Rom 6:3-14 | TNotes | STEP | 6:3 Baptism is the rite of initiation into the Christian faith (see Acts 2:38 , 41 ). It sometimes symbolizes the entire conversion experience, so Paul refers to baptism as the means through which believers are joined to Christ in his death and resurrection (see also Rom 6:4 ). However, baptism has no value apart from faith.

6:3 ^a Baptism is the rite of initiation into the Christian faith (see Acts 2:38 ^b, 41 ^c). It sometimes symbolizes the entire conversion experience, so Paul refers to baptism as the means through which believers are joined to Christ in his death and resurrection (see also Rom 6:4 ^d). However, baptism has no value apart from faith.
6:4 ^e we died and were buried with Christ: The believer’s power over sin and the ability to lead a new life stem from identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (see 6:5 ^f, 8 ^g). From God’s perspective, Jesus’ death to sin (see 6:10 ^h) is ours as well. His rising to new life means that we also begin to lead a new life, and in the future our bodies will also be raised.
6:6 ⁱ our old sinful selves: Our “old selves” are not a nature that we possess or just one part of who we are; it reflects who we were in Adam. All human beings were born “in Adam.” As heirs of the sin and death that he introduced into the world (5:12 ^j), we were slaves to the power of sin. But as people who are now in Christ, we have gone through crucifixion with him (see also Gal 2:20 ^k). When he died on the cross, we also died to the dominating power of sin that ruled in our former selves.
6:8 ^l We will also live with him refers to bodily resurrection with Christ (see 6:5 ^m). While believers are already raised with Christ spiritually (Eph 2:5-6 ⁿ; Col 2:13 ^o), we will also be raised with him bodily at the time of his coming in glory (2 Cor 4:14 ^p; Phil 3:21 ^q; 1 Thes 4:17 ^r; 2 Tim 2:11 ^s).
6:10 ^t he died once to break the power of sin: Because we died with Jesus (6:4-5 ^u), we have also died to sin (6:2 ^v). Jesus was never under sin’s power in the way that we are, because he had no sin nature from Adam and he never succumbed to temptation (2 Cor 5:21 ^w; Heb 4:15 ^x). However, when he became human, he entered the arena where sin holds sway, and he was truly vulnerable to sin.
6:14 ^y you no longer live under the requirements of the law: With the Messiah’s coming, the era governed by the law of Moses came to an end (see Gal 3:19-25 ^z).

• you live under the freedom of God’s grace: God’s dealings with his people have always been characterized by grace, but grace dominates the new era in which Christians live in Christ. Cp. John 1:17 ^aa.