A Broke Evangelist

November 10, 2024

Romans 6:1-4

Secured by God's Grace

“1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Okay, so now it’s time for me to head into Romans 6. This is #2 of the "100 Most Important Chapters" study that I’m attempting—the initial milestone on this big journey through scripture, telling me I can do at least one chapter at a time. In Romans 6, we explore two main ideas: believers under grace and the challenge of habitual sin, and believers under grace and the challenge of occasional sin.

Verse 1 opens with a thought-provoking question: should we go on sinning just to receive more grace? Verse 2 responds with a clear "no"—a life of sin doesn’t fit with who we are now, having died to sin. Verses 3 and 4 illustrate this transformation through baptism, symbolizing our death to sin and new life. In verses 5–10, Paul delves into what it means to share in Jesus’s death and resurrection, and then, in verses 11 and 12, he brings it down to earth with some practical guidance. Finally, verses 13 and 14 encourage us to walk in the freedom Jesus has given us—free from the chains of sin.

The second part of Romans 6 tackles occasional sin and kicks off with verse 15’s question: since we’re under grace, can we sin occasionally? Verses 16 and 17 lay out some spiritual principles to help answer that. Verse 18 reminds us why we shouldn’t dabble in sin—because sin is no longer our master. Finally, verses 19–23 wrap up with advice on staying free and not falling back into sin’s grip.

This chapter gives us a powerful roadmap for living out our freedom in Christ! So, let’s read Romans 6…

Romans 6:1 - What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

The question here is this: Should we keep living in sin just to get more grace?

In Romans 5:20, Paul introduces an amazing truth: where sin increased, grace increased all the more. But now, he wonders if people might misunderstand this as a license to keep sinning since God’s grace is always greater than sin. After all, if God loves sinners, why worry about sin? If God’s grace is for sinners, why not sin more and receive more grace? Some even joke that sinning is their job and forgiving is God’s job, so everyone just needs to do their part! This idea isn’t new. In the early 20th century, a Russian monk named Gregory Rasputin taught something similar. Rasputin believed that the more someone sinned, the more grace they’d receive upon repenting. By this logic, he figured those who sinned without restraint could enjoy God’s grace even more than ordinary sinners. He even practiced this “theology” in his own life, living notoriously and teaching others that his sinful way of life was actually a path to salvation. This is an extreme example of the question Paul is tackling: “Shall we keep on sinning so grace can keep abounding?”

But the question isn’t limited to extremists. Even in less dramatic ways, the same issue comes up. Is grace really “safe”? Won’t people take advantage of it? If salvation is based on faith and not works, what’s to stop someone from saying “I believe” and then doing whatever they please? From a natural or secular perspective, grace does seem risky. This is why some people avoid teaching grace entirely, preferring rules and laws to guide behavior. They’re concerned that if people believe God’s love and salvation don’t depend on their works, they’ll have no reason to stay on the straight and narrow. They worry that if people are confident in their security with Jesus because of His work, they’ll lose all motivation for holy living. Paul’s question in Romans 6 reminds us that grace is indeed powerful, but it isn’t a free pass to live however we want. Grace changes us, inviting us into a new way of living, not just covering up the old.

I’ve got a grammar lesson as well…the verb tense of "continue in sin" (present active) shows that Paul is talking about the ongoing, habitual practice of sin. In this first part of Romans 6, he’s addressing the person who sticks with a sinful lifestyle, thinking it’s perfectly fine—even beneficial—because it allows grace to keep increasing. Paul’s point? Grace isn’t a reason to stay in sin but an invitation to break free from it.

Romans 6:2 - By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

The answer to the first question above is that living a life of sin isn’t an option—our death to sin has completely changed our relationship with it.

To Paul, the idea of continuing in sin just so grace can abound is unthinkable. His phrase "Certainly not!" is strong—like saying, “Perish the thought!” or “Forget that idea entirely!” When he asks, "How can we live in it any longer?" he’s laying down an important principle. When we’re born again—when we’ve trusted Jesus for our salvation—our relationship with sin is forever changed. We’ve died to it! So if we’re dead to sin, why would we keep living in it? It simply doesn’t make sense to stay tied to something we’ve left behind.

