The Believer's Identity: Dead to Sin, Alive to God in Christ

Think of yourselves as having died to sin, yet made alive to God through Christ Jesus. Some may interpret this as referring to those who lived for God apart from Christ Jesus. But we suggest it might not be possible to truly live for God in Christ Jesus, since even Abraham saw Christ’s day and rejoiced. If Moses served God, he did so in communion with Christ, valuing the disgrace of Christ above Egypt’s treasures. Likewise, many prophets and righteous ones longed to witness what the apostles saw and heard, yet never attained that longing, missing the life in Christ Jesus before God. You may wonder whether all who live for God in Christ Jesus must be dead to sin. One response: if someone once lived under sin, or if one enlightened by the Spirit exploring God’s depths finds those who never lived under sin yet live for God in Christ Jesus, then it appears that whoever lives for God in Christ Jesus is already dead to sin. But if all sinned because Christ died for all, then it is clear that all who live in Christ Jesus once lived under sin and later became dead to it, thus living for God in Christ Jesus. Another might argue that some are enabled to live for God in Christ Jesus without ever having been in sin, yet they are still dead to sin, just as sin was powerless before the law, not arising from prior transgression. Yet the divine apostle affirms elsewhere the ease of victory: sin will not rule over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Consider the apostolic precision: how does ruling apply? To Christ he said death no longer rules; to us he said sin will not rule—nor would it be fitting to say of Christ that sin does not rule, nor of us that death does not rule, lest the same be said of Christ and us as similar. After this, as giving cause that our sin does not rule, he says: you are not under law but under grace. For according to Paul, the power of sin is the law, and the law came in so that trespass might increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Now we are under grace, not under law. For a righteous law does not lie in needing the letter’s instruction to keep God’s commandments, being taught by God, as Paul teaches concerning love: you need not write to one another, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. If anyone has grown together with God’s law so as not to wish the law otherwise than to be the human will, such a one is not under law but under grace. Thus we ought to think: in the Lord’s law was his will. Just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. And since, as many have said (he says), we have kept watch, the name of righteousness is sometimes put in place of virtue; thus we say that now also this is what is said when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to virtue. And following the genitive of sin, the genitive of virtue is to be named righteousness in these things. Moreover, it will seem specifically that speaking of sanctification urges toward purity and bodily chastity for the one capable of receiving it. What fruit did you have then in the things you now are ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. But now, having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end is eternal life. By despising the fruit of slaves of sin as worthless talk, he says: for whatever someone formerly did in sin and ignorance, later coming to feel shame for the things committed, such fruit would be useless, unripe for food, and of no use. For the end of such works is nothing else but death, the enemy of Christ.

Thus we must understand: the law of the Lord embodies his will. Once you offered your bodily members as servants to uncleanness and lawlessness, leading only to greater lawlessness; now offer them as servants to righteousness, leading to sanctification. When you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness. And since, as he notes, we have kept vigil, the term ‘righteousness’ is sometimes substituted for ‘virtue’; therefore, we say that even now, this is what is meant when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to virtue. Following the genitive of sin, the genitive of virtue is to be called righteousness in these contexts. Furthermore, it will clearly appear that speaking of sanctification calls for purity and moral integrity of life in those who are able to receive it. What gain did you reap then from the actions you now blush to recall? For the outcome of those actions is death. But now, having been liberated from sin and made servants of God, you possess the fruit that leads to holiness, and the final result is eternal life. By treating the fruit of sin’s slaves as meaningless chatter, he declares: whatever anyone once did in sin and ignorance, and later came to feel shame for those deeds, that fruit would be useless, unfit for consumption, and serving no purpose. For the end of such deeds is nothing other than death, the adversary of Christ.