Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

Romans 6:1–14

For the last eight weeks, we’ve been walking through the very good news: we are justified by grace through faith. We are made righteous through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Grace—by definition—is something we do not deserve and cannot earn. It is freely given.

So the question naturally follows: what now?
We’re saved. We know Jesus. But what comes next?
Many of us have moments in the Christian life where things feel harder than we expected. The longer we walk with Christ, the more aware we become of our own sin. That awareness can lead to guilt, even discouragement. But Romans 6 speaks directly into this struggle—it shows us how grace transforms not just our standing before God, but our everyday lives.

Grace Is Not a License to Sin
Paul asks, “Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1). His answer is clear: “By no means!”

God’s grace is not permission to live however we want. Grace is not “cheap.” As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Grace is free, but it is not cheap. It will cost us everything to follow Jesus.” When we receive God’s grace, it changes us—it leads to repentance, confession, and a new way of living.

Baptized Into New Life
Paul reminds us that those who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too may walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

At our baptism service this past June, when people went under the water and came up again, it was a vivid picture of this truth—dying to sin and being raised to new life in Christ. That outward act points to an inward reality: through the Holy Spirit, we are no longer slaves to sin. We are alive to God.

The Call to Obedience
This new life doesn’t mean perfection, but it does mean progress. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
As we grow in love for God, we grow in obedience to Him. Scripture calls us to be holy because He is holy (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16). John writes, “Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar” (1 John 2:4). We aren’t saved by our good works, but true salvation always bears fruit—it produces obedience and transformation.

Growing Up in Christ
Like children learning to obey their parents, our growth in faith takes time. At first, obedience can feel difficult, even inconvenient. But as we mature, we begin to understand that God’s commands are for our good. Just as loving parents want what’s best for their kids, our heavenly Father wants what’s best for us.
We call this process sanctification—being shaped more and more into the image of Christ. It’s a lifelong journey. We still struggle with sin, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can see real victory.

Drawing Near to God
So how do we actually live this out?
Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)
We can’t overcome sin by sheer willpower. True change happens as we draw near to God—through prayer, through time in His Word, through worship and community. If we want to sin less, we must stay close to Him.

When we drift, sin gains ground. But when we walk closely with Jesus, sin loses its power.
Romans 6:14 reminds us, “Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

Grace doesn’t leave us where we are—it moves us forward. We are not trapped in our sin any longer. Through Christ, we are set free to walk in the newness of life.
Scripture References

Romans 6:1–14; Romans 5:20; Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20; Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16; John 14:15, 21; 1 John 2:3–6; Ephesians 2:8–10