#2 - Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ - Exploring the Depths of Romans 6:1-2

What if the grace that saves us is the same grace that calls us to die to sin? In a world where the allure of sin is relentless, some find themselves wrestling with the question: Can we continue in sin so that grace may abound? Join Gabe Langston and Dave Brooks in this week’s episode of "Navigate The Way" as they unpack the transformative power of Romans 6:1-2. Discover how Paul’s words challenge us to embrace the new life we’ve been given—one that breaks the chains of sin and leads us into the vibrant freedom of living in Christ.

In this episode, we explore what it means to be "Dead to Sin" and "Alive in Christ," delving into the depth of God's grace that not only justifies us but also sanctifies us, transforming our very nature. Through rich theological insights and practical applications, Gabe and Dave invite you to reflect on your own journey of faith and how you can live out the truth that, in Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin.

Whether you’re struggling with sin or seeking to deepen your walk with Christ, this episode will encourage you to step into the fullness of life that God offers. Don’t miss this compelling discussion that could change the way you see your relationship with sin and grace.

This show is named after Navigate The Way ✝️, a Christian AI assistant for navigating the depths of Scripture and theology with clarity and conviction. To check out the tool, visit https://www.navtheway.com/.

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Transcript

### Gabe Langston: 
G'day, listeners, and welcome back to "Navigate The Way." I’m Gabe Langston, and it's always a pleasure to have you join us as we dive deep into Scripture, exploring the truths that guide our faith with clarity and conviction. If you haven’t already, be sure to like and subscribe so you don’t miss any of our future discussions.

Last week, we unpacked Romans 1:17, where Paul speaks of the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. Today, we’re continuing that exploration with a focus on Romans 6:1-2, which provides a powerful counterpart to our previous discussion. In these verses, Paul asks, "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?" This passage raises essential questions about the nature of sin and grace, and what it truly means to live a transformed life in Christ. Let’s dive into the text and explore it from every angle, peeling back the layers to understand how these verses apply to our daily walk with God.

### Dave Brooks: 
Hello, everyone, I’m Dave Brooks, and it’s great to be back with you. Yes, the metaphor of death is powerful here. Paul isn’t saying that Christians are no longer capable of sinning, but rather that they have died to the dominion of sin. This brings us to the broader canonical context, where Paul’s argument ties into the larger biblical narrative. From Genesis onward, sin has been the defining problem of humanity, leading to death and separation from God. But in Christ, a new era has begun. The believer's death to sin signifies their participation in Christ’s victory over sin and death, as Paul expounds in Romans 6:3-11.

### Gabe Langston: 
Now, when we talk about this death to sin, it's essential to understand that this is not just a forensic reality but also a transformative one. By "forensic," we mean that there’s a legal or judicial aspect—God declares the believer righteous based on Christ’s righteousness. This is what theologians call forensic justification: it’s a one-time, legal declaration where our status before God changes from guilty to righteous.

But Paul’s point is that this reality is also deeply transformative—it’s not only about a change in status; it’s about a change in our very lives. This is where transformative sanctification comes into play. Transformative sanctification refers to the ongoing process by which we are made holy, increasingly conformed to the image of Christ. So, when Paul says we have "died to sin," he’s emphasizing that our union with Christ has fundamentally changed who we are. We’re no longer under the power of sin; instead, we are being transformed day by day to live in righteousness.

### Dave Brooks: 
Exactly, Gabe. The concept that our death to sin involves both forensic justification and transformative sanctification is central to understanding Paul’s message in Romans 6. Forensic justification means that, in the court of God’s justice, we’ve been declared righteous because of Christ’s work on our behalf. But this legal declaration isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of a lifelong process of transformative sanctification. This ties back to what we discussed in episode #1 about Romans 1:17, where Paul speaks of "the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." Just as we emphasized then, faith is not a one-time act but a continual journey. In the same way, sanctification is an ongoing process, where the Holy Spirit works in us to bring about real change, freeing us from the power of sin and enabling us to live out our new identity in Christ. It’s this dual reality—justification followed by sanctification—that Paul wants the Roman believers—and us—to grasp fully.

### Gabe Langston: 
From a Christocentric perspective, Romans 6:1-2 is deeply rooted in the work of Christ. Our death to sin is only possible because of Christ’s death and resurrection. He bore the penalty for our sins and broke the power of sin through His resurrection. Paul’s language here is steeped in the concept of union with Christ, a theme that runs throughout his letters. In Galatians 2:20, Paul declares, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." This union with Christ means that what is true of Him is true of us—we have died with Him to sin and are raised to new life. This union with Christ also means that His victory over sin and death is our victory, which transforms not just our status before God but our very nature.

### Dave Brooks: 
This idea of union with Christ is also central to the redemptive-historical perspective. Romans 6:1-2 marks a pivotal point in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan. From the fall of Adam to the death of Christ, sin reigned over humanity. But in Christ, the curse of sin is broken. Paul’s rhetorical question, "How can we who died to sin still live in it?" underscores the radical change that has occurred in the believer's life. This isn’t just about individual transformation; it’s about the cosmic shift in the power dynamics of sin and grace, inaugurated by Christ’s victory. The believer's union with Christ ensures that they are no longer under the dominion of sin, which is now defeated in principle, though its complete removal awaits the final victory when Christ returns.

### Gabe Langston: 
The theological implications of this passage are immense. When Paul speaks of dying to sin, he’s articulating a key aspect of sanctification. The Westminster Confession of Faith describes sanctification as "a work of God’s grace, whereby they whom God hath, before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful operation of His Spirit applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them, renewed in their whole man after the image of God, having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other saving graces, put into their hearts."

