Romans 6:1-11: a reflection

1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 7For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him! 10For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. 11Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul explains what it means that we have died with Christ and been raised with him. Through baptism into Christ, we were united with him in his death and resurrection; our old self was crucified with him, that we might no longer be enslaved to sin, and we are raised to walk in newness of life. And he draws the conclusion: consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. We are to reckon ourselves what we are in Christ: dead to sin, alive to God.

Notice the reckoning Paul calls for: consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God. This is not pretending something untrue, but reckoning as true what is true in Christ. Having died with Christ, we have died to sin, and its dominion over us is broken; having been raised with Christ, we are alive to God, freed to walk in newness of life. And Paul calls us to reckon this as true, to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, and to live in light of it. We are to count ourselves what Christ has made us.

That reckoning shapes how we live. We can live as though sin still had dominion over us, as though we were still its slaves; but in Christ, we have died to sin, and its dominion is broken. Paul calls us to reckon this as true, to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, and to live accordingly. When sin presses its claim on you, do not yield as though it were still your master; reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ, as you truly are, and live in that freedom. You have died with Christ to sin, and been raised with him to newness of life; consider yourself dead to sin's dominion and alive to God, and let that reckoning shape how you live, refusing sin's claim and living to God. Count yourself what Christ has made you, dead to sin and alive to God, and walk in the newness of life that is yours in him.

Lord, Paul explains that through union with Christ I have died with him and been raised with him; my old self was crucified with him, that I might no longer be enslaved to sin, and I am raised to walk in newness of life; and he calls me to consider myself dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Help me make that reckoning. It is not pretending something untrue, but reckoning as true what is true in Christ. Having died with Christ, I have died to sin, and its dominion over me is broken; having been raised with Christ, I am alive to God, freed to walk in newness of life. And you call me to reckon this as true, and to live in light of it. I can live as though sin still had dominion over me, as though I were still its slave; but in Christ, I have died to sin, and its dominion is broken. When sin presses its claim on me, keep me from yielding as though it were still my master; help me reckon myself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ, as I truly am, and live in that freedom. I have died with Christ to sin, and been raised to newness of life; help me consider myself dead to sin's dominion and alive to God, Lord, and let that reckoning shape how I live, refusing sin's claim and living to you. Help me walk in the newness of life that is mine in Christ.