We Are United to Christ

6 · The pastor reads the primary text, Romans 6:1-11, in full

Let us read the text together. Romans 6:1-11. I read the word of God.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

7 · The pastor announces the first major section and directs attention to the phrase "united to Christ" in verse 5, framing the exposition to follow

Point number 1, the reality of our union with Christ.

Please look with me again in verse 5. It says, if we have been united to Christ. What does this phrase mean, united to Christ? That's what we want to explore today.

8 · The pastor observes that Paul consistently identifies believers as those "in Christ" rather than as "Christians," establishing that union with Christ is Paul's fundamental category for Christian identity

Let me tell you an interesting fact. The Apostle Paul never calls believers Christians. He never calls believers Christians. Have you realized that? Again and again, Paul identifies believers as those who are in Christ, as a people united to Christ. And in this verse, he explains in a detailed way what does union with Christ mean, and he does this through the illustration of the sacrament of baptism.

9 · The pastor provides contextual background for Romans 6, summarizing Paul's argument in chapters 3-5 about justification by grace through Christ's sacrifice

Let's talk about the context real really quick. Romans is Paul's magnus opus, and he explains to the Jews in Rome and Greeks the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for believers as nowhere in the New Testament. And from chapters 3 to 5, Paul has been expounding verse after verse how the perfect sacrifice sacrifice of Christ on the cross has justified freely all those who put their trust in Christ. He has taught them that because of Christ's glorious sacrifice, every believer is eternally secure. Every believer is eternally secure.

Why? Because his justification doesn't depend on his performance, but on the grace of God that has been placed upon him because of what Christ did on our behalf. Actually, Paul finishes chapter 5, the chapter right before the passage that we're studying, with a radical expression that it's not easy to swallow. Let me read it to you. Romans 5:20.

Now the law came to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. That's what Paul's been teaching the Romans. Christ died in your behalf, and because of that perfect sacrifice, the grace of a holy God is upon you. And that grace is indestructible. So you are safe.

You're eternally secure. Actually, when our sins increase, Grace abounds all the more.

10 · The pastor unpacks the objection Paul anticipates in Romans 6:1: if justification is by grace alone and believers are eternally secure, does holy living matter? He presses the question to the congregation, bringing the first-century objection into contemporary relevance

The Apostle Paul knows and foresees that this gospel presentation brought up some questions in his audience. So he starts to address them in chapter 6. That's our first verse. What does our first verse say? What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? Let's grasp a little bit the question with this question with its surrounding implications. If as believers we have been already justified before God, does it really matter how we live?

Have you asked that yourself?

If we have already been made righteous by the grace of God and these statues will never change, does it really matter if I strive to live a holy life? If as a church we will never be condemned anymore but will be accepted by grace at the last And if this grace is indestructible, does it really matter if I sin? If where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more, then why don't we continue to live in sin so that grace may abound even more? That's what Paul is addressing in our chapter.

11 · The pastor explains Paul's answer: it is impossible for a true believer to continue to live in sin because a radical, definite change occurred at conversion — the believer died to sin

And he starts answering this incorrect interpretation of the gospel, telling the Romans that it's impossible for a true believer to continue to live in sin. Not to sin, but to continue to live in sin. Why? Because when he came to Christ, A radical change happened inside of him. A definite change happened inside of him. What is this change? He died to sin. Read with me verse 2, the second part. How can we who died to sin still live in it?

12 · The pastor highlights Paul's rhetorical strategy: rather than threatening punishment for sin, Paul corrects the misinterpretation by going deeper into the radical work of grace God has done in believers

The Apostle Paul is correcting this misinterpretation of the gospel, and he does that not by teaching the Romans of the seriousness of sin and the righteous punishment that those who live in sin will receive, but what Paul does, and this is very important, Paul deepens even more in what he has been telling them in the chapters before. He deepens even more on the radical work of grace that God did in them. He delves even deeper in the definite, extraordinary, massive work that the Lord has done in all those who have believed. In Jesus.

13 · The pastor steps out of exposition to address the congregation directly, applying Paul's teaching personally: if you have believed in Christ, a radical, massive change has happened inside of you

Let me tell you this. If you have believed in Christ, something radical has happened inside of you. A change, a massive change has happened inside of you. This is what Romans, what Paul is teaching the Romans.

