In Romans 6:2 Paul declares that the Christian has died with reference to sin. When interpreting this statement two things should be kept in mind. Firstly, as noted earlier, in this context the term "sin" refers to the sinful disposition. Secondly, the case that Paul uses for the noun translated "to sin" is primarily a case of personal relations even when applied to things. In light of these two things Paul is saying that the Christian has died with reference to the personal relationship which he had with his sinful disposition while in the unregenerate state.

Since in Romans 6 the Christian’s death with Christ is once-for-all and completed, and since the unregenerate person’s relationship with his sinful disposition is a master-slave relationship, it can be concluded that Paul is teaching the following: through his death with Christ the person loses completely and once-for-all the master-slave relationship which he had with his sinful disposition while in the unregenerate state; the sinful disposition loses completely and forever its legal position of master over the person; and the person loses completely and forever his position of slave under his sinful disposition.

In Romans 6:6 Paul declares that one purpose for the old man’s crucifixion with Christ is "that our body of sin might be done away with."

Scholars have proposed four different interpretations of the expression "body of sin."

Firstly, some believe that it refers to the sin nature or disposition. Secondly, a few claim that by "body of sin" Paul means all sin in one mass considered figuratively as a body. In other words, it is the sum total of all sinful acts. Thirdly, others see the "body of sin" as the person who sins. Fourthly, a number of scholars regard the "body of sin" as the physical body of the unregenerate man characterized as an instrument of service to the sinful disposition. Gifford states this view: "This is the body of the old man that was crucified, that is to say, it is the natural body in its old condition, as the servant of sin."

Those who hold to the fourth view are careful to assert what they do not mean by their view. They do not mean that the physical body by itself is sinful or the source of sin. They are right in this, for Adam before the fall had a body and yet was without sin, and Jesus Christ had a human body and also was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Thus, according to this view, the body of the unregenerate man is not the source of sin; instead it serves as the instrument of the sinful disposition. In this sense the human body is the "body of sin."

The author is convinced that this last view is correct for several reasons. Firstly, this view is consistent with the meaning which Paul attaches to the term "body" every other time he uses that term in this context. He calls the body "your mortal body" (Romans 6:12; 8:11), and he talks of "the members of your body" being presented as instruments to sin (6:13). In Romans 7:23 Paul mentions a law which operates in "the members of my body." In Romans 8:10 he contrasts body with spirit. In Romans 8:23 he talks about the future redemption of the body. These references indicate that in the context of Romans 6:6 Paul’s concept of body is that of the natural human body.

Secondly, this view is consistent with the master-slave analogy which Paul uses in Romans 6. Just as the slave’s body is ruled by the master, so the unregenerate man’s body is ruled by his master, the sinful disposition.

Thirdly, this view is consistent with the case of the word "sin" in the expression "body of sin." Moule specifically declares that in Romans 6:6 this case has a strong adjectival use. As a result, the expression "body of sin" has the force of "sin-possessed body." It refers to the body that is possessed or controlled by the sinful disposition.

What did Paul mean when he said that the body of sin might be "done away with"? The literal meaning of the expression "done away with" is "to put out of business" or "to dissolve business relationships." Paul uses the same verb again in Romans 7:2 and 7:6. In both instances he uses it to express release from a relationship to law. In light of this, it would appear that in this context Paul uses the verb to express the termination of a relationship.

In light of the meanings of "body of sin" and "done away with" the following conclusion can be drawn: the first purpose of death with Christ is the termination of the relationship which exists between the unregenerate man’s physical body and his sinful disposition. The unregenerate man’s physical body is the servant of his sinful disposition. It is a sin-controlled body. It is obligated to function as an instrument of sin. When the unregenerate man dies with Christ his physical body terminates its former relationship with the sinful disposition. No longer is it the servant of the sinful disposition. No longer is it obligated to function as an instrument of sin. It ceases to be the "body of sin."

The termination of this relationship is impossible unless the master-slave relationship between the sinful disposition and the person who has the body also terminates. Thus, the first purpose of death with Christ implies that, when the person dies with Christ, his sinful disposition loses its position of master over him, and he loses his position of slave to that disposition.

Paul continues Romans 6:6 by stating that the second purpose for the old man’s crucifixion with Christ is "that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

The term "no longer" implies that at one time Paul and his readers had been slaves to their sinful dispositions, but they died with Christ for the purpose of not continuing any longer in that relationship.

The expression "be slaves" refers to "one that is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will altogether swallowed up in the will of the other."

The second purpose, then, for the unregenerate person’s death with Christ is the permanent termination of the relationship of slavery to his sinful disposition into which he was bound for life.

In Romans 6:4 Paul states that the third purpose for the unregenerate man’s death with Christ is "in order that … we too might walk in newness of life." Verse 5 explains why this walk in newness of life is possible. The person who is united with Christ in His death is also united with Him in His resurrection. Paul is teaching that there is some sense in which a person actually experiences resurrection with Christ when that person becomes a Christian.

What is the nature of this resurrection which the person experiences through union with Christ? Certainly the person is not resurrected physically at the moment he becomes a Christian, for he did not die physically before becoming a Christian. Again, he is not resurrected metaphysically, for he is the same person metaphysically after the new birth as before the new birth. He continues to have the same personal name, background, parents, place of employment, and residence.

