Mr. Bridges states that, "We will learn that through Christ's death on the cross, we are given the ability to live lives that are both pleasing to God and fulfilling for ourselves."
Rom. 6:1-2 introduces the concept of sanctification. Those two verses can create a dilemma for Christians because on the one hand it comes across like an open door to irresponsible, sinful behavior, but on the other hand can create concern from believers over others leading irresponsible lives. Paul's response in the beginning of Rom. 6 is based on his teaching in Rom. 5:20-21.
It is important to look at it as a response to a question is that it's impossible for that kind of a lifestyle to happen in a true believer. Mr. Bridges explains this by breaking it down as follows: first, we died to sin, and that death occurred in the past. True believers have died to sin because that death has occurred whether or not the believer is aware of it. This has happened through our union with Christ (Rom. 6:3-6 and Rom. 6:8) because in Rom. 6:10 it's explained that Christ died to sin, and in Rom. 6:8 we died with Christ.
This union with Christ is the basis of both justification and sanctification. There are two unions in Christ. One is the representative and and one is the spiritual. The representative is summed up in 1 Cor. 15:22. The basic explanation is that we are either in Adam or Christ. All of humanity is in Adam while believers are in Christ. All have sinned (except Jesus) in Adam, and when Adam sinned his action was as if we sinned personally.
Mr. Bridges then states, "The really good news, however, and the main point Paul was driving home is that just as Adam was our federal representative in his sin, so Jesus Christ was our federal representative in His sinless life and atoning death."
Jesus, in His life and death, took on all the responsibilities Adam failed to do. Furthermore, Christ fulfilled all of these responsibilities on our behalf. Adam's sin was as if we did it, and Christ's obedience and death was as if we did it. The key point is that Jesus performed as our legal representative. This is very important to keep in mind as Mr. Bridges goes on to describe how the penalty and dominion of sin works, and why Christ as our legal representative is so critical.
Sin reigns over a kingdom of death. The guilt of sin began in Adam, and we are born under it (depravity). Because of Christ, we are dead to this legal or penal reign of sin. Depravity is defined as not necessarily how wicked someone could be, but that sin has corrupted the person's entire being. This guilt of depravity is an ongoing source and cause.
You can't be saved from sin's penalty without deliverance from sin's dominion. As believers we still sin, but it no longer reigns over us. Mr. Bridges then discusses how this works. Christ was never under sin's dominion. While He was made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5:21, by being charged with our sin, He was never under sin's dominion. Instead, He became subject to its penalty and died to the legal reign of sin. Our union with Him described earlier caused us to die to the legal reign of sin as well. The legal reign of sin and the dominion of sin are inseparable and so death to one is death to the other. This begins the next section of how this all works.
The believer who has died to sin's reign and dominion delights in God's law. Said believer still may struggle to obey, but can't continue in repeated, unrepentant sin. We are tainted by it, but our attitude is incredibly different compared to an unbeliever. The attitude that develops is that sin is a burden that afflicts vs. a pleasure that delights.
We are now alive to God (Rom. 6:11) because now grace reigns (Rom. 5:21). We are rescued from darkness and brought into Christ's kingdom, Col. 1:13. The living union with Christ is pictured as the vine and branches illustration in John 15:1-5. Being "in Christ" is the very essence of Christian life as well as life itself.
"Christ enters into our humanity through 'the indwelling of His Holy Spirit' to renew us and to transform us more and more into His likeness."
Because of this, we can't continue in sin or have a cavalier attitude towards sin. Our dependence on Christ is like the branches on a vine for life and nourishment, which is our spiritual union with Christ. Christ's death and satisfaction of God's justice created this opening for grace in our lives. The very nature of the gospel is for sinful behavior not to happen.
We are saved by grace, Eph. 2:8. We are delivered from the penalty of sin, and freed from sin's dominion. This union with Christ allows us to participate in His divine nature. We become enabled to live the Christian life. The best part? It's all from God because His Son, death, and resurection was His gift to us.
How do we not take advantage of this gift? By not letting sin reign. This can be sometimes stated as a fact (Gal. 3:27), or sometimes stated as a command (Rom. 13:14). In Rom. 6:11 the imperative command is to believe we died to the dominion of sin. As a result, we have been set free. Believing this gives us the courage not to let sin reign, and relying on it enables resistance and for us to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. It has changed our status from being dead to being alive to God and His grace.
To paraphrase Mr. Bridges, Rom. 5:20 is a provision from God to deal with sin and to progress in the pursuit of holiness. For it to work, it has to be anchored in grace of God because it's all from God.
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