Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Romans 6:7 He who has died has been freed from sin.
CHRIST WAS FREED FROM SIN AND DEATH
First let us notice what Paul says in this chapter about Christ. He speaks about His crucifixion, His death, His burial, and His resurrection.
What is Paul driving at by referring to these events in Jesus' life? He is pointing out how Jesus was under the power of sin until He died. He had the burden of the world's sin laid on Him, and that burden was not removed until He died. But once Jesus died and paid the penalty of our sin, then He was freed from the burden of our sin. "He who has died has been freed from sin." When Jesus died, He died to sin. That is, He won the victory over sin. He killed sin's power over Him so that He from that moment on was no longer under the power of sin. He only had to die once to pay the penalty of our sin, and now that He has died that one time, He is free from sin forever.
As far as death's power over Jesus is concerned, this was completely ended when Jesus rose from the dead. "Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him."
Thus Jesus' death brought about the destruction of sin, so that sin had no more power over Him. Jesus' resurrection brought about the destruction of death, so that death had no more power over Him. Therefore by Jesus' death and resurrection He defeated sin and death and destroyed their power over His body. Now He will never have to be under sin again. He died to sin that one time. Now He will never have to be under death again. "He dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him." When Jesus rose from the dead, He rose without sin and He lives to God forevermore.
