Unity and Growth: The Call to Maturity in Ephesians 4
Ephesians 4 teaches us about the transformative power of life in Christ. It encourages us to embrace unity, utilize our spiritual gifts, and mature in faith. The contrast between the old and new self challenges us to renew our minds, living as new creations. As we strive to emulate Christ's forgiveness, kindness, and compassion, we realize the practical implications of our faith.
Verses 1-6: A Call to Unity
Paul begins by urging the Ephesians to live in a manner worthy of their calling, promoting humility, gentleness, patience, and maintaining unity in the Spirit. He emphasizes the oneness of the body of Christ.
Verses 7-16: Spiritual Gifts and Maturity in Christ
Paul explains that Christ has bestowed grace upon all believers in the form of various spiritual gifts. These gifts are for the equipping of the saints, building up the body of Christ towards unity and maturity.
Verses 17-24: The Old and New Self
Paul contrasts the former way of life (old self) with the new life in Christ (new self). Believers are encouraged to put off the old self and be renewed in their minds, putting on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Verses 25-32: Christian Conduct
The chapter concludes with practical guidelines on Christian conduct. Paul advises against falsehood, uncontrolled anger, stealing, unwholesome talk, bitterness, and malice. Instead, believers are encouraged to be kind, compassionate, forgiving each other as God in Christ forgave them.
Ephesians 4 is a powerful chapter outlining the principles of unity, growth, and transformation in the Christian life. This chapter shifts from the doctrinal truths established in the earlier chapters to the practical implications of these truths, emphasizing the need for a worthy walk, unity, maturity, and renewed living.
BUT YOU ARE DIFFERENT
"In them you also once walked, when you were living in them" (Col. 3:7). Your life style before coming to Christ was characterized by these sins. The idea is you as well as those who are still living this way even now.
"Walked" and "living" indicates their attitudes and behaviors. It characterizes the kind of life they have chosen to follow. They walk about or conduct life in this manner. The believers used to partake of this life-style, but it no longer characterizes them. "You used to live this way," but thank God you don't anymore. "You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them" (Colossians 3:7, The NET Bible).
Not only has there been a change in your life-style, but verses eight and nine says your defensive reactions to life have also changed.
Now that you have been raised with Christ go ahead and take some old behaviors off.
"But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices" (Colossians 3:8-9).
Here are some other things that must go in the Christian's life. Paul says, "But now you also, put them all aside . . ." (Col. 3:8).
"Put off" is figurative of getting rid of some behaviors. Lay aside these sinful behaviors just like you would take off some old dirty clothes. The idea is to rid yourself completely of these old sinful attitudes, passions and resulting behaviors.
"Anger" (org) is the long-lasting, slow burning anger. It tends to stay around along time.
"Wrath" (thumos) refers to a burning anger that flares up quickly and burns with the intensity of a fire. It just as quickly dies out. It is like burning dry pine straw that blazes up quickly and burns itself out.
Paul tells us in verse eight that whether our reactions to life are long lasting or sudden out bursts, both are wrong and need to be dealt with properly.
"Malice" (kakia) is an all-pervading evil mind-set that conceives of evil things to do. It is a vicious nature that is predetermined to do evil to others. This person is just plain bad, evil, wicked. He has a deliberate intention to do evil.
"Slander" (blasphemia) is the word from which we get blaspheme in English. This person will use abusive speech to belittle other people and cause them to lose their good reputation. They insult people with their speech.
"Abusive speech from the mouth" is obscene, foul-mouthed, filthy talk.
"Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices" (Col. 3:9). Paul states imperatively to forbid completely these behaviors. "Stop lying." Don't do it anymore.
Every one of these behaviors in verses eight and nine are used to defend wounded egos and our reactions to blocked goals.
PUT OFF THE OLD SELF
"You laid aside the old self with its evil practices" (Col. 3:9). "Put off," "lay aside" (apekduomai) is to "take off completely, strip off of oneself" clothes. It is used figuratively here of the old nature.
Keeping in mind the context Paul is saying if the old sinful human nature really has been put off, don't be tempted at a critical moment to behave the way you did before you believed on Christ. You are to consistently behave differently.
"Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth" (Ephesians 4:24).
"Put off the old man" or "old self" refers to the old nature, now as he is in old Adam and dominated by the sinful nature.
