The Narrow Path Ministries

In what way are we dead to sin like it talks about in Romans 6?

Marco G.

Watchman Nee addresses this question here: The Normal Christian Life

check out chapters 3 and 4 "knowing" and "reckoning."

TK

First realize that Paul has been telling the Roman believers not to purposely sin so as to increase grace (Rom 6:1).

As part of this Paul was seeking to change their mindset so they would not follow their flesh.

So they were being told to reflect on the logic of the cross and to think of themselves as being dead. This too is how we may resist the flesh too.

The idea of being dead to sin can be logically argued as being a result of being raised in Christ. The stronger reality during our physical lifespan is that we have been raised with Christ. Yet, with regards to sin, we still have the body of flesh until physical death so the fleshly desires still can act upon us.

Therefore the idea of being dead to sin was more of a persuasive technique rather than representing a promise of God for us in this lifetime.

From a Wesleyan perspective, all humans are born with a bias or inclination toward sin as a result of Adam’s sin; however, when the Spirit of God takes up residence in us, this inclination is neutralized, but not removed. The Bible refers to this inclination as our “old self” and says that this corrupt old self was crucified with Jesus so that the sin which reigned in death could no longer reign in us. Sin no longer has dominion over our bodies; we are no longer slaves to sin. Instead God’s grace of eternal life now reigns in us. This saving grace through Jesus Christ, which we have access to by faith, justified us and as a result has given us peace with God. (Romans 5:1-2, Romans 6:6-7, Titus 3:7, 1Peter 5:10-12)

Where Nee takes most everything Paul said literally, I tend to think Paul was speaking figuratively when he talked about our old self being crucified on the cross in Christ and buried in baptism.

Paul says in Romans 6 that we died to sin and later in that chapter that we were liberated from sin like a slave from human slavery. But in the middle (V.12), he says "...do not let sin reign in your mortal body..." I take this to mean that we can resist the Holy Spirit and abandon the faith, placing ourselves once again under the dominion of sin.