Romans 6:1-11; Luke 3:15-22
Theme: “Dead to sin, alive to God”

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Intr –Think about a moment in your life when something happened that changed it forever. Perhaps it was when you became a parent or a grandparent. Maybe it was when you graduated or started a new career. Or it could be something special, like buying your first house. There are many events that mark a clear division in our lives, where before and after are distinct. Even something as simple as the first day of school changes everything. Your life was one way, and then, after that moment, it was different.

In many ways, there are events in life, some good and some not-so-good, that change the way we see the world. We start to see things from a new perspective and see life from a different angle.

 

In today’s epistle, Paul talks about the “newness of life.” This is what he’s referring to—the way our lives are changed as Christians. Your life may have once been heading in one direction, but now it has changed. For some of us, it happened when we were baptized as children; for others, it might have been later in life when the Holy Spirit brought faith into our hearts. The fact is, Paul is telling us that we once lived in sin. We were once just sinners. But now, as Christians, though we remain imperfect, we live in a new life.

This is the best news anyone can receive, because it means that, instead of being condemned to eternal separation from God, you are now alive to God, living in His presence, and destined for eternity with Him.

However, to understand how we are dead to sin and alive to God it is important to define it. Even if you think it’ll be somehow obvious, going back to obvious teachings is also important. We will first define what it means to be dead to sin. And later we want to understand or to remember what it is to be alive for Christ.

 What is Sin?

Sin is essentially “missing the mark.” Imagine you’re aiming at a target but don’t quite reach it, or perhaps you fall short. This is what happens when we try to live according to God’s law. We may try our best, but often we miss the mark because we’re not strong enough on our own.

Sin is failing to fulfill God’s will; it’s breaking His commandments. It’s important to remember that sin remains sin even when no one is watching. The saying goes, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” People debate over it, but when it comes to the definition of sin, there’s no debate. Even if no one else sees you sin, it is still sin. If you sin and nobody is watching, it’s still a sin—even if you try to hide it from everyone else. So whenever in our lives we break God’s law, whether in front of many people or away from everyone, that is sin.

This is a moral absolute: If you break God’s law, it’s sin, regardless of whether or not it’s socially accepted or even widely practiced. Our culture has changed so much that what was once wrong is now often accepted. In the past, the Christian faith and culture were more intermingled, but today, the divide is growing rapidly. In many ways, culture is no longer connected to Christian values. We are tempted to go along with culture and say, “Well, in the past this was wrong, but not right now, or not so much. We are free to do many things that were not acceptable in the past.”

That doesn’t happen with the Word of God. It has stood unchanged for centuries. It doesn’t matter if culture changes or if social norms evolve; what the Word of God forbids is still a sin, and what the Word of God commands is still God’s will for our lives.

On a deeper level, it’s important to remember that sin is not just something you do; it’s something you have. Here’s an illustration: Imagine you’re sitting at home, thinking only good thoughts, listening to Christian music, and trying to do nothing wrong for an entire day. Even then, you’re still a sinner. Sin is not merely about actions; it’s a state of being, something always inside us, waiting to take root again. That’s why Paul urges us to be “dead to sin”—because sin is always lurking, both around us and within us. That’s also why Luther reminded us to return daily to the waters of Baptism to remember our identity as baptized children of God. Without that, sin can slowly creep into our lives.

Now, think about this: What if the payment of sin’s salary were immediate? The Bible tells us, “The wages of sin is death.” But thanks be to God, that is not how it works. If sin were immediately paid for, we’d all be in trouble. But Jesus came to take on the wages of our sin, paying the price for us so that we can be freed from its grip.

 Being Alive to God

Paul talks about being “alive to God.” This new life begins when we are baptized—whether as infants or as adults when we receive the gift of faith and are baptized. Baptism marks the end of the old life and the beginning of our new life. This new life is found in Christ. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” To be alive to God is to be alive in Jesus, who gives us life now and promises us eternal life with Him.

To be “alive to God” means we are in Christ, sustained by Him and constantly fighting against sin, as we strive to live in accordance with God’s will. Faith in Christ and intentional sin cannot coexist. That doesn’t mean we will be perfect, but we should not intentionally cultivate sin. This does not imply that we must achieve perfection, as we are all sinners and have our weaknesses. However, problems arise in our lives when we intentionally cultivate sin. Someone once said, “You don’t plant a garden and reserve a space for the weeds.”

