R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 1 Study By: Greg Herrick
A. Introduction
In his sermon, “Why Christ Had To Die,” author and pastor Stuart Briscoe s
ays:
Many years ago when the children were small, we went for a little drive in t
he lovely English countryside, and there was some fresh snow. I saw a lovely
field with not a single blemish on the virgin snow. I stopped the car, and
I vaulted over the gate, and I ran around in a great big circle striding as
wide as I could. Then I came back to the kids, and I said, “Now, children,
I want you to follow in my footsteps. So I want you to run around that circl
e in the snow, and I want you to put your feet where your father put his fee
t.
Well, David tried and couldn’t quite make it. Judy, our over achiever, was
certain she would make it; she couldn’t make it. Pete, the little kid took
a great run at it, put his foot in my first footprint and then strode out as
far as he could and fell on his face. His mother picked him up as he cried.
She said to me, “What are you trying to do?”
I said, “I’m trying to get a sermon illustration.”
I said, “Pete, come here.” I picked up little Peter and put his left foot
on my foot, and I put his right foot on my foot. I said, “Okay, Pete, let’
s go.” I began to stride one big stride at a time with my hands under his a
rmpits and his feet lightly on mine.
Well, who was doing it? In a sense he was doing it because I was doing it. I
n a sense there was a commitment of the little boy to the big dad, and some
of the properties of the big dad were working through the little boy.
In exactly the same way, in our powerlessness we can’t stride as wide as we
should. We don’t’ walk the way we should. We don’t hit the target the wa
y we ought. It isn’t that at every point we are as bad as we could be. It’
s just that at no point are we as good as we should be. Something’s got to
be done.47
Well God has done that something. Because of our fallen nature we are unable
to meet the demands of the law; we are unable to stride the distance set ou
t by our Father. So like the little boy who placed his feet on his father’s
, we too are making the grade because Christ himself is holding us up by vir
tue of our union with him. Through our union with him, we are freed from our
sinful passions and permanently oriented toward righteousness. This does no
t mean that we will never sin, but it does mean that the Christian’s true h
eart, no matter how great the struggle (in the “now-not-yet”), will always
be toward God and righteousness.
Again, God has brought us into union with his Son Jesus Christ, so that just
as he died to sin and rose from the dead, we too might die to sin and live
for righteousness; we too can now meet the standard demanded by the Father’
s holiness. This union with Christ is the grace to which Paul refers in 6:1-
14. It is completely incongruous to Paul that we should be united to Christ
himself and then continue in sin. This is Paul’s point in Romans 6:1-14. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 2 B. Translation of Passage in NET
6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increa
se?
6:2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
6:3 Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ were baptiz
ed into his death?
6:4 Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in or
der that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Fa
ther, so we too may walk in new life.
6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we w
ill certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.
6:6 We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin
would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
6:7 (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.)
6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
6:9 We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he is never going to
die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
6:10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he liv
es, he lives to God.
6:11 So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ
Jesus.
6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its
desires,
6:13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for un
righteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the
dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.
6:14 For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law bu
t under grace. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 3 C. Full Exegetical Outline
Idea: The reason Christians should not present themselves to sin, but rather
to God, is because they have been united with Christ in his death to sin an
d in his resurrection to new life; they are not under law, but under grace.
I. Christians should not continue in sin because they have been united w
ith Christ in his death through baptism and are therefore also united with h
im in his resurrection to new life (6:1-10).
A. Should Christians remain in sin so that grace may increase? No. C
hristians have died to sin and can no longer live in it (6:1-2).
1. Should Christians remain in sin so that grace may increase (6
:1)?
2. No. Christians have died to sin and can no longer live in it
(6:2).
B. Christians were baptized into the death of Christ and have theref
ore died to sin with him and have been raised to walk in new life (6:3-5).
1. Christians have been baptized into the death of Christ (6:3).
2. Christians have been buried with Christ through baptism into
death (6:4a)
3. Christians have been raised with Christ that they might walk
in new life (6:4b).
4. Christians have been united with Christ in his death and also
similarly in his resurrection (6:5).
C. The Christian’s old man was crucified with Christ with the resul
t that the body of sin need not dominate him/her any longer (6:6-7).
