55 to 70 min Examine Paul's refutation of antinomianism: 'Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?' Analyze the theology of baptism as union with Christ in his death, burial, and bodily resurrection. Deconstruct the imperative to count oneself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Evaluate the contrast between slavery to sin leading to death and slavery to God leading to sanctification and eternal life. In Romans 6, Paul confronts the ultimate distortion of justification by grace alone. If where sin increased, grace superabounded (5:20), a cynical critic might argue: 'Why not sin as much as possible so that God's grace may look even more glorious?' Paul answers with the strongest Greek negative: Mē genoito! ('By no means! May it never be!'). Believers cannot live under the ongoing dominion of sin because they have been fundamentally united to Christ in his death and resurrection. The old self was crucified so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless. Writing to a Roman culture immersed in chattel slavery, Paul uses the metaphor of changing masters to illustrate our joyful, total allegiance to righteousness. Having been united with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection, believers are dead to the dominion of sin and alive to God, joyfully serving righteousness in newness of life. 6:1-4: Baptized into Death: Buried and Raised with Christ Paul confronts the antinomian slander: 'What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?' Paul appeals to their baptism: 'Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life (en kainotēti zōēs).' Baptism is not a dry outward symbol, but the visible, spiritual enactment of our definitive union with Christ: immersed into his death, buried in the tomb, and raised to walk in supernatural resurrection power. 6:5-10: United in Resurrection: The Crucified Old Self Paul explains the organic reality: '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. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.' Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 6:11-14: Count Yourselves Dead to Sin: Instruments of Righteousness Paul issues the first practical command (imperative) in the entire epistle of Romans: 'In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.' Believers must reckon this theological reality as factual. 'Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.' Paul gives the magnificent promise: 'For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.' 6:15-23: Slaves of Righteousness: The Free Gift of Eternal Life Paul addresses the second objection: 'Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!' Everyone is a slave to whatever they obey: either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness. Paul thanks God: though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from the heart the pattern of teaching (typon didachēs) that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. When you were slaves to sin, what benefit did you reap from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness (sanctification, hagiasmos), and the result is eternal life. Paul concludes with one of Scripture's greatest aphorisms: 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Newness of Life (Kainotēs Zōēs) The fresh, inaugurated resurrection life imparted by the Holy Spirit to the believer, replacing the old order of fallen existence. Old Self (Palaios Anthrōpos) The person we were in Adam under the ruling power of sin and death, which was decisively crucified with Christ at the cross. Instruments of Righteousness (Hopla) Hopla carries military connotations (weapons or tools), describing the believer's bodily members surrendered to God as weapons for holy service. Free Gift (Charisma) An unearned, gratuitous gift of divine favor, directly contrasted with the earned wages (opsōnia) of sin which pay out eternal death. Remember who you are in Christ: count yourself dead to sin's claims and fully alive to God's presence every morning. Refuse to let sinful desires dominate your body, mind, or media intake; deliberately surrender your eyes, hands, and speech as instruments of righteousness. Rejoice that as a slave of God, the harvest of your life is sanctification, culminating in the free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Conduct a physical dedication prayer. Stand, open your hands, and pray through your members: 'Lord, I dedicate my eyes, hands, feet, mind, and mouth to You today as instruments of righteousness. Sin will not be my master, for I am under Your grace.' Lord Jesus, we have been buried with You through baptism into death, and raised with You by the glory of the Father to walk in newness of life. We thank You that our old self was crucified with You and sin no longer holds dominion over us. Forgive us when we listen to the deceitful whispers of our old master. Take our bodies, our thoughts, and our desires, and consecrate them as weapons of righteousness in Your hands. Fill us with the joyful freedom of holy obedience, and keep our eyes fixed on Your eternal gift of life. In Your triumphant name, Amen. How does Paul respond in Romans 6:1-2 to the question: 'Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?' Yes, because grace covers all future sins automatically By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Only on Jewish festival days It depends on the individual conscience By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:2 delivers the resounding rejection: 'By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?' According to Romans 6:4, why were believers buried with Christ through baptism into death? In order that we too may walk in newness of life To prove our physical endurance To escape civic taxes in the Roman Empire To qualify for leadership in the Jerusalem temple In order that we too may walk in newness of life Romans 6:4 states that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. What is the very first explicit command (imperative) Paul gives in Romans 6:11? Fast twice a week Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus Travel to Jerusalem to bring an offering Memorize the ten commandments Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus Romans 6:11 commands: 'In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.' What sharp contrast does Paul draw in Romans 6:23 between sin and God? Sin pays wages of death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus Sin brings poverty, but God brings material wealth Sin lasts for a day, but God's law lasts for a year Sin is forgotten, but God's law remains unchanged Sin pays wages of death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus Romans 6:23 contrasts the earned payment of sin with the unmerited grace of God: 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 6:1-23 Colossians 3:1-17 Galatians 2:19-21 Theological Exposition: Union with Christ and Sanctification in Romans 6 Write 700 to 900 words examining the doctrine of union with Christ and the theology of sanctification in Romans 6. Explain why justification by faith does not lead to antinomian moral license. Analyze the meaning of baptism as participation in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ in [Rome](/bible/explorer/place/rome). Examine the distinction between the indicative (who we are in Christ) and the imperative (how [Paul](/bible/explorer/person/paul) commands us to live). Deconstruct the contrast between slavery to sin and slavery to righteousness resulting in holiness. Demonstrate deep understanding of Reformed/evangelical sanctification, accurate handling of Pauline Greek terms, avoid prohibited compound hyphens, and meet the word count range. Does baptism in Romans 6:3-4 refer to water baptism or Holy Spirit baptism? Most biblical commentators (Moo, Schreiner, Cranfield) recognize that in the early church, water baptism was the outward, public initiation inextricably linked to the inward spiritual reality of Spirit baptism and regeneration. Paul references the physical rite as a vivid sign of the spiritual union with Christ that occurs through faith. Does 'our old self was crucified' (6:6) mean believers no longer possess a sinful nature? No. The 'old self' (palaios anthrōpos) refers to our corporate identity and status under Adam's dominion. That regime was decisively broken at the cross. However, until our bodily resurrection, the residual power of the flesh still tempts our mortal bodies, requiring us to actively count ourselves dead to sin and refuse its reign (6:11-12). Richard B. Gaffin Jr., Resurrection and Redemption: A Study in Paul's Soteriology, P&R Publishing, 1987. Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT), Eerdmans, 1996, pp. 356-410. John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, Eerdmans, 1968, Vol. 1. Gaffin Jr., Richard B. Resurrection and Redemption. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1987. Moo, Douglas J. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996. Ferguson, Sinclair B. The Holy Spirit. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996. Why is cheap grace (the idea that we can deliberately sin because God will forgive) so completely incompatible with true union with Christ? What does it mean practically in daily life to 'offer your body as an instrument of righteousness'? How does knowing that sin is no longer your master give you courage when facing strong temptation? Emphasize the vital connection between chapters 5 and 6: justification leads inevitably to sanctification. Contrast the two slavery regimes: Sin (Shame, Fruitlessness, Death) vs. God (Freedom, Sanctification, Eternal Life). Lead the group in a prayer of surrender, yielding their members to God for his service. Sinclair B. Ferguson, The Whole Christ, Crossway, 2016. Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans (BECNT), Baker Academic, 2018.