Interpretation of the Bible / Romans 6:1-2

In Romans 6:1, Paul asks a rhetorical question to debunk the idea that sin can be justified. He argues that grace does not give us license to sin, but rather grace gives us reasons to strive to live holy lives, as Romans 6:2 says.

He calls believers to examine their lives and reflect on their actions in relation to their relationship with God.

What does this verse teach?

Paul teaches that God’s abundant grace should be an incentive for believers to live godly lives, not an excuse to continue sinning. The purpose of grace is to help us become better people, not to give us permission to do whatever we want.

As Christians, we should strive to live lives that reflect the grace of God we have received. This not only brings us closer to God, but also benefits us and those around us.

Dying to sin

Paul’s statement in this verse may seem contradictory to some. How can anyone die to sin if we are all sinners by nature? The answer is found in the work of Jesus Christ.

When we accept His sacrifice on the cross, we die to sin in the sense that we are no longer slaves to it. We have been justified by faith in Christ (Romans 3:28), which means that God considers us righteous despite our imperfections.

Living in freedom

Dying to sin frees us to new life in Christ. We are no longer bound by our selfish desires and passions, but can live in the freedom of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 6 of the same chapter sums it up this way: “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Living in the freedom that Christ has given us means separating ourselves from everything that separates us from Him and seeking life in fellowship with His Word.

Temptation to return to sin

Despite the freedom we have in Christ, our sin continues to tempt us to return to the past. Paul mentions this in Romans 7:15: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

In our daily struggle with sin, it is important to remember that our freedom in Christ does not leave us without responsibility. We must continually strive to live righteous and godly lives, relying on God’s strength to resist the temptation to sin.