1. The old man was crucified with Christ so that it might no lon
ger dominate us with the result that we remain enslaved to sin (6:6)
2. Death releases us from sin (6:7).
D. Christ, being unable to die again, has mastery over death and now
lives permanently to God (6:8-10).
1. Christians have died with Christ (6:8a)
2. Christians live with Christ (6:8b)
3. Christ was raised from the dead (6:9a)
4. Christ will never die again (6:9b)
5. Death no longer has mastery over Christ (6:9c)
6. Christ died to sin once for all (6:10a)
7. Christ now lives to God (6:10b)
II. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin and alive to God,
offering their bodies to him and not to sin, for sin shall not be their mast
er because they are not under law, but under grace (6:11-14).
A. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin and alive to Go
d in Christ Jesus, presenting themselves not to sin as instruments of unrigh
teousness, but to God as instruments of righteousness (6:11-13).
1. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin, but alive
to God in Christ Jesus (6:11).
2. Christians should not let sin reign in their mortal bodies so
that they obey its desires (6:12).
3. Christians should present their bodies to God for righteousne
ss and not to sin for unrighteousness (6:13).
B. Sin will have not mastery over Christians because they are not un
der law, but under grace (6:14).
1. Sin will have no mastery over Christians (6:14a).
2. Christians are not under law (6:14b).
3. Christians are under grace (6:14c).
D. Simple Point and Homiletical Outline
Idea: If God’s grace increases as my sin increases, why not just continue t
o sin?
I. Understand That You’re Dead To Sin and Now Have Life in Christ (6:1-
10)
A. The Question (6:1-2)
B. Our Baptism with Christ (6:3-4)
C. Our Union with Christ (6:5)
D. Our Old Man Crucified (6:6-7)
E. Christ’s Death—The Paradigm (6:8-10)
II. Present Yourself to God (6:11-14)
A. Consider Yourself Dead to Sin/Alive to God (6:11)
B. Offer Yourself To God and not to Sin (6:12-13)
C. Sin Will Not Have Mastery Over You (6:14) | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 4 Study By: Greg Herrick
A. Introduction
In his sermon, “Why Christ Had To Die,” author and pastor Stuart Briscoe s
ays:
Many years ago when the children were small, we went for a little drive in t
he lovely English countryside, and there was some fresh snow. I saw a lovely
field with not a single blemish on the virgin snow. I stopped the car, and
I vaulted over the gate, and I ran around in a great big circle striding as
wide as I could. Then I came back to the kids, and I said, “Now, children,
I want you to follow in my footsteps. So I want you to run around that circl
e in the snow, and I want you to put your feet where your father put his fee
t.
Well, David tried and couldn’t quite make it. Judy, our over achiever, was
certain she would make it; she couldn’t make it. Pete, the little kid took
a great run at it, put his foot in my first footprint and then strode out as
far as he could and fell on his face. His mother picked him up as he cried.
She said to me, “What are you trying to do?”
I said, “I’m trying to get a sermon illustration.”
I said, “Pete, come here.” I picked up little Peter and put his left foot
on my foot, and I put his right foot on my foot. I said, “Okay, Pete, let’
s go.” I began to stride one big stride at a time with my hands under his a
rmpits and his feet lightly on mine.
Well, who was doing it? In a sense he was doing it because I was doing it. I
n a sense there was a commitment of the little boy to the big dad, and some
of the properties of the big dad were working through the little boy.
In exactly the same way, in our powerlessness we can’t stride as wide as we
should. We don’t’ walk the way we should. We don’t hit the target the wa
y we ought. It isn’t that at every point we are as bad as we could be. It’
s just that at no point are we as good as we should be. Something’s got to
be done.47
Well God has done that something. Because of our fallen nature we are unable
to meet the demands of the law; we are unable to stride the distance set ou
t by our Father. So like the little boy who placed his feet on his father’s
, we too are making the grade because Christ himself is holding us up by vir
tue of our union with him. Through our union with him, we are freed from our
sinful passions and permanently oriented toward righteousness. This does no
t mean that we will never sin, but it does mean that the Christian’s true h
eart, no matter how great the struggle (in the “now-not-yet”), will always
be toward God and righteousness.
