5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
This next section of the letter gives us hope based on our life in Jesus. In this treatise on Christian Faith, Paul has hammered his themes - he doesn’t just make a point, he comes at it from multiple angles. Paul says we fall short of the glory of God - and shows how for Jews and Gentiles have fallen, and in how many ways. Paul says we cannot earn our salvation - and demonstrates with multiple examples.
He will do the same with the next information - that believing in Christ is far more than a belief system, it is change of life!
We have been transferred through Christ’s death and resurrection to His eternal life - we are immersed in His death, symbolized and realized by baptism. We share in His eternal life - symbolized and realized by being raised up in the act of baptism. Death and life in one simple act!
V. 5 - “For if...” - Paul is setting up these truths, and shows how both are true.
“United with Him in the likeness of His death“ - The word “likeness” is easily misunderstood. When I think of “likeness”, I imagine a painting, or drawing, or sculpture - i.e., “that painting looks just like you. An excellent ‘likeness’!” That is a pale approximation of what Paul is talking about. Look at verse three again - we are immersed in His death. We are united with Jesus - not stuck to Him with superglue; not a doppelgänger similarity, but we will be innately like Him, the same quality, we are re-born with it in us. This makes Jesus’ statement, “You must be born again” so marvelous (See: John 3:3-7). Christ died on the cross to defeat sin and pay for sin. We completely share in that death when we believe He is Lord and Savior.
This is all God’s doing. I do not know how God transports my soul and spirit from this body of sin into the new incorruptible body. That is way, way above my level of understanding, and abilities. I know that without Jesus I am condemned to this body of death. I am most happy to share in Christ’s death in order to gain His life. I do not have to suffer separation from God in order to attain this. Jesus did that for me, for all of us. If I am separated from God because of my sin, there is nothing I can do, no price I can pay, that will earn or buy my way back to Him. Only a perfect sacrifice could pay the price - Jesus is that perfect payment.
“also be in the likeness of His resurrection” - God, through Jesus Christ delivers us from sin, and transfers us into His kingdom of light. (See: Col. 1:12-14). On the cross, there was the plaintive cry, “Why have you forsaken me?”. (See: Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34) As the separation occurred, Jesus, who had spent all eternity with the Heavenly Father and the Holy Sprit died to them. At the ascension His glory shown through - Jesus, resurrected to glory and power to be on the throne with God, Justified and sanctified, Holy and blameless - Savior. (See: Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50, 51; Acts 1:9-13).
And we shall be just like Him (1 John 3:2). Again, not just in close proximity, not just a big fan or a groupie. We are God’s children. Jesus’ qualities of holiness and sinlessness are ours. We are re-born with His righteousness in us, not our own. His proximity to God the Father is ours. We will see God face-to-face - remember, Moses was told no man does this and survives (See: Exo. 33:20, 23) - we have gone from death to eternal life.
Jesus did not say the resurrection would happen to him, but that He is the resurrection! (See: John 11:25, 26)
“old self was crucified with Him” - Another way of saying we are immersed in Christ’s death, or united with Him. Praise God that we do not need to physically die as Christ did in order to be re-born to newness of life. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18) Our old self is corrupt (See: Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9). Our old nature, or flesh (that which we inherited from Adam), is incapable of living wholly for God. (Eph. 2:3). The old nature cannot live in eternity with God because it is imperfect. In our mind we are merely ‘imperfect’! That is a completely inadequate description to compare ourselves with God.
“our body of sin might be done away with” - This old ‘imperfect’ body is destined for destruction, not living in the presence of a Holy God. Another possible reading of ‘body of sin’ is the collection of all your sinful ‘works’. Jesus’ death covered all your sin, that is, your ‘body of work’ - this second reading is probably a stretch... However, we know that the sinful person cannot live in eternity with our Holy God Almighty. That burden of sin must be stripped away. Only the new self - filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, cleansed by the powerful work of Jesus on the cross, guaranteed by His resurrection - that self can live forever with God. That self can see God face-to-face!
“so that we would no longer be slaves to sin” - Our sins are manifestation of our sin nature, not the cause of our sin nature. This body of sin, our physical body has been infected by Adam’s original sin, and daily demonstrates our sin. As long as we live in these bodies, we will be beset by sin. We cannot get away from sin. We may not seek to commit sin moment by moment, but are aware of the lure and power of sin - we can not deny it.
We are re-born with a new nature when we believe in Christ. There are then two natures within us - the old sin nature and new sinless nature. The old sin nature dies when the body dies - either at your physical passing, or when you are raptured at Christ’s triumphant return! Each decision you make is made under influence of these natures - which are opposed to each other. The new nature is guided by the Holy Spirit, the old nature is not. Each decision you make is a choice of which influence you will follow.
That is why Paul can say you would “no longer be slaves to sin” - the Holy Spirit will not lead you to sin. For this reason we must be aware of the Holy Spirit in us, in our lives. The Holy Spirit will never mislead you, to give you wrong information or guidance that would lead you to sin. We can be filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit. This is the path to living an abundant life Jesus has promised.
V. 7 - “for he who has died is freed from sin.” - If this statement was a stand-alone it would be enigmatic. There seems to be several meanings buried in these few words. I think, “Really? Only when I die will I be free?” However, this verse is the continuation of verses 5 and 6: i.e., we are united with Him in death and life and are crucified with Him so our sinful bodies and nature are dead - so death frees us from sin. That is both here and now, and especially in eternity.
But someone will say, “How can this be, since I still sin?” The old nature is ‘dead man walking’. We are not enslaved to it any longer. We have the opportunity to NOT SIN!
V. 8 - “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,” - We will live forever in Him. (See: John 5:25; 6:51, 56, 57)
We are not called to live in ignorance. God does not expect us to follow blindly. He has been clear, telling us the more we know of Him and His salvation for us, the better we can live for and obey Him.
You can know you are His own, and are saved, and can live accordingly.
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