In Romans Chapter 6, Paul begins a discussion about sin which continues for two chapters. He argued that being baptized meant having one’s sins erased, but baptism was much more important than that.
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Paul Explains Baptism
The argument about man continuing to sin so that God’s grace may abound is explained by Paul in Romans Chapter 6. He said that through baptism, those who are with Christ have also symbolically died with Him on the cross. As such, they have left the things of this world which often cause people to sin. Baptism showed that those who had accepted Jesus have died to sin and they are no longer held by it.
Sin and God’s Grace
Many people argued that since God has forgiven sin through Christ’s death, and all sin had been erased, sinning more would grow His grace. But in Romans Chapter 6, Paul said that we cannot be a slave to sin. Since those who have accepted Christ have also died to sin, they are a new creation.
This means that they need to keep presenting themselves as this new person, even if the world tells them otherwise. Although the human nature is to sin, those who have been born again through Christ need to refrain from it.
A New Creation through Christ
Paul talked about when Christ died on the cross and how our sins went with Him. When He rose again, He was a whole new body and creation, one that had been cleansed of sin.
Therefore, when we accept Christ, it means that our sins, or our sinful body, has died with Him and we are cleansed. According to Paul, we should be a new creation and we should want to pursue holiness.
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Romans 6 (King James Version)
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
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.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.