Day 123 – Friday, June 20, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Romans 6

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

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? 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.

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, 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. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. ¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 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 ⁴instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 

(Romans 6:1–14, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul opens this chapter with a definitive statement about grace and sin. Grace does not need to encourage people to sin, but rather should do the opposite.
• The baptized are baptized into His death, and made alive through the resurrection of Christ. The old man is crucified to sin, and should not be a slave to sin.
• Christ no longer dies. Death has no dominion over Him. Therefore, we can be free from sin and alive to Christ.
• We are therefore told not to let sin “reign in your mortal body.” Do not obey lusts or present yourself for the devil’s work. Present yourself to God for righteous hearts and actions. Live under grace, not under the dominion of sin.

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 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? 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. ¹⁸ And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 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.

²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 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. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

(Romans 6:15–23, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Not being under the law does not give a license to sin. If you present yourself to sin, you become a slave to that sin.
• Once you are free from sin, you are then a slave to righteousness.
• Sin leads to death. Holiness leads to fruit and eternal life.
• Paul then coins one of the most well-known Scriptures in the Bible: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• We have death for our sinful labors, but we have eternal life as a gift from God through Christ.
• Thank God that we do not have to die in our sins, but we can live forever in Christ! 

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.