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Text -- Romans 6:2 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
6:2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Works, Good | TRINE IMMERSION; TRIUNE IMMERSION | Sin | SALVATION | Rome | Righteous | ROMANS, EPISTLE TO THE | PAULINE THEOLOGY | PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 6 | Justification | Holiness | GALATIANS, EPISTLE TO THE | Death | DIE | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , PBC , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
, Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Rom 6:2 - -- Died to sin ( apethanomen tēi hamartiāi ). Second aorist active of apothnēskō and the dative case. When we surrendered to Christ and took h...

Died to sin ( apethanomen tēi hamartiāi ).

Second aorist active of apothnēskō and the dative case. When we surrendered to Christ and took him as Lord and Saviour. Qualitative relative (hoitines , we the very ones who).

Robertson: Rom 6:2 - -- How ( pōs ). Rhetorical question.

How ( pōs ).

Rhetorical question.

Wesley: Rom 6:2 - -- Freed both from the guilt and from the power of it.

Freed both from the guilt and from the power of it.

JFB: Rom 6:2 - -- "That be far from us"; the instincts of the new creature revolting at the thought.

"That be far from us"; the instincts of the new creature revolting at the thought.

JFB: Rom 6:2 - -- Literally, and more forcibly, "We who died to sin (as presently to be explained), how shall we live any longer therein?"

Literally, and more forcibly, "We who died to sin (as presently to be explained), how shall we live any longer therein?"

Clarke: Rom 6:2 - -- God forbid - Μη γενοιτο, Let it not be; by no means; far from it; let not such a thing be mentioned! - Any of these is the meaning of the ...

God forbid - Μη γενοιτο, Let it not be; by no means; far from it; let not such a thing be mentioned! - Any of these is the meaning of the Greek phrase, which is a strong expression of surprise and disapprobation: and is not properly rendered by our God forbid! for, though this may express the same thing, yet it is not proper to make the sacred Name So familiar on such occasions

Clarke: Rom 6:2 - -- How shall we, that are dead to sin - The phraseology of this verse is common among Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins. To Die to a thing or person, is to h...

How shall we, that are dead to sin - The phraseology of this verse is common among Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins. To Die to a thing or person, is to have nothing to do with it or him; to be totally separated from them: and to live to a thing or person is to be wholly given up to them; to have the most intimate connection with them. So Plautus, Clitell. iii. 1, 16: Nihil mecum tibi, Mortuus Tibi Sum . I have nothing to do with thee; I am Dead to thee. Persa, i. 1, 20: Mihi quidem tu jam Mortuus Eras, quia te non visitavi . Thou wast Dead to me because I visited thee not. So Aelian, Var. Hist. iii. 13: Ὁτι φιλοινοτατον εθνος το των Ταπυρων, τοσουτον, ὡστε ζῃν αυτους εν οινῳ, και το πλειστον του βιου εν τῃ προς αυτον ὁμιλιᾳ καταναλισκειν· "The Tapyrians are such lovers of wine, that they Live in wine; and the principal part of their Life is Devoted to it."They live to wine; they are insatiable drunkards. See more examples in Wetstein and Rosenmuller.

Calvin: Rom 6:2 - -- 2.By no means To some the Apostle seems to have only intended indignantly to reprove a madness so outrageous; but it appears from other places that h...

2.By no means To some the Apostle seems to have only intended indignantly to reprove a madness so outrageous; but it appears from other places that he commonly used an answer of this kind, even while carrying on a long argument; as indeed he does here, for he proceeds carefully to disprove the propounded slander. He, however, first rejects it by an indignant negative, in order to impress it on the minds of his readers, that nothing can be more inconsistent than that the grace of Christ, the repairer of our righteousness, should nourish our vices.

