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Why Christians Should Not Continue In SinText: Romans 6 Introduction:
I. We are familiar with verses 3 and 4 of Romans 6.
II. In Romans 5:20-21, the fact that God’s grace is not
meager is shown by that where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound.
A. A lot of times, men look for something to justify
their continuing in sin.
B. Paul knew that some would be tempted to say that we
should continue in sin that grace may abound.
C. Paul answers this in this chapter (Romans 6).
Body:
I. Should a Christian live a life of sin (6:1, 15).
II. The answer.
A. We have died to sin (6:2-11).
1. We have died to sin when we entered into union
with Jesus. This dying to sin involves the whole
process of becoming Christ’s. It speaks of the
sinner’s own renunciation of sin, his being
immersed into union with Christ and it
presupposes the rising into newness of life.
Paul wants to point out that people who die to
sin, can’t logically continue to live in it.
2. We were baptized into Christ, His death, and now
been raised to walk in a new life (6:3-4)
a. Baptized into Christ where all spiritual
blessings are found (Ephesians 1:4),
therefore, it is a moral impossibility to live
in sin.
b. Baptized into Christ’s death
(1) A death caused by sin at the hands of
sinners.
(2) It was a death that was intended to atone
for sin! It was a once-for-all death to
sin!
(3) If we entered into union with such a
death, could we continue to live in sin?
That would be a moral contradiction.
(4) The logic of Paul’s teaching would be a
hatred of that which slew the Master; a
longing to have that sin covered and
appeased for and a decisive severance from
sin.
(5) If a person enters into union with Christ,
He endorses all that Christ endorses and
repudiates all that He repudiates.
c. Baptism is a burial.
d. Now we walk in a new life.
(1) The parallel is drawn between the burial
and resurrection of Christ and the death
and resurrection of the saint.
(2) When Christ died, His Father raised Him up
to a glorious and new life.
(3) The Christian has experienced some
something similar.
(4) It logically flows that if we died
Christ’s death that we will live His life.
(5) We were raised to a new moral and
spiritual life.
3. Verse 5
a. It is logical that if we have united ourselves
with him in the likeness of His death, we by
faith emulates His resurrected life.
b. It is the height of folly to believe that
sinners would identify themselves with
Christ’s death and continue to live in sin.
4. We are no longer slaves to sin (verses 6-7).
a. When we became a Christian, we as a sinner
have been crucified.
b. When a slave dies, he passes from under his
master. His master no longer has dominion
over him.
5. We are alive in Christ (6:8-11).
a. Christ’s death was a sin-destroying death.
b. It was a once-for-all serving-from-sin death.
c. The logical conclusion then is, saints have
died a death which aimed at destroying sin and
severing the one who died from sin. If that
be the case, how can they continue to live in
sin?
B. Do not let sin reign in your body (6:12-14).
1. Have self-control over your body (v. 12).
a. The spirit is charged not to let sin control
the body.
b. 2 Peter 1:6; Galatians 5:22-23.
2. Present yourselves to God, not sin (v.13).
3. You are under grace (v.14).
a. We are under some law, otherwise we could not
sin (1 John 4:1).
b. Under the reign of Christ sin does not have
dominion over any one till he submits to its
control and does not seek forgiveness.
c. How can sin have dominion over one who abhors
it, turns from it, and seeks forgiveness in
God’s appointed way?
C. An illustration from slavery (6:15-23).
1. The question and answer (6:15).
2. You are the servant of whom you obey (6:16-18).
a. There are two choices even for the Christians.
b. One cannot serve both.
3. An exhortation to live a proper life (6:19-20).
a. Once a slave had been transferred to another,
he does not continue to serve the first
master.
b. This should be true for us also.
4. The rewards of each type of servant (6:21-23).
Conclusion: Instead of being a license to sin, grace makes possible our deliverance from sin and obligates us to a new life to which we were raised.
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