The Jewish interlocutor now attacks with what he thinks is a decisive argument. If the Gospel of Grace teaches that the sin of man ensures that God's grace shines even brighter, does it not suggest to 'remain in sin' so that grace may abound?
A modern version of this argument goes: 'It is said that people are saved by grace through faith, without the law. But if one only has to believe to be saved, then anyone could go on living in sin.' According to this argument, grace does not provide sufficient motivation for a sanctified life. It says that people must be put under the limitations of the law.
An interpreter has pointed out that there are four answers to this first question: 'Should we continue in sin?' in this chapter.
1. One cannot, since one is made one with Christ. Statement [Verse 1-11].
2. One need not, since the dominion of sin over personal life has been broken by grace. Call [Verse 12-14].
3. One must not, because it would bring one back under the dominion of sin. Command [Verse 15-19].
4. One should not, for it would end in disaster. Warning [Verse 20-23]. [1]
A modern version of this argument goes: 'It is said that people are saved by grace through faith, without the law. But if one only has to believe to be saved, then anyone could go on living in sin.' According to this argument, grace does not provide sufficient motivation for a sanctified life. It says that people must be put under the limitations of the law.
An interpreter has pointed out that there are four answers to this first question: 'Should we continue in sin?' in this chapter.
1. One cannot, since one is made one with Christ. Statement [Verse 1-11].
2. One need not, since the dominion of sin over personal life has been broken by grace. Call [Verse 12-14].
3. One must not, because it would bring one back under the dominion of sin. Command [Verse 15-19].
4. One should not, for it would end in disaster. Warning [Verse 20-23]. [1]
Footnote
[1] J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Problems, S. 112.
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-12-30 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
Baptism
[Verse 1]. First I would like to ask you a question, directly: Have you already been baptized? If not, I hope you will be baptized soon. In the verses now before us, the meaning of baptism is explained. If you have already been baptized, it is still profitable for you to think about it again.
Those addressed here were Christians who had already been baptized. Some of them had forgotten what baptism meant. Their thoughts were quite contrary to what they had shown in their baptism. Therefore Paul reminds them of their baptism. And you too need such reminders. I’m sure you have been amazed at the abundance of grace God has shown you through Christ. The greater the sin was, the more abundant the grace became.
[Verse 2]. But does this mean you can continue to live in sin? If you think this way, you don’t have much understanding of Christ’s work and of what God has done with sin. Do you remember what God has done with sin? In Christ He judged sin, that is, the source from which our evil deeds come; you have also died in Christ under God’s judgment. That you have died to sin is as certain as Christ having gone into death. Doesn’t this make it impossible to continue to live in sin?
[Verse 3-4]. Paul points to baptism to give additional support for this reasoning. One who gets baptized recognizes and declares in being baptized that death was God’s only solution for sin. God can only proclaim the judgment of death over someone who is living in sin. By being baptized you recognize this and are symbolically buried with Christ. It is the same as with physical life. Someone who has died must be buried. His life on earth is over, and after the burial nothing is left of him to be seen. The same holds for you, if you have been baptized. In picture it is all gone, your old life in sin. The life you live from now on is one lived in newness of life.
To make this possible the glory of the Father descended into the grave of the Lord Jesus and raised Him from among the dead. Now you belong to that glory.
[Verse 5]. You have been made one with Him in His death. You also have been made one with Him in His resurrection. You may show that you have changed to a world around you that has not changed. You live now in a new and different way. The world in which you used to feel at home has nothing to offer you anymore. How can you please someone who has died? It is useless to offer something to a dead person because he cannot accept it, or can anything be expected of him. He is unable to perform any task.
[Verse 6]. Christ’s work at the cross is very radical. Our “old self” or our old man was crucified with Him and our body of sin has been annulled. The ”body of sin” refers to everything in your existence that sin could use to manifest itself. Wasn’t everything you did when you were still a sinner in sin’s hands? Didn’t you live only for yourself? Hence, all of your existence was crucified with Christ. Now sin can no longer lay hold of your life to use it, because everything concerning sin has been annulled or done away with. You’re no longer serving sin because you have died.
[Verse 7]. Everyone would agree that we shouldn’t expect anything from a dead person. Spiritually, it is the same. If someone has died, no valid accusation can be brought against him. Such a person is rightfully free from sin.
You may now say: ”All right, that’s how it’s written here, but I am still aware that sin can make use of me.” Paul will deal with this experience later. For the moment it’s important to accept in faith that what has happened with Christ when He was crucified, died and buried, has also happened to you. God judged you in Him. You should believe this just the same as you believe that your sins, your sinful deeds, have been forgiven by His blood.
Those addressed here were Christians who had already been baptized. Some of them had forgotten what baptism meant. Their thoughts were quite contrary to what they had shown in their baptism. Therefore Paul reminds them of their baptism. And you too need such reminders. I’m sure you have been amazed at the abundance of grace God has shown you through Christ. The greater the sin was, the more abundant the grace became.
[Verse 2]. But does this mean you can continue to live in sin? If you think this way, you don’t have much understanding of Christ’s work and of what God has done with sin. Do you remember what God has done with sin? In Christ He judged sin, that is, the source from which our evil deeds come; you have also died in Christ under God’s judgment. That you have died to sin is as certain as Christ having gone into death. Doesn’t this make it impossible to continue to live in sin?
[Verse 3-4]. Paul points to baptism to give additional support for this reasoning. One who gets baptized recognizes and declares in being baptized that death was God’s only solution for sin. God can only proclaim the judgment of death over someone who is living in sin. By being baptized you recognize this and are symbolically buried with Christ. It is the same as with physical life. Someone who has died must be buried. His life on earth is over, and after the burial nothing is left of him to be seen. The same holds for you, if you have been baptized. In picture it is all gone, your old life in sin. The life you live from now on is one lived in newness of life.
To make this possible the glory of the Father descended into the grave of the Lord Jesus and raised Him from among the dead. Now you belong to that glory.
[Verse 5]. You have been made one with Him in His death. You also have been made one with Him in His resurrection. You may show that you have changed to a world around you that has not changed. You live now in a new and different way. The world in which you used to feel at home has nothing to offer you anymore. How can you please someone who has died? It is useless to offer something to a dead person because he cannot accept it, or can anything be expected of him. He is unable to perform any task.
[Verse 6]. Christ’s work at the cross is very radical. Our “old self” or our old man was crucified with Him and our body of sin has been annulled. The ”body of sin” refers to everything in your existence that sin could use to manifest itself. Wasn’t everything you did when you were still a sinner in sin’s hands? Didn’t you live only for yourself? Hence, all of your existence was crucified with Christ. Now sin can no longer lay hold of your life to use it, because everything concerning sin has been annulled or done away with. You’re no longer serving sin because you have died.
[Verse 7]. Everyone would agree that we shouldn’t expect anything from a dead person. Spiritually, it is the same. If someone has died, no valid accusation can be brought against him. Such a person is rightfully free from sin.
You may now say: ”All right, that’s how it’s written here, but I am still aware that sin can make use of me.” Paul will deal with this experience later. For the moment it’s important to accept in faith that what has happened with Christ when He was crucified, died and buried, has also happened to you. God judged you in Him. You should believe this just the same as you believe that your sins, your sinful deeds, have been forgiven by His blood.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-7
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-12-22 Source: Title: Rom Author: Ger de Koning |
The apostle is very full in pressing the necessity of holiness. He does not explain away the free grace of the gospel, but he shows that connection between justification and holiness are inseparable. Let the thought be abhorred, of continuing in sin that grace may abound. True believers are dead to sin, therefore they ought not to follow it. No man can at the same time be both dead and alive. He is a fool who, desiring to be dead unto sin, thinks he may live in it.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-2
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
In the last verses of the preceding chapter the apostle stated that the abounding of sin was accompanied by abounding of grace. Shall we then think that we ought to live and continue in sin so that grace would be given us in abundance?! The apostle asserts the close connection between the grace (the righteousness) and holiness. Both are only attained through Christ Jesus. In Chapter (5) he says that justification cannot be attained except through Christ Jesus [Rom 5:11], [Rom 5:17], [Rom 5:21], and in Chapter (6) the apostle mentions that holiness is only attained through Christ Jesus. So there is no essential connection between sin and grace.
 | Author: Prof. Dr. Maurice Tawadros Rank: Author Posted on: 2023-03-10 Source: Title: Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans Author: Professor Dr. Maurice Tawadros Number of pages: 373 |
; but in that He liveth, to God He liveth. Thus, too, repute ye yourselves dead indeed to sin, but living to God through Christ Jesus."
 | Author: Tertullian of Carthage Rank: Author AD: 220 |
Paul is once more starting to exhort his hearers, but he does so indirectly, as if it arose naturally out of his teaching, so as not to appear to be irksome and vexing.
 | Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
The believer who returns to his former way of life rejects the kingdom of God’s grace and returns to sin, i.e., to the pattern of his previous life. For we have received mercy for two reasons: first, that the kingdom of the devil might be removed, and second, that the rule of God might be proclaimed to the ignorant, for it was by this means that we came to desire this dignity. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
 | Author: Ambrosiaster Rank: Author AD: 400 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
