What does "continue in sin" mean in the context of Romans 6:1? Setting the Verse in Context Romans 6:1: “What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?” The Key Phrase: “Continue in Sin” • Greek verb “epimenō” = stay, remain, persist, make one’s home. • Paul is not addressing a single stumble but a settled lifestyle that clings to sin, presumes on grace, and refuses repentance. Why the Question Matters • Romans 5:20 has just exalted grace: “where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” • Some might twist this to excuse ongoing rebellion. Paul heads that off instantly (Romans 6:2: “Certainly not!”). United with Christ—Dead to Sin • Romans 6:2-11 unpacks the believer’s union with Christ: – We “died to sin” (v. 2). – Baptism pictures burial with Him (v. 3-4). – We rise with Him to “walk in newness of life” (v. 4). • Remaining in sin contradicts the very essence of conversion. Sin’s Dominion Broken • Romans 6:6-7: our old self was crucified so we “should no longer be slaves to sin.” • John 8:34-36: Jesus frees us from sin’s slavery; a free person doesn’t willingly crawl back into chains. Grace That Trains, Not Tolerates • Titus 2:11-12: “For the grace of God has appeared…training us to renounce ungodliness.” • True grace empowers holiness; counterfeit grace excuses wickedness. Habitual vs. Occasional Sin • 1 John 1:8-9 acknowledges believers still falter. • 1 John 3:6-9 clarifies: one born of God does not keep on practicing sin. • The difference is orientation: trajectory toward Christ or entrenched in rebellion. Practical Implications for Believers • Consider yourself “dead to sin, but alive to God” (Romans 6:11). • Refuse to “let sin reign” in your mortal body (v. 12). • Present every faculty to God as instruments of righteousness (v. 13). • Lean on the Spirit’s power (Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:16-25). • When you do stumble, confess quickly and receive cleansing (1 John 1:9), but never settle in the mud. Summary To “continue in sin” is to persist unrepentantly in a sin-dominated lifestyle, treating grace as license. Paul rejects that outright because believers have died with Christ, risen with Him, and now live under grace that liberates and transforms, not grace that excuses and enslaves. |
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