14 · The pastor explains that Paul is not merely reminding the Romans that they were baptized, but explaining what their baptism meant: they were baptized into Christ Jesus, united to Christ

And he does so by reminding them of their baptism. And not only reminding them of their baptism, but describing to them what happened when they believed in Christ and were baptized. Look at the tremendous question that he poses to the Romans on verse 3. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into in Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.

As I told you before, Paul is not telling the Romans or reminding the Romans that they were baptized. He's explaining to them what their baptism meant. And he's telling them something like this. If you really understood your new identity in Christ, you simply cannot continue to live in sin. Why?

Because when you believed in Jesus, you were baptized into Christ Jesus. You were united to Christ.

15 · The pastor expounds the meaning of baptism as a picture of spiritual immersion into Christ

Baptism is a powerful sacrament that symbolizes the radical work that the Lord did in us in the spiritual realm. Just as we were immersed in the waters when we were baptized, we were spiritually immersed into Christ Jesus, When we genuinely believed, we have been baptized into Christ Jesus. We have been immersed into Christ Jesus. When we put our trust in Him, the Father took us and joined us to Christ Jesus. He inserted us into Him. Therefore, as believers, we are in Him. We live in Him. We are inside of Him, as covered by Him.

The New Testament tells us that the believer lives hidden in Christ, hidden in Christ since he was Immersed in him. Christ lives within us and we live within him. Let me read you a verse on John chapter 14:20 where Jesus is talking about this union dynamic. John 14:20, it says, in that day 'You will know'—this is Jesus speaking—'you will know that I am in the Father.' So Jesus is telling us he is in the Father, and you in me, and I in you. Do you see the dynamic of our union with Christ there on that verse?

The New Testament tells us that Christ lives inside of every believer. We have known that since children's ministry, right? Christ lives inside of every believer. Well, that's not the end of the story. Not only Christ lives inside of us, but as believers, We live inside of him. We live inside of him. As believers, we are covered with Christ. Therefore, when the Father sees us, he does not see our shame. He does not see our failures. He does not see our sins, but the perfect righteousness of Jesus that has covered us.

He sees us in Christ, and therefore he accepts us, approves us, and blesses us.

16 · The pastor illustrates the Father's delight in believers by comparing it to his own delight in seeing photos of his children

Let me tell you this: when the Father looks at you, his face is illuminated. He smiles. He delights in you because of Christ sacrifice. Because of Christ's work on our behalf, the heart of God is inclined to favor us, to bless us, to help us, to comfort us, simply because we are in Christ. I want to show you real quick a photo of one of my kids. To tell you that whenever I see a picture, this picture of my daughter or of any of my kids, a unique delight springs from my heart. I look at it and my heart rejoices, not because of how 'Perfectly dressed my daughter is, not because of the perfect record of obedience she has, but because of who she is. Because she's my daughter and I love her.' I want to tell you this again. When the Father looks at you, He delights in you. Not because of your impeccable performance, but because of who you are, but because you are united to Christ and He loves and delights in His Son, Jesus Christ.

17 · The pastor applies the theological truth to the pursuit of sanctification: growth in godliness comes from learning to see yourself as united to Christ and therefore delighted in by the Father

Do you want to grow in godliness? Do you want to see real progress in your sanctification, learn to see yourself as one who is united to Christ. That is your identity. One that is covered, dressed by Christ's righteousness, and therefore that has the delight of the Father.

18 · The pastor signals the transition to the second major section, which will explore the depth of union with Christ

This takes us to point number 2, the depth of our union with Christ.

19 · The pastor introduces the second section by explaining that Paul helps us see concretely what union with Christ consists of

In the following verses, Paul helps us to see concretely what that union with Christ consists of and what implications does it have for our lives today. Sinclair Ferguson again comments that in this passage, we can see our union with Christ like through the lens of of a microscope, that Romans 6 functions as a magnifying glass through which we can see that by uniting us with Christ, the Father united us spiritually to His death and to His life. Read it with me, please, in verses 4 all the way to 6. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like His.

We were united to Christ to His death, and we were united to Christ to His life.

20 · The pastor unpacks what it means to be united to Christ in His death: when Christ was crucified, we were there too, united to Him

Consider this: when we were immersed into Christ, when we were joined into Christ Jesus by the Father, we were immersed in his death. Two, when Christ was nailed to the cross and died, receiving the wrath of God, we were there too. You were there too. All of our sins were being chastised, punished in that particular moment. Why? Because we are united United to him. When Christ died on the cross, we also died because we are united to him, united to his death. Remember with me that Christ died as our substitute. He died paying for all of our sins. And if we were united to him when he hung on that cross, We were crucified with him. That's what verse 6 is telling us. This means that the punishment for all of our wickedness was completely paid, that the debt we had with God because of our rebellion was totally settled.

