There are tremendous doctrines about who I am in Christ found in Romans chapter six. These identity doctrines deliver you from the power of sin and death.
Missing these important identification truths produces a variety of doctrinal mistakes.
My New Life in Christ
Romans 6:3-4 describes that now we, that are saved, are identified with Christ.
The old man, though present every morning in my flesh, is to be reckoned dead (Rom 6:6, 11).
This teaches that the judgment and sentence of my old man is already complete.
No longer am I trying to make it look better than what it was, nor am I letting it walk around with impunity. It is nailed to Calvary’s cross.
There is now no eternal connection between me and my old man in Adam (Col 2:11).
I am not merely destined to die then face a judgment unto condemnation and death. I am now destined to live in the resurrection of Christ (Rom 6:8).
Freedom from Sin and Death
As a result, sin and death have no more rightful dominion over me (Rom 6:9, 14). The life I live now is the resurrected life of Christ in me, the hope of glory!
Without power of dominion, sin cannot accuse me, condemn me, kill me, or make me subject to it any longer.
It can taunt me like the unrepentant thief crucified next to Jesus, but it is already dead. The thief was nailed to a cross!
When it tries to raise objections to the court, it cannot because the court is already dismissed and the bailiff has him on the electric chair. Anything he might say are seen as last words, and irrelevant to his sentence of death.
Death cannot threaten me with its fear of judgment, for my old man has been judged and is dead. I am now alive in Christ.
Silencing Sin and Death
When these identity doctrines are neglected, then all of the gracious benefits we have in Christ are called into question.
Sin will try to adjudicate over your eternal life by asking, “Can we lose our salvation when we sin?”
Grace responds with, “Your testimony and authority is not valid in this court. The case has been closed. The old man is already dead. This new man is free from your accusations.”
Death will try to object, “But sin must be judged and suffering must match the crime. He did not suffer!”
Grace responds with, “This man is in Christ. Christ died unto sin once, and does not die anymore. You have no right to speak in this court seeing as this man is already dead and resurrected in Christ.”
Neither sin nor death can do anything to change who you are in Christ, free from both.
Identification Mistakes
Those who think that the sin of their old man determines their destiny, direction, or duty have missed the doctrine of their identity with Christ, dead to sin.
Those who think they must suffer even unto death for their sin do not understand who they are in Christ, where death has no dominion.
In Christ, you can forget the daily re-crucifixion of Jesus in the Mass, flagellation, the works of penance, fasting, stair walking, stigmata, prayers of confession, and whatever other forms of suffering the old man tries to perform on itself to make a fair shew in the flesh.
Pleas are no good to save the man that is already dead. These are all useless to rid you of your sins or your sin.
Christ’s Work Against Sin
Christ dealt with all your sin problems by the cross. This is what we mean when we say, “Christ did it all”.
He did more than die a death in your place; he died so that in your place he could conquer death in resurrection.
Do not forget what the Lord Jesus Christ did for you, he not only died for your sins, but he died unto sin for you.
Thank God we are now no longer identified by our weak and useless, corrupt and sinful, old man, but are now identified with the Lord Jesus Christ and the reign of grace.
Article Index Published: January 26, 2013
Last Modified: January 20, 2018