Bullet Point Bible

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ Through Baptism

¹ What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase?² Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?³ Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?⁴ Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.

Paul addresses a potential misunderstanding of grace: Does God's abundant grace encourage sinning? (Romans 6:1)
The response is emphatic: "Absolutely not!" (or *mē genoito* in Greek), indicating a logical and moral impossibility for the believer.
The foundational reason: Believers have "died to sin," signifying a definitive break from sin's power and realm.
Baptism is presented as the symbolic and spiritual participation in Christ's death and burial (Romans 6:3).
This isn't primarily about water baptism's mechanics but its theological significance: union with Christ.
The purpose of being united with Christ's death is union with His resurrection life – enabling believers to "live a new life" (Romans 6:4).
"Glory of the Father" refers to God's power demonstrated in raising Jesus, the same power now available for the believer's new life.
This section establishes the indicative (what *is* true of believers) before moving to the imperative (what believers *should do*).

Union with Christ's Death and Resurrection

⁵ For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.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.⁷ (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.)⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.⁹ We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him.¹⁰ For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God.¹¹ So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The believer's union with Christ is comprehensive, encompassing both His death and resurrection (Romans 6:5). The future tense "will certainly also be" points to the guaranteed outcome of resurrection life, both now and eschatologically.
"Old self" (or "old man") refers to the believer's former identity dominated by sin, which was decisively dealt with at the cross (Romans 6:6).
The "body of sin" likely refers to the physical body as the instrument through which sin operates; it's not inherently evil but needs to be freed from sin's control. "Rendered powerless" (Greek *katargeō*) means made ineffective or unemployed, not annihilated.
Death severs obligations; therefore, having died with Christ, the believer is "freed" (justified or acquitted) from sin's claim and power (Romans 6:7).
Belief in our past death with Christ leads to confidence in our present and future life with Him (Romans 6:8).
Christ's resurrection is permanent; death has no further power over Him, guaranteeing the permanence of the believer's new life (Romans 6:9).
Christ's death was a definitive, "once for all" victory over sin's penalty and power. His resurrected life is lived entirely "to God" (Romans 6:10).
The key application: Believers must "consider" or "reckon" this truth as real for themselves – actively acknowledging their death to sin's rule and their new life oriented towards God through their union with Christ (Romans 6:11).

Instruments of Righteousness, Not Sin

¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires,¹³ and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, 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.¹⁴ For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

This section shifts from the indicative (what is true) to the imperative (what believers must do).
"Therefore" connects the command directly to the reality described in Romans 6:1-11.
Believers must actively resist sin's attempt to regain control ("reign") in their physical bodies (Romans 6:12). Sin is personified as a dethroned tyrant seeking rule.
"Members" refers to the parts of the body (hands, feet, eyes, mind, etc.) which can be used for either sinful or righteous purposes.
Believers are commanded *not* to offer their body parts to sin's service but *to* offer themselves wholly and their members specifically to God's service (Romans 6:13).
The basis for offering oneself to God is the fact that believers are "alive from the dead" (Romans 6:11, 13).
The promise grounding this command: "Sin will have no mastery over you" (Romans 6:14). This is a statement of fact based on the new reality in Christ.
The reason sin has no mastery: Believers are "not under law but under grace." Law reveals sin and condemns, while grace provides forgiveness and empowers righteousness.
Being "under grace" means living under God's undeserved favor, empowerment by the Spirit, and the new covenant reality, not the old covenant system which could not conquer sin.

Slaves to Righteousness

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness?¹⁷ But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to,¹⁸ and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.¹⁹ (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Paul addresses a second potential distortion: Does freedom from law mean freedom *to* sin? Again, the answer is "Absolutely not!" (Romans 6:15).
He employs a master-slave analogy: You are enslaved to whomever you consistently obey (Romans 6:16).
The choice is stark: obedience to sin results in death, while obedience to God results in righteousness.
Paul expresses gratitude that the Roman believers, formerly slaves to sin, wholeheartedly embraced the gospel ("pattern of teaching") (Romans 6:17). This implies a transfer of allegiance.
Freedom from sin leads not to autonomy, but to a new, willing enslavement to righteousness (Romans 6:18). This is a positive servitude.
Paul acknowledges the limitations of the slavery metaphor ("speaking in human terms") but uses it for clarity due to their human limitations ("weakness of your flesh") (Romans 6:19).
He draws a parallel: Just as they previously dedicated their bodies to increasing sinfulness, they must now dedicate them to righteousness, which leads to "sanctification" (holiness, being set apart for God).
Sanctification is presented as the progressive outcome of actively yielding to God.

The Wages of Sin vs. The Gift of God

²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.²¹ So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.²² But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.²³ For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul contrasts the former life under sin's slavery with the present life under God's service.
When enslaved to sin, there was a "freedom" from righteousness – meaning righteousness had no claim or influence (Romans 6:20). This is a negative freedom.
He asks rhetorically about the benefit ("fruit") of their past sinful lives, concluding it produced only shame and ultimately led to death (spiritual and eternal separation from God) (Romans 6:21).
In contrast, freedom from sin and enslavement to God yields the "fruit" of sanctification (present holiness) and culminates in eternal life (future glory) (Romans 6:22).
The chapter concludes with a powerful summary statement contrasting the two paths (Romans 6:23).
Sin pays "wages" (Greek *opsōnia* – soldier's rations/pay) – what is earned and deserved: death.
God gives a "free gift" (Greek *charisma* – grace-gift) – what is unearned and undeserved: eternal life.
This eternal life is only available "in Christ Jesus our Lord," reinforcing the centrality of union with Christ for salvation and the Christian life.
This verse encapsulates the core message of the gospel: condemnation earned through sin, salvation freely given through Christ.

The Bullet Point Bible

Romans 6