Again, God has brought us into union with his Son Jesus Christ, so that just
as he died to sin and rose from the dead, we too might die to sin and live
for righteousness; we too can now meet the standard demanded by the Father’
s holiness. This union with Christ is the grace to which Paul refers in 6:1-
14. It is completely incongruous to Paul that we should be united to Christ
himself and then continue in sin. This is Paul’s point in Romans 6:1-14. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 5 B. Translation of Passage in NET
6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increa
se?
6:2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
6:3 Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ were baptiz
ed into his death?
6:4 Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in or
der that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Fa
ther, so we too may walk in new life.
6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we w
ill certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.
6:6 We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin
would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
6:7 (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.)
6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
6:9 We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he is never going to
die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
6:10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he liv
es, he lives to God.
6:11 So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ
Jesus.
6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its
desires,
6:13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for un
righteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the
dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.
6:14 For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law bu
t under grace. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 6 C. Full Exegetical Outline
Idea: The reason Christians should not present themselves to sin, but rather
to God, is because they have been united with Christ in his death to sin an
d in his resurrection to new life; they are not under law, but under grace.
I. Christians should not continue in sin because they have been united w
ith Christ in his death through baptism and are therefore also united with h
im in his resurrection to new life (6:1-10).
A. Should Christians remain in sin so that grace may increase? No. C
hristians have died to sin and can no longer live in it (6:1-2).
1. Should Christians remain in sin so that grace may increase (6
:1)?
2. No. Christians have died to sin and can no longer live in it
(6:2).
B. Christians were baptized into the death of Christ and have theref
ore died to sin with him and have been raised to walk in new life (6:3-5).
1. Christians have been baptized into the death of Christ (6:3).
2. Christians have been buried with Christ through baptism into
death (6:4a)
3. Christians have been raised with Christ that they might walk
in new life (6:4b).
4. Christians have been united with Christ in his death and also
similarly in his resurrection (6:5).
C. The Christian’s old man was crucified with Christ with the resul
t that the body of sin need not dominate him/her any longer (6:6-7).
1. The old man was crucified with Christ so that it might no lon
ger dominate us with the result that we remain enslaved to sin (6:6)
2. Death releases us from sin (6:7).
D. Christ, being unable to die again, has mastery over death and now
lives permanently to God (6:8-10).
1. Christians have died with Christ (6:8a)
2. Christians live with Christ (6:8b)
3. Christ was raised from the dead (6:9a)
4. Christ will never die again (6:9b)
5. Death no longer has mastery over Christ (6:9c)
6. Christ died to sin once for all (6:10a)
7. Christ now lives to God (6:10b)
II. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin and alive to God,
offering their bodies to him and not to sin, for sin shall not be their mast
er because they are not under law, but under grace (6:11-14).
A. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin and alive to Go
d in Christ Jesus, presenting themselves not to sin as instruments of unrigh
teousness, but to God as instruments of righteousness (6:11-13).
1. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin, but alive
to God in Christ Jesus (6:11).
2. Christians should not let sin reign in their mortal bodies so
that they obey its desires (6:12).
3. Christians should present their bodies to God for righteousne
ss and not to sin for unrighteousness (6:13).
B. Sin will have not mastery over Christians because they are not un
der law, but under grace (6:14).
1. Sin will have no mastery over Christians (6:14a).
2. Christians are not under law (6:14b).
3. Christians are under grace (6:14c).
D. Simple Point and Homiletical Outline
Idea: If God’s grace increases as my sin increases, why not just continue t
o sin?
I. Understand That You’re Dead To Sin and Now Have Life in Christ (6:1-
10)
A. The Question (6:1-2)
B. Our Baptism with Christ (6:3-4)
C. Our Union with Christ (6:5)
D. Our Old Man Crucified (6:6-7)
E. Christ’s Death—The Paradigm (6:8-10)
II. Present Yourself to God (6:11-14)
A. Consider Yourself Dead to Sin/Alive to God (6:11)
B. Offer Yourself To God and not to Sin (6:12-13)
C. Sin Will Not Have Mastery Over You (6:14) | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 7 E. Exposition Proper
Justification and sanctification are two different realities, but they must
never be separated and isolated one from the other. If they become totally s
eparated, the logical end is license. If they become merged together, a “wo
rks” oriented salvation results.
