United with Christ: Dead to Sin, Alive to God

“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, 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” (Rom. 6:5-10, ESV).  

To be baptized “into Christ” (v. 3) is to be “united with” him (v. 5a), both in “death” (vv. 5b-8a) and in “life” (vv. 8b-10), from having been “enslaved to sin” to being “set free from sin” (vv. 6-7). The slave-free and death-life analogies continue through the rest of the chapter. In baptism, reenacting the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, we obey the gospel (vv. 16-17), the aim of the apostolic mission (1:1, 5, 9, 15-16; 10:15-16; 15:16-20; 16:26). 

Jesus died and arose from the dead “once for all,” tasting death for everyone and destroying the devil’s power.¹  Accordingly, Jesus Christ is “our Lord” as he is “declared to be the Son of God … by his resurrection from the dead” (1:4). We thus share in the hope of his “resurrection” (5:2, 10) as we look to the future, “we will also live with him.” At the same time, we are “alive to God in Christ Jesus” presently as we “walk in newness of life” (v. 4). “The bodily resurrection lies ahead, but there has already taken place a ‘spiritual’ resurrection (cf. Col. 2:12; Eph. 2:6) that introduces the believer into a new life …”² This is “eternal life” (vv. 22-23), not just with respect to longevity but in quality both now and in the future (cf. 2:7; 5:21).

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness” (Rom. 6:11-13). 

“So … also” [οὕτως καί], “drawing an inference from what precedes” (BAGD 597) and serving as “the hinge of the paragraph,”³ Paul charges: “you … must consider”—present (continuous) imperative—“yourselves,” like Christ, “to be”—present (continuous)—“dead” (detached, separate), “indeed”—emphatic affirmation—“to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Note the personal responsibility and effort in the process of sanctification: “Let not …. Do not present …. but present yourselves …” 

The reality of being united with Christ is not of our own doing (v. 5) but we make it operative by willing cooperation, an intentional endeavor to conform in obedient faith to the way of life the Lord expects. For the redeemed and sanctified ones submitting to “Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 23), sin must no longer “reign” as lord and master. Paul uses imagery seemingly borrowed from the customary practice of a free person selling himself into slavery because of debt or other extreme circumstances, surrendering “his right of self-determination” and owing “full allegiance to his master.”⁴ Paul himself has chosen to be “a slave of Christ Jesus” (1:1).

The general “you” (v. 11) is more specifically described as “your mortal body” (v. 12), alluding to life in the material world, narrowed further to “your members” (v. 13), with which we engage in the affairs of the world (cf. 7:5, 23). The verb “present” (vv. 13, 16, 19) is translated from παριστάνω, which carries the sense of “giving oneself in service to,”⁵ so not necessarily “to present yourself to a master, but to dedicate yourself entirely in obedience to him.”⁶

This servitude is a deliberate choice we have control over and to which we are held accountable (cf. 12:1-2). The word “instruments” [ὅπλα] refers generally to “implements” (cf. 13:12) and more particularly to “tools” or “weapons” (cf. John 18:3; 2 Cor. 6:7; 10:4). We have the choice of willingly offering ourselves as “weapons” for “unrighteousness”⁷ or as “tools” for “righteousness” (vv. 13-20),⁸ recalling OT prophecies about beating destructive weapons of war into productive farming instruments (Isa. 2:4; Mic. 4:3), or vice versa (Joel 3:10). 

Free from Sin’s Dominion

“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). The dominion of sin has been defeated. Most relevant to those of Jewish heritage and those influenced by them, “law” is reintroduced into the discussion (cf. 2:12-27; 3:19-21, 28-31; 4:13-16; 5:13, 20) because it required strict obedience and enabled sin to increase (5:20a), whereas grace offers forgiveness and provides “the will and the power to obey; hence grace breaks the mastery of sin as law could not.”⁹

While we are “not under law” (i.e., the Law of Moses), we are “under grace,” a subtle reminder that the grace of God is not a license to sin (vv. 1-2) but affords motivation and discipline to live a righteous life free from the mastery of sin.¹⁰ Through the “law” sin reinforces its grasp on those under it (5:20-21; 7:1–8:3), but sin loses its grip when divine grace replaces the old law. 