===Who have died to sin, === etc. An argument derived from what is of an opposite character. “He who sins certainly lives to sin; we have died to sin through the grace of Christ; then it is false, that what abolishes sin gives vigor to it.” The state of the case is really this, — that the faithful are never reconciled to God without the gift of regeneration; nay, we are for this end justified, — that we may afterwards serve God in holiness of life. Christ indeed does not cleanse us by his blood, nor render God propitious to us by his expiation, in any other way than by making us partakers of his Spirit, who renews us to a holy life. It would then be a most strange inversion of the work of God were sin to gather strength on account of the grace which is offered to us in Christ; for medicine is not a feeder of the disease, which it destroys. 183 We must further bear in mind, what I have already referred to — that Paul does not state here what God finds us to be, when he calls us to an union with his Son, but what it behoves us to be, after he has had mercy on us, and has freely adopted us; for by an adverb, denoting a future time, he shows what kind of change ought to follow righteousness.

Defender: Rom 6:2 - -- This should be read "have died to sin." There are eight references to the believer's death in Christ in Rom 6:1-11, and all are stated in a tense that...

This should be read "have died to sin." There are eight references to the believer's death in Christ in Rom 6:1-11, and all are stated in a tense that speaks of action completed in the past. That is, since our sins were placed on Christ, and He paid the price of redemption by His death for those sins, we died with Him. We also live with Him in His resurrection, and our daily lives should reflect these great truths.

Defender: Rom 6:2 - -- One who has truly been redeemed by faith in Christ's death for his sins may occasionally slip into a sin, but he cannot live therein."

One who has truly been redeemed by faith in Christ's death for his sins may occasionally slip into a sin, but he cannot live therein."

TSK: Rom 6:2 - -- God : Rom. 3:1-4:25 How : Gen 39:9; Psa 119:104; 1Jo 3:9 dead : Rom 6:5-11, Rom 5:11, Rom 7:4; Gal 2:19, Gal 6:14; Col 3:3; 1Pe 2:24 live : 2Co 5:14-1...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Rom 6:2 - -- God forbid - By no means. Greek, It may not be; Note, Rom 3:4. The expression is a strong denial of what is implied in the objection in Rom 6:1...

God forbid - By no means. Greek, It may not be; Note, Rom 3:4. The expression is a strong denial of what is implied in the objection in Rom 6:1.

How shall we? ... - This contains a reason of the implied statement of the apostle, that we should not continue in sin. The reason is drawn from the fact that we are dead in fact to sin. It is impossible for these who are dead to act as if they were alive. It is just as absurd to suppose that a Christian should desire to live in sin as that a dead man should put forth the actions of life.

That are dead to sin - That is, all Christians. To be dead to a thing is a strong expression denoting that it has no influence over us. A man that is dead is uninfluenced and unaffected by the affairs of this life. He is insensible to sounds, and tastes, and pleasures; to the hum of business, to the voice of friendship, and to all the scenes of commerce, gaiety, and ambition. When it is said, therefore, that a Christian is dead to sin, the sense is, that it has lost its influence ever him; he is not subject to it; he is in regard to that, as the man in the grave is to the busy scenes and cares of this life. The expression is not infrequent in the New Testament; Gal 2:19, "For I ...am dead to the law;"Col 3:3, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God;"1Pe 2:24, "Who ...bare our sins ...that we, being dead to sin,"etc. The apostle does not here attempt to prove that Christians are thus dead, nor to state in what way they become so. He assumes the fact without argument. All Christians are thus in fact dead to sin. They do not live to sin; nor has sin dominion over them. The expression used here by the apostle is common in all languages. We familiarly speak of a man’ s being dead to sensual pleasures, to ambition, etc., to denote that they have lost their influence over him.

Live any longer therein - How shall we, who have become sensible of the evil of sin, and who have renounced it by solemn profession, continue to practice it? It is therefore abhorrent to the very nature of the Christian profession. It is remarkable that the apostle did not attempt to argue the question on metaphysical principles. He did not attempt to show by abstruse argument that this consequence did not follow; but he appeals at once to Christian feeling, and shows that the supposition is abhorrent to that. To convince the great mass of people, such an appeal is far better than labored metaphysical argumentation. All Christians can understand that; but few would comprehend an abstruse speculation. The best way to silence objections is, sometimes, to show that they violate the feelings of all Christians, and that therefore the objection must be wrong.

