Scripture: Romans 6: 5-9
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
Scripture Commentary: In Christ our old self is dead.
The power and penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross. Our “old self,” our sinful nature, died once and for all. We are freed from its power.
The “body of sin” is not the human body but our rebellious, sin-loving nature inherited from Adam. Although our body willingly cooperates with our sinful nature, we must not regard the body as evil. It is the sin in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our body that is defeated.
Christ’s children stand ‘not guilty’ before God.
Paul has already stated that through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, “not guilty” before God. Paul emphasizes here that we need no longer live under sin’s power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots. We will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin.
The difference is that before we were saved, we were slaves to our sinful nature. But now we can choose to live for Christ. That assurance frees us to enjoy fellowship with Him, and a desire to do His will.
We have a new start.
The Holy Spirit will help us become what Christ has declared us to be. We are His children.
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