In Romans 6:6 the apostle Paul wrote, "Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin."
Not only are we to take off the old man but we are also to put on the new one who lives in a new sphere of existence in Christ.
You have taken off the old self that you used to be with its sinful attitudes, thoughts, feelings, volitions, behaviors, etc.
PUT ON THE NEW SELF
In Colossians 3:10-17 Paul tells us to put on the new person in Christ. "Put on the new self" or "new man." The metaphor is the same in verse nine. Put on some fresh, new clothes. The present tense refers to the continual action "which is ever being renewed" in the believer. Put on the new spiritual man who is Christ.
This "new self" is our new spiritual nature because of our vital union with Christ. It is the regenerate self that is united with Christ.
"Put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him" (Colossians 3:10). This renewal is true of all born again believers because "Christ is all, and in all" (Col. 3:11).
This new person in Christ is continually being renewed in true knowledge of the image of God. The image of God in us that was marred by the fall and depravity has been passed along to each of us has been renewed by the new birth. Because we have been regenerated or born again spiritually, we are being constantly renewed by the Holy Spirit with the goal that we are being "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). The Holy Spirit reproduces more and more of Christ likeness in the believer (Phil. 3:32; Col. 3:10; 1 John 3:2). The Holy Spirit does this sanctifying work by the renewing of the spirit of the mind (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 4:23). It is something that is going on all the time as the believer cooperates with the Holy Spirit. Even in our subconscious mind the Holy Spirit is at work applying His Word to our inner self. His goal is to conform us to the character and likeness of Christ. This sanctifying work of the Spirit is going on in the inner life of every true believer.
A radical change has taken place in the believer's life, but there is also a continual renewal and spiritual growth in grace and knowledge of Christ until he reaches a level of maturity that is manhood in the image of God.
What is it that we are to put on? "So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity" (Colossians 3:12-14).
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly beloved, cloth yourself with . . ." (NET). Who is to put on these new clothes? The Christian is to act on what he knows to be the truth. You "have been chosen of God, holy and beloved" (Col. 3:12). You belong to Him because He chose you. You are the elect of God, picked out by God Himself for His glory (Eph. 1:4). You are the object of His love that He has set apart for Himself; therefore live in such a manner to be pleasing to Him.
"Put on a heart of compassion" (Col. 3:12). Clothe yourself with "a heart of compassion" (splagchnon) meaning the seat of emotions. In English we usually think of the "heart" metaphorically as the seat of the emotions and have a tendency to place our hands to our bosom when referring to our emotions. The ancients thought of the inward parts including heart, liver, and lungs, but with the same basic idea of the seat of emotions. Put on a heart full of "compassion" (oiktirmos). In a world full of hurt the people of God are equipped to touch lives with compassion and mercy. We are called upon to empathize with the hurts of humanity.
It can clearly be demonstrated from history that over the centuries it is Christianity that has responded to the needs of humanity the world over. Hospitals, clinics, welfare organizations, emergency relief agencies, homes for the elderly, were created by Christian organizations to meet the critical health and social needs.
"Kindness" (chrestotes) means "goodness, kindness, generosity" and is always seeking the highest good in others. Kindness is an attitude that always demonstrates itself in action. It reaches out and touches people.
"Humility" (tapeinophrosune) is an attitude of self-evaluation that recognizes one's own weakness and failures, but also the power of God working through the person. This is the kind of person God can use in His kingdom. It is a wholesome esteem, lacking any taint of arrogance. There is a false humility that is deceitful.
"Gentleness" (prautes) is often translated "meekness" but is really power under control. It is the gentleness that is strong, but humble and courteous, considerate. This "gentleness" does not imply weakness and is a better word than meekness. It is an obedient submission to the will of God and gives strength to put on the other characteristics in this list. It is a fruit of the Spirit and a beatitude of Jesus. Here is the power of our personalities brought into submission to God by the Holy Spirit.
"Patience" (makrothumia) is "longsuffering" when someone provokes us. It patiently endures when under pressure of life and refuses to retaliate. It is that quality that takes time before action is taken.
"Bearing with one another" (Col. 3:13) (anecho) has the idea of putting up with another person. It is to "endure, bear with, put up with" people and situations. The present tense emphasizes the continual action on the part of the believer.
"Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you." Have you been around any complainers lately? The only solution is to forgive just as Christ set the example for us.
