Rom 6:1-4 | PNT | STEP | Dying and Living with Christ SUMMARY OF ROMANS 6: Death by Sin. Burial with Christ. Rising to a New Life. Those Dead Not Under the Dominion of Sin. Hence, Consecrated to a New Life. Once the Servants of Sin, but After Baptism the Servants of. Jesus Christ. The Wages of Sin. The Gift of God. Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound ? In the last chapter the apostle has shown that the existence of sin called out the grace of God in forgiveness. Now the object is raised. If that is so, why not continue in sin so that God's grace would more abound?

Romans 6:1-4

Dying and Living with Christ SUMMARY OF ROMANS 6: Death by Sin. Burial with Christ. Rising to a New Life. Those Dead Not Under the Dominion of Sin. Hence, Consecrated to a New Life. Once the Servants of Sin, but After Baptism the Servants of. Jesus Christ. The Wages of Sin. The Gift of God.

Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? In the last chapter the apostle has shown that the existence of sin called out the grace of God in forgiveness. Now the object is raised. If that is so, why not continue in sin so that God's grace would more abound? God forbid. "By no means", as in the Revised Version. The answer is emphatic. The thought is abhorrent, and the thing impossible from the very nature of the Christian life. The Christian life begins with a death to sin.

How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer in it? The Revised Version says, "Who died to sin". That is correct. The Greek verb "apothnesko" is in the past tense. A fact is referred to that occurred in the past. Death is a separation. When we severed our relation with sin, we died to it. If we have cut loose from it, how can we continue in it? So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, etc. The fact that every follower of Christ has died to sin is shown by his baptism. All its symbolism points to death. To be "baptized into Christ" means to enter into a vital union with him, so as to be found in him. See Ga 3:27.

Were baptized into his death. But this baptism into Christ implies death, for it is a baptism into the death of Christ. That the subjects of baptism are partakers of his death is shown by the form of baptism. It is a burial. We are buried with him by baptism into death. The argument is that a burial implies death. Baptism is a burial, therefore its subject has died. As Christ died through sin, we die to sin; as the Crucified Christ was buried, we who have died to sin through the gospel are buried with him. As death and burial separate from the natural life, so death to sin and burial into Christ should completely sever our relation to sin.

That like as Christ was raised up from the dead. The glorious power of the Father lifted up Christ from the tomb. So we, too, rise from the watery burial, with death and burial between us and the old life of sin, in order to "walk in newness of life". Conybeare and Howson write: ``This passage cannot be understood unless it is borne in mind that the primitive baptism was by immersion.'' Dr. Philip Schaff says: ``That the custom of baptism by immersion is alluded to is generally admitted, but the emersion is as significant as the immersion.'' Godet states: ``It seems to us very probable that the apostle alludes to the external form of the baptismal rite in the primitive church.'' And John Wesley says: ``The apostle alludes to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion.''