21 · The pastor draws out the implications of being united to Christ in His death: all our sins — past, present, and future — were paid for on the cross

Consider this with me: if Christ died once for all, and we were joined in that death, that means that the punishment that Jesus received was for all of our wickedness, for all of our sins. Not only the sins we committed before coming to Jesus, but the sins, even the sins after our conversion, and even the last sin we will commit before being called into his presence. On the cross, our past, present, and future sins were fully paid. Why? Because we were united to him on that cross. That is why the Bible tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Present tense. There's no condemnation for us today. Why? Because our sins were paid. The wrath of God that we deserve was displayed on Jesus Christ on the cross. That means that as believers, we will never see the wrath of God. We will never be punished for our sins. Every situation that is happening in our lives, every painful situation, has this lens that goes through. Every hard situation that is happening in our lives, it's an expression of grace and God's goodness Why? Because He's not condemning us. He's blessing us in everything He allows in our lives.

22 · The pastor applies the doctrine of complete forgiveness to sanctification: as we learn to delight in our unconditional acceptance and complete forgiveness, we are powerfully transformed and moved to honor Jesus

As we learn to delight in the unconditional and complete forgiveness that the Father has freely given us, we will be transformed. As we learn to delight that we are forgiven men and forgiven women, accepted men and accepted women, as we learn to delight in that reality, we're powerfully transformed. We're powerfully moved to honor Jesus, and we will be pressed to please Him with our entire lives.

23 · The pastor introduces a second dimension of union with Christ's death: not only were we united to Him when He died historically, but in a mysterious way we ourselves are already dead with Him (past tense)

Being united to Christ means that we have been united to his death. But that's not all. In this verse, Paul tells us also that in a mysterious way, those who are in Christ are already dead with him. We're already dead with Him. Look with me at verse 8 on the first part.

Now if we have died with Christ, that's past tense.

When we were baptized, we were immersed in water. We were immersed in water and it manifested a externally something that happened to us internally. That by taking refuge in Christ by faith, we were buried with Christ. We were buried with Christ, that we were united to his death and that our old self died with him. And when this definitive, radical, massive work happened in us, we were freed from the dominion of sin.

24 · The pastor reads verses 5-7 and highlights Paul's implication: those united with Christ are no longer slaves to sin

Read with me verses 5 through 7.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Do you notice the implication that the Apostle Paul is drawing from our union with Christ? It's telling us that those who are in Christ, —united with Christ are no longer slaves to sin.

25 · The pastor presses the doctrine into personal application with direct questions: Do you really believe sin no longer has power over you? Or do you unconsciously think you'll never change? The questions challenge unbelief and functional resignation to sin's dominion

I want to ask you this: Do you really believe this? Do you really believe that ambition, greed, bitterness, pride, lust, immorality, selfishness, unbelief does not have power over you? That sin can't dominate your life? Or do you unconsciously think that you're never going to change?

26 · The pastor illustrates the tragedy of not believing one's freedom by recounting how some slaves continued to live as slaves after emancipation in 1863

When slavery was abolished here in the US in 1863, History tells us that some of the slaves did not know how to respond to the good news of freedom that were given to them. Some of the slaves that were completely free continued to live as slaves. They simply did not dare to walk in the fullness of the good news of freedom they had received. Is something similar happening to us? People who are in Christ, completely free from the dominion of sin, but that sometimes continue to live as slaves of sin. Do you not dare to walk in the goodness of the good news of freedom? That you have received in the gospel.

27 · The pastor issues a direct exhortation: dare to believe that you have been freed from sin because you are united to Christ

You want to make real progress in your walk with Christ? Dare to believe that because you are united to Christ, you have been freed from sin.

28 · The pastor transitions from union with Christ's death to union with His life

A believer has been united to Christ in his death. All our sins have been paid for and we have been freed from sin. But that's not only the thing that Paul is teaching here. He tells us also that we have been united to Christ in his death, but also that we have been united to Christ in his life. Look with me to verses 4 and 5.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him In a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Water baptism, it's a powerful illustration. It not only helps us to see that union with Christ, that we were united to Christ when we were immersed in the waters, that we were united to his death. But what happens when we are immersed in the waters? We're pulled out of the waters. We're pulled out of the waters. That symbolizes that we are raised from death to life. From a life enslaved by sin to a newness of life. Free from from sin.

