Romans 6:6
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
Context:The book of Romans, written by the Apostle Paul, is a letter addressed to the believers in Rome. In this particular chapter, Paul discusses the concept of dying to sin and being alive to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Crucifixion of the old man:The “old man” refers to our former sinful nature, our old self that was enslaved to sin. The verse tells us that this old man is “crucified with him” (referring to Jesus). This means that through Christ’s death on the cross, our old self has been put to death symbolically. When Jesus died, He took upon Himself the punishment for our sins, and in doing so, He broke the power of sin over our lives.
Destroying the body of sin:The purpose of crucifying the old man is so that “the body of sin might be destroyed.” The body of sin refers to the power sin once had over us. Through faith in Christ, our old sinful nature is put to death, and the power of sin is broken. This doesn’t mean we will never sin again, but it means we are no longer slaves to sin. Sin no longer has dominion over us because we have been set free by Christ.
Freedom from serving sin:The verse concludes by stating that as a result of our old man being crucified and the body of sin being destroyed, we are no longer to serve sin. Before coming to faith in Christ, we were enslaved to sin and had no choice but to obey its desires. However, through Christ’s work, we are now free to live a new life, guided by the Holy Spirit and empowered to live righteously.
Application:Romans 6:6 emphasizes the transformative power of Christ’s death and resurrection in our lives. As believers, we are called to recognize that our old sinful nature has been crucified with Christ. We no longer have to be dominated by sin but can live in the freedom and victory that Christ has provided. This truth should lead us to live holy lives, continually submitting ourselves to God and resisting the pull of sin.