The most important moral quality to put on is "love" (Col. 3:14). "Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." "On top of all the others" put on love. This is what holds all the other characteristics together. Love is the outer garment or belt binding it all together. Love is the bond that keeps everything in perfect harmony.
The goal is "the perfect bond of unity." In Ephesians 4:3 Paul admonished believers to be "diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Jesus said, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). He also prayed for us in His high priestly prayer. "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me" (John 17:22-23).
We are to pursue this goal of complete maturity in our relationships with one another. Put on "the perfect bond of unity." "When the love binds all Christians together, the ideal of Christian perfection is attained," says A. S. Peake.
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts" (Col. 3:15). The "peace of Christ" is the umpire that regulates the unity in the relationships in the Body of Christ. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful" (v. 15). The healthy body preserves the unity in the bond of love. Every believer has a responsibility to maintain this oneness.
Our hearts should be filled with thankfulness and gratitude for all God has done through Christ Jesus. He is our peace and we have this peace through our vital union with Him. That peace should rule our hearts in whatever circumstances we face.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
I can hear someone asking how in the world do you put on all these characteristics in the new life? You may be amazed that we cannot do it by ourselves. Yes, we need help, and God provides it.
The apostle Paul tells us how to do it. "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Col. 3:16-17). These words remind us of Colossians 1:27b-28. "Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ."
The Word filled life accomplishes God's will. The Word of God has a sanctifying effect upon the life of the believer. It cleanses and empowers us to live the Christian life. How rich and powerful are the words of Christ when we allow them to settle down into our hearts and abide permanently.
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you . . ." The idea is to let the word of Christ make itself at home, settle down and be at home within the believer. It becomes a daily habit. The presence of Christ in the believer should govern every attitude, thought, word, and behavior. We are to take every "thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5).
The word teaches us with infinite wisdom, admonishes us and encourages us, puts a song in our hearts and causes us to sing with a thankful heart to God.
The motive of service is well stated in verse seventeen. "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."
Paul could not have chosen more fitting words to conclude his admonition to change our wardrobe. In everything we do, let the name of Jesus be exalted. To God be the glory.
We need to daily remind ourselves to whom we belong. We are members of the Body of Christ. We belong to His family. When we keep that in mind, we will correct a lot of our thoughts and behaviors.
Let’s start first with “the old man.” The old man is who we were in our sinful estate and in our slavery to sin. It is the person who is “in Adam” with all the guilt and consequences of Adam’s sin upon them plus their own slavery and bondage to sin. This is the person who is dead in their sins. This “old man” could be described using Ephesians 2:1-3.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
This “old man” is the state of the entirety of humanity apart from union with Christ. In fact, we should say that it is only for the believer that this state is “old.” Paul elsewhere describes this old self/man in Col. 3 and Eph 4:22
he old man is the man enslaved to sin. This enslavement manifests itself all sort of evil and wicked behavior. The “old man” is the man enslaved to the flesh who walks according to the flesh. He does not desire to obey and he is unable to obey God (Rom. 8:5-8).
What is the old man crucified? The old man crucified is when the individual has moved from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ.” As a result of being “in Christ” we have come to share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What happened to Jesus has now been applied to us in such a way that it happens to us: the old man [who I am in my enslavement to sin] is put to death and life is given to a “new man” I am imparted with the Holy Spirit so that Christ’s resurrection life is at work in me.
Rom. 6:3-7 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.
The old man was so enslaved to sin that they were dead in it. They were “not able to not sin” sin was their proclivity, the sinful flesh that desires sin was the master. This is not to say the person could not do anything kind or nice in relative terms—even the worst sinner can help an old lady cross the street. Rather, it is to say that all actions were done and lived out in rebellion to God.
The new man, where the enslavement has ended, is now able to walk in the newness of life. We have a new master: Jesus Christ. So the man is “new” because he is in Christ. Those in Christ are “able not to sin” we can resist temptation, we can grow in holiness, and walk in obedience to the LORD. We no longer live with every act and intention to be in rebellion against God. This is not to say our good works ever reach absolute perfection. The “new man” still has the presence of sin in them and that will be true until we die and/or are glorified.
