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. (8) Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: (9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. (10) For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Apostle having finished, in the five preceding Chapter s, the great subject he had been upon, and having proved, with the clearest and fullest evidence, that justification before God, is wholly in, and by, Christ; begins at this Chapter to follow up the blissful doctrine, in shewing the gracious effects which flow from it. And well aware, how much the pride of the Pharisee, (which in his own person he had once so deeply felt), would take alarm at the doctrine of free grace; and no less the profligacy of the carnal, would attempt to draw improper conclusions from the divine mercy, displayed in so rich a manner as in justifying the sinner without works: the Apostle opens the subject with putting a question into the mouth of both, yea, all classes of unbelievers, and such, as the Apostle knew, none but persons of their characters would venture to propose. If it be true, say they, that God doth all, and man doth nothing, towards his own justification; shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Shall we not live as we list, and run on in accumulating transgressions, that God's grace may, (as Paul saith it doth), more abound, where sin hath abounded? Dear Paul! hadst thou lived in the present day of the Church, and have seen as we see, thy sweet truths, taught thee by the Holy Ghost, wiredrawn by many of the various professors; divinely inspired as thou wert, when writing this Epistle, thou wouldest hardly have escaped the odium which is thrown upon those who subscribe, with full consent of soul, and from the same teaching, to the doctrines of free grace!
But, Reader! observe, with what abhorrence, what holy indignation, the Apostle instantly refutes the foul calumny. God forbid, saith he. It is as if he had said: Is there, can there be a man upon earth, capable of drawing so base and ungenerous a conclusion? Would any man in common life, make the experiment of breaking his bones, because some kind and skilful surgeon would immediately heal them? Is this the way to reason, in the affairs of things relating to the present life? And shall we so argue, in respect to the things of a better? Because God, in a rich, free, sovereign mercy, hath provided a remedy, for the recovery of his Church from the Adam-fall transgression, whereby the Lord himself will accomplish the whole, and man shall have nothing to perform in it but to receive the blessing: shall this bounty in God tend to increase the sin in man? Is it not as plain as words can make it, that God's design by this reign of grace, is to destroy the reign of sin. The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. And God's glory, in this instance, can only be promoted, where sin is destroyed. It is the want of grace, which makes men sin; and not the aboundings of grace which can tend to increase it. Reader! I pray you to attend to the subject, as the Apostle hath stated it. And, if the Lord be your teacher, will be bold to say, that you will discover, how unanswerable the conclusions of Paul are, in proof, that so far is the free grace of God in Christ, from opening, as some say, the flood-gates of sin; it is the only preservative to keep them shut. By this grace only, all truly regenerated believers in Christ, are upheld from the breakings out of indwelling sin, which remain in that body of sin and death, the best of men carry about with them. For, if (as the Apostle elsewhere saith) Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness, Romans 8:10. And how (as the Apostle demands), shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Not dead in sin, for that is the state of the un-awakened, unregenerated; being so by nature, and so remaining, while in the condition of unrenewed nature. Neither dead for sin, for Christ only hath died for sin, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God, 1 Peter 3:18. But dead to sin. And, which is the case of every regenerated, justified, sanctified believer, they are dead to the guilt of sin: for that is done away by the blood of Christ, Ephesians 1:7; Micah 7:17-19; Isaiah 35:5; Colossians 2:13-14; Revelation 1:5-6. They are dead to the dominion of sin. Verse 14, Ezekiel 36:25-27. And how then shall they live any longer therein; when the very principle which gave life to it in the heart, is destroyed? True, indeed, the child of God goeth humbly all his days, from feeling the remains of indwelling sin, and which he knoweth will never be wholly taken out, until death. Like the ivy in old walls, until the whole falls down, the root will remain. But grace keeps low the sproutings. And his consolation is, that though sin is in him; yet, through grace, he lives not in sin. His life is hid with Christ in God. And when Christ who is his life shall appear, he will also appear with him in glory, Colossians 3:4
The Apostle having answered the unwarrantable, and unjust objection made by some to the doctrine of free grace, on the ground of its being supposed capable of inducing licentiousness; advanceth yet further, to shew the sanctity of life and conversation, among justified believers, from the doctrine of baptism. And the Apostle proposeth what he had to offer on this ground, in the form of a question, as a thing perfectly well known and received. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, (said Paul), we are buried with him by baptism into death. We are planted together in the likeness of his death. Our old man is crucified with him. The body of sin might be destroyed, And hence, he draws conclusions the most just and proper, that a new life in Christ must be the sure consequence of these things.
