
Romans 6
Romans 6 is a pivotal chapter in Paul's epistle to the Romans, focusing on the transformative power of grace and the believer's relationship with sin. In this chapter, Paul addresses how believers, through baptism into Christ Jesus, have died to sin and are now called to live a new life in alignment with their identity in Christ. The core message emphasizes that grace is not a license to sin but a powerful motivator for sanctification and a life dedicated to God.
Romans 6:1-2 (NKJV)
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Paul anticipates a misunderstanding of grace—that if grace covers all sin, believers might think they can continue sinning. He firmly rejects this notion. For those who have come to faith in Christ, they are considered to have "died" to sin, meaning they are no longer enslaved or controlled by it. To continue living in sin is incompatible with their new identity in Christ, who has set them free from the power of sin.
Romans 6:3-4 (NKJV)
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Paul explains that baptism symbolizes the believer’s participation in Christ’s death. By being “buried” with Christ through baptism, the old life dominated by sin is put to death. Just as Christ was raised to new life, believers are raised to live in a new way, characterized by righteousness. This newness of life is a call to walk in freedom from sin’s power, reflecting the transformation brought by grace.
Romans 6:5 (NKJV)
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Paul asserts a future hope: just as believers share in Christ’s death, they will also share in His resurrection. Ephesians 2:5-6 underscores that believers, once spiritually dead, are now made alive with Christ. Not only are they raised up, but they are also seated with Christ in the heavenly realms, signifying a present state of honor and authority in the spiritual realm.
Romans 6:6 (NKJV):
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Paul explains that the "old man" refers to the sinful nature that once controlled believers. This old self was crucified with Christ, meaning it was put to death, so that sin's power over them could be broken. The "body of sin" represents the physical body under sin's control, which has been rendered powerless. As a result, believers are no longer enslaved to sin. Through Christ’s death, they are freed from sin’s dominion and able to live in righteousness.
Romans 6:7 (NKJV):
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Paul is referring to a spiritual death here. When believers are united with Christ in His death, they experience a spiritual death to sin. This means that sin no longer has dominion over them, as they are no longer under its control. This spiritual death breaks the power and influence of sin, freeing them from being slaves to it. As a result, they are now able to live a new life, empowered by the Holy Spirit to pursue righteousness instead of being bound by sin’s grip.
Romans 6:8 (NKJV):
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
Paul emphasizes that believers who have died with Christ through spiritual death are also promised life with Him. This new life is not only in the future resurrection but begins now, as believers are spiritually alive in Christ. Their union with Christ's death assures them of their participation in His resurrection. This life is characterized by a new relationship with God, where they are empowered to live in righteousness and experience the fullness of life in Christ both now and in eternity.
Romans 6:9 (NKJV)
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
Paul affirms the permanence of Christ’s resurrection. After being raised from the dead, Christ is no longer subject to death—He has conquered it once and for all. Death no longer has any authority or power over Him. This victory over death is also a promise for believers: just as Christ will never die again, those who are united with Him in His death and resurrection share in this triumph over death and the assurance of eternal life.
Romans 6:10 (NKJV)
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Paul emphasizes that Christ’s death to sin was a one-time, complete act. This means He fully dealt with sin, breaking its hold over humanity. Now that Christ has risen from the dead, His life is entirely lived for God, in unbroken communion. This sets the example for believers: just as Christ died to sin and now lives for God, so too should they live in ongoing devotion to God, free from sin’s dominion.
Romans 6:11 (NKJV)
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul calls believers to view themselves as dead to sin, just as Christ died to sin. This is not merely symbolic but a spiritual reality. Through their union with Christ, they have been freed from sin’s power. At the same time, believers are called to see themselves as alive to God through Christ, meaning they now live in fellowship with Him and are empowered to live in righteousness. Their identity is no longer shaped by sin but by their relationship with God.
Romans 6:12 (NKJV)
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
Paul urges believers not to allow sin to dominate their physical bodies. Although sin may still tempt them, they are no longer under its control. By commanding them not to "let" sin reign, Paul emphasizes that they have the power, through Christ, to resist sin's influence. Sin’s desires, or lusts, should no longer dictate their actions. Instead, they are to live in a way that reflects their new life in Christ, no longer being ruled by sinful inclinations.
