In my study in the books of Romans, I have come to Romans 6:-11. Paul begins in verses 1-2 with a rhetorical question "Should we sin more that grace might increase?" This is apparently what some have accused Paul and Christians of teaching. Paul gives the reason of why we must live a different way by explaining that since the believer has died with Christ then they have become a new person.
The idea of death and resurrection and new life is prominent in this passage. Before we were slaves of sin and unable to please God by our own actions. Now, Paul says that we have been baptized or immersed in His death. We are according to verse 4, to walk in newness of life. The word newness is kainotes which means a new state of life in which the Holy Spirit places in us to produce a new person.
There are a number of passages which talk about the newness of life that God calls the believer to. In Galatians 5:19-24, Paul compares the deeds of the flesh to those of the spirit. Paul concludes this section with the words "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." This is also repeated in verses such as Galatians 2:20; 5:24; Col 3:9,10; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 4:25 and Galatians 5:13.
Paul sees us as a slave to either sin or righteousness. This is the choice that we now have. We can cloth ourselves in the new man and renew our minds in truth. Or the believer can still walk according to the old man and live a life that is in rebellion to the new life he gives us. That is implied by the command to "put on" the new man. We have a choice each day about what we are enslaved to, unlike when we were lost and had no choice about it.
The irony is that even though we are always slaves to something, either righteousness or sin, we are never truly free until we are in Christ. We are free in the sense that we are doing and living for the purpose of which we were created. This is what led Jesus to say in John 8:31-32 "Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed in Him, "If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Paul concludes this section in Romans 6:11 by saying, "Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." This is what Paul considered himself everyday, as dead to the old man and nature and alive to God. It was Christ living through Him to accomplish his will. He was not denying that there was an old nature, but he was surrendering that old nature and putting on the new nature. This is the battle of the believer each day, something that Paul will go into more detail as we go into Romans 6 and 7.
The idea of death and resurrection and new life is prominent in this passage. Before we were slaves of sin and unable to please God by our own actions. Now, Paul says that we have been baptized or immersed in His death. We are according to verse 4, to walk in newness of life. The word newness is kainotes which means a new state of life in which the Holy Spirit places in us to produce a new person.
There are a number of passages which talk about the newness of life that God calls the believer to. In Galatians 5:19-24, Paul compares the deeds of the flesh to those of the spirit. Paul concludes this section with the words "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." This is also repeated in verses such as Galatians 2:20; 5:24; Col 3:9,10; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 4:25 and Galatians 5:13.
Paul sees us as a slave to either sin or righteousness. This is the choice that we now have. We can cloth ourselves in the new man and renew our minds in truth. Or the believer can still walk according to the old man and live a life that is in rebellion to the new life he gives us. That is implied by the command to "put on" the new man. We have a choice each day about what we are enslaved to, unlike when we were lost and had no choice about it.
The irony is that even though we are always slaves to something, either righteousness or sin, we are never truly free until we are in Christ. We are free in the sense that we are doing and living for the purpose of which we were created. This is what led Jesus to say in John 8:31-32 "Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed in Him, "If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Paul concludes this section in Romans 6:11 by saying, "Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." This is what Paul considered himself everyday, as dead to the old man and nature and alive to God. It was Christ living through Him to accomplish his will. He was not denying that there was an old nature, but he was surrendering that old nature and putting on the new nature. This is the battle of the believer each day, something that Paul will go into more detail as we go into Romans 6 and 7.