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Heb. 2:9-15; 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:10.

     ² D. J. Moo, Romans 386.

     ³ D. J. Moo, Romans 354.

     ⁴ F. S. Malan, “Bound to Do Right” 127.

     ⁵ D. J. Moo, Romans 384. 

     ⁶ F. S. Malan, “Bound to Do Right” 127.

     ⁷ See also Rom. 1:18, 29; 2:8; 3:5; 9:14

     ⁸ See also Rom. 1:17; 3:5, 21-26; 4:3-13, 22; 5:17, 21; 8:10; 9:30-31; 10:3-10; 14:17.

     ⁹ F. F. Bruce, Romans 132; cf. E. F. Harrison, “Romans” 72.

     ¹⁰ Cf. 1 Cor. 15:9-10, 56-58; Tit. 2:11-12.

Related Posts: No Law, No Transgression (Rom 4:15), Baptism: Death, Burial, Resurrection (Rom 6:1-4), Free from Son (Rom 6:15-23)

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The Walking Dead

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body [flesh] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Eph. 2:1-3).¹

     These verses are descriptive of the bad news that makes the gospel [euaggélion] “good news” (1:13; 3:6, 7; 6:15, 19). As one long sentence in the Greek text, the verb (which communicates the good news) is not supplied until v. 5. The former lives of the Ephesians were, for the most part, characterized by pagan idolatry, superstition, and black magic (cf. Acts 19:13-36). Thus they were spiritually “dead.” While physical death is the absence of animated life, being “dead in the trespasses and sins” is to be “destitute of a life that recognizes and is devoted to God” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon 423); see also vv. 5, 12; 5:14; John 5:25; Rom. 6:13; Rev. 3:1; cf. Luke 15:24, 32. Physical death is the separation of one’s spirit from the body (Jas. 2:26), whereas spiritual death (the consequence of sin) is the separation of one’s spirit from God (Isa. 59:2).

     The terms “trespasses” [pl. of paráptōma] and “sins” [pl. of hamartía] could be used interchangeably and probably appear together here for emphasis. The former (see also 1:7; 2:5) means to fall away after being close beside; a deviation from truth and uprightness, thus a misdeed. The latter (its only occurrence in Ephesians) refers to missing the mark; it is self-originated and self-empowered rather than originating from and empowered by God (contrast 1:3-19). It is an error of understanding and/or a bad action or evil deed and is always employed in the NT in an ethical sense.

     This is the typical mindset and behavior in which the Ephesians “once walked.” Note: the walking dead! The Hebraic idiom “walk” [peripatéō] means to live or conduct oneself, used repeatedly in Ephesians (2:2, 10; 4:1, 17[x2]; 5:2, 8, 15).²

     This passage is often used as a proof-text by those with a Calvinistic perspective, wherein the pre-Christian state is described as, “by nature children of wrath.” However, the context shows that being spiritually dead is the consequence of “trespasses and sins, in which you once walked” [not inherited]. Accordingly, the Greek term phusis, rendered “nature” here, is not necessarily indicative of something innate but rather “a mode of feeling and acting which by long habit has become nature” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon 660). Prior to their conversion to Christ, the Ephesians (like the rest of us) were deserving of God’s wrath because of their habitual practice of sin.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:4-10).

     Grace is a free gift of God (Eph. 2:8; cf. Rom. 3:24; 6:23), but in order for a gift to be of any value, it must be “received.” The Corinthians, for example, had received God’s grace by receiving the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-2; 2 Cor. 11:7), to which they responded in obedient faith (Acts 18:8; 1 Cor. 12:13). They are then admonished “not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor. 6:1) by neglecting God-given responsibilities (5:17-21) or by regressing into their former sinful affections (6:12-18).

