Let’s continue our summer study of Paul’s difficult statements in Romans 6 and 7. This week let’s look at the most important verse in the entire New Testament. Yet it is the most “un-preached” verse in the history of the church. How do I know that? Well, actually, I just made that up. However, based on my personal experience, I have only heard two preachers ever preach on it (besides me). And since age 20, when I began to pay attention, I’ve heard perhaps 2,500 sermons, and only two other pastors have explained this verse.
Romans 6:6. Let’s look at it phrase by phrase.
OUR OLD MAN – Modern translations have changed the word “man” (anthropos) to the more neutral translation, “self.” The “old man” has to be something, and whatever it is, it was put to death. I interpret the old man/old self as our old spirit, our unregenerate spirit. We are spirit-beings, born as members of Adam’s race, and we were ungodly. Not only have we done wrong, but we are wrong. To retro-fit us for kingdom living God decided to do away with us; therefore, our Adamic spirit . . .
WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM – Somebody died on the cross with Christ. I did. You did. On the cross our old spirit came to an end with Christ, in Christ. We died when He died. We died in Him, through baptism into Him (see July 12 blog). Bondage to sin came by birth in Adam, and deliverance from sin comes by death in Christ. This death was provided . . .
IN ORDER THAT THE BODY OF SIN – This phrase, the body of sin, has inspired some of the most mind-boggling, theological jumping-jack interpretations. Instead, I simply let other verses in Romans 6 – 8 lend their light to this phrase.
In Romans 8:2 Paul speaks of a law of sin and death.
In 7:23 he refers to a law of sin, and he locates it in the human body.
Then, in 7:24 Paul describes his own body as a “body of death.”
Taking all of these verses together, Paul says there is a law of sin and death that is in our bodies, and therefore he refers to his body once as a body of sin (6:6), and once as a body of death (7:24). Therefore, I take it that the body of sin is our physical body that has within it the curse of the Law of Sin & Death. God crucified my spirit with Christ so that my sinful body . . .
MIGHT BE BROUGHT TO NOTHING – This phrase in the Greek, translated differently in your NIV, NABS and NKJV Bibles, is a word that means “to render inactive or idle, or to leave unemployed.” Some of us like the phrase, “to render inoperative.” Paul is saying that the believer’s sinful body has been rendered inactive, idle or unemployed. Our bodies were once under the management of the old man. But now that my old man has been crucified, the sinful body is no longer employed for sin by “him.” The body has been rendered inactive or inoperable in regard to my former manner of sins. As a result . . .
WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ENSLAVED TO SIN – The word “enslaved” in the Greek speaks of serving as a slave under the direction of someone else. Our body, with the Law of Sin & Death coursing throughout it, was a slave to the old man. Now that the old master is dead, the body is inactive and idle, and can now be employed by the new man for serving God in righteousness. The new man, of course, is the same crucified, Adamic spirit that has been brought back to life via the imputation of the righteous life of Christ. (Eph 4:24).
What a powerful verse! It declares that you are no longer who you once were. You came into this world as a sinner, but God killed you on the cross in Christ. Now you are no longer a slave to sin. Your new life —in the spirit— is the life of Christ. You are a saint! The cross is how God initiated a change at the level of Identity.
But if you never hear it preached, will you ever learn it? Paul’s first words of this verse are FOR WE KNOW . . . We know that our old man was crucified with Christ. Do you know it? We “know” when the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of our heart (Eph 1:17-18). The preacher can preach it, but you don’t “know” it until the Holy Spirit teaches it to you. Ask Him to teach it to you.
-Carter