29 · The pastor explains what happened at conversion: the Holy Spirit came and united us to a living, resurrected, powerful Christ who defeated death, sin, and darkness

When you put your trust in Jesus, something radical happened in you. The Holy Spirit came to you and made his dwelling in you. He invaded your life. And in that precise moment, you were united to Christ, to a living Christ. You were united to a living Christ, a resurrected Christ, a powerful Christ that defeated death and sin and all the powers of darkness. This means that as believers, we have been freed from sin, but also that we have been enabled by the power of the resurrected Christ to live a life full of justice, love, and purity.

30 · The pastor issues a series of emphatic affirmations — yes, we can walk in purity, faithfulness, peace, forgiveness, humility, joy in suffering, and faithful family life — all grounded in the fact that Christ lives in us and we are united to His resurrection power

Let me assure you of this. Yes, we can walk in God's will for our lives. Yes, we can accomplish all his purposes for us. Yes, we can walk in purity in this pornographic Yes, we can stay faithful to the Lord and his word in the midst of the opposition that is growing and running toward us. Yes, we can live a life full of peace in the midst of a violent and murderous generation. Yes, we can forgive. Yes, we can walk in humility. Yes, we can rejoice in the midst of suffering. Yes, we can be faithful parents and husbands. Yes, we can glorify Christ with our lives. Why? Because Christ lives in us and we are united to His life. We have been united to the power of His resurrection.

31 · The pastor shares a personal testimony from his own study of the passage, admitting that experiencing the life of Christ felt like an unknown dimension to him

When I was studying this passage the first time, Frankly, I kept thinking that enjoying and experiencing this life of Christ is like an unknown dimension to me. I even started seeing other passages in Scripture more clearly.

32 · The pastor turns to Philippians 3:10 to show that Paul himself had an unsatiable desire to know more of Christ and the power of His resurrection

Go with me to Philippians chapter 3, verse 10. This is Paul Paul speaking again, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Think with me in this. Paul, who knew Christ better than any of us and understood the implications of our union with Him better than any of us, had this unsatiable desire to know more of Christ and to experience more of His life in him. He wanted to know more of the power of His resurrection. Because of our union with Christ, there is more power available for us than we could dream of. The power of his life, the power of his resurrection is available for us, and it's more than enough. Christ's life, Christ living inside of us, the power of his His resurrection is more than enough to enable us to obey and trust and honor our Savior in any given circumstance.

33 · The pastor applies the doctrine: when someone genuinely believes the Father's favor is upon him and resurrection power is available, spiritual hunger is awakened

When someone really believes this, something happens in his life. He lives with a spiritual hunger for more. He's seeking for more. When someone believes that the Father has His favor upon him and that there's more power enabled to strengthen him so he can obey Him, There is the person that believes that has a spiritual hunger for more. And you know what happens? He seeks more. He seeks more of Christ and more of that power. And he who seeks more of this resurrection power experiences it more and enjoys it more.

34 · The pastor confronts the congregation with a troubling question born from his study: why is the church sometimes characterized by sin rather than resurrection life? He lists specific sins plaguing the church — legalism, bitterness, jealousy, lack of joy, pride, fear, division, sexual immorality

The other thing that came into my mind when I was studying this was why as a church, sometimes instead of being characterized by this powerful resurrection life, we are sometimes identified by our legalism, by our bitterness, by our jealousy, by our envy. By your lack of joy, our pride, our fear, our divisions, our sexual sins. Why?

35 · The pastor offers a diagnosis: the church's sin may stem from not understanding how easy the Christian life is — we haven't grasped the formula for experiencing our union with Christ

It is possible that one of the reasons of this is that as a church, we haven't really understood how easy the Christian life is. It is possible that one of the reasons we are not identified as people full of resurrection power, it's because we haven't understood how easy the Christian life is. We have not really grasped what I have called the formula for experiencing our union with Christ.

36 · The pastor signals the transition to the final major section

But it's our last point.

37 · The pastor reads verses 10-11 and frames verse 11 as the simple secret to experiencing union with Christ

Look with me on verse 10 and 11.