The life of the believer in Jesus Christ is not a mix of “old man”/”new man.” Our position in the Lord is not schizophrenic. Of course, we still have the remnant of sin as long as we live in our mortal bodies. We battle the flesh’s desires that wages war in us (1 Peter 2:11). The battle itself can be a constant back and forth of losing ground and gaining ground. Yet, we do battle from a position of being liberated from our old master, the self enslaved to sin. We have been placed under a new master, the LORDSHIP of Christ, who by the presence of the Holy Spirit gives us a new being in our inner self.
Then in 6:6-7 Paul expounds on the first half of 6:5, showing that we have become united with Christ in His death, so that we might no longer be slaves to sin. In 6:8-10 he expounds on the second half of 6:5, showing that we shall also live with Christ. He explains the implications of Christ’s death and resurrection, so that we will understand further what our union with Him means, namely, a decisive break with sin and a new life with God. Then in 6:11 he applies these truths: “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
I will say at the outset that this is not an easy text to grasp. The difficulty of Romans 6 & 7 was the major reason that I held off from preaching through Romans for 33 years of ministry. I wish I could say that I’ve had a breakthrough! I’ve been struggling with what Paul says here for about 45 years now, but I’m still not sure that I get it. There are all sorts of interpretive issues where commentators differ and I find much of what they say to be confusing. So I’m not so naïve as to think that this one message will make things crystal clear for you. But I hope that you will be motivated to dig deeper into these chapters on your own.
These verses are important because Paul’s aim is that we would live in victory over sin. Christ’s death and resurrection not only paid the penalty for our sin, but also provided the power that we need to overcome sin on a daily basis. So if this message leaves you somewhat confused, I urge you not to shrug your shoulders and walk away. Rather, chew on these verses like a dog with a bone, until you get the marrow of them into your soul. Paul’s idea is:
Living in light of our union with Christ is the key to overcoming sin.
To put it another way, don’t live in sin as you used to live because you aren’t the same person that you used to be. Before, you were in Adam. Now, you are in Christ. In Adam, you were dead in sin. In Christ, you are dead to sin and alive to God. So believe and act on the basis of your new identity, not your old identity.
1. To overcome sin, know that you are totally identified with Christ in the likeness of His death (6:5a, 6-7).
In the first part of verse 5, Paul states the fact that we (believers) have become united with Christ in the likeness of His death. The word “if” does not express doubt; it could be translated “since.” Verses 6 & 7 explain this further: “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” Paul is talking about the knowledge of what God has revealed, not the knowledge that we gain by personal experience. In other words, you will never feel crucified with Christ; it is something that you must believe because God’s Word says so. Let’s try to follow Paul’s train of thought:
A. WE ARE COMPLETELY UNITED WITH CHRIST IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH (6:5A).
When we trusted in Christ as Savior, we were united to Him. The word means, literally, to be grown together with, or grafted into Christ. An older commentary (William Sanday and Arthur Headlam, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans [T & T Clark], p. 157) says, “The word exactly expresses the process by which a graft becomes united with the life of a tree.” In other words, it points to our organic, living union with Christ, in which we share His resurrection life. But in the first half of verse 5 the focus is not on sharing His life, but rather in His death. We saw this in verses 3 & 4: When Christ died, we died in Him. The perfect tense in verse 5 means that this union was a past action with ongoing results.
But why does Paul say that we have become united with Him “in the likeness of His death,” not just “in His death”? While there is debate, I think that Calvin’s explanation makes sense (Calvin’s Commentaries [Baker], p. 223), that Paul differentiates between Christ’s physical death and the spiritual implications of it. We have not yet died physically, as Christ did, but we are joined to Him in the spiritual benefits of His death. Our union with Christ is very close, as “united” implies, but it is not exact. Paul comments further on the implications of this union with the likeness of Christ’s death in 6:6-7 (plus in 6:9 & 10).
B. THIS UNION WITH CHRIST MEANS THAT OUR UNREGENERATE LIFE IS OVER SO THAT WE DO NOT NOW NEED TO OBEY OUR OLD NATURE (6:6-7).
Paul says (6:6), “our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with …” Things get confusing here in light of other texts where Paul talks about the “old man” and the “new man” (Eph. 2:14-16; 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-11) and texts where he tells us to put to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom. 8:12-13; Col. 3:5). In the context here “the old man” represents what we were in Adam (5:12-19). We are no longer in Adam, but now we are in Christ, who is our life (Col. 3:4). So when Paul says that “our old man was crucified with Him,” he means that what we were before we were saved died with Christ. There is a complete severance between what we were under the reign of sin and death in Adam and what we have become under the reign of grace to eternal life in Christ. Our old life has ended, as “crucified” implies.