(Considerable difficulty exists in regard to the meaning of the expression "dead to sin? Certainly the most obvious interpretation is that given above in the Commentary, namely, that Christians are insensible to sin, as dead persons to the charms and pleasures of life. It has, however, been objected to this view, that it is inconsistent with fact, since Christians, so far from being insensible to sin, are represented in the next chapter as carrying on a perpetual struggle with it. The corrupt nature, though weakened, is not eradicated, and too frequently occasions such mournful falls, as leave little doubt concerning its existence and power. Mr. Scott seems to have felt this difficulty, for, having explained the phrase of "separation from iniquity, as a dead man ceases from the actions of life,"he immediately adds, "not only ought this to be the believer’ s character, but in a measure it actually is so."It is not probable. however, that the apostle meant by the strong expression under discussion, that believers were not altogether "dead to sin,"but only in a measure.

Perhaps we shall arrive at a more satisfactory meaning of the words by looking at the analogous expression in the context, used in reference to Christ himself. He also, in the 10th verse, is said to have "died unto sin,"and the believer, in virtue of union with Christ, is regarded as"dead with him,"Rom 6:8; and, in consequence of this death with Christ, is moreover freed, or rather justified, δεδίκαιωται dedikaiōtai from sin, Rom 6:7. Now it cannot be said of Christ that he died unto sin, in the sense of becoming dead to its charms. for it was never otherwise with him. The believer, therefore, cannot be dead with Christ in this way; nor on this ground, can he be justified from sin, since justification proceeds upon something very different from our insensibility to sinful pleasures. What then is the meaning of the language when applied to Christ? Sin is here supposed to be possessed of certain power. That power or strength the apostle tells us elsewhere is derived from the Law. "The strength of sin is the law,"which demands satisfaction to its injured honor, and insists on the infliction of its penalty. Though then Jesus had no sin of his own, yet when he voluntarily stood in the room of sinners, sin, or its strength, namely, the Law, had power over him, until he died, and thus paid the penalty. His death cancelled every obligation. Henceforth, sin had no more power to exact anything at his hands.

Now Christians are one with Christ. When he died unto sin, they are regarded as having died unto it also, and are therefore, equally with their covenant head, justified from it. Sin, or its strength, the Law, has from the moment of the saint’ s union with Christ, no more power to condemn him, than human laws have to condemn one over again who had already died to answer the demands of justice. "The law has dominion over a man so long only as he liveth."On the whole, then, the expression "dead to sin,"is to be regarded as entirely parallel with that other expression in the seventh chapter, "dead to the law,"that is, completely delivered from its authority as a covenant of works, and more especially from its power to condemn.

This view exercises a decided influence an the believer’ s sanctification. "How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"The two things are incompatible. If in virtue of union with Christ, we are dead with him, and freed from the penalty of sin, shall not the same union secure our deliverance from its dominion? "If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him."

The whole argument, from the 1st to the 11th verse, proceeds upon the fact of the saint’ s union with Christ.)

Poole: Rom 6:2 - -- God forbid be it not, or far be it; he rejects any such inference or consequence, as unworthy of an answer: q.d. Away with all such doctrines, as, un...

God forbid be it not, or far be it; he rejects any such inference or consequence, as unworthy of an answer: q.d. Away with all such doctrines, as, under pretence of advancing grace, do promote sin, or obstruct a godly life. This phrase is frequent with the apostle, when he is speaking of any absurdity: see Rom 3:4,6,31 .

How: by this particle he shows the impossibility, or the incongruity, of the thing: see Mat 6:28 Gal 4:9 . The following argument is very convincing, and may be thus formed: They whose property it is to be dead to sin, cannot any longer live therein; but the justified by faith are

dead to sin They are said to be dead to sin, who do not live under the power and dominion of it; who mortify sin, and suffer it (so far as they can) to have no life or power in it. Fall into it they may, but live and lie in it they cannot. It is not falling into the water that drowns a man, but it is his lying in it; so it is not falling into sin that damns a man, but it is his living in it.

