As a background to Romans 6, consider some of the things that we know about the people to whom the Book of Romans was written. They are called "saints" (1:7), and their faith was "spoken of throughout the whole world" (1:8). They were justified by faith (5:1), having been made free from sin when they obeyed the gospel (6:17,18).

Just prior to the instruction that we have in Romans 6, in the latter portion of chapter five we read about a contrast between sin and righteousness, a contrast between the effects of the actions of Adam and Jesus, and we further learn that sin is awful, but God’s grace can overcome sin and its consequences. With this context in mind, here is the message of Romans 6:1-4:

This text presents questions about what to say, continuing in sin, and knowledge of baptism. Let us examine these questions, recognizing that questions cause us to think, they challenge us, and they can stir us to action.

Question 1: "What shall we say?" (6:1). Say about what? In the context, the points under consideration are sin, grace, and proper living. What shall we say about such matters? The principle would be, in all spiritual matters, what should we say? The answer, of course, is that we should say what God says. The prophet Micaiah said it this way: "As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak" (2 Chronicles 18:13). What shall we say? On any biblical subject, we should teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), not adding to or taking away from what God says. We should be committed to speaking what people need to hear, not what they want to hear. Surely the Lord knew what He was doing when He gave the charge to preach the gospel, speaking as the oracles of God (Mark 16:15; 1 Peter 4:11).

Back to the issues about which Paul had been writing in the context of Romans chapters five and six. Whatever Paul might write about sin, grace, and proper living, his instruction would come from God and nowhere else.

Question 2: "Shall we continue in sin?" (6:1). The full question is, "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" If someone understood that God’s grace is demonstrated each time a child of God sins, but then repents and God accepts Him again, then perhaps he might think, "The more a person sins, the more God’s grace is shown. Thus, it would not be a bad thing to keep on sinning." What is God’s answer to such an idea? "God forbid" ["Certainly not," NKJV] (6:2). Again, God says that we are dead to sin (6:2,11), so sin is no longer to dominate in our life.

When one becomes a child of God, he/she must get out and stay out of the sinning business! We are not to be slaves of sin, but rather slaves of righteousness (6:12-16,22). Again, in Romans 6:6 we read that "henceforth we should not serve sin." We are a new creation in the Christ, so old things have passed away as we have put off the old man and his sinful ways (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:5-9). We are instructed to abstain from the fleshly lusts which war against our soul (1 Peter 2:11).

But, what if? What if a disciple of Jesus decides to just go ahead and continue in sin? In the first place, such a one is the slave of sin. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Romans 6:16). The same context shows that the one who continues in sin is dead spiritually, as the wages of sin is death (6:23). We learn elsewhere that the child of God who walks in darkness (remains in sin) forfeits his/her fellowship with God (1 John 1:6). Ultimately, the slave of sin (unrighteous person) shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). Because of the weakness of our flesh, we will commit sin. To deny this truth is to deceive ourselves and reject the Bible’s plain teaching (1 John 1:8). However, we must not allow sin to rule in our lives, that is, we must not become sin’s slave. Once again, shall we continue in sin? God forbid.

Question 3: "Know ye not, that so many of us as we were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" (6:3). Remember, Romans 6 is a context that speaks about sin and the need to avoid staying in it. Do you know the truth about baptism? Do you accept that truth?

Truth about baptism: A person gets into the Christ by being baptized into Him (6:3). Galatians 3:27 states, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Scripturally speaking, the only way to get into the Christ, in Whom are all spiritual blessings, including redemption (Romans 3:24), is to be baptized into Him. Those that have not yet been baptized into Him are still lost in sin.

Truth about baptism: A person gets into the death of the Christ by being baptized into it (6:3). We are "justified by his blood" (Romans 5:9) and reconciled to God "by the death of his Son" (5:10). Since the Lord shed His blood in His death (by which we are justified), and since one gets into the death of Jesus’ death by being baptized (6:3), then it follows that scriptural baptism is a required part of the process by which one is justified in God’s sight. Just as there could be no justification without the death of Jesus, so a sinner cannot be justified without water baptism.

Truth about baptism: We are buried with Jesus into death. "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death" (6:4). Just as Jesus died and was buried in a tomb, so a person that is dead in sin is "buried with him in baptism" (Colossians 2:12).

Truth about baptism: Following baptism, one is to walk in newness of life. "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (6:4). The fact that we should walk in newness of life is another answer to the question, "Shall we continue in sin?" Of course we should not remain in sin, because we are supposed to be a new person with a new outlook! That means that sin should be "out the door." Note also that a person has a new life, i.e., he/she is born again, only after baptism. That does not mean that water can save a person, however it does indicate that baptism in water is a required act in order to be cleansed from sin.

Romans 6:1-4 is a clear, memorable section of scripture. The three questions that we have considered from this passage about what to say, continuing in sin, and knowledge of baptism, cause us to think seriously about what the Lord wants us to be. Now that we have learned from this passage, what shall we do with our knowledge? Should we not apply it to our lives and strive to live as servants of righteousness?

-- Roger D. Campbell