The problem is, if our old man has been crucified, then where does my strong propensity toward sin come from? Clearly, we still have an old sin nature (sometimes called “the flesh”) within us that wars against the indwelling Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:17). And Paul commands us to put off the old man and put on the new man (Eph. 4:22-24, where most commentators agree that the infinitives have imperatival force). Why do we need to put off the old man if it already has been crucified?
Reading most commentators as they try to sort this out is thoroughly confusing! I do not claim infallibility or complete understanding here! But it seems to me that Thomas Schreiner is on target when he says (Romans [Baker], p. 318),
What we have is the already-not-yet tension that informs all of Paul’s theology. The old person has been crucified with Christ and the new person (Col. 3:10) is a reality, and yet the old person still must be resisted and its desire (Eph. 4:22) thwarted. Believers must also choose to clothe themselves with the new person that is theirs in Christ.
Or, to put it another way, in Christ our old man was crucified positionally. It is a spiritual fact, just as the fact that I am raised up and seated with Christ in the heavenly places is true positionally. But in practice, I have to count it as true by believing it and resisting my indwelling old nature when it tempts me to sin. To say that the old man “was crucified” is a vivid way of saying that positionally, its power was broken. But, practically, I have to apply that truth in the daily battle against sin and temptation.
Then what does Paul mean when he says, “in order that our body of sin might be done away with”? Again, there is much confusing discussion. The Lord makes it clear that sin originates in our hearts (Mark 7:21-23). Our physical bodies are not inherently sinful, as some ascetics have maintained, so that we should deny any physical pleasure. Rather, Paul probably uses the expression, “body of sin,” “because the body is the means by which sin is concretely accomplished” (Schreiner, p. 316). Our bodies are the means by which the sins of our hearts eventually manifest themselves. The verb translated “done away with” means to “render powerless or inoperative.”
Thus when Paul says that our old man was crucified “in order that our body of sin might be done away with,” I understand him to mean that when we believe and act upon our new position in Christ, in which our old self was crucified, we will not fulfill or act out the sinful desires that tempt us. We will “no longer be slaves to sin” (6:6b). The power of sin to control us has been broken by virtue of our union with Christ.
Verse 7 adds a word of explanation, “for he who has died is freed from sin.” The literal translation is, “for he who has died has been justified from sin,” but almost all translations and commentators take it to mean “freed” in this context. Paul shifts from “we” to “he,” so he may be citing a general illustration to support verse 6. The idea is that when a person dies, obviously he’s done with sin. Since we died positionally in Christ, sin has no jurisdiction over us. We do not have to obey it any more.
While there are a lot of difficult details in these verses, Paul’s overall point is clear: In Christ, sin’s power over us has been broken. When you come to Christ, you cannot hang onto your sin with one hand while you take hold of Christ with your other hand. You must make a distinct break with the old life. As believers we have become united with Christ in His death so that we would no longer be slaves to sin, as we all were before we came to Christ. So if you claim to be a Christian and yet you are enslaved to sin, at the very least you do not understand your new position in which your old man was crucified with Christ. Paul would ask you (6:2), “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”
Thus far we have looked at what it means to be united with Christ in the likeness of His death. But the second half of verse 5 says, “certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection.” Paul expounds on this in 6:8-10.
2. To overcome sin, know that you are totally identified with Christ in the likeness of His resurrection (6:5b, 8-10).
Again, there is a lot of debate over the exact meaning of these verses. Let me try to explain my understanding under two headings:
A. TO OVERCOME SIN, KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU WILL SHARE FULLY IN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION VICTORY OVER SIN (6:5B, 8).
Some argue vigorously that Paul’s statements about being united with Christ in His resurrection and living with Him refer to the present. Other Scriptures show that we are presently raised up with Christ (Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12; 3:1). Also, Paul’s command (6:11) to consider yourself “alive to God in Christ Jesus” lends weight to the present aspect of sharing in Christ’s resurrection.