Conclusion:

     Spiritual life or spiritual death is the choice available to each of us. If we choose the latter by continuing in sin and rejecting God’s gracious gift, we are among the walking dead – void of spiritual life that is purified, illuminated, guided, and invigorated by God. Will you choose to walk among the living, or will you choose to walk among the dead?

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV.

     ² See also Gal. 5:16, 25; Rom. 6:4; 8:4; 13:13; 14:15; 2 Cor. 4:2; 5:7; 10:2, 3; 12:18; Phil. 3:17, 18; Col. 1:10; 2:6; 3:7; 4:5; 1 Thess. 2:12; 4:1, 12; 2 Thess. 3:6, 11.

Related Posts: A Closer Look at 1 Thess 4:4

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The Lord is the Spirit

     Does 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 teach that the Lord Jesus is the same Person as the Holy Spirit? The text reads: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (ESV). This passage makes reference to to pneuma (“the spirit”) and kuriou pneumatos (“spirit of [the] Lord”) but does not explicitly allude to “the Holy Spirit.” In fact, the Bible makes a clear distinction between Jesus and the Holy Spirit as separate divine Persons (13:14; John 14:26; etc.).

     The Greek word pneuma (“spirit”) is employed in various ways in the NT, including wind (John 3:8), breath (2 Thess. 2:8), both righteous and wicked spirit beings (Matt. 8:16; Heb. 1:14), the essence of God (John 4:24), the Holy Spirit (Matt. 4:1), and the inner person (Acts 7:59; 17:16); the context must therefore determine its usage.

     In the third chapter of 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul, having alluded to his own restless “spirit” [pneuma] (2:13), metaphorically describes the Corinthian church as an epistle of Christ, not literally written with ink or on stone but on human hearts with the “spirit” of the living God (v. 3). It is not the physical writing but the spiritual message of Christ’s new covenant that makes spiritual life accessible (v. 6). In vv. 7-16 Christ’s new covenant system (“the ministry of the spirit” [v. 8] = “the ministry of righteousness” [v. 9]) is contrasted with the physical, external, ritualistic and obsolete old-covenant-system of Moses (“the ministry of death” [v. 7] = “the ministry of condemnation” (v. 9]).

     When Paul says, “now the Lord is the spirit” (v. 17), which spirit has he been talking about? His theme has not been the Holy Spirit per se but the source of spiritual life, emanating from “the living God” (v. 3) “through Christ” (v. 4). The new covenant of Jesus Christ, in contrast to the old covenant of Moses, is now the source of spiritual life (v. 6). Note the contrast: “the ministry of death” (v. 7) vs. “the ministry of the spirit” (v. 8). It is the Lord [Christ], not Moses, who is the life-giving spirit.

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: The Triune Godhead, Is the Law of Moses Still Binding?, Responding to Sabellianism

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Hand in Hand with Jesus

      In the Gospel record of Mark, of the numerous encounters Jesus had with certain individuals, there are four which share one thing in common that is not shared with any others. By considering these accounts and comparing their similarities and differences, lessons can be learned that directly apply to our lives today.