Paul is moving from freedom from the penalty of sin, (1:18-5:21) to freedom
from the power of sin (6:1ff). He has explained “the righteous by faith” i
n 1:18-5:21, now he is moving on to explain “shall live” and fill out the
meaning of the Habakkuk quotation in 1:17—the theme verse of the entire let
ter. If the cross was sufficient to deliver from the penalty of sin, here it
is sufficient to deliver from the power of sin.
6:1 Paul says, “What shall we say then? Are we to remain (ejpimevnwmen, epi
menomen) in sin (i.e., a lifestyle characterized by sin) so that grace may i
ncrease? En route to developing his argument concerning the gospel, Paul has
thus far been in the habit of asking questions in order to prevent misunder
standing. Such is the case here (cf. also 3:1, 5, 9, 27, 4:1; 6:1, 15; 7:7).
This particular question is related to the statement in 5:20 where Paul arg
ued that “where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more.” Someone may
be tempted to think, having just read 5:20, that since grace increased wher
e sin increased, why not just continue to sin? Correct premise, wrong infere
nce! Grace does indeed increase where sin increases, but this in no way lead
s to the inference that we should just continue to sin! Paul heads this off
at the pass! Compare 1:18 in this light. In short, the question of 6:1 is rh
etorical. It involves that which is morally right and should be obvious to a
ny believer. Its transparent nature obvious, Paul nonetheless gives a clear
answer in 6:2.
6:2 Should we continue to sin, even though grace increases? In answer to thi
s, Paul says, emphatically and without qualification: “Absolutely not” (mh
V gevnoito, me genoito)! Let there be no mistake about it, Paul’s gospel is
not one of cheap grace that leads to license. He asks, “How can we who die
d to sin still live in it?” The Christian has experienced a definitive brea
k with the realm and power of sin through dying to it at the point of conver
sion (cf. 5:3-4ff). How can we live under its sway and render service to it
when we, in fact, have died to it?
6:3-4 But how did that death to sin take place? Paul gives the answer here i
n v. 3. Beginning his sentence with do you not know (ajgnoei'te, agnoeite),
he implies that his readers probably know something of this teaching regardi
ng baptism and union with Christ, but perhaps not exactly as he had taught i
t.
The phrases baptized into Christ (ejbaptivsqhmen eij" CristoVn jIhsou'n, eba
ptisthemen eis Christon Iesoun) and baptized into his death (eij" toVn qavna
ton aujtou' ejbaptivsqhmen, eis ton thanaton ebaptisthemen) have been variou
sly interpreted, especially the preposition eis (“into”). It seems best, h
owever, in light of v. 4 to take the preposition as meaning “baptized into
union with Christ” and baptized into union with his death.” The reason is
as follows: verse 4 begins with “therefore” indicating that it is drawing
a conclusion from v. 3. The conclusion, however, is that we have been buried
“with him.” The “with him” language implies union with Christ in v. 3.
The means by which we are buried with Christ in his death is through baptism
(diaV tou' baptivsmato", dia tou baptismatos). It must be stated up front t
hat it is highly unlikely that Paul is talking about spiritual baptism (such
as we might have in 1 Cor 12:13). Water baptism seems to be his point.
Now some commentators read this passage and argue that either water baptism
by itself saves a person (sacramentalism; ex opere operato) or that baptism
is at least required in order to be saved. Both of these explanations, even
though they make good sense of the preposition “through,” must be rejected
. First, Paul has argued at length to this point in Romans that a person is
declared righteous by faith apart from any works, whether they be religious
works in general or the performance of religious rites, such as circumcision
(3:20-22, 28; 4:2-8, 9-12).
Second, baptism is not the main point of this paragraph nor is a baptismal t
heology being developed. Indeed, Paul is not focusing on the nature of bapti
sm, but rather on our death and resurrection with Christ.
