New Life
A Sermon on Romans 6:3-4
Originally preached Oct. 24, 1958
Scripture
3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we …
Sermon Description
Does the battle against sin feel hopeless? Will the Christian ever conquer this war against their flesh? As Christians, all have died, been buried, and crucified with Christ. But yet they still sin. Paul explained that all Christians were previously under the wrath, rule, and reign of sin. However, just as they were related and joined with Adam, so now they are related and joined with Christ who died on the cross. In this sermon on Romans 6:3–4 titled “New Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this happened without question. It is the first step in justification. In addition to being joined in Christ’s death, the Christian has been buried with Christ as well. Burial is always the final proof of death. This means that the Christian is truly done with their past way of life and sin and will join Christ in His resurrection. Christ could not be held by the power of death; the glory and power of God raised Him from the dead. That same glory and power also raised the Christian. Because of this, Dr. Lloyd-Jones urges the listener to walk in this newness of life and to rejoice in the fact that they are joined with Christ and walk with Him in the new life.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is refuting the charge that his teaching promotes sin.
- Paul is not giving an exposition on holiness but refuting a false charge.
- Paul's main proposition is that Christians have died to sin.
- All Christians have died to sin. It is not an experience only some Christians have.
- Christians have been baptized into Jesus Christ himself, not just his teachings.
- Christians are united to Christ like we were once united to Adam. We inherit what Christ did.
- Paul now explains what it means that Christians have died to sin.
- Christians have been baptized into Christ's death. His death means the end of the relationship to the reign of sin. Our relationship to the reign of sin has also ended.
- Christians have also been buried with Christ. Burial proves death has occurred. Christ's burial shows his relationship to sin and the law is over. Our burial with him shows our relationship to sin is over.
- Christians have been raised with Christ to new life. We share in Christ's resurrection.
- Christ's resurrection shows he could not be held by the power of sin and death. The power of God raised him.
- Christ's resurrection shows he has conquered sin and finished with it. He is in a new realm of life.
- Christians share in this newness of life. The power of God that raised Christ has raised us from sin. We are in a new realm and life, not the realm of sin.
- This has already happened to Christians, not something we are striving for. We have died and been raised with Christ.
- How can Christians continue in sin when this is true of us? Sin cannot rule over or possess us.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Baptism into Christ Mean According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain what it means to be "baptized into Christ" in Romans 6:3-4?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being baptized into Christ refers to our union with Christ, where we are joined to Him just as we were once joined to Adam. This means that what happened to Christ has happened to us - specifically, we have participated in His death, burial, and resurrection. This is not a subjective or experimental experience, but an objective fact that is true of every believer. He emphasizes that this is not something that will happen to us, or should happen to us, or that we must try to achieve - it has already happened to all Christians because of their union with Christ.
What common misunderstanding about Romans 6 does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses the common misunderstanding that Romans 6 is primarily about sanctification and practical holiness. He emphasizes that Paul is not giving "an exposition of the way of holiness and of sanctification, as people often think he is." Instead, Paul is refuting the charge against his teaching that the doctrine of justification by faith leads to antinomianism (continuing in sin that grace may abound). Lloyd-Jones stresses that the practical application only begins in verse 11, while verses 3-10 are establishing the doctrinal foundation of our union with Christ.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret the phrase "died to sin" in Romans 6?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets "died to sin" not as a subjective experience but as an objective fact about our relationship to sin's realm and reign. Just as Christ died to His relationship to sin (not that He had sin within Himself, but He ended His relationship to the sphere of sin and its power), we too have died to the realm and reign of sin. It refers to our changed position - we are no longer under sin's dominion because we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son.
What parallel does Dr. Lloyd-Jones draw between Adam and Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones draws a parallel between our relationship to Adam and our relationship to Christ. He explains that just as we were joined to Adam and were "inheritors of what Adam did" (sinning in him and with him), so we are now joined to Christ and are "inheritors of what he has done and of what has happened to him." This means that when Christ died, all Christians died with Him, just as when Adam sinned, we all sinned in him.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the significance of Christ's resurrection for believers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ's resurrection means: 1) He could not be held by the power of sin and death; 2) He has completely conquered sin and its reign; 3) He has entered into a new realm, a "newness of life"; and 4) He is no longer under the law or under the reign of sin. Since believers are united with Christ, all these truths apply to us as well. The same power that raised Christ from the dead has raised us to new life, and we now live in a new realm under grace rather than under sin's dominion.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the proper interpretation of Galatians 2:20?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that Galatians 2:20 ("I am crucified with Christ") is often misinterpreted as referring to sanctification or a "second step" in the Christian life. However, he argues that this verse is actually about justification, as the entire context of Galatians 2 deals with justification. The verse is not describing some advanced spiritual experience that only some Christians attain, but a fundamental truth that applies to every Christian from the moment of salvation. Being crucified with Christ is "part of your justification" and "the first step in the Christian life, not some further step."
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is our union with Christ's death and resurrection something we need to strive for?
No. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphatically states that our union with Christ's death and resurrection is not "something that we must try to achieve in some form or shape or manner" but rather "something that has already taken place." He repeatedly emphasizes that this is an accomplished fact true of every believer, not an experience to strive for. He states: "He's not saying that we ought to be. He's not saying that we ought to strive to be, that we ought to strive to crucify ourselves and to die... No, it's happened. We are in this position."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe our new position in Christ after resurrection?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes our position in Christ after resurrection as a "newness of life" in a completely new realm. He says we are "in a new realm... a new world" where "all things have passed away... all things are become new." Our "citizenship is in heaven" - not something that will be, but something that already is. We are "no longer under the law... no longer under the reign of sin" but have "finished with it once and forever." He describes believers as a "colony of heaven" who are "away from home" but already belong to the heavenly kingdom.
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.