“May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life…” (Romans 6:2–4)
Paul’s words in Romans 6 strike at the heart of the Christian life. Many believers wrestle with this tension: if we are forgiven, why do we still struggle with sin? Paul’s answer is clear—we have died with Christ. The old self, the person we once were in Adam, is gone. A new life has begun.
United With Christ in Death and Resurrection
Paul uses the language of baptism to describe this reality. When we were baptized into Christ, we were baptized into His death. This isn’t just symbolic; it’s a spiritual reality.
- Our old self was crucified with Him.
- The body of sin was rendered powerless.
- We are no longer slaves to sin.
This doesn’t mean sin no longer exists, but its power has been broken. The person we were in Adam died. Now we live as new creations in Christ, empowered by His resurrection life.
John Stott captured it beautifully:
“Our biography is written in two volumes. Volume one is the story of the old self, of me before my conversion. Volume two is the story of the new self, of me after I was made a new creation in Christ… Volume one ended with the judicial death of the old self… Volume two opened with my resurrection.”
Not Two Natures—But a New Creation
Some Christians mistakenly think they carry two selves: an “old man” and a “new man,” constantly battling for control. That paints a picture of a spiritual Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But Paul doesn’t say that.
- The old man is not your lower nature. It’s who you were before Christ.
- The new man is who you are now in Christ.
As Sam Storms explains, the phrase “done away with” (Romans 6:6) means “rendered powerless.” Sin has lost its authority over you. You are not sinless, but you are free not to live as a slave to sin.
Augustine’s Story: A New Man
The church father Augustine illustrates this truth. Before his conversion, he lived in immorality. Afterward, he encountered his former mistress on the street. She called out:
“Aurelio, it is I.”
To which Augustine replied:
“Yes, but it is not I.”
The old Augustine had died. The new man, alive to God, could no longer return to the old life.
“Dying to Self”? A Phrase Not in the Bible
You may have heard the phrase “die to self.” It sounds spiritual, even biblical. But here’s the truth: that phrase never appears in Scripture. What Romans 6 actually says is that our old self already died with Christ. Past tense. Done.
Salvation is not us slowly killing ourselves spiritually. It is God’s work at the cross—our old life crucified, a new life born. Growth in the Christian life doesn’t come from trying to die again, but from renewing our minds (Romans 12:2).
Why Do We Still Sin?
If this is true, why do Christians still sin? For the same reason Adam sinned—deception. Sin no longer reigns, but it still lies. We fall when we believe its lies instead of trusting God’s truth.
But here’s the difference: before Christ, we had no choice but to sin. Now, in Christ, we can choose to live in freedom.
Rest in the Finished Work
Christian, your old self has died. You are not the person you once were. You are a new creation, alive to God in Christ.
- You don’t need to crucify the flesh again. That happened at the cross.
- You don’t need to “die to self.” Your old self already died.
- You simply need to let your mind catch up with what is already true of your spirit.
God has done the heart surgery. You have a new spirit, a new heart, and Christ Himself living in you.
So consider yourself dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Walk in the newness of life, free from slavery to sin, and resting in the finished work of Jesus.
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