Freed from Sin
A Sermon on Romans 6:6-7
Originally preached Nov. 7, 1958
Scripture
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Sermon Description
If the old self has died to sin, then why does the Christian still struggle with sin? In the previous passage, Paul confirmed that the old self in Adam was crucified with Christ. In this passage, Paul specifically uses the term “the body of sin,” which means the body lived in today. In the sermon on Romans 6:6–7 titled “Freed from Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks at length to distinguish between the “old man” and the “body of sin” to which Paul refers. As a Christian, the old self is dead but the mortal body has not yet been delivered from the effects of sin and the fall. Sin still has a rule on the body and so one should long for the redemption of the body that will come. Paul warns that it is because of this exact purpose that the Christian should no longer live in sin and let the members of the body be instruments of sin. Why would the Christian act like the person who has already died? A day is soon coming when the body will be glorified, just as Christ’s body was glorified when He ascended into Heaven. Let the Christian continue to fight the sin that tempts the carnal body and long for the day when they will be free from the effects of sin.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is expounding on Romans 6:5, the first part of the verse which says “if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death.”
- Paul says the first thing we know is that our old man was crucified with Christ. Our old man refers to our old humanity and adamic nature which we inherited from Adam.
- The crucifixion of our old man has two main results:
- The body of sin might be destroyed: The body of sin refers to our physical bodies which are still under the influence of sin. Sin still reigns in our mortal bodies.
- That we should no longer serve sin: We should no longer be slaves to sin. We have been freed from sin’s dominion.
- The body itself is not sinful, but it is the sphere in which sin operates. The Lord Jesus had a human body but was without sin. We have the same natural instincts as Jesus but we were born with a sinful nature which causes the bodily instincts to dominate us.
- The object of salvation is to free us from sin entirely, including its effects on our bodies. Our spirits have been freed from sin, but our bodies await full redemption.
- The term “the body of sin” is the same as “the flesh.” It refers to the body as it is dominated by sin.
- The old man refers to our old humanity in Adam. The old man was crucified, died, and was buried with Christ. We do not gradually die to the old man.
- We should not think of ourselves as still opposing or burying the old man. The old man has already been crucified and buried. We must realize the truth of our new identity in Christ.
- We must wage war against sin in our mortal bodies, not in our redeemed spirits. We must yield our bodily members to righteousness.
- We can experience victory over sin in our bodies now by knowing the truth of our position in Christ and using our bodily members as instruments of righteousness.
Sermon Q&A
What Does "The Body of Sin" Mean in Romans 6:6-7?
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret the phrase "body of sin" in Romans 6:6?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets "the body of sin" as referring to our physical bodies that are still under the influence of sin. He explains that it does not mean the physical body itself is inherently sinful, but rather it refers to "sin as it dwells in us, in our present embodied condition." He distinguishes this from the "old man" (our old humanity in Adam), arguing that while the believer's essential identity is already freed from sin through union with Christ, the physical body is still a sphere where sin operates and exerts influence.
What is the distinction between "the old man" and "the body of sin" according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "the old man" refers to our old humanity or identity in Adam that was crucified with Christ once and for all. This is not something that gradually dies or needs to be buried - it is already dead and buried with Christ. The "body of sin," on the other hand, refers to our physical bodies where sin still has influence and power. He argues strongly against interpreting these as the same thing, stating that doing so leads to confusion and bondage in the Christian life.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain what happens to the body of sin in the Christian life?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the body of sin is to be "destroyed" - not in the sense of being annihilated, but rather "rendered inert, rendered ineffective, put out of action." While the old man was crucified once and for all, the body of sin is something that continues to be dealt with in the Christian life. The believer must not allow sin to "reign in the mortal body" or yield the members of the body as "instruments of unrighteousness." The complete deliverance of the body from sin's influence awaits glorification, which he calls "the redemption of our body."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the body being inherently sinful?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly rejects the idea that the physical body is inherently sinful. He calls this view "utter, absolute heresy" and associates it with eastern religions. He points out that Jesus had a physical body with all the same instincts and propensities we have, yet without sin. The difference is that we are "born in sin and shaped in iniquity" with the "wrong balance" where bodily elements predominate, while Christ was born holy with all instincts in their proper proportion. The body itself and its natural instincts (including sex and hunger) are not sinful - it's when they dominate and control us improperly that sin manifests.
What is the ultimate goal of salvation regarding the body according to Romans 6?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of Romans 6, the ultimate goal of salvation regarding the body is complete deliverance from sin's influence. While believers are already freed from sin's dominion in their essential identity (the old man has been crucified), the physical body awaits final redemption. Christians should increasingly experience freedom from sin's power in their bodies in this life, approximating "the condition that Adam was in before he fell." The final stage will be the glorification of the body at Christ's return, when even our physical bodies will be "fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Philippians 3:21) and completely freed from sin's effects.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.