      Early in his Galilean ministry, the Lord entered the house where Simon resided with his wife, his wife’s mother, and his brother Andrew (Mark 1:29-30). Seeing that Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever, Jesus "took her by the hand" and healed her at once (v. 31, NKJV). On another occasion he entered the home of Jairus, whose twelve-year-old daughter had just died (5:35-40). When Christ "took the child by the hand," she arose immediately (vv. 41-42). Then a man inflicted with blindness was brought to him (8:22), and the Lord "took the blind man by the hand and led him out of town," where the man’s sight was restored in two stages (vv. 23-25). Later, Jesus encountered a boy inflicted with a mute spirit that caused uncontrollable seizures (9:17-22). When the unclean spirit was cast out, the boy convulsed and appeared as dead, but Christ "took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose" (v. 27).
      These episodes depict different people in different circumstances in life: both male and female, young and old. The first two involved females (a woman and a girl) and occurred indoors, whereas the other two involved males (a man and a boy) and took place outside. While all four healings were complete, the first two were immediate, while the others were not. Despite these minor differences, the one thing they all share in common is that Jesus deemed it necessary or beneficial to take each person by the hand. As we consider these fortunate souls who found themselves hand in hand with Jesus, what can we learn?
      From Simon’s mother-in-law we learn that Christ provides healing. Now as flesh and blood human beings living in a temporal world, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the curing of bodily illnesses. But the healing-power of Jesus goes well beyond the physical. When faced with criticism for associating with sinful people, the Lord responded: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick . . . . For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:12-13). The primary aim of the Great Physician is to heal the sin-sick soul. It is through God’s Son, and only through him, that the prescription for sin is available (Luke 19:10; Acts 4:12).
      From the daughter of Jairus we learn that Jesus gives life. But again, it is not physical life that is primarily at stake. When Martha’s brother Lazarus had died, the Lord said to her: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26). Jesus was not contradicting himself but was contrasting physical death with spiritual death, and physical life with spiritual life. It is through Christ alone that the second death is avoidable and eternal life is attainable (Revelation 20:11-15), as well as the abundant life we can enjoy right now (John 10:10).
      From the blind man we learn that Jesus offers guidance. He is "the good shepherd" (John 10:11), and as such "He leads me in the paths of righteousness" (Psalm 23:2-3). When we suffer from spiritual blindness, will we accept or reject the hand of guidance that is offered by Christ? Let’s appreciate that without studying, learning and obeying the scriptures, the outstretched hand of the Lord remains empty (John 8:12, 31-32; 12:48).
      From the epileptic boy we learn that Christ enables us to take control. As fallible human beings living in an imperfect world, we are continually bombarded from every direction by temptation, stressful circumstances, and life’s daily pressures. It is easy for our lives to seem out of control, and while the apostle Paul could certainly relate (Romans 7:8-24; 1 Corinthians 9:27), he found the solution in Jesus. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). As Paul learned to rely on "the power of Christ" rather than himself (2 Corinthians 12:9), he could confidently affirm: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).
      Whatever our struggles might be, whether sinful addictions, guilt, anxiety, grief, anger, uncertainty, helplessness or hopelessness, the Lord is reaching out. Why keep trying unsuccessfully to face these challenges alone? Jesus is the one who offers spiritual healing. He provides everlasting life. He gives indisputable guidance. And Jesus is the one who enables our lives to be in control. Why not take the hand of the only one who can actually help? "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
--Kevin L. Moore

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A Closer Look at John 3:16

     It is probably the best known and most frequently quoted passage in the New Testament, affectionately labeled, "the Golden Text of the Bible." This single verse is often printed, framed, and reverently displayed as though it encapsulates the entire Christian faith. In his book 3:16: The Numbers of Hope (2007), best-selling author Max Lucado concludes his somewhat shallow (albeit emotionally stirring) treatment of the passage with these simple words: "Believe in him and you will . . . not . . . perish" (130). While this popular evangelical interpretation is also advanced in a number of modern English versions, does it give a genuine account of what the Lord actually said? If this twenty-five-word affirmation to Nicodemus is of such monumental consequence, surely it deserves our utmost care to ensure that it is accurately translated, correctly understood, faithfully observed, and consistently taught.

