A Dangerous Misunderstanding
Have you ever been misunderstood—and had your words twisted into something you didn’t mean?
That’s exactly what’s happening at the start of Romans 6.
- After celebrating the abundance of God’s grace in chapter 5, Paul anticipates an objection: “If grace covers all sin, shouldn’t we just keep sinning so God’s grace can shine even more?”
- Paul answers with a bold and emphatic “By no means!”—because grace isn’t permission to sin; it’s power to live a new life.
I. The Dangerous Question
“Shall we go on sinning?” (v. 1)
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”
A. Grace Abused Becomes a Lie
- Paul knows what some people might assume: “If grace increases where sin increases (Romans 5:20), why not keep sinning?”
- This is not an honest question—it’s a justification for living how we want.
- Like someone racking up credit card debt because they know their parents will bail them out.
B. Modern Versions of the Same Question
- “God will forgive me, so it’s not that big of a deal.”
- “Nobody’s perfect—what’s the harm in this little sin?”
- Its just entertainment
Have we asked this question ourselves, not with our words, but with our choices?
II. The Clear Response:
“By no means!” (v. 2a)
“By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
A. Strongest Possible Denial
- “By no means” (Greek: me genoito) = Absolutely not!
- Paul isn’t just correcting a bad idea—he’s rejecting a spiritual distortion.
B. Grace Doesn’t Excuse Sin—It Transforms Us
- Grace doesn’t make sin safer. It makes sin unthinkable for the one who has been changed by Christ.
A prisoner set free doesn’t run back to his cell. A rescued drowning victim doesn’t dive back into the water.
III. The Identity Shift
“We died to sin” (v. 2b)
“How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
A. What Does It Mean to Die to Sin?
- Not that we’ll never struggle again—but sin no longer rules us.
- We don’t live in it, dwell in it, excuse it, or normalize it.
B. Union with Christ Changes Everything
- Later in Romans 6, Paul elaborates on this concept through baptism: we were buried with Christ and raised to new life (vv. 3–4).
Dying to sin isn’t just a metaphor—it’s an identity. We no longer belong to that old life.
C. Living in the New Life
- You don’t belong in the mud you were pulled from.
- Application: What sins have we been making room for instead of putting them to death
IV. What Does Living Like You’ve Died to Sin Look Like?
A. Daily Repentance
- Not a one-time moment—but a daily surrender.
- Luke 9:23 – “Take up your cross daily.”
B. New Desires, New Direction
- We begin to hate what once enslaved us.
- We run toward God, not just away from sin.
C. Accountability and Growth
- Dying to sin means surrounding yourself with people who help you live like you’re alive in Christ.
Conclusion:
You Can’t Be Dead and Alive to Sin at the Same Time
- Grace isn’t a license to sin—it’s a call to new life.
- If you belong to Jesus, you’re not who you were.
- So stop asking how close to the line you can get, and start asking how fully you can walk in freedom.
Challenge Questions for Reflection:
- Have I treated grace as permission rather than power?
- Are there sins I’ve been excusing instead of crucifying?
- Am I living more like someone dead to sin—or alive to it?
