Useful Bible Studies > Romans Commentary > chapter 6

The defeat of sin and death

Romans 6:8-10

Let us think about the fact that Christ became alive again after his death. We could consider that simply to be another extraordinary event in his astonishing life. In fact, we might even expect it to happen, because Christ is God. We might therefore suppose that this event has no real effect on our lives. If so, then we have not really understood why Christ became alive again.

Everyone has done wrong and evil things that are against God’s law (3:23). We call such things ‘sin’, therefore, sin has power over everyone’s lives. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2), and the result of sin is death (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23). Therefore, death also has power over everyone.

So, God can only have a right relationship with people if he destroys the power of sin and death. That is why Christ died on the cross. By his death, he defeated those enemies (Hebrews 2:14-15; Romans 8:2-3; 1 Corinthians 15:57). The fact that Christ became alive again proves it: he really did defeat the power of death.

Therefore, although the bodies of God’s people may die, they will always live with him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). In fact, it is as if they have already died. Christ died for their sin (Isaiah 53:3-6) and they have chosen to share the benefits of his death (6:3-4). Therefore, their lives when sin controlled them have already ended (6:11). Instead, they have already started their new lives with God. Christ lives always, in a perfect relationship with God his Father (Hebrews 7:25). Even so, they too are beginning to live in a right relationship with God.

Next part: Recognise the effects of Christ’s death upon your life (Romans 6:11)

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