For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

What do we need to experience the fullness of our union with Christ? It is so simple that we are easily tempted to underestimate what Paul is telling us here. Do you want to know the secret? Read with me again verse 11. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

38 · The pastor issues a series of imperatives built on the foundation of verse 11: simply dare to believe the truths about your union with Christ

Simply dare to believe that you are united with Christ. Simply dare to believe that your identity has changed. Simply dare to believe that your old self died in Him. Simply dare to believe that your condemnation was absorbed by Christ on the cross. Simply dare to believe that sin no longer has dominion over you. You, and that the Holy Spirit is in you to enable you, to empower you with the resurrection power of Christ so you can walk in his ways. Simply dare to believe this and you're going to experience it.

39 · The pastor re-reads verse 11, unpacking the imperative "consider" with a series of synonyms — regard, think, count, understand yourself — to emphasize that the command is cognitive and volitional

Read verse 11 with me again. So you, church— God is talking to us— so you must consider, consider yourself, regard yourself, think of yourself, count yourself, understand yourself, dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. There's our union with Christ.

40 · The pastor anticipates and addresses the objection that sanctification requires effort, discipline, and obedience — not just belief

It's possible that some of you are hearing me and are thinking, just by believing? Just by believing, we're going to make a significant progress in our sanctification simply by believing these truths? Come on. What about resisting our flesh? What about resisting sin? What about self-denial? What about giving ourselves to God sacrificially? What about passionate obedience? You're right. You're right in all that all these imperatives are part of our sanctification. They're actually recorded in the following verses, in verses 12 to 14.

But please hear me on this. We can't walk correctly on the imperatives of verses 12 to 14 if we haven't fully grasped verse 11. You can't walk in obedience, obeying verses 12 to 14, if you haven't grasped verse 11. We can't deny ourselves, we can't resist sin, we can't obey the commandments if we don't fully grasp and delight in all the riches that are ours because of our union with Christ.

41 · The pastor diagnoses the natural tendency to pursue sanctification through effort while bypassing verse 11

We are easily tempted to seek our sanctification ignoring or just passing by verse 11. We naturally think, what do we need to change? How do I change? I need to discipline myself more. I need to put more effort. I need to deny myself. Instead of realizing that verse 11 is the foundation for our sanctification. If you want to grow in godliness, you need to stand on solid ground. Let me tell you this, we are not solid ground. Our performance is not solid ground. Why? Because sometimes we do things good and then other times we miss the spot, right? We need to stand on solid ground, and that's verse 11. Consider yourselves death to sin. And alive to God in Christ Jesus.

This is the foundation of our walk with Christ. In order for us to walk in holiness, we need first and foremost to believe and delight in the massive work that the Lord has done for us when we were united to His Son, Jesus Christ.

42 · The pastor illustrates the sermon's central claim with the image of a man with a powerful wingsuit at the edge of the Grand Canyon

Imagine a man, imagine with me a man with a new powerful wingsuit, a wingsuit that is more than capable of making him fly and hold him up safely in the sky. Imagine with me that he's at the edge of the Grand Canyon, all perfectly dressed up, and he asks his instructor, "How can I fly?" And the instructor simply tells him, "Just believe." that the suit that you have is more than capable of making you fly, and therefore just stretch out your hands and venture to jump off the cliff. Just jump and you will fly. Just jump and you will fly.

43 · The pastor applies the wingsuit illustration to the congregation: believe the good news of union with Christ and venture to jump into the newness of life

Let us believe, brothers, the good news of our union with Christ, and let us venture to jump to the newness of life that the Lord has for us.

44 · Closing prayer thanking God for His Word and asking Him to help the congregation understand their identity as united to Christ, to enjoy the grace and riches that are theirs in Jesus, and to be empowered to walk in God's ways so that God would be honored through their lives

Let's pray.

Father, I thank You again for, for Your Word.

And we thank You together for speaking to us through Your Word.

We ask that you will help us to understand who we are in your sight.

Help us to see ourselves as united to Christ, and help us to enjoy all the grace and all the riches that are ours because of Jesus, so that we could be empowered to walk in your ways, and you could be honored through our lives. In Christ we pray. Amen.

45 · The pastor closes by inviting the congregation to stand and sing, framing the worship as an opportunity to ask God to make them believe the truths preached — that they are united to Christ in His life and death

Amen. Please stand so we can sing. And as you stand, please thank you, Brother Alex, for that amazing message of who we are in Christ. Thank you. Here's our opportunity to ask God to make us believe these things and to know that we are united in Christ and his life and his death. Let's sing.