### Dave Brooks:  
To put that in more modern terms: Sanctification is the ongoing work of God’s grace in the lives of those whom He has chosen to be His people, even before the world was created. Through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, God applies the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection to us. This work renews us entirely—our thoughts, desires, and actions—so that we increasingly reflect the image of God. It’s a transformation that begins with planting the seeds of repentance and other saving graces in our hearts, which then grow and bear fruit throughout our lives.

### Gabe Langston: 
But this is not merely an internal or individual transformation; it is a corporate reality as well. The church, as the body of Christ, is called to reflect this sanctification corporately, fostering a community that lives out its death to sin together. Paul emphasizes this in Ephesians 4:1-6, where he urges believers to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." He goes on to remind us that there is "one body and one Spirit…one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all." This passage highlights that our sanctification is not just a personal journey but a collective one. We are united in Christ, and as we grow in holiness, we do so together, supporting and encouraging one another in the faith. This unity in the body of Christ is vital for the church to effectively reflect the transformative power of the gospel to the world.

### Dave Brooks: 
Church history also offers rich insights into how this passage has been understood and applied. During the early church period, figures like Augustine emphasized the necessity of grace in overcoming sin, countering the Pelagian view that humans could achieve righteousness through their own efforts. Later, during the Reformation, Martin Luther and John Calvin both underscored that justification by faith must lead to sanctification. They rejected any notion that grace could be separated from a transformed life, as some antinomians suggested. For them, Romans 6:1-2 was a crucial text in affirming that while we are justified by faith alone, the faith that justifies is never alone—it is always accompanied by a new life in Christ. This has profound implications for how the church teaches and disciples believers, ensuring that the message of grace is always tied to the call to holiness.

### Gabe Langston: 
In the ecclesiastical context, these verses remind us of the church’s role in nurturing holiness among its members. The church is not merely a gathering of individuals but the body of Christ, called to live out the implications of our union with Him. This involves teaching sound doctrine, providing pastoral care, and holding one another accountable in our walk with Christ. Romans 6:1-2 challenges the church to confront sin within its midst and to foster an environment where grace leads to godliness, not licentiousness. This corporate aspect of sanctification is crucial, as it emphasizes that we are not sanctified in isolation but in community, as part of the body of Christ.

### Dave Brooks: 
Pastorally, this passage has much to say about how we counsel believers who struggle with sin. The reminder that we have died to sin can be incredibly empowering for those who feel trapped in sinful patterns. It’s a call to remember who we are in Christ—new creations who are no longer slaves to sin. However, this is not a call to self-reliance. The power to overcome sin comes from our ongoing dependence on Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Pastoral care must emphasize both the reality of our death to sin and the need for continual reliance on God’s grace. It’s also important to guide believers in practical steps they can take to live out this reality—engaging in spiritual disciplines, being active in a faith community, and seeking accountability.

### Gabe Langston: 
In the context of apologetics, Romans 6:1-2 offers a strong rebuttal to the accusation that the doctrine of grace encourages moral laxity. The idea that grace could lead to more sin is antithetical to Paul’s teaching. Instead, grace empowers us to live righteously. This passage is a clear declaration that the Christian life is not about exploiting God’s grace but about living in the freedom from sin that grace provides. It’s a freedom that leads to holiness, not to further sin. This has a significant apologetic value, as it counters the common misunderstanding that Christianity is simply a moral crutch, showing instead that it’s a transformative power leading to a new way of life.

### Dave Brooks: 
From a spiritual formation perspective, these verses are foundational for understanding the believer’s identity in Christ. The realization that we have died to sin is transformative. It shifts our focus from trying to overcome sin through sheer willpower to living out the reality of what Christ has already accomplished for us. This perspective fosters a life of gratitude, humility, and dependence on God. Spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, meditation on Scripture, and corporate worship, become means by which we deepen our understanding of and participation in our new life in Christ. Additionally, understanding our identity in Christ encourages us to live in the "already and not yet" tension of the Christian life—already free from sin’s dominion, but not yet free from its presence.

### Gabe Langston: 
In terms of contemporary relevance, Romans 6:1-2 speaks powerfully to our culture’s misunderstanding of grace. In a society that often values autonomy and self-expression above all, the idea of submitting to God’s authority and living a life of holiness can seem restrictive. But Paul’s words remind us that true freedom is found not in indulging our sinful desires but in living out our identity as those who have died to sin. This has practical implications for how we engage with the world around us, calling us to live as distinct, holy people in the midst of a culture that often celebrates sin. Moreover, it challenges the church to be a community that embodies this countercultural message, demonstrating that true life and freedom are found in Christ alone.

### Dave Brooks: 
As we bring this episode to a close, it’s clear that Romans 6:1-2 challenges us to live in the reality of our new identity in Christ. We are no longer slaves to sin, but free to live in the righteousness that comes through faith in Him. This freedom is not an excuse to sin, but a call to holiness—a holiness that reflects the transformative power of the gospel in our lives.

### Gabe Langston: 
It’s been a rich discussion today, Dave, and I hope our listeners have been encouraged to dive deeper into this passage and apply its truths to their lives. I’d like to issue a call to action—take time this week to meditate on your identity in Christ, particularly your death to sin and new life in Him. Let this truth shape your thoughts, actions, and interactions with others. And, as always, remember to like and subscribe so you won’t miss any future episodes. This show is named after Navigate The Way ✝️, a Christian AI assistant for navigating the depths of Scripture and theology with clarity and conviction. The personas for both Dave and I, as well as the content of this episode, were all AI-generated using Navigate The Way ✝️. A special thanks to ElevenLabs for our AI-generated voices.

Thank you for joining us today, and until next time, keep walking by faith.