ROMAN 6: 1-2
A Verse By Verse Study by Pastor Chester McCalley
THE FIRST QUESTION & ANSWER SECTION: ROMANS 6:1-2
THE FALSE CONCLUSION 6:1
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?"
he word "then" is a particle of inference and introduces a conclusion, either true or false. In this case, the conclusion is false. "Then" ties Romans 6:1 to Romans 5:20. The point made in 5:20 was this: "...where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Does this mean that the Christian is to live a life of sin in order that the greatness of God's grace may be displayed more and more?
It is important to distinguish a logical conclusion and a biblical conclusion. A conclusion such as the one introduced in Romans 6 is rational and logical, but it is not true and biblical ¾ that is, that we may sin that grace may abound. Paul sets out to deal with this problem in chapter 6. In so doing, he assumes the form of a philosophical argument and imagines the questions an opponent would present him.
What does the word "sin" mean? We may dismiss the idea of an act or acts of sin because the word is a noun, not a verb. The word has a definite article with it and may be literally translated "the sin." This is called an article of previous reference and may be translated "the aforementioned sin." From this point we trace backward to find that previous reference. This takes us to Romans 5:21 where we have the "sin" that "reigned." Paul is speaking of the sin that desires to reign in the believer's life.
We call this the sin nature. It refers to the inner propensity to sin. It is also called "the flesh" in Galatians 5 and the old self in Colossians 3 (old man in KJV). I John 1:8-10 distinguishes "sin" (verse 8) from "sinned" (verse 10). The former is the sin nature, whereas the latter refers to the act of sin.
The key to Romans 6 lies in this: What affect did the cross have on our sin nature? This is the theme of 6:1-23.
The verb "continue" carries with it two ideas. First, its tense points to an ongoing relationship; second it denotes a cordial relationship. Shall we continue a cordial response to the desire of the sin nature; and if not, by what power do we overcome it? The answers lie before us.
THE PASSIONATE RESPONSE 6:2a
"May it never be!"
This is a very strong negative and is a favorite of Paul (mh genoito). Notice the same expression in 3:4, 6. Paul is repelled by the thought of sinning so that grace may abound. "Perish the thought" would convey the meaning. There are certain thoughts that are so abominable that they should not even be entertained. That we should sin that grace might abound is one of those thoughts. This idea is both reprehensible and irrational as the rest of chapter 6 will teach.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSE 6:2b-14
1) The cross of Christ brought a separation from the sin nature (Romans 6:2).
"How shall we who died to sin still live in it."
a) The translation
Both KJV and NASB put the word "how" with the whole sentence. In the GNT the word "how" stands directly in front of the words "still live in it", and this placement makes an important difference.
It shows that the first half of verse 2 focuses on an indisputable fact; the second half of verse 2 focuses on a question rising out of that fact.
Paul is discussing a mechanical impossibility. He is asking, "How can a floor lamp that is unplugged give light?"
b) The verb "we died"
The verb "died" expresses the objective work of the cross. The aorist tense points to a definite event. It should be translated "we died," not "we are dead." To say "we are dead" causes us to think of our present condition; "we died" correctly takes us to a past event that occurred at the cross. Romans 6 tells us what happened to us when Christ died on the cross. This doctrine of identification with Christ in His death is seldom taught, but is essential Christian doctrine that is vital to our perspective on the Christian life.
Notice the emphasis on our involvement in His death in Romans 6:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 19. This death with Christ is a historical reality. It is not "putting self to death"; it is not "crucifying the old man"; it is something that happened to us when Christ died. It is a fact to be believed.
What does this death mean? The basic idea of the word death is separation. In physical death, it refers to the separation of the body from the soul and spirit; whereas in spiritual death, it is the separation of soul and spirit from God. Here it describes our relationship to our sin nature. He does not say our sin nature died; it says we died to our sin nature. The cross did something significant with regard to our sin nature. It cut us from it. The effectiveness of this work in our experience is in the measure we know and believe this fact.
The cross of Christ dealt with our sins and our sin. The cross did something relative to our acts of sin and our sin nature. He died to pay the penalty of sins; He also died to deliver from the power of sin.
2) The cross of Christ brought an identification with His death (Romans 6:3).
"Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?"
(1) The meaning of the word "baptized"
The meaning of a word is always determined by its usage. Unfortunately, the word baptize (or any of its forms) is always transliterated, never translated. A transliteration gives us the letters of the Greek word, whereas a translation gives the meaning of the word. A study of each use of this word shows it means "to place into or to identify."
Romans 6 is dealing with the doctrine of identification. We are identified with Christ's person and work in such a way that we partake of the benefits of His death, burial, and resurrection. This is the doctrine brought to us in Romans 6-8, and we begin with a general survey of the types of baptism in the New Testament.
(2) The six kinds of baptism
(a) There are three "wet" baptisms (the element into which a person is identified is water)
(b) There are three "dry" baptisms
b) We are baptized into His death
What does it mean to be identified with Christ in His death?
First, it means we participate in all the benefits and accomplishments of His death.
Second, it means His death satisfied all the righteous demands of God the Father: we are personally identified with that accomplishment.
Third, it means His death made a full payment for sin so that it is no longer an issue: we are personally identified with that accomplishment.
Fourth, it means that in His death He took the full brunt of divine wrath once for all: we are personally identified with that accomplishment.
Finally, it means His death struck the final blow to our sin natures, providing a completely adequate salvation from sin and sins: we are personally identified with this accomplishment. The nature and results of this aspect of baptism spoken of in Romans 6 will be the subject of the following articles in this series.
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