Sometimes, we might be tempted to think, “I’m a Christian, I go to church, I have faith; but this little thing I cultivate on the side, which perhaps isn’t too bad, I can keep doing.” Over time, that will take over because we know how weeds work. Like weeds in a garden, sin can take root if we leave space for it. Being alive to God necessarily implies being dead to sin. It’s impossible for authentic faith in your heart to coexist with intentional sin.

As Christians, we are called to fight against sin, but we don’t do so alone. We fight with God’s Word and the strength He provides. Thanks be to God that Jesus, who knows our weaknesses, is with us in our struggles and wants to bring us from sin to being alive in Him.

Paul talks about being alive to God when he mentions Baptism. This is when your new life begins—when you receive faith or, in the case of later baptism, during your conversion. That’s when the newness takes hold in your life, when the old has passed and the new has come. This new life is in Jesus. Actually, this new life is Jesus, because Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” So as you come to Him, you are in life. You are living the life—the life of faith that leads to life everlasting.

Baptism daily

Baptism is not just a one-time event.

Think about citizenship. You were born into your country at a specific moment, but being a citizen impacts your life every day. If you go abroad and things don’t go well, you remember that you are a citizen and can return home. There was one moment when you became a citizen of your country, but that status influences your entire life. You are Canadian—or of another nationality—every single day.

Similarly, your baptism happened at a specific point in time, but it continues to have an impact. Whenever you feel like you’re in a foreign country, facing trouble, fear, grief, depression, or other challenges, you can always remember: I was baptized.

More importantly: I am baptized.

Paul says that baptism puts you into Christ. You belong to Him. You are with Him. You walk in Him. Just as Christ died, we died with Him, Paul says, and just as He was resurrected, we too are resurrected to new life.

Your Baptism was a significant moment in your past, but it continues to shape your daily life. Whenever you face trouble or fear, you can confidently say: I am baptized. I belong to Christ. Baptism unites us with Christ—it puts us in Him. Just as He died and rose again, so we too die to sin and are raised to new life in Him.

Fighting Sin and Living in Christ

Being “dead to sin and alive to God” means that, with Christ, we fight against sin but do not allow it to take hold. This is a daily struggle, much like going to the gym. If you stop exercising, your body begins to weaken. Similarly, if we neglect our faith, it will weaken. That’s why we need daily engagement with God’s Word and His sacraments to keep our faith strong.

What Does This Look Like in Practice?

Dead to Sin
It could mean many things. I’ll just mention a few here. First of all, don’t sugarcoat sin. Sin is sin. If we know something is wrong according to God’s Word, we should not accept it, no matter how socially acceptable it may be. Perhaps you don’t need to call out the person or act in a preachy way, but don’t accept it as it comes. If you know it’s not aligned with God’s Word, it is sin. You don’t want to take part in it.

It also means avoiding things that harm our faith—whether unhealthy relationships, certain habits, or worldly influences contrary to God’s Word. Sometimes we visit websites we shouldn’t, take part in questionable activities, or justify things as “not too bad.” Being dead to sin means avoiding anything that may eventually, slowly but steadily, harm our faith.

Sin often comes in the form of half-truths or distorted truths. When we hear something that doesn’t seem right, we need to seek clarification. If you encounter something online or hear people discussing ideas that seem slightly off, remember: just because something is logical doesn’t mean it’s theological. Things may sound spiritual, but they can be far removed from biblical teaching. We want to ensure that what we hear and learn aligns with God’s Word.

Being dead to sin also means intentionally fighting sin in daily life, anchored in God’s strength and power.

Alive to God in Jesus
Being “alive to God” includes regularly reading the Bible and praying. I’ll repeat it: read your Bible and pray. Don’t let your only contact with the Bible be the few minutes you hear it at church. Today, we have apps, physical Bibles, and countless ways to engage with God’s Word. This is where we draw our strength. God speaks to us through His Word, and we respond in prayer.

We also grow in faith through fellowship with other believers. Attending church and receiving the Sacrament of the Altar strengthens us. We show our faith in action by serving our neighbors.

This is how we draw strength. This is how God speaks to us. Sometimes we wish God would speak directly to us, but He does—through His Word. Respond in prayer. Cultivate a life of constant prayer. It doesn’t need to be long; it can be brief, even a passing moment, but make prayer a habit.