But why, then, choose water baptism? The reason Paul chose water baptism is
because in the early church it had become a sure sign that a person was a Ch
ristian. It was equated with the salvation process so closely that in many c
ases it came to stand for the reality of personal salvation itself (Acts 2:3
8; 1 Pet 3:21). Thus it presupposed faith for its meaning and true faith alw
ays led to a person being baptized. We do the same thing today. In certain P
rotestant denominations if a person is asked how they became a Christian he/
she may answer that they “walked the isle” on such and such a date. Well,
we all know that “walking the isle” never saved anyone, yet the experience
is often so closely associated with the time when a person initially trusts
in Christ that the sign can stand for the reality.
The goal (cf. i{na, hina) of our union with Christ in his death, which occur
red when we were baptized (i.e., “baptism” as a metonymy for salvation) is
that just as (w{sper, hosper) Christ was raised from the dead through the g
lory of the Father, that is, through the power of the living God, so we too
may walk in new life (ejn kainovthti zwh'" peripathvswmen, en kainoteti zoes
peripatesomen). The resurrection of Christ as an eschatological reality ush
ered in a new era of salvation, and all those connected to him in his death
and resurrection enter into this new life—a “new covenant” life inaugurat
ed and characterized by the indwelling Spirit (cf. 7:6). | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 8 6:5 In v. 5 Paul further explains (gavr, gar) how it is that we can walk in
new life. We do so because of the ongoing effects of our participation in th
e death of Christ and our current participation in the resurrection of Chris
t. The future tense, “we will certainly also be united,” refers not to the
eschatological future (cf. John 5:28-29), but rather to the future with res
pect to the logic of the process of salvation. First, we are reckoned dead w
ith Christ, then we are reckoned to participate in Christ’s resurrection. T
he whole tenor of the passage argues for present participation in the resurr
ection of Christ as the means by which we might walk in new life (cf. v. 4 a
nd the “for” beginning v. 5). While the ultimate goal of the resurrection
will be culminated in the future, it is, nonetheless, a present reality for
the believer.
What does Paul mean by the terms united (suvmfutoi, sumphutoi) and likeness
(oJmoiwvmati, homoiomati)? The term “united” is used in many different con
texts, including horticultural—a nuance which works well here, especially w
ith the thought of dying, rising, and “new life” (cf. John 12:24). The bel
iever has been grafted into the death and resurrection of Christ and draws s
piritual life from that connection (cf. John 15:1-11).
The term “likeness” could imply that believers were united with Christ in
something like his death, but not really his death. This is not a necessary
conclusion from the term (cf. Phil 2:7) and strains the clear meaning of 6:3
. The focus in vv. 3-4 is on our initial union with Christ at baptism. The p
ast tense (aorist) verbs indicate this. The focus in v. 5 is on the ongoing
effects of this union. This is made clear through the use of the perfect ten
se, we have become (gegovnamen, gegonamen). Thus Paul is now stressing prese
nt realities still in motion as a result of that initial union. Likeness, th
en, refers to certain “attributes” or “qualities that characterize” Chri
st’s death. Thus, insofar as his death was a death to sin (6:10), so also o
ur lives are characterized by this likeness, i.e., death to sin.
6:6 In v. 6 Paul takes up and elaborates further on the thought of v. 5. Whe
n he says we know (tou'to ginwvskonte", touto ginoskontes) he does not mean
we know “by personal experience.” What we know is what Paul says next, nam
ely, that our old man was crucified with Christ. This is something we believ
e by faith. It is not available to the five senses.
But what does Paul mean by our old man (oJ palaioV" hJmw'n a[nqrwpo", ho pal
aios hemon anthropos)? Some understand the phrase to refer to parts of a per
son. If you’re a Christian, the other part is the “new man” (Eph 2:15; 4:
22, 24; Col. 3:9-11).
The “old man” language refers to who we were in our totality apart from Ch
rist and in Adam, apart from the new era of grace and in the old era of sin,
death, and judgment. It refers to the sphere of our existence before our un
ion with Christ in the new era. Thus it refers to two different humanities w
ith two different heads: Adam and Christ.48 It is both individualistic and c
orporate in focus. The individualistic focus can be seen in the fact that “
the old man” was crucified with Christ. Also, the fact that Paul refers to
“he (someone) who has died is freed from sin” (v.7) stresses the individua
listic conception of “the old man.” But there is also a corporate focus in
the expression “old man-new man.” In Ephesians 2:15 Paul refers to the ne
w man as the sphere of existence of Jew and Gentile (Gal 3:28).