But the problem is, Paul uses the future tense both in verse 5 and in verse 8. Those who argue that Paul is talking about our present sharing in Christ’s resurrection argue that it is future in reference to our death with Christ. But Paul could have used present tense verbs if that were his point. Instead he twice uses the future tense. Also, his words “we believe that we shall live with Him” seem to point more toward something that is not yet completely realized.
Thus while it’s true that we are presently risen with Christ and share His life, Paul’s emphasis here seems to be on the future resurrection of our bodies, when we will experience complete victory over sin (Douglas Moo, The Epistle to the Romans [Eerdmans], pp. 371, 377). So as Leon Morris puts it (The Epistle to the Romans [Apollos/Eerdmans], p. 254), “Paul is saying that the believer lives with Christ now and that this union will be even more wonderful in the life to come.”
Here’s how this works when you face temptation. Perhaps you’re tempted to use drugs or to get drunk to escape from the pressures of life. Or, you’re tempted to go back to the sexual immorality of your old life. But you realize that in Christ, you have been crucified to that corrupt way of life. You now are united to Christ in both His death and resurrection. His new life is in you. And, someday soon, you will receive a new resurrection body that cannot sin. Since that is your certain future, why would you want to sin now? As Paul rhetorically asks (6:21), “What benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.” So knowing and believing the truth of your present position of sharing in Christ’s death and the certain promise of living forever with Him will break the power of sin in your daily life.
B. TO OVERCOME SIN, KNOW THAT CHRIST’S RESURRECTION REPRESENTS HIS COMPLETE AND FINAL VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH (6:9-10).
Verse 9 gives the reason or basis that we believe that we will share in Christ’s resurrection. “Knowing” is a causal participle (Moo, p. 378). The thought is, “We believe that we will live with Christ because we know that He is now beyond the reach of death.” His resurrection signifies that He will never die again. “Death is no longer master over Him” (6:9).
Verse 10 explains the last phrase of verse 9: “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” When Jesus came to this earth, He submitted Himself to the reign of sin and death in the sense that He came to bear our sins on the cross. He had no sins of His own to bear. But death was master over Him during that time because He came to die for our sins. His death on the cross was a decisive, once and for all satisfaction of God’s wrath (Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10). His victory over sin and death was complete. His resurrection put all of the terrors of sin and death behind Him once and for all.
Now, “the life He lives, He lives to God.” This does not imply that His life prior to His resurrection was not lived for God. Rather, as Leon Morris explains (p. 255), “His life is beyond the reach of death and every evil. It is a life lived positively in and for the glory of God (cf. John 17:5), no longer with the negative aspect of putting away sin.”
So the thought in verses 9 & 10 is that Christ’s death and resurrection completely and finally conquered sin and death. The promise that we will one day share completely in this victory gives us the desire and power to overcome sin right now. John Piper (“Justified to Break the Power of Sin,” on desiringgod.org) explains the practical benefit of verses 9 & 10: “Sin can’t enslave a person who is utterly confident and sure and hope-filled in the infinite happiness of life with Christ in the future.”
By this point, perhaps you’re either completely confused or you’re thinking, “All right, enough of this theoretical stuff. Let’s get to the practical side of things.” Paul does that in verse 11:
3. To overcome sin, continually count as true the fact of your being dead to sin and alive to God in Christ (6:11).
It is significant that verse 11 is the first command in Romans to this point. Paul felt it necessary to lay the extensive doctrinal foundation of chapters 1-6 before he finally says, “Now live in this way.” In other words, our Christian behavior must rest on solid doctrinal knowledge. Three times in chapter 6, Paul has mentioned knowledge: (6:3), “Or do you not know …” (6:6), “knowing this …” (6:9), “knowing that Christ …” Knowing who we are in Christ is the foundation for how we are to live in Christ.
So, Paul’s first command in Romans is (6:11), “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” “Even so” means, “Just as Christ died definitively and finally to sin, so you should count yourselves in Him to be done with sin. Just as Christ has risen from the dead and now lives in God’s presence far removed from sin, so should you live in Him, since in the future you will live forever with Him.” “Consider” is in the present tense and means, “keep on counting it to be true.” You don’t count it to be true because you feel dead to sin and alive to God, but rather because God says that it is true. And the truest thing about you is not what you feel, but what God declares to be true. Victory over sin begins with your mind, how you think.