I cannot propose to enlarge on every particular the Apostle hath here stated. It would swell our pages too much. But it will be sufficient to observe, that as Paul refers the whole of what he advanceth, as so many consequences arising out of baptism; it must follow, that he could mean no other than the baptisms of the Holy Ghost. Water baptism, under whatever form administered, could never produce such blessed effects. The regeneration of the soul is the only cause of life, for being planted in the likeness of Christ's death; and the only way by which the old man of sin becomes crucified with Christ, And very blessed it is, when, from the baptism of the Holy Ghost at regeneration, the soul is quickened, which was dead in trespasses and sins; and is led to trace, that grace-union with Christ, whereby, from the Father's gift, before the foundation of the world, being chosen in him, now in the time-state of the Church Christ hath accomplished the salvation of his people; and God the Spirit, by the washing of regeneration, brings the soul from darkness to light, and from the power of sin and Satan, to the living God; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:13-14; Titus 3:4-7
I cannot refrain, however, from detaining the Reader to a short observation on that sweet verse, where the Apostle, speaking of a oneness, and union, and interest in Christ, declares our participation both in the death and life of Jesus. Now, (saith he), if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Reader! pause and calculate if you can, the blessedness of both states. Dead with Christ! When Jesus died on the cross, he died as the Head and Husband of his body the Church. He hung there the Public Representative of his Spouse, for whom he died. And every individual member of his mystical body was crucified with him. Precisely as our first father in the garden, when he sinned, all his natural seed then in his loins, sinned in him, and with him; and were equally involved in all the eventual consequences of that sin: So, in like manner, when Christ died for sin on the cross, all his spiritual seed were in him, and partook in all the blessedness of it; that is to say, in all the benefits of it, while He alone had all the glory.
Now then, (saith Paul), if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. And, without all question, his seed, his people, have an equal privilege in all the benefits of his life, as they have in his death. Because I live, (saith Jesus), ye shall live also, John 14:19. Yea, they are united to him, and are one with him. The Person of Christ, that is, God and man in one, is united to every believer. And every believer, body, soul, and spirit, is united to the Person of Christ; John 17:21-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:23
I must not stay to remark the numberless blessings which arise out of this most precious truth; but I beg the Reader not to pass away from the view of it, until he hath taken with him one or two observations, which when realized in the soul, will tend to make the subject very blessed.
Believers in Christ live with Christ, by virtue of their union with Jesus, and communion with Jesus in his righteousness, as justifying them before God. Accepted in the beloved, they are pardoned, and justified freely, in a perfect, uninterrupted, and everlasting righteousness: so that when Christ who is their life shall appear, they shall also appear with him in glory, Colossians 3:4
And as, from an union with Christ's Person, the believer in Christ is justified in his righteousness: So is he also sanctified in Christ's holiness. Indeed Christ is made of God unto all his people, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; that all the glory may be in the Lord, 1 Corinthians 1:30. And, it is very blessed to see, how all the Persons of the Godhead concur in this great design. God the Father hath from the beginning chosen the Church to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit; to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thessalonians 1:12; Jud 1:1-25; 1 Peter 1:2; John 17:19; 1 Corinthians 6:11
And, as the Church lives with Christ during the present time-state of grace, both in his righteousness to justify, and in his holiness to sanctify; so all the body is interested in the life of glory, which he is gone before to prepare for them. Indeed, the grace in Christ here is the same as the glory to be revealed hereafter. The only difference is, that the one is suited for the life that now is, and the other for that which is to come. But, the blessing itself is as much the believer's portion now, as it will be then, in this sense, as well as many others, it may be said: he that hath the Son hath life, 1 John 5:12. And what a blessed state is the whole, from justification to glory!