The expression, “body of sin” does not refer to sin as some entity, per se
, but rather, as Paul points out in vv. 12-14, to my physical body as an ins
trument for the expression of sin. Assumed in this idea is a view of the ent
ire man as existing completely within the realm of sin’s dominion. Our old
man was crucified so that the body of sin would no longer dominate (katarghq
h'/, katargesthe) us. The verb dominate is an excellent translation of the G
reek katargesthe, for while the crucifixion was definitive, the old age cont
inues on and may attempt to bring us under its sway if allowed. We were cruc
ified, it was not crucified. The ultimate goal of the crucifixion of our old
man was so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin (tou' mhkevti douleuv
ein hJma'" th'/ aJmartiva/, tou meketi douleuein hemas te hamartia).
6:7 In v. 7 Paul clearly demonstrates—perhaps through a well known truth—w
hy the crucifixion of our old man enables us to remain free of slavery to si
n. This is so because the person who has died has been freed from sin (dedik
aivwtai ajpoV th'" aJmartiva", dedikaiotai apo tes hamartias). Death to sin
entails the idea of freedom from it. The term “freed” (dedikaiotai) could
be translated “justified,” but in collocation with the preposition apo, an
d in a context where justification is not the issue, but progressive sanctif
ication, “freed” is better. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 9 6:8-10 The point of vv. 8-9 is this: if we have died with Christ we will cer
tainly live with him since he died to death once and for all, it can, theref
ore, never hold sway over him again and subsequently he lives to God.
What does Paul mean when he says, “we…will live” with him (v. 8)? Is he t
hinking about our present experience as Christians, or is he thinking about
the future? This is essentially the same question we faced in v. 5. Some sch
olars argue that the future tense points to the time of the eschatological f
uture when in resurrected bodies we will be with the Lord. As it stands, thi
s is not the best answer.
Others argue that while Paul uses the future tense, he is describing present
realities. This view has much more to commend it. First, the theme of the p
aragraph as announced in vv. 1-2 concerns questions about living in sin in t
he present. Second, it is noted that in v. 2, where Paul is clearly referrin
g to our present existence, that the future “will live” is used. Third, th
e focus in vv. 3-4 is on the present reality of our walk in light of our bap
tism into Christ’s death. Thus it parallels v. 8. Fourth, the verb “will l
ive with him” in v. 8 seems to parallel “has been freed” in v. 7. If the
former (v.7) is a present reality, why not the latter? Fifth, Christ’s resu
rrection life is a present reality for Paul (vv. 4, 5, 9, 10). Since, then,
we are said to “live with him” (note the sun [“with”] prefix on suzesome
n), the living must take place in our present experience as Christians. Sixt
h, we have been “buried with Christ,” we have been “united with Christ,”
and our old man has been “crucified with Christ.” It is likely, since the
se refer to past events with present implications, that when Paul uses anoth
er sun verb, namely, suzesomen, that he is referring to a past event with pr
esent implications, i.e., our enjoyment of resurrection life from the moment
of conversion. Seventh, the imperatives of vv. 12-14, especially presenting
ourselves to God alive, imply current participation with Christ in his resu
rrection (cf. the “so you too” in v. 11). This is further confirmed by the
“in Christ” language of v. 11. Eighth, Paul clearly taught elsewhere pres
ent union with the Lord in his resurrection life (cf. Eph 2:5-6).49
Thus there is good support for this second view. But, there are still proble
ms. Perhaps the biggest objection is the use of “we believe” in v. 8. This
seems to imply “hope” for a reality not yet in existence. Overall, then,
it may be better to see Paul focusing on the present with a view to the futu
re. In other words, both realities seem to be intended. It would appear, how
ever, as was the case in 5:5, it was the present experience of salvation and
the Spirit that led to the conclusion that hope does not disappoint. So als
o here. It is the present experience of Christ’s resurrection life that str
engthens one in the belief that a future consummation is coming.