This constant connection reminds us that someone is guiding and ruling our lives. Keep doing what you’re already doing—attend church, receive the Sacrament, and fellowship with your brothers and sisters. These are tremendous sources of strength and help for your faith life, nurturing your heart in Christ.

Also, show your faith through acts of service to your neighbor. Good works are not necessary for salvation, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do them. Good works naturally flow from faith. Demonstrate this faith in service, and perhaps more people who are dead to sin will come alive in Christ.

Above all, listen and grow. Listen carefully. For those who cannot hear, they listen with their eyes. Receive what God shows you through His Word, the people around you, and life in community. God has so much prepared for you and so many ways for you to grow in Him. As you listen, learn, and grow, you can rest assured that it doesn’t depend on your strength.

Thanks be to God that it doesn’t rely on our strength. Otherwise, we would remain dead in sin. But as we stay connected to Him, we are alive in Him because He keeps us going. So, my friends, it all boils down to living your faith.

Ultimately, we listen carefully to God’s Word and allow it to shape our lives. We don’t just hear it—we apply it. This is how we live as those who are “dead to sin and alive to God.”

Cc – Faith is not a mere intellectual ascent. I know that Jesus exists and I believe in him, but it’s a deep trust in God’s promises. So baptism reminds us to abandon our own strength and wisdom, our own self-reliance and place our trust and hope and faith in the God who is three in one.

It is event that changed your life forever. For you became dead to sin, alive to God, not just for this life, but also in the life to come.

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More resources

The Book of Concord

Romans 6:1-11 is discussed in several key documents of the Book of Concord, particularly in relation to the doctrine of baptism, justification, and sanctification. Here’s how it’s treated:

1. The Augsburg Confession (1530)

• In Article IX on “Baptism,” the Augsburg Confession emphasizes the efficacy of baptism for the forgiveness of sins and the death to sin through baptism. The Confession affirms that baptism unites the believer with Christ’s death and resurrection. The passage from Romans 6 is foundational in this teaching:
  • “Baptism is a work of God, not of man… it works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.”
  • The Confession states that baptism is the means by which Christians are united with Christ’s death and resurrection, thus fulfilling the reality of Romans 6:3-4.

2. The Small Catechism (1529)

• In the Small Catechism, Martin Luther presents the explanation of baptism in a succinct and clear manner. He draws directly from Romans 6, emphasizing the death to sin and the new life given through baptism:
  • “What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”
  • This teaching echoes Romans 6:4, where Christians are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life. The baptismal rite serves as the means by which the believer is brought into union with Christ’s death and resurrection, symbolizing both the death of the old sinful nature and the rise to new life in Christ.

3. The Large Catechism (1529)

• In the Large Catechism, Luther expands on the theme of baptism, offering a more detailed explanation of its significance. He again points to Romans 6, affirming that through baptism, believers are united with Christ’s death:
  • “For baptism is nothing other than a means of giving us the fullness of Christ’s death and resurrection, that we might die with Him and rise with Him.”
  • Luther stresses that baptism is not just a symbolic act but a powerful means of grace that brings about a real change in the believer’s life, enabling them to live as those who are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ.

4. The Formula of Concord (1577)

• The Formula of Concord discusses the relationship between baptism and justification, underscoring the righteousness that baptism conveys. In the Solid Declaration of the Formula, it is made clear that baptism does not merely symbolize the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to a new life, but it actually effects this change by the power of God:
  • “Baptism works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and grants eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.”
  • This ties back to the idea in Romans 6 that baptism is the moment where the believer participates in the death and resurrection of Christ, so that sin no longer has dominion over them.

Summary of Key Themes in Romans 6:1-11 in the Book of Concord

1. Baptism as Union with Christ: Baptism is the means by which believers are united with Christ in His death and resurrection. This union breaks the power of sin and gives the believer new life in Christ (Romans 6:3-5).
2. Death to Sin, Life in Christ: Baptism signifies the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Romans 6:6-7 emphasizes the freedom from sin’s enslavement through this union with Christ’s death.
3. Ongoing Sanctification: While baptism is a once-for-all event, it has an ongoing significance. The Christian is to daily “drown the old Adam” through contrition and repentance, living in the power of the new life in Christ (Romans 6:11).
4. Justification and Sanctification: Baptism is not just symbolic; it is the means by which God’s justification is applied to the believer, and it is the beginning of the sanctification process, making the believer a new creation in Christ.