PBC: Rom 6:2 - -- To restate the doctrine of Perseverance, we say that this means that all of the saints shall persevere in faith and holiness. They will never permanen...

To restate the doctrine of Perseverance, we say that this means that all of the saints shall persevere in faith and holiness. They will never permanently and fundamentally repudiate their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. While troubled by their sinful natures, they will nevertheless show evidences of their being alive in Christ. Grace in one’s heart does not lead to a life of careless, licentious living. We believers in grace have been accused of believing it is okay to " continue in sin, that grace may abound." But we say, along with the Apostle Paul, " God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"     28

See PB: Ps 77:1

Haydock: Rom 6:2 - -- Dead to sin, &c. We are then dead to sin when we neither live in sin by serving it, nor sin lives in us by reigning; in this case, how can we still ...

Dead to sin, &c. We are then dead to sin when we neither live in sin by serving it, nor sin lives in us by reigning; in this case, how can we still live in it by yielding to its desires? St. Augustine (chap. vi. de spiritu et litera) thus explains the passage: when grace has caused us to die to sin; if we live again in it, we must be exceedingly ungrateful to grace. (Estius)

Gill: Rom 6:2 - -- God forbid,.... By which he expresses his abhorrence of such a practice, and that this was a consequence which did not follow from the premises, and w...

God forbid,.... By which he expresses his abhorrence of such a practice, and that this was a consequence which did not follow from the premises, and was far enough from his thoughts, and which he had in the greatest detestation: and he further argues against it by asking,

how shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? There is a death for sin, a death in sin, and a death to sin; the latter is here mentioned, and persons may be said to be "dead to sin", both as justified and sanctified: justified persons are dead to sin, inasmuch as that is not imputed to them to condemnation and death; they are discharged from it; it cannot hurt them, or exert its damning power over them; it is crucified, abolished, and made an end of by Christ: sanctified persons are dead to sin; sin is not made their business, it is not their course of life; it is no longer a pleasure to them, but is loathsome and abominable; it is looked upon, not as a friend, but an enemy; it does not reign, it has not the dominion over them; it is subdued in them, and its power weakened; and as to the members of the flesh, and deeds of the body, it is mortified: to live in sin, is to live after the dictates of corrupt nature; and persons may be said to live in it, when they give up themselves to it, are bent upon it; when sin is their life, they delight in it, make it their work and business, and the whole course of their life is sinful: now those who are dead to sin, cannot thus live in it, though sin may live in them; they may fall into sin, and lie in it some time, yet they cannot live in it: living in sin, is not only unbecoming the grace of God revealed in the Gospel, but is contrary to it; it is detestable to gracious minds, yea, it seems impossible they should live in it; which is suggested by this question, "how shall we?" &c. The thing is impracticable: for, for a gracious soul to live in sin, would be to die again, to become dead in sin, which cannot be; he that lives and believes in Christ shall never die, spiritually or eternally.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

Geneva Bible: Rom 6:2 God forbid. ( 2 ) How shall we, that are ( b ) dead to sin, live any longer therein? ( 2 ) The benefits of justification and sanctification are alway...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Rom 6:1-23 - --1 We may not live in sin;2 for we are dead unto it;3 as appears by our baptism.12 Let not sin reign any more;18 because we have yielded ourselves to t...

MHCC: Rom 6:1-2 - --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 connexion bet...

Matthew Henry: Rom 6:1-23 - -- The apostle's transition, which joins this discourse with the former, is observable: " What shall we say then? Rom 6:1. What use shall we make of t...

Barclay: Rom 6:1-11 - --As he has so often done in this letter, Paul is once again carrying on an argument against a kind of imaginary opponent. The argument springs from t...