6:11 In connecting the thoughts of v. 10 with those of v. 11 Paul uses the c
onjunction so…too (ou{tw", houtos). It appears that the death Christ died (
v. 10) is both the model we are to follow as well as the ground or cause of
our “considering ourselves” dead to sin. In other words, we are to conside
r ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in terms of following Christ’s exa
mple and we are able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God sinc
e Christ, as our head, already died to sin and lives to God. The latter is b
ased on the forensic connections between Christ and those related to him in
5:12-21.
The imperative consider (logivzesqe, logizesthe) means to “count something
as true” or to “regard something as a certain way” (14:14). In this case
the believer is exhorted to count himself dead to the power of sin and alive
to God. Paul raised the question at the beginning of this paragraph, namely
, “Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase?” He answered it def
initively in v. 2 with “Absolutely not!” But, in v. 2 he did not tell us h
ow to remain free from the grip of sin. Here in v. 11 he does so. He says, i
n effect, “we remain free from sin by considering ourselves dead to it and
alive to God.”
Two things need to be said about the idea of “considering,” or “reckoning
” as some translations render it. First, the term has been used earlier on
several occasions, the most pertinent being 3:28 and its occurrences in chap
ter 4. God “counted” Abraham’s faith as righteousness. He “reckons” or
“considers” our faith as righteousness and now we must “consider ourselve
s,” in light of the work which God has done for us in our new head, Jesus C
hrist, dead to sin and alive to God. This requires faith. The implication is
that the same way in which a person is justified, i.e., by faith, is the sa
me way that a person is sanctified, i.e., by faith.
The second comment is that the imperative “consider” is in the present ten
se which in this case involves an ongoing commitment to consider oneself dea
d to sin and alive to God. It is based on the indicative reality that we hav
e already died with Christ and have been raised with him as our new head (6:
3-5). This is something God did to us. We do not create this reality by obey
ing the command, but we do participate in it through considering ourselves a
ppropriately. When we consider ourselves dead to the power, purposes, and im
pulses of sin, we participate in Christ’s death to sin and so become increa
singly delivered from its downward pull (cf. 3:23).
At the same time as we consider ourselves dead to sin, we are to consider ou
rselves alive to God (zw'nta" deV tw'/ qew'/, zontas de to theo). “Alive to
God” is not so much an ethical idea, though it certainly involves that (6:
12-14). It is more foundationally a relational and spiritual reality. Wherea
s God was once unknown to the believer, he is now known and has become the o
bject of his/her affections. These opposite “reckonings”—dead to sin, ali
ve to God—exist for the believer in Christ (ejn Cristw'/ jIhsou', en Christ
ou Iesou). God considered us “with Christ” when he died, was buried, and w
as raised. The forensic language is reminiscent of 5:12 where we were said t
o have participated in the sin of Adam. In any case, the present sphere in w
hich we live out Christ’s death and resurrection (by considering it our own
) is referred to as “in Christ.” The age of resurrection life and power ha
s broken into the old age dominated by sin, judgment and condemnation. Death
in Adam has given way to “life in Christ,” not only legally, but also pra
ctically, spiritually and ethically. Paul will spell this last point out in
greater detail in the verses (and chapters) that follow.
6:12-13 Since Paul knows it is true that we are in fact dead to sin and aliv
e to God, he therefore (oujn, oun) advances the imperative that we are no lo
nger to let sin reign in our mortal body (Mh; ou basileuevtw hJ aJmartiva ej
n tw`/ qnhtw`/ uJmw`n swvmati, mh oun basileuetw Je Jamartia en tw qnhtw Jum
wn swmati). The apostle pictures sin here as a ruling master that must not b
e allowed to mount the throne and “call the shots,” as it were. He is a de
feated king and must be kept down. If this is not done, he will assume a pos
ition of authority from which he will demand that we carry out his sinful de
sires and urges.
