How I love God Pt 18: We are dead to sin.
Romans 6:1-7 1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can 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 therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Colossians 2:11-14 11In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
Romans is a great book focused on theology and explaining the tenets of faith. One of the great skills Paul has is anticipating objections and misinterpretations of the things he says. One of the greatest struggles every Christian faces is the battle against sin. Even after coming to faith in Jesus Christ, believers often wonder, "If I have been forgiven, why do I still struggle?" Others ask, "Does God's grace mean I can live however I want?" The apostle Paul anticipated these questions and answered them directly in Romans 6. Paul explains that salvation is much more than receiving forgiveness. When we trusted Christ, something extraordinary happened. God united us with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. The believer is not simply a forgiven sinner but a transformed person who has entered an entirely new relationship with God. Sin no longer holds the authority it once possessed.
Colossians 2:11–15 reinforces this truth by showing that Christ's death removed our spiritual guilt, canceled the record of our sins, and defeated every spiritual enemy that stood against us. The cross was not merely an event in history; it became our personal victory through faith.
These passages teach us that the Christian life is not about trying harder to become holy. Instead, it is about living from the reality of what Christ has already accomplished. We are called to believe this truth, embrace it, and live accordingly.
We have died to sin
Paul begins with a question that many people naturally ask. If God's grace covers our sins, why not continue sinning? His answer is immediate and emphatic: Absolutely not. Why? Because believers have died to sin. This statement does not mean Christians never sin again. Experience quickly proves otherwise. Rather, Paul is speaking about a dramatic change in relationship. Before salvation, sin ruled us like a cruel master. We obeyed its desires because our sinful nature dominated every part of life. When we trusted Christ, that old relationship ended.
Imagine an employee whose employer constantly abuses him. One day he resigns, accepts a new job, and begins working for a completely different company. His old employer no longer has legal authority over him. The former boss may still call, threaten, or attempt to manipulate him, but the employee is no longer obligated to obey.
That illustrates the believer's relationship with sin. Sin still calls. Temptation still whispers. Old habits still attempt to pull us back. But sin no longer possesses legal authority over the believer because Jesus has broken its power. Colossians explains this transformation by describing a "circumcision made without hands" (Colossians 2:11). Paul is not referring to physical circumcision but to a spiritual work performed by Christ Himself. God cuts away the old sinful identity and gives believers a new life centered in Christ. This is why Christians are repeatedly called "new creations" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The deepest part of our identity has changed.
Instead of asking, "How much sin can I get away with?" the believer begins asking, "How can I please the One who saved me?" Remember, grace never encourages sin; Grace changes the heart.
Many believers become discouraged because they still experience temptation. They mistakenly assume temptation means they have not truly changed. Paul teaches the opposite. Temptation does not prove sin reigns, but temptation gives us opportunities to make decisions. A person’s response to temptation reveals who now rules his life. When temptation comes, remind yourself: "I belong to Christ. Sin is no longer my master."
That simple declaration reflects a profound biblical truth.
Buried through baptism
Paul next turns to baptism as a picture of the believer's union with Christ. Water baptism does not save anyone. Rather, it publicly symbolizes the spiritual reality that has already taken place through faith. Going beneath the water represents burial, and burial always signifies that something has ended. Coming out of the water represents resurrection. When Jesus died, His earthly mission of bearing humanity's sins was complete. When believers are spiritually buried with Christ, their old sinful life is declared finished as well.
Paul's language is remarkably personal. He does not merely say Christ died. He says we were buried with Him. Colossians echoes this beautiful truth:
"Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God." (Colossians 2:12)
Notice that faith connects believers to Christ's work. The old record of guilt is removed. The debt is canceled. The handwriting of ordinances against us has been nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Imagine standing before a judge with an overwhelming list of crimes. Every offense is documented. Every charge is accurate. Then someone else steps forward and pays the entire penalty. The judge stamps the file: PAID IN FULL. That is exactly what Christ accomplished. Our record is no longer held against us because Jesus bore our punishment.
Many believers continue carrying guilt that Christ has already removed. They repeatedly revisit sins God has forgiven. Yet Scripture teaches that Christ nailed the written record against us to the cross. When Satan reminds believers of forgiven sins, the proper response is not self-condemnation but gratitude. Jesus already settled the account. Walk forward instead of continually looking backward.
And united through resurrection
Christianity does not stop at the cross. Neither does the believer. After death comes resurrection. Paul repeatedly emphasizes that believers are united with Christ not only in His death but also in His resurrection.
"If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Romans 6:5)
The resurrection changed everything. Jesus did not simply survive death. He conquered it. That same resurrection power now works within every believer. Colossians reminds us that God "made you alive with Christ" (Colossians 2:13). It is important to note Paul’s wording. God did not improve our old life. He gave us an entirely new one. Many people imagine Christianity as self-improvement. This is a satanic lie intended to distract believers from the truth. The Bible presents something far greater. It is new creation. This explains why genuine spiritual growth becomes possible.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to obey God in ways that were impossible before conversion. Love begins replacing hatred. Forgiveness replaces bitterness. Humility replaces pride. Purity replaces immorality. The resurrection life steadily transforms the believer from the inside out. And although the growth is gradual, it is real. Although some believers become frustrated because transformation seems slow, we should remember that even healthy trees grow one ring at a time.
Believer, keep reminding yourself that spiritual maturity develops through daily surrender to Christ. Celebrate progress rather than demanding instant perfection. Every act of obedience demonstrates the resurrection life working within you. Continue trusting the One who began the good work and promises to complete it (Philippians 1:6).
So we are no longer slaves to sin
"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin." (Romans 6:6–7)
While the believer has experienced liberation, notice Paul does not say sin disappears. He says slavery ends. There is an enormous difference. A slave has no choice; a free person does. Before salvation, sin controlled every area of life. After salvation, believers possess both the desire and the ability to obey God because Christ lives within them. Colossians concludes by describing Christ's complete victory:
"Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 2:15)
In the Roman world, victorious generals paraded defeated enemies through the streets to display complete conquest. Paul uses this picture to describe Jesus' triumph over Satan, sin, death, and every spiritual power opposing God's people. The enemies have been defeated. The battle continues, but the outcome has already been decided.
Christ is victorious: This is the daily Christian life. Also part of the believing life is choosing forgiveness choosing purity, choosing honesty, choosing humility, and choosing love. Whenever you face temptation, remember your identity before focusing on your behavior. You are not trying to become God's child. You already are His child through faith in Jesus Christ.
Live consistently with who you have become.
What about me?
Romans 6 and Colossians 2 present one of the Bible's most encouraging portraits of the Christian life. Through faith, believers have died with Christ, been buried with Him, and been raised to walk in newness of life. The old identity dominated by sin has been crucified, and a new identity rooted in Christ has begun. The record of guilt has been canceled, the powers of darkness have been defeated, and the believer has been set free from sin's mastery.
This freedom does not mean the struggle against temptation disappears. Rather, it means the struggle is no longer fought as helpless slaves but as redeemed sons and daughters empowered by the Holy Spirit. Each day offers a fresh opportunity to live out the reality of what Christ has already accomplished through His death and resurrection.
The message of the gospel is not merely, "Your sins are forgiven." It is also, "You have been made alive with Christ." Therefore, let every believer confidently reject sin's false claims, embrace the new identity found in Jesus, and walk in joyful obedience, knowing that the One who conquered the grave now lives within them. Dead to sin, alive to God, and forever united with Christ—this is the glorious calling of every follower of Jesus.