This isn’t just a mind game, where you tell yourself over and over that it’s true until it actually becomes true. Paul isn’t saying to deny reality by thinking positive thoughts. He isn’t saying, “Visualize yourself as being dead to sin and then you’ll act that way.” Rather, he is saying, “This is the fact of who God has made you in Christ. You are no longer in Adam, alive to sin, but dead towards God. Rather, you are now in Christ Jesus [this is just Paul’s second use of that frequent phrase in Romans], dead to sin and alive to God. Think on that truth. As you think, so you will act. So consider it over and over as often as you face temptation.” Living in light of your union with Christ is the key to overcoming sin.
Conclusion
When she was young, Victoria, the future queen of England, was shielded from that fact so that the knowledge of it would not spoil her. When her teacher finally did let her discover for herself that she would one day rule as queen, Victoria’s response was, “Then I will be good!” Her life from that point was controlled by her future position. She would be the queen, so she acted as a queen should act. (Adapted from Warren Wiersbe, Be Rich [Victor Books], pp. 13-14.)
In the same way, the fact that we are united with Christ in His decisive death to sin and that one day we will be raised up to live with Him eternally should cause us to proclaim, “Then I will be holy.” Counting our union with Christ in His death and resurrection to be true is the key to overcoming sin.
27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
He who wishes to follow Him must choose Him so unconditionally as Lord and Guide that he makes all other loyalties and ties absolutely subordinate to his loyalty and devotion to Him. The Saviour, of course, does not mean that he who desires to follow Him must hate his parents and other loved ones as such, but certainly if loyalty to Him clashes with loyalty to them he is to treat his loved ones in this condition as though they are persons whom he hates. But even when he acts thus towards them for the sake of his absolute loyalty to Christ, he must continue to love them and all other people, in accordance with Christ's law of love.
Indeed, he who is not willing to die the most hideous death, by crucifixion, for the sake of his love and loyalty to Christ, cannot be His disciple. The general idea that these words of Jesus about "bearing the cross" refer to passive submission to all kinds of afflictions, like disappointments, pain, sickness and grief that come upon man in this life, is totally wrong. The people to whom Jesus spoke those words fully realised that He meant thereby that whosoever desires to follow Him must be willing to hate his own life (verse 26) and even to be crucified by the Roman authorities for the sake of his fidelity to Him. So, in a wider sense this pronouncement of Jesus means that only that person who for the sake of His service surrenders all self-seeking and abandons all striving after his own interests can be His disciple.
He must relinquish all his possessions - not merely money and material things, but also his dear ones and everything that his heart clings to, yea, even his own life, his own desires, plans, ideals and interests. This does not mean he must sell all his possessions or give away all his money or desert his dear ones and become a hermit or beggar or wanderer, but it means that he must give Christ full control over his whole life with everything that hs is and all that he possesses, and that under His guidance and in His service he should deal with his possessions in a manner that is best. In some cases it has meant, or will mean, that a man will have to take leave of his worldly possessions and go into distant lands to work for Christ. In most cases, however, it means that man in his ordinary life places his all at Christ's disposal to such an extent that, while still remaining in possession of his goods, he honours and serves Him thereby. The important thing is that whosoever desires to follow Him must be inwardly free from worldly-mindedness, covetousness and selfishness and wholly devoted to Him.
Jesus was talking about denying yourself in the essential battle of life. The scramble for the throne, the struggle over who is going to be God. Jesus doesn't enter into that battle - He's already won it. He occupies the throne and graciously offers to share it with us. But we want to be king in our lives by ourselves. Until we deny ourselves that which was never meant to be ours - the role of being God in our lives - we will never be at peace with God, or ourselves and we will never be free.
You were not designed to function independently of God, nor was your soul designed to function as master. You will either serve God and His kingdom or Satan and his kingdom. Self-seeking, self-serving, self-justifying, self-glorifying, self-centered and self-confident living is in actuality living and serving the world, the flesh and the devil (Eph 2:1-3). On the other hand, denying yourself is not self-mortification. God is not trying to annihilate you, He is trying to restore you.
When you deny yourself, you invite God to take the throne of your life, to occupy what is rightfully His, so that you may function as a person who is spiritually alive in Christ. Denying yourself is essential to spiritual freedom.
Lord, too many times I have tried to live independently of You. I deny myself today and yield the throne of my life to You.
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