The sphere in which this defeated monarch will “live out” his sinful schem
es, if allowed, is through our physical, mortal bodies. Therefore the sure w
ay to ensure that this does not become a dominant reality is to freely and w
illingly present (paristavnete, paristanete) our hands, head, and heart, to
the Lord himself to be used in righteous causes and not to sin to be used fo
r its ends, namely, unrighteousness. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 10 6:14 Verse 14 rounds out the paragraph and gives the answer (which follows f
rom vv. 2-11) to the initial question posed in v. 1. The for (gavr, gar) whi
ch begins the verse links it closely with the preceding verses and indeed th
e question of the passage as a whole: “Should the Christian under grace con
tinue to sin?” Answer: “No, because we were placed under grace in order th
at sin may longer reign over us.”
While the overall sense of 6:14 in its context is clear, the two principle c
lauses which comprise the verse have given rise to many different interpreta
tions, some of which have very little, if any, merit. What does Paul mean wh
en he says, sin will have no mastery over you (aJmartiva gaVr uJmw'n ouj kur
ieuvsei, hamartia gar humon ou kurieusei)? Some commentators have argued, as
a result of this passage, that the Christian will not sin, ever. But this i
s to miss the entire thrust of the question which began this paragraph (v. 1
) and to seriously minimize the imperatives of vv. 12-13. Further, it sugges
ts a theology not only foreign to Paul, but to the entire New Testament (cf.
the Corinthian correspondence; Gal 5:16ff; cf. 1 John 1:9; 1 Peter 2:11-12)
.
Some scholars have suggested that the future tense “will have no mastery”
functions as an imperative or command. They argue that Paul is commanding th
e Romans Christians not to allow sin to control them any longer. While the f
uture tense can function in this way (i.e., to give what amounts to a comman
d), and the immediate context in vv. 12-13 is hortatory in nature, it is sti
ll unlikely that this is Paul’s meaning here. If this were the case, one wo
uld expect a “therefore” (ou , oun) to begin v. 14 not a “for” (gavr, ga
r). Paul is giving the reason Christians should not sin, not another command
.
The best way to understand “will not have mastery” is in reference to the
power of sin not dominating our present experience—an experience characteri
zed as in between the time of the inauguration of salvation and the consumma
tion of salvation (8:18). Therefore, it is at once a word of explanation, wh
ich posits the ultimate basis for our deliverance from sin, and a word of en
couragement in the form of a promise.
The reason the promise is certain is because the Christian is no longer unde
r the administration of the law (i.e., in Adam), but under grace (i.e., in C
hrist). That is, the fact that our old man has been crucified and Christians
now live in union with Christ is referred to as a state of grace. The term
law (novmo", nomos), though without the article, refers to the Mosaic law as
a whole, an administration. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 11 F. Contribution of Passage to Systematic Theology
This passage contributes greatly to our understanding of sanctification and
the object grounds upon which it proceeds, the relationship of our growth to
the cross work of Christ and our responsibility in the matter.
Paul teaches that we do not need to sin and that indeed we ought not to sin
because we have died to it through the death of Christ and our union with hi
m. Also, in the same way, we are united with him in his resurrection and for
that reason we can walk in newness of life—a life of love for God, express
ed in keeping his commands (Rom 13:8-10) and a love for others expressed in
civil obedience, encouragement, patience, and unity (Rom 12:1-15:13).
Thus, at the heart of progressive sanctification, that is, growth in holines
s and Christlikeness, stands the cross work of Christ and its application to
the believer who is reckoned by God to have participated in it. The respons
ibility of the believer is first off to reckon that they are indeed dead to
sin and alive to God and then, in keeping with this, to present themselves t
o him and not sin as their new master. We would do well to think long and ha
rd on the book of Romans before we run off into gimmicks to attempt to grow
in the Christian life.
47 Stuart Briscoe, “Why Christ Had To Die,” Preaching Today 163, no. 4.
48 Douglas Moo, Romans 1-8, The Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary, ed. Kenneth
Barker (Chicago: Moody, 1991), 391.
49 One should note the presence of the sun verbs in Ephesians 2:5-6 and the
similarity between the ideas there and here in Romans 6. The vision in Ephes
ians 2:5-6 goes a step beyond Romans (though it may be inferred from it), ho
wever, when it pictures Christians seated with Christ in the heavenly realms
. |
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