Imagine you’re working a miserable job that’s draining the life out of you. Then one day, you’re offered a fantastic new job that pays better, has great benefits, and gives you real joy and purpose. You gladly accept the new position, say goodbye to the old one, and start fresh.  Now, a few weeks later, you get up, put on your old uniform, and show up at your old job as if nothing has changed. People would think you’re out of your mind! Why would anyone willingly go back to the job they left behind? This is what Paul is getting at. When we put our faith in Jesus, we’ve left behind the “old job” of living in sin. We’ve been given a new life, a new purpose, and real freedom. So why go back to the old way when we’ve already moved on? It just doesn’t make sense!

Paul still has a lot to explain about what he means by "died to sin," but the main idea is crystal clear—Christians have died to sin, so they shouldn’t keep living in it. Before, we were *dead in sin* (Ephesians 2:1); now, we’re *dead to sin,” and that’s a big difference!

Romans 6:3 – Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 

So, I learned something new about the ancient Greek word for “baptized.” While I knew it meant to “immerse” I didn’t realize that it means to “overwhelm” or “covering over.” The Bible uses this idea of baptism in a few different ways. For example, when a person is baptized in water, they’re immersed, or fully covered, with water. When someone is baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:5), they’re “immersed” or “covered over” by the Spirit. And when they’re baptized with suffering (Mark 10:39), it means they’re “immersed” in suffering, although “overwhelmed” seems more appropriate.

Think of it like this: You’re about to dive into a pool. When you jump in, you’re completely *immersed*—the water covers you from head to toe. But let’s say you’re not just in the pool; the pool is now *all around you,* completely surrounding you, even filling every part of your clothes. That’s what the ancient Greek word for “baptized” really captures—it’s not just getting wet, it’s being overwhelmed and fully surrounded by something. When you’re baptized in water, you’re literally submerged, completely covered by the water. When you’re baptized with the Holy Spirit, it’s like being surrounded and filled by the Spirit, not just a sprinkle but a total covering. And when you're baptized with suffering, it’s like being overwhelmed by hardship, just like diving into a deep pool. Here, Paul talks about being baptized in Christ Jesus—immersed and completely covered over by Him, just like you’d be surrounded by water when you jump in.

Romans 6:4 - were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Water baptism (being baptized into Christ) is like a dramatic reenactment of the believer’s deep connection with Jesus—it's an "acting out" of being fully immersed in His death and resurrection. It's a powerful way to show that we’ve been united with Him in both His sacrifice and His victory over death!

Paul uses the image of going under the water as a picture of being buried and coming up from the water as a picture of rising from the dead. Baptism is also associated with cleansing but, except for Paul’s point here, that’s not the main focus. Baptism is a powerful illustration of spiritual reality, but it doesn’t create that reality. If someone hasn’t spiritually died and risen with Jesus, no amount of baptism will make it happen. So, Paul makes a clear point: something dramatic and life-changing needs to have happened in the believer’s life. After all, you can’t die and rise again without it completely changing who you are! The believer has truly experienced (in a spiritual sense) a death and resurrection with Jesus Christ.

As an example, there are some motion picture actors and actresses who identify so much with their character, they insist on living like that character while the production is happening. They literally believe during that time that they are that person, dress like that person, live like that person, and even insist on people calling them by their character’s name. So, imagine if this person stars in a movie where he or she experiences a dramatic death, followed by a triumphant resurrection, symbolizing a profound inner transformation. As they perform their scenes, they are acting out a powerful reality, but it doesn’t change their actual life—once the director says “cut,” they’re still the same person they were when they walked in front of the camera. This is how Paul sees baptism: it’s like that dramatic scene in the movie, illustrating the death of our old self and our new life in Christ. But if this "death and resurrection" hasn’t happened inside us for real—if we haven’t truly experienced a life-changing connection with Jesus—then baptism is just a performance, a symbol without substance.

Paul’s point is that we need the real-life transformation. When we spiritually “die” to our old self and “rise” with Jesus, it’s a profound, life-altering experience. Just like how that actor can’t come back to life unchanged, a believer who’s experienced this spiritual resurrection with Christ is forever transformed, both inside and out!

That is worth more than any Oscar trophy any day!

More to come…

A Broke Evangelist – November 10, 2024

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