Romans 6:13 (NKJV):
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Paul instructs believers not to offer their bodies (their "members") as tools for sin to use in unrighteous behavior. Instead, they should offer themselves to God as those who have been made alive, transformed by their new life in Christ. Their bodies are now to be used for righteousness, serving God's purposes. This reflects the shift in their identity—from being instruments of sin to being dedicated to God’s will and righteousness.
Romans 6:14 (NKJV)
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Paul reassures believers that sin no longer has control over them. The law, which exposed sin, could not free them from its power. However, under grace, believers are liberated from sin’s rule. Grace not only forgives but empowers them to live in freedom from sin’s control. This grace enables a life of righteousness, breaking the dominion that sin once had. The shift from law to grace is the key to overcoming sin and living in obedience to God.
Romans 6:15 (NKJV)
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
Paul anticipates a possible misunderstanding of grace. Some might think that since they are no longer under the law but under grace, they are free to sin. Paul strongly rejects this idea. Grace is not a license to continue in sin. Rather, it empowers believers to live righteous lives. Being under grace does not mean being free to sin; it means being free from the power of sin and able to live in obedience to God.
Romans 6:16 (NKJV)
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Paul explains that whoever a person chooses to obey becomes their master. If they obey sin, they become slaves to sin, and this leads to spiritual death. On the other hand, if they choose to obey God, they become slaves to righteousness, which leads to life and holiness. The point is that neutrality is not an option: one must either serve sin or righteousness. Through grace, believers are called to serve righteousness, which leads to true life.
Romans 6:17 (NKJV)
17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
Paul thanks God that the believers, though once enslaved by sin, responded wholeheartedly to the gospel ("that form of doctrine"). Their obedience was not just an outward action but came from a sincere heart, transformed by the truth of the gospel. This teaching freed them from their previous bondage to sin and led them into a life of righteousness. Paul is celebrating their shift from slavery to sin to willing obedience to God's truth.
Romans 6:18 (NKJV)
18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Paul highlights the transformation that has occurred in believers. Once enslaved by sin, they have now been set free through Christ. This freedom does not mean autonomy, but rather a new kind of servitude—being slaves of righteousness. This shift signifies that their lives are now dedicated to obeying God and living in alignment with His will. Instead of being bound by sin’s destructive power, they are now empowered to live in righteousness, which leads to life and holiness.
Romans 6:19 (NKJV)
19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
Paul acknowledges the limitations of human understanding and uses a practical example to clarify his point. The believers are urged to devote themselves as fully to righteousness as they once did to sin, which leads to sanctification.
Romans 6:20 (NKJV)
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
This verse highlights that prior to salvation, the believers were not influenced by righteousness, illustrating their complete separation from God’s ways.
Romans 6:21 (NKJV)
21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
Paul urges the believers to reflect on their past life of sin. He asks them to consider the "fruit" or outcome of their former actions—things they are now ashamed of. These sinful behaviors led to no lasting benefit and ultimately resulted in spiritual death. Paul highlights that a life of sin, no matter how it may appear in the moment, ends in separation from God and destruction. This reflection serves as a reminder of the emptiness of their old life compared to the new life in Christ.
Romans 6:22 (NKJV)
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
Paul contrasts the believer's former life with their new reality in Christ. Now that they have been set free from sin, they are no longer its slaves but have become servants of God. The result of this new life is "fruit to holiness"—a life that reflects God’s character and grows in purity. This transformation leads to a final outcome: everlasting life. Unlike the path of sin that leads to death, the path of righteousness in Christ culminates in eternal life with God.
Romans 6:23 (NKJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul summarizes the stark contrast between the two paths. Sin pays wages, and those wages are death—spiritual separation from God and eternal destruction. In contrast, God's gift is not something earned but freely given: eternal life through Jesus Christ. This eternal life is not merely endless existence but a life in fellowship with God, filled with His presence and joy. The verse highlights the grace of God, who offers life as a gift in place of the death that sin brings.