“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1). The answer is clear and forthright: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1-21What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:1‑2)). All the doings of the natural man are governed by his sin nature. “They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh” (Rom. 8:5). He is a slave to sin and is “free from righteousness” (Rom. 6:20). For the believer, this is no longer true. We have been delivered from the power of sin through death—quite removed from its dominion. God sees us as dead in Christ. It is important that we know this objectively. “Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin. For he that has died is justified from sin” (Rom. 6:6-7 JND). These verses speak of sin, our nature, and not sins—there is no sacrifice for sin; death is its due. A dead man has no perverse will or evil lusts. Knowing this, we are to take stock of this truth and to account it so in our lives. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). I owe no allegiance to a ruler who has been deposed—they no longer have lordship over me. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Rom. 6:12). The power of sin has been broken; it need not be our master any longer. We owe the flesh nothing whatsoever. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh” (Rom. 8:12).
A second question is raised: “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?” (Rom. 6:15). This differs from the earlier question—there it was a matter of continuing in sin (Rom. 6:1); that is to say, as to our state. The question now is, “shall we sin”? It speaks of action. The expression could be paraphrased: shall we continue to sin? Rather strikingly, Paul writes: “Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). This answer could not have been given without the first question having been addressed. Law addresses itself to the flesh, demonstrating and judging it for what it is (1 Tim. 1:9). If we walk after the flesh, the law still condemns us; but it will not change the flesh nor give us power for the Christian walk. The law will not produce righteousness, despite the best efforts of the flesh. My righteousness is found in Christ. “Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). The flesh was judged at the cross and I am to reckon myself dead unto sin (Rom. 6:11). It is Christ who now lives in me (Gal. 2:20). Christ is my life, and it is my responsibility to show forth the life of Christ practically in my walk. God has given us, according to His divine power, all that pertains unto life and godliness (1 Pet. 1:3). We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). We have a new life animated by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the righteous requirement of the law will be fulfilled in us when we walk by the Spirit and not the flesh. “In order that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit” (Rom. 8:4 JND). This is not a question of our righteous standing; that we have in Christ—rather, it speaks of the fruit of our walk in the Spirit.
Grace liberates us from the bondage of sin, but it does not turn liberty into an opportunity for the flesh (Gal. 5:13). Grace is not for the flesh. If grace is taken up in the flesh it will be turned into lasciviousness (Jude 44For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)). We are a slave to whom we yield ourselves: “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?” (Rom. 6:16). The bondage of sin is cruel and leads to death. The new nature, on the other hand, delights to do the will of God; there is no burden connected with it. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). The Christian now acts, not because something is right, but because it is the will of God. For the Christian it is not now do but yield. We have a new master—righteousness. We are a slave to the one to whom we yield—whether slaves to righteousness unto holiness, or slaves to uncleanness unto lawlessness (Rom. 6:19).
We also find these principles borne out in Paul’s epistle to the Galatians: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Gal. 2:19-21 JnD). The first part of this verse summarizes what we have been speaking of. We have the life of Christ within, and that life is to govern the activity of my person. The last part of the verse, however, gives us the motivation for Paul’s writing. The Galatians had been turned aside by Judaizing teachers and were attempting to maintain righteousness before God through the law. The Apostle rebukes them very sharply; he calls them senseless: “Have ye received the Spirit on the principle of works of law, or of the report of faith? Are ye so senseless? having begun in Spirit, are ye going to be made perfect in flesh?” (Gal. 3:2-3 JnD). We are not saved by grace so that we might walk according to law. If we attempt to walk according to law, we have fallen from grace. We have taken ourselves off the ground of grace. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4). No one was saved by the law, and no one can maintain righteousness before God by the law. Law forbids sin; grace, on the other hand, gives us power over sin. God has acted in grace so that we can be above sin and outside its dominion. One must expect shipwreck if they abandon the grace of God; it is a most serious and dangerous position to be in.