For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:5-11

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Consider it done.” It’s a phrase we like to hear. Whatever we were concerned about, the person telling us to “Consider it done” has taken full responsibility for whatever “it” is. The phrase allows us to go on with other important matters and not get stuck on whatever “it” is. This is the essence of how we are to deal with our own propensity to sin.

I recently wrote adamantly about the fact that believers in Christ are no longer sinners but saints. We are to no longer live lives dominated by sin. For someone to be freed from their propensity to sin, recognizing that we are saints is essential. Romans chapter six contains the key element to overcoming sin in our lives. It is really quite simple.

  • Recognize and believe what the gospel says Christ has already done on our behalf.
  • Consider it done.

That is really the essence of what Paul tells us in Romans 6.

When Jesus died, we were baptized into his death. When Jesus was raised from the dead, we too were raised from our state of spiritual death to walk in newness of life in Christ. Our old self that was enslaved to sin died with Christ, so we are no longer enslaved to sin. So what are we to do then? Consider it done!! It is really that simple.

Satan tells us that this isn’t true. We aren’t freed from sin. That is just a pipe dream. You will never be free.

Who are we going to believe, Satan or God? Don’t live by the lies Satan tells. Live by the truth Jesus tell us in his word.

“But my case is really bad. I am addicted to alcohol and drugs. I will never be able to find freedom from these addictions.” Lie! That is what Satan is telling you. I suppose you think you will be an addict until you die. Well. I agree. However, if you have submitted yourself to the Lordship of Jesus and trust his work on your behalf, you are dead. You died with Christ when he died on the cross, and you were raised to new life when he was raised from the grave. Dead people aren’t addicts. Even addictions are no challenge for the Savior who defeated even death on our behalf. The same is true of any other sin we may be addicted to, whether anger, lust, pornography, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and envy. No sin is stronger than the power of Jesus’ resurrection, and you were raised with him.

In the twenty-three verses of Romans six, there are only four imperatives or commands. All the rest of the chapter deals with what Jesus has done for us and with us and calls us to believe it to be true. Here are the four command sections.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 

Romans 6:13

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed…

Romans 6:17

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Romans 6:19

There is work for us to do to be free from sin. What is that work? It is first to believe the gospel. Jesus told us in John 6:29 that our work is to believe in him whom the Father has sent. Our work is a work of faith. Believe God, don’t believe the world, the flesh, or the devil. The second work for us to do is to act on what we believe. We have been raised from the state of spiritual death that is enslaved to sin and now have been made new creations in Christ so we can walk in newness of life in Christ no longer dominated by sin.

Does this mean we can be sinlessly perfect? Yes and no. Eventually, that will be our state in the new heaven and new earth. But for now, we still have an internal propensity to sin. We are saints who do, on occasion, sin. But we are no longer enslaved to sin. When we do sin, we are to confess our sins, and God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Believe the gospel truth. Consider it done!!