Now for the understanding that is fostered by religious men the world over but remains a puzzle to them, a believer is dead to sin yet alive to GOD. Not taking GOD at His word is the crux of the problem. That said lets finish chapter 5 and move on into 6 at the same time.
Romans 5:18-6:7 "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made (G2525) sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the Law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." (KJV)
Romans 5:18-6:7 "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made (G2525) sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin." (ESV)
Romans 5:18-6:7 "The conclusion is clear: if one offence condemns the entire human race; then in principle, the righteousness of one vindicates the entire human race. The disobedience of the one [1; G2525] exhibits humanity as sinners; the obedience of another exhibits humanity as righteous. (The word, [1, G2525, is from G2596 and G2476] kathistemi, means to cause to be, to set up, to exhibit. We were not made sinners by our own disobedience; neither were we made righteous by our own obedience.) The presence of the Law made no difference, instead it merely highlighted the offence; but where sin increased, grace superseded it. Death provided sin its platform and power to reign from; now grace has taken over sovereignty through righteousness to introduce unthreatened life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ over us. It is not possible to interpret grace as a cheap excuse to continue in sin. It sounds to some that we are saying, "Let's carry on sinning then so that grace may abound." (In the previous chapter Paul expounds the heart of the gospel by giving us a glimpse of the far-reaching faith of GOD; even at the risk of being misunderstood by the legalistic mind he does not compromise the message or its meaning.) How ridiculous is that! How can we be dead and alive to sin at the same time? What are we saying then in baptism, if we are not declaring that we understand our union with Christ in his death? Baptism pictures how we were co-buried together with Christ in his death; then it powerfully illustrates how in GOD's mind we were co-raised with Christ into a new lifestyle. (Hosea 6:2) We were like seeds planted together in the same soil, to be co-quickened to life. If we were included in his death we are equally included in his resurrection. (2Corinthains 5:14-17) We perceive that our old lifestyle was co-crucified together with him; this concludes that the vehicle that accommodated sin in us, was scrapped and rendered entirely useless. Our slavery to sin come to an end. If nothing else stops you from doing something wrong, death certainly does." (The Mirror)
Next time, the LORD willing, we shall look further into our recognition of sins deadness.
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