raised. Pouring water on a person does not show the symbol of being buried and raised. The act that shows the symbol of being buried and raised is immersion in water. There is no other act that makes this connection.
Understanding Baptism (Romans 6:4)
Paul also declares that our baptism is teaching us. Our baptism is proclaiming something important. Our baptism is supposed to be life changing. Look at Romans 6:4. We were buried with Christ through baptism into his death. But keep reading verse 4 because it gives us purpose. We were buried with Christ through baptism so that we will walk in newness of life just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. A resurrection is to occur when we come to Christ. When we are buried in the water, we are symbolizing that we are dead to sin. When we are raised up from the water, we are symbolizing that we are now living a new life. You are pictured as having a new identity living under a different power and obeying a different king. Friends, grace does not encourage sin. Grace drives our obedience. Baptism is this turning point act that we hold on to as a reminder of the transformation that has occurred. There are things that we do in our lives that are supposed to be left in the waters of baptism, never to return to them again. Baptism represents a clean break from the power of sin and the life of sin and living a new life in Christ before all people. You have been raised to live a new life. I want us to see how last week’s lesson ties directly together with this picture of what it means to belong to Christ.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3 ESV)
Here is what it means to be raised with Christ. Seek the things that are above and set your minds on things that are above. Do not seek the things that are on earth and do not set your minds on things that are on earth. Why? Why should we not be worried about this earth and seeking the things of this earth and setting our minds on the things of this earth? Because you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When you were baptized, something happened. You symbolized in your baptism that you were dead to the things of the world and would no longer set your minds on the things of this world. You were raised to a new life, seeking the things that are above and setting your minds on things that are above. So are we defying the meaning of our baptism? Did we come up from the waters of baptism but did not live a new life but have returned to the old life? Did we come up from the waters of baptism but are setting our minds on earthly things and not spiritual things?
Hope In Christ (Romans 6:5)
Now I want us to see the hope that we have to break these chains of sin. Look at verse 5. If you have been united with Christ in a death like his, then you will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Do not miss this hope that has been given to you. If you have been united with Christ in a death like his, then with all certainty you will be united with him in a resurrection like his. The hope of raising up to eternal life with the Father is presented to us as a certain hope. Christ has broken the power of sin so that we can live a new life with the hope of eternity with the Lord.
Is Paul saying that every person who gets baptized has this hope? No, because the teaching is not about baptism. Baptism is the illustration of the teaching. Baptism cannot be disconnected from the meaning of the action. The teaching is that through Christ you have died to sin and have been raised to walk a new life. Every person who participates in the symbol and lives the meaning of the symbol has the hope of being united in a resurrection like Christ.
We need to see that we are participating with Christ. Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3) so we have died to sin. Christ was buried (1 Corinthians 15:4) so we are buried with Christ in baptism. Christ was raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:4) and we are raised to live a new life. Christ appeared to many after his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:5-9) and we now appear to others with our new life. Our hope is in Christ as we join ourselves completely to Christ’s life.
Life Messages
So I want to give us some challenges for our lives since we have been raised with the gospel. First, are we treating our sin lightly? Our baptism represents being dead to sin. We live in a time where churches have capitulated to sin, telling people about general life improvement rather than encouraging people to be serious about the sin in their lives. We are to make a clean break with sin, not dabble in our sins or excuse them. Jesus did not accomplish the victory over sin so that we would continue living in sin. We have died to sin if we have been united to Christ in a death like his through baptism. So what sins do you need to die to? What sins need to no longer be excused or taken lightly in your life?
Second, are you living a new life? Would people see a different you if they compared before you came to Christ and after you came to Christ? Our baptism represents living a new life in Christ. We need to walk in newness of life now. The new life is not one day in the future. The new life is today and that new life began when you came up out of the waters of baptism. Do you have a new life in prayer? Do you have a new life spending your time reading and studying the scriptures? Sadly, studies have been done by various groups that asked those who claim to be Christians if they read their Bible every day. Surveys consistently show that less than 30% of those who claim to be Christians will open their Bible every day. How can we live a new life if we are not listening to the words that tell us how to live a new life? We must live like people who have died to sin and are new people living new lives. The grace of God drives us to obey Christ every day and gives us the hope that we will be raised in a resurrection like his.