Exposition
     While Jesus, in all likelihood, originally spoke these words in Aramaic, they have come down to us in the form of John’s Greek translation. As we try to make sense of the statement from a contemporary, English-speaker’s perspective, we need to break it down, analyze each word, and then put it all together to grasp its full implications.
     The translation starts with the term gar ("for"), even though it is not the first word in the sentence, because it is a postpositive and thus marks the beginning of the conveyed thought. It is important to realize that "for" immediately calls our attention to the fact that John 3:16 does not stand on its own. It is a continuation of the preceding discourse and is therefore just a small portion of a larger context.
     In the expression ho theos (lit. "the God"), the article ("the") is left untranslated because its use simply identifies theos ("God") as the subject. The verb ēgapēsen (the aorist form of agapaō = "he loved") encompasses God’s entire action. The adverb houtōs ("thus, in this way, so") is emphatic, i.e., its position at the beginning of the sentence adds intensity to the action: "For God so loved . . ."      
     The expression ton kosmon ("the world") is the direct object of the leading verb, followed by the conjunction hōste ("so that, so as"). The next verb is edōken (the aorist form of didōmi = "he gave"), and the object of this verb is ton huion ("the Son"). But this is not just any son (cf. Galatians 3:26; Hebrews 2:10); this is ton monogenē, the accusative form of monogenēs. This compound word, from monos ("alone, only") and genos ("offspring, kind"), signifies "the only one of his kind" (cf. Hebrews 11:17).
     The conjunction hina ("that, in order that") is followed by pas ("every") and then by the articular participle ho pisteuōn (lit. "the believing"). A participle is a verbal noun, which is typically conveyed with an "-ing" word (e.g., "Believing is important"). Since the participle here is accompanied by an article, to complete the thought it is rendered, "the believing one." This is significant because the articular participle is not a description of what the person has done but is indicative of who the person is. In other words, "the believing one" is not merely someone who has cognitively accepted a truth in his heart; rather he is included among those who are distinguished from the unbelieving world that rejects the gospel of Christ. Consider, for example, Acts 2:44, where pantes hoi pisteusantes ("all the believing ones") describes those who have responded to the gospel in obedient faith, viz. penitent baptized believers (vv. 37-44). While they are referred to as "the believing ones," they have obviously done more than simply "believe" in their hearts!
     The preposition eis can denote "in," "into," "unto," or even "for," depending on its use in the sentence. Here it runs parallel to the preceding statement in v. 15 ("that every believing one in [en] him . . ."), so the comparable expression eis auton in v. 16 appears to be "in him." This reminds us of Paul’s well-known "in Christ" motif, where the preposition eis is also sometimes employed (2 Corinthians 1:21; 11:3; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 1:29; Colossians 2:5).

Further Clarification
     On a side note, a person who is unfamiliar with New Testament Greek can still figure this out. Remember that John 3:16 opens with the word "for," indicating that it is part of a broader context and is not to be viewed in isolation. Those who attempt to get "faith only" out of the verse, discounting obedience in general and baptism in particular, have failed to consider the rest of the paragraph. Jesus has already affirmed the essentiality of baptism (v. 5) and goes on to highlight the necessity of obedience (v. 21). In fact, the chapter ends with this sentiment: "The believing one [ho pisteuōn] in the Son has life everlasting; but the one not obeying [ho apeithōn] the Son will not see life . . ." (v. 36). To be a "believing one," in the biblical sense, is to be obedient.

Continued Exposition
     The term mē is a particle of negation and means "not." Apolētai is the aorist passive subjunctive form of apollumi. In the active sense, apollumi conveys the idea of "destroy," whereas in the passive sense (as here) it means to "perish." For some curious reason, many modern versions render this expression as a future passive indicative ("shall not perish"), advocating the Calvinistic doctrine of the perseverance of the saints or "once saved, always saved." However, the inspired writer does not use the indicative mood (the mode of reality) but rather the subjunctive mood (the mode of potentiality). Thus, the phrase is more accurately rendered, "should not perish." All’ (or alla) is a conjunction that means "but." The verb echē (present active subjunctive of echō) is "should have," and zōēn aiōnion denotes "life everlasting."

Conclusion
     What does John 3:16 actually say? "For God so loved the world that he gave the one/only Son, that every believing one in him should not perish but should have life everlasting." What are the implications? For (the greatest reason), God (the greatest Being), so (the greatest intensity), loved (the greatest virtue), the world (the greatest cause), that he gave (the greatest sacrifice), the one/only Son (the greatest gift), that every believing one (the greatest commitment), in him (the greatest location), should not perish (the greatest tragedy), but should have (the greatest assurance), life everlasting (the greatest destiny).
– Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: New Testament "Believers", Perseverance of the Saints? 

Related articles: Eric Lyons, "Believing" in John 3:16