The person who believes in Christ is resurrected in the sense that he becomes a regenerate person, the "new man," with the new disposition and the Holy Spirit within him. Thus, it is a spiritual resurrection. The new disposition and Holy Spirit give him a newness of life which produces a new walk or way of life. This will be treated more fully as the study progresses.

Paul clearly indicates that the new walk is to be characterized by righteousness (Romans 6:13, 19). Such a righteous walk would be impossible if the Christian were to continue in the master-slave relationship with his sinful disposition after the new birth. Thus, the third purpose of death with Christ implies that when the person dies with Christ his sinful disposition loses its position of master over him, and he loses his position of slave to that disposition.

In Romans 6:7 Paul states the result of death with Christ: the person who has died "is freed from sin." In other words, the person is freed from his sinful disposition or nature.

This statement of Paul prompts an important question. In what sense is the person who has died with Christ freed from his sinful disposition? At least four different answers to this question have been proposed. Firstly, some say that, when the person dies with Christ, he is freed from the presence of his sinful disposition. This would mean that the Christian has no sinful disposition. This view must be rejected, for it is contrary to what other Scriptures teach. Passages such as Romans 7:14-25 clearly indicate that the sinful disposition is still present and active within the believer.

Secondly, others claim that the person who has died with Christ is freed from the power or influence of sin. The sinful disposition is with the Christian, but it cannot exert influence in his life anymore. This view also runs contrary to Romans 7:14-25 which demonstrates that the sinful disposition can exert power or influence in the life of the Christian.

Thirdly, a number of scholars believe that Romans 6:7 is teaching that, when a person dies with Christ, God judicially declares him to be free from the guilt, penalty, and judgment of sin. They base this view upon the fact that the word translated "freed" is a legal term.

Proponents of this third view are correct when they point out that Paul normally uses the word translated "freed" in the sense of God judicially declaring a person free from the guilt, penalty, and judgment of sin. In spite of this normal usage, however, the author rejects this third view for several reasons.

Firstly, in the section covered by Romans 6-8 Paul deals with sanctification, not justification in the normal sense. In Romans 6:1-2 he talks about continuing or living in the sphere of sin. In verse 12 he mentions sin reigning in the mortal body and persons rendering obedience to its lusts. In Romans 7:14-25 he talks about practicing evil rather than good, and in Romans 8:1-4 he refers to the Christian’s walk. In all these statements Paul is referring to a manner of living, not to guilt, penalty, and judgment, or to justification from these things.

Secondly, the third view has the Christian freed merely from the consequences of sin, but Paul states that the Christian is freed from sin itself.

Thirdly, this third view does not fit the master-slave analogy which Paul uses in the context. Paul presents the analogy of a slave rendering obedient service to his master and of that slave being freed from the same master. Although it makes sense to think of a person being freed from guilt, penalty, and judgment, it does not make sense to think of a person rendering obedient service to these things.

The fourth view, maintained by several scholars, asserts that the person who has died with Christ has been freed from the sinful disposition itself in the sense that he has lost it as his master. The sinful disposition is still with the person, but it no longer holds its legal position of master over him.

Scholars who hold this view recognize that it has Paul using the term translated "freed" in a different sense from the way that he normally uses it. It has him using it for release from a relationship formerly existing with the sinful disposition.

These same scholars hasten to point out two things concerning this seemingly unusual use of the term. Firstly, this use did appear in ancient literature; therefore it was known in Paul’s day. Secondly, even with this use the term continues to maintain its legal sense. Sanday and Headlam declare: "The idea is that of a master claiming legal possession of a slave: proof being put in that the slave is dead, the verdict must needs be that the claims of law are satisfied and that he is no longer answerable; sin loses its suit."

The author accepts this fourth view as the correct one for several reasons. Firstly, this view fits best with the master-slave analogy which Paul uses in this context. As noted earlier, the key idea in the word for "master" in Romans 6:14 is that of a legal position of authority. In Paul’s day a master held a legal position of authority over a slave. This gave the master the right to control every aspect of the slave’s total being. The slave was obligated to render complete obedience to the dictates of his master. This legal master-slave relationship was terminated by the death of the slave.

By analogy Paul is teaching that the sinful disposition holds the legal position of master over the unregenerate man, and the unregenerate man holds the position of slave under his sinful disposition. This gives the sinful disposition the right to control every aspect of the unregenerate man’s total being. The unregenerate man is obligated to render complete obedience to the dictates of his sinful disposition. This master-slave relationship is terminated by the unregenerate man’s death with Christ. The person who dies with Christ is freed from his sinful disposition in the sense that it loses its legal position of master over him. Thus, death with Christ results in legal freedom from a legal master-slave relationship.

Secondly, the fourth view gives Romans 6:7 the meaning which most logically explains the last clause of Romans 6:6: "that we should no longer be slaves to sin." Since Paul begins verse seven with the word "for," it seems apparent that he is explaining why the person who dies with Christ ceases to be a slave to his sinful disposition. The reason is this: he who has died has been freed from his sinful disposition in the sense that he has lost it as his master. Death has terminated that master-slave relationship.

Renald E. Showers is a graduate of Philadelphia College of Bible and holds degrees from Wheaton College, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Grace Theological Seminary. He presently is on the staff of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc. and serves on the faculty of the Institute of Biblical Studies. He has been a guest Bible Conference teacher at the Duluth Bible Church.