Transferred to The Reign of Grace
A Sermon on Romans 6:1-2
Originally preached Oct. 10, 1958
Scripture
1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Sermon Description
What does it mean to have died to sin in Christ? This is a debated phrase that has had a number of interpretations throughout church history. In this sermon on Romans 6:12 titled “Transferred to the Reign of Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that understanding this Scripture is vital. This is important not merely as an academic exercise, but for the Christian life. He says that to have died to sin means that God has declared the Christian justified in Christ and a new person. It is the divine pronouncement of God’s favor and total forgiveness for all who believe in Jesus Christ. The emphasis, says Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, is always on what God has done for His people. This is why Paul expects the charge that he is encouraging sin so that grace might abound; he anticipates that this view of grace could be misunderstood. This sermon asks all saved people: “why are you in Christ? Has God declared you holy and in His Son?” It challenges Christians to see if they have truly believed in the gospel and received salvation from God. For only by believing in the cross of Jesus Christ can anyone be saved and made a child of God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is addressing a question that was raised in Romans 6:1 - "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"
- Paul rejects this suggestion outright saying "God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?"
- The translation "we that are dead to sin" is incorrect. The proper translation is "we that died to sin". This points to an act in the past, not an ongoing state.
- There are several incorrect interpretations of this verse that can be rejected:
- That Christians are dead to the influence and power of sin (perfectionism)
- That Christians ought to be dead to sin
- That Christians are dying more and more to sin
- Charles Hodge incorrectly interprets this to mean that Christians have renounced sin. This interpretation puts too much emphasis on human effort and not enough on God's work.
- A better interpretation is that Christians have died to the reign and rule of sin, not just its guilt. Sin no longer has dominion over Christians.
- This is proven by several other passages like Colossians 1:13, Acts 26:18, and Philippians 3:20 that speak of being transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
- Christians are either under the reign of sin or the reign of grace. They cannot be under both. Christians have been taken out from under the reign of sin and placed under the reign of grace.
- The objection that Christians still sin does not contradict this. There is a difference between a Christian's position and their experience. Christians may still sin out of habit and forgetfulness of their new position.
- The reign of grace guarantees a Christian's final salvation and victory over sin. Grace is more powerful than sin.
- The exhortations for Christians to reckon themselves dead to sin and not let sin reign are calls for Christians to live in light of the truth of their position, not calls to accomplish these things through their own effort.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans 6:1-2: Understanding "Dead to Sin"
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the correct translation of "dead to sin" in Romans 6:2?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones insists that the proper translation is not "dead to sin" or "have died to sin," but rather "died to sin." He emphasizes that the Greek uses the aorist tense, which points to a specific act that happened once in the past, not a process or present condition. Lloyd-Jones states: "It is pointing back to something in the past, a fact, an act and event which happened once...not a process. So he's not describing a process. He's not describing a present position or condition. He is describing something that has happened to us as a fact, as an act in our past experience."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones reject Charles Hodge's interpretation of Romans 6:2?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones disagrees with Charles Hodge who interpreted Romans 6:2 to mean "we that have renounced sin." Lloyd-Jones rejects this interpretation for two main reasons: 1) Hodge doesn't give proper weight to the uniqueness of the believers' position emphasized by Paul's use of "we," and 2) Hodge puts the emphasis on something we do (renouncing sin) rather than something that has been done to us. Lloyd-Jones states: "Charles Hodge leaves it all with us...It puts all the emphasis on us, on our activity, on our action, on what we are doing. Whereas...the apostle's emphasis is on what has been done to us, on our position, our status, not what we've done, but what has been done to us."
What is Dr. Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of what it means to have "died to sin"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that "died to sin" means we have died to the reign and rule of sin. He states: "In what sense have I as a Christian died to sin? I answer, I have died to the reign of sin, not only to the guilt of sin, I have died to the reign of sin." He explains that believers have been completely transferred from one kingdom to another: "Every person in the world at this minute is either under the reign and the rule of sin, or else under the reign and rule of grace... We have been taken out of Adam. We have been put into Christ." This is not merely forgiveness, but a complete transfer of citizenship and allegiance.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain why Christians still sin if they have "died to sin"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that while believers have legally and positionally been transferred from the kingdom of sin to the kingdom of grace, they don't always realize or live according to this reality. He uses several illustrations:
- Like freed slaves who still behave as if they're slaves because they haven't fully realized their freedom
- Like children who fear servants even though they outrank them
- Using the illustration of two fields separated by a road: "I was there [in sin's kingdom]. I am now here [in grace's kingdom]. But I spent many a long year there. And the devil... can shout across the road."
He concludes: "If I fall into sin as I do, it is simply because I don't realize who I am."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the implication of this truth for the Christian life?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the implications are that Christians should "reckon" (consider/count) themselves dead to sin and alive to God. He emphasizes it's not about trying harder but about believing what is already true about your position in Christ. He states: "Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. You are. Realize it, reckon it...It isn't true yet perhaps in your experience...It is true as a matter of fact, and we've got to believe it." This truth means Christians cannot continue living in sin - not because they're trying hard not to sin, but because they're under a new power (grace) that is transforming them. As he says, "Sin shall not have dominion over you... because grace is infinitely more powerful."
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.