Constable: Rom 6:1--8:39 - --IV. THE IMPARTATION OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS chs. 6--8 The apostle moved on from questions about why people need s...

Constable: Rom 6:1-23 - --A. The believer's relationship to sin ch. 6 "Subduing the power of sin is the topic of Rom. 6."172

Constable: Rom 6:1-14 - --1. Freedom from sin 6:1-14 Paul began his explanation of the believer's relationship to sin by expounding the implications of our union with Christ (6...

College: Rom 6:1-23 - --6:1-8:39 - PART THREE THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF GRACE GIVES VICTORY OVER SIN Though some divide Paul's argument between chs. 4 and 5, with 5-8 forming...

McGarvey: Rom 6:2 - --God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? [Macknight says, truly, that the thought of this and the next chapter reverts to...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Romans (Book Introduction) The Epistle to the Romans Spring of a.d. 57 By Way of Introduction Integrity of the Epistle The genuineness of the Epistle is so generally adm...

JFB: Romans (Book Introduction) THE GENUINENESS of the Epistle to the Romans has never been questioned. It has the unbroken testimony of all antiquity, up to CLEMENT OF ROME, the apo...

JFB: Romans (Outline) INTRODUCTION. (Rom. 1:1-17) THE JEW UNDER LIKE CONDEMNATION WITH THE GENTILE. (Rom. 2:1-29) JEWISH OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. (Rom 3:1-8) THAT THE JEW IS S...

TSK: Romans (Book Introduction) The Epistle to the Romans is " a writing," says Dr. Macknight, " which, for sublimity and truth of sentiment, for brevity and strength of expression,...

TSK: Romans 6 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Rom 6:1, We may not live in sin; Rom 6:2, for we are dead unto it; Rom 6:3, as appears by our baptism; Rom 6:12, Let not sin reign any mo...

Poole: Romans 6 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 6

MHCC: Romans (Book Introduction) The scope or design of the apostle in writing to the Romans appears to have been, to answer the unbelieving, and to teach the believing Jew; to confir...

MHCC: Romans 6 (Chapter Introduction) (Rom 6:1, Rom 6:2) Believers must die to sin, and live to God. (Rom 6:3-10) This is urged by their Christian baptism and union with Christ. (Rom 6:1...

Matthew Henry: Romans (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans If we may compare scripture with scripture, and take the opinion ...

Matthew Henry: Romans 6 (Chapter Introduction) The apostle having at large asserted, opened, and proved, the great doctrine of justification by faith, for fear lest any should suck poison out of...

Barclay: Romans (Book Introduction) A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL The Letters Of Paul There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letter...

Barclay: Romans 6 (Chapter Introduction) Dying To Live (Rom_6:1-11) The Practice Of The Faith (Rom_6:12-14) The Exclusive Possession (Rom_6:15-23)

Constable: Romans (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical Background Throughout the history of the church, from postapos...

Constable: Romans (Outline) Outline I. Introduction 1:1-17 A. Salutation 1:1-7 1. The writer 1:1 ...

Constable: Romans Romans Bibliography Alford, Henry. The Greek Testament. 4 vols. New ed. Cambridge: Rivingtons, 1881. ...

Haydock: Romans (Book Introduction) THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO THE ROMANS. INTRODUCTION. After the Gospels, which contain the history of Christ, and the Acts of...

Gill: Romans (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS Though this epistle is in order placed the first of the epistles, yet it was not first written: there were several epistles ...

Gill: Romans 6 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS 6 The Apostle having finished his design concerning the doctrine of justification, refutes the charge brought against it as ...

College: Romans (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION I. ROMANS: ITS INFLUENCE AND IMPORTANCE God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Ps 119:105), and no part of it shine...

College: Romans (Outline) VIII. OUTLINE PROLOGUE - 1:1-17 I. EPISTOLARY GREETING - 1:1-7 A. The Author Introduces Himself - 1:1 1. A Slave of Christ Jesus 2. Call...

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