Romans 6:6-7
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.
For he that is dead is
freed from sin. KJV
We know that our old (
unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with him in order that (our) body (which is the
instrument) of sin might be made
ineffective and
inactive for evil, that we might no longer be
slaves of sin.
For when a man dies, he is freed,
(loosed,
delivered) from (the power of) sin (among men.) AMP
Webster
1) Knowing - pres. Part. - to apprehend with the conscious
mind, to be acquainted with by experience; to be
informed about, to realize. (O.E. cnawan)
2) Crucified - v - past part. - to put to death by fastening or
nailing to a cross. (O.F.)
3) Destroyed - v - to smash the structure of, to break past
mending, to demolish (M.E. destruyen O.F.)
4) Serve - v - to be a servant to, to render service to, (O.F. servir)
5) Freed - v - to release from constraint, set free, (O.E.)
6) Unrenewed - 2 words - 1) renewed, 2) un-
1) renewed - v - to make new again or as if new, to revive,
reawaken.
2) un- prefix - not, lack of, opposite, as in
‘unemployment’ (O.E.)
The lack of making new again, does not revive.
7) Instrument - n - any object used for making, doing, achieving,
or promoting, (F)
8) Ineffective - adj - not producing the desired effect,
incompetent.
9) Inactive - Adj - not active, making no effect.
10) Slaves - n - a person who is the property of, and completely
subject to another (O.F. esclave)
11) Loosed - Adv - to escape from confinement or control (M.E.
Los fr. O.N.)
12) Delivered - v - to rescue (F)
Strong’s
1) knowing - 1097- ginosko - allow - be aware of, feel, to have
knowledge, to perceive, be resolved, can speak, be sure,
understand.
2) crucified - 4957 - from 4862 and 4717 - sutauroo - to impale in
company with - lit. crucify with
4862 - sun - prim. Root - denotes union; with -
together (much closer than 3326 or 3844) i.e. by
association, companionship, process, resemblance,
possession, besides with
3326 - prim root - meka - amid, accompaniment
3844 - para - par-ah’ - prim prep - from beside, in
the vicinity of.
4717 - stauroo - stow-ro’-o - to impale - to extinguish,
(subdue) passion or selfishness.
3) destroy - 2673 - katargeo - kat-arg-eh’ - o - from 2596 and
691 - to be rendered entirely idle (useless) lit or fig.
abolish, cease, cumber, deliver, destroy, become of
(make) of no (none, without) effect.
2596 - kata - kat-ah’ - prim particle. - down in place or
time,
691 - argeo - arg-eh’-o - from 692 - to be idle
692 - argos - ar-gos’ - inactive, unemployed,
useless, lazy.
4) serve - 1398 - douleuo - dool-yoo’-o - from 1401 - to be a
slave to, to be in bondage.
1401 - doulos - doo’los - a slave - bond servant.
5) freed - 1344 - dikaioo - dik’ah’yo’-o - from 1342 - to render
(i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent - free, justify, be
righteous.
1342 - dikaios - dik-ah-yos - from 1349 - equitable (in
character or act) by impl. Innocent, holy, just, meet,
right.
1349 - dike - dee’-kay - justice, a decision or its
execution - judgment, punishment, vengeance.
As I read this verse and I absorb the meaning of it I am finding that it is deeper and richer that at first glance. Paul is speaking to the Roman believers and he clearly states that they know what he is once again going to state. The meaning of this word is far deeper than just having heard this before, it implies that they know this because of experience. This truth is something they have lived, experienced, and apparently forgotten. What is this truth? It is the truth that now that they have accepted Christ, chosen to follow the Lord, their old life, their old man has been crucified. The old man is dead.
We understand the meaning of crucifixion. Hardly anyone today has not seen a picture of the crucified Christ. It has become one of the most recognizable symbols of our day. Even people who have no personal knowledge of the living Christ, will wear it as jewelry and decoration. A large statue will hang on their walls, pictures of the crucified Christ adorn living room or bedroom walls. This one act of Christ is the most recognized action of His life. But so very few of us understand the meaning behind the action. So very few of us live in the reality of that action.
That action is defined in the next phrase of the verse. The crucifixion took place that the body of sin would be destroyed. It had to be destroyed. God cannot tolerate sin. He is pure, He is holy, and He cannot be in the same space as sin. Christ died that we who were sin might dwell in the same place as the Holy God. The idea here is not like that of building blocks that a child might use to build up something and then crash it down only to build it again. The idea here is that the destruction rendered sin incapable of repair, or rising again to become a force to be reckoned with. Christ, on the cross destroyed sin beyond repair. When the believer receives Christ our sin is destroyed beyond repair. Yet we live as though it still has hold of our lives.
Paul, then continuing on with this line of thought tells us to not serve sin. In breaking down the word serve I found that it means pretty much what I understood it to mean. I am not to render service to or be a slave of sin. I am not to be in bondage to something that is already dead. But I do everyday because I don’t live in the reality of what Christ has done for me. Sin really does not have any power over me except when I give a dead thing the power to control me.
Paul then goes on to say that he who is dead is free. When this earthly body dies it will no longer pay bills, eat, drink, walk, cry, or hurt. I cannot be enticed to do any of those things. Paul makes this comparison so that those he is writing to will understand that the same applies in the spiritual realm. When we die to self the power of sin has no hold on us unless we give it that power. The meaning is that we are free from constraint, to render just or innocent. When the Lord looks at us He does not see sin, He see the blood from the crucified Christ. Blood means both death and life. We die on the one hand but live in Christ in the other.
Why then do we not live victorious lives? Simply put - we forget what the action of crucifixion has done for us. We forget where we are in the Lord. We forget that sin really and truly does not have any hold over us. WE FORGET. The cares of living on earth distract us from the realities of our spiritual life and they also cause us to focus on the immediate and not the reality of walking with Christ. Truth is replaced by action of the moment. We get tunnel vision when life happens. There is no tomorrow, there is no future, there is no consequence for something done now down the road. Tie this into a need or a hunger for instant gratification and it is easy to see why we humans forget that there really is a God in heaven that has made a way for us to live peaceful, fulfilled lives. But….. Isn’t that giving into the dead sin nature and breathing false life back into something that Christ defeated at the cross. Isn’t that prolonging the inevitable, the complete and utter destruction of sin. Yes it is. And we do ourselves a disservice by being an enabler of sin.
How does all this then apply to this journey I am taking to live healthy and glorify God in my body? Paul says it best- I know by experience what is best and how to live a healthy life. Through Christ my Savior , the old man of selfish destruction is dead. It was destroyed on the cross the moment I chose to believe and receive Christ. It is beyond mending, it is demolished. I must live in that reality. I must constantly acknowledge the truth of God’s Word in this walk to health. So when the ghost of the old man tries to convince me that he is alive and well the first step I need to take is acknowledge what the truth is. He is dead, Christ is alive, and the victory belongs to the Lord. Sin no longer has power over me. I must stay in constant contact with the Lord.
I do not want to put myself back under bondage to a dead master. I need instead to realize that I have been released from the constraints of sin, rendered innocent and free to follow the healthy living that will glorify the Lord.
Romans 6:6-7
Knowing (to be acquainted with by experience, to perceive) this, that our old man is crucified (to put to death by impaling to a cross) with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed (to render entirely idle, to break past mending, to demolish), that henceforth we should not serve (render service to, to be a slave of, be in bondage to) sin.
Verse 7 - For he that is dead is freed (to release from constraint, to render just or innocent, to be justified) from sin.