Conclusion

In summary, the Book of Concord treats Romans 6:1-11 as a foundational text for understanding the doctrine of baptism and the believer’s participation in Christ’s death and resurrection. It underscores the transformative power of baptism, which not only symbolizes but also effects the believer’s death to sin and rebirth to a new life in Christ. The passages in Romans affirm the Lutheran understanding that baptism is a central, effective means by which God imparts grace, forgiveness, and renewal, initiating the Christian into the life of sanctification and justification.

 

 

Textual comments (from C. Lenski)

 

1. Romans 6:1-2 – The Question of Continuing in Sin

Lenski begins by addressing the rhetorical question in Romans 6:1, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” He emphasizes that the apostle Paul anticipates this question because of his previous teaching about the abundance of God’s grace (Romans 5:20). Paul’s answer is emphatic: “By no means!” Lenski points out that the idea of continuing in sin as a way to highlight the greatness of God’s grace is absurd. For Paul, living in sin after receiving grace is incompatible with the Christian faith.

 

2. Romans 6:3-4 – Union with Christ in His Death and Resurrection

In these verses, Paul explains that baptism is the key to understanding the Christian’s union with Christ. Lenski elaborates on how baptism signifies the believer’s identification with Christ in both His death and His resurrection. The believer is “baptized into His death” (v. 3), and the purpose of this is so that the believer might live a new life, “just as Christ was raised from the dead” (v. 4).

Lenski highlights that baptism, for Paul, is not merely a symbolic act; it is the means by which the believer is mystically united with Christ. By being baptized into Christ’s death, the believer dies to sin; by being baptized into His resurrection, the believer is granted new life—a life that is now lived to God, not to sin.

 

3. Romans 6:5-7 – The Old Self is Crucified with Christ

Lenski explains that being united with Christ in His death and resurrection means that the believer’s “old self” (the sinful nature) has been crucified with Christ (v. 6). This is a decisive break from the power of sin. Lenski stresses that this is not just a potential reality but a present one for the believer. The crucifixion of the old self “renders powerless the body of sin”, meaning that the power of sin has been broken for those who are united with Christ in baptism.

In verse 7, Lenski notes that “he who has died is freed from sin.” The believer, having died to sin through Christ, is now free from sin’s enslaving power. This freedom is not merely a legal declaration; it is a real, spiritual freedom that empowers the believer to live in righteousness.

 

4. Romans 6:8-10 – Death No Longer Has Dominion

Lenski emphasizes the finality of Christ’s victory over sin and death. For Christ, “death no longer has dominion.” Lenski explains that Christ’s death was a once-for-all event that secured the victory over sin and death. Since believers are united with Christ in His death, they too share in His victory. The believer, as a result, is no longer bound by the power of sin but lives in the power of Christ’s resurrection. Lenski adds that this is a present reality, not just a future hope.

 

5. Romans 6:11 – Consider Yourselves Dead to Sin and Alive to God

Finally, Lenski focuses on the command in verse 11 to “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” He explains that this is not a mere mental exercise or positive thinking but a recognition of the believer’s new status in Christ. The believer is to reckon themselves as dead to the power of sin and alive to the realities of God’s grace and the resurrection life.

 

• Baptism as Union with Christ: Lenski underscores that baptism is not simply a ritual but a means by which the believer is truly united with Christ. Through baptism, believers participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus, which marks the decisive break from sin and the beginning of a new life.
• The Power of Sin is Broken: Lenski stresses that the believer’s union with Christ in baptism brings real deliverance from the dominion of sin. Sin no longer has mastery over the believer, and the Christian is now free to live for God.
• Living the New Life: The Christian life, according to Lenski, is characterized by a new orientation. The believer, having died to sin, lives a life that is oriented toward God, empowered by the resurrection of Jesus. This new life is not just future but present, lived out daily in the power of Christ’s resurrection.
• Imputation of Christ’s Death and Resurrection: Lenski points out that what Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection is imputed to the believer. The believer does not merely receive the benefits of Christ’s work in a legal sense, but these benefits are made effective in their daily lives through baptism and faith.