Let's open our Bibles to Romans 6:1-4.

Our union with Christ in His death and resurrection is the foundation for separation from sin and walking in newness of life

There is a logical implication to reject: Since God’s response to increased sin is abundant grace, then we should sin more to get more grace (6:1-2a)

Verse 1 is a test of whether you have correctly understood Paul’s message up to this point

Since God justifies not those who are good people, but rather the ungodly, why work at being good?

If we teach grace properly, people will at least think what Paul here anticipates.

There is a spiritual fact to know and believe: In Christ we died to sin, so we cannot still live in it (6:2b)

This is a rhetorical question leading to the conclusion that dead men can’t live in sin

Paul does not mean that believers cannot sin or that they are immune to temptation

If you are in Christ, when He died on the cross, you died with Him

When we died with Christ, we were separated from the reign of death and put under Christ’s reign of righteousness

Paul implies that we cannot continue in sin or live in it

There is a spiritual analogy to help you understand: Your baptism pictures your union with Christ in His death

To be baptized into Christ’s death means to be totally identified with Christ in His death

Burial is mentioned because it confirms that death has occurred

There is a spiritual fact to believe and act upon: Since we are united with Christ in His glorious resurrection, we should walk in newness of life

The action on our part as a result of our spiritual resurrection with Christ is that we should walk in newness of life

The description of this newness of life as “a walk” implies a long, steady, gradual process

3 Takeaways:

Do not presume on God’s grace as permission to sin

Make a distinct break with your past life and declare it publicly in baptism

Meditate often on your union with Christ and what it means