 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.
5 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. 6 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. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Slaves to Righteousness 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Meditation Where grace abounds and reigns, (5:20-21) Godliness will grow. Grace does not free us to sin more. Grace awakens believers to a newness of life through union with Christ. Paul celebrates the implications for a life transformed by grace by emphasizing “the central truth of all salvation,” (John Murray)- Union with Christ. Grace unites believers to Jesus in baptism, burying believers with Christ to be raised to walk in a newness of life (4-14). Grace unites believers to Jesus for obedience, slavery to God for fruit that leads to sanctification and eternal life (15-23). Union with Christ permanently abolishes the dominion of sin in our hearts and habits, providing a resurrection reality where by the power of Christ’s Spirit believers walk in a newness of life. Union with Jesus Christ is an underutilized reality for disciples of Jesus. Believers must embrace the benefits of Union with Christ, knowing “everything true of Jesus is true for believers” by virtue of faith. Believers are crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1), baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3), and reconciled to God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18). Our union by faith in Christ removes sin and gives us a righteous record (2 Corinthians 5:21), granting access to every spiritual blessing of God’s covenant promises (Ephesians 1:3). Union with Christ is everything! And is for everyone who believes. In one sense, Christians are dead in respect to sin. In another, believers are alive to walk in a newness of life. Grace unites us to Jesus, crucifying our old self to live a resurrected life as servants of our resurrected King. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about the power of union with Christ? Why do you not utilize this power in your practice as a follower of Jesus? -Where does sin still reign in your life? -Union with Jesus gives you authority over sin- it no longer has dominion in your life! Take time now to pray for Jesus to do His sanctifying work in your specific sin struggles. Key Verse 5 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.
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