How does Romans 6:6 relate to the concept of original sin? Text of Romans 6:6 “For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Immediate Literary Context of Romans 6:6 Romans 6 follows Paul’s extended argument in Romans 5:12-21 that contrasts the first Adam with the last Adam, Christ. Having shown that Adam’s trespass brought condemnation and death to all, Paul anticipates the objection that grace might license further sin. Romans 6 answers that objection by describing union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection—an argument grounded in baptism imagery (6:3-4). Verse 6 is the central assertion that this union severs the believer’s bondage to sin inherited from Adam. Definition and Biblical Basis of Original Sin Original sin refers to the inherited guilt and corrupted nature derived from Adam’s first transgression (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12). Scripture attests to this universal condition: “Surely I was brought forth in iniquity” (Psalm 51:5), and “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23). Theologians distinguish two aspects: 1. Imputed guilt—Adam serves as federal head; his act is judicially counted to all humanity (Romans 5:18). 2. Inherited corruption—the inner inclination toward evil (Ephesians 2:3). Both aspects make every person naturally “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Exegesis of Key Terms in Romans 6:6 • “Old self” (ho palaios anthrōpos) denotes the unregenerate person as identified with Adam. The same expression appears in Ephesians 4:22 and Colossians 3:9-10, always contrasted with the “new self.” • “Body of sin” (sōma tēs hamartias) is best understood as the totality of faculties dominated by sin. It is not the physical body per se but the corporeal life under sin’s mastery. • “Rendered powerless” (katargēthē) means “nullified, deprived of operative power.” Paul does not claim annihilation of sin, but its dethronement. • “No longer slaves” (mēketi doulēuein) evokes the Exodus motif: liberation from Pharaoh’s tyranny prefigures emancipation from sin’s tyranny. Romans 6:6 and the ‘Old Man’ in Adam Because original sin ties every person to Adam, Scripture speaks of humanity corporately as the “old man.” Romans 6:6 teaches that, in Christ’s crucifixion, this Adamic identity was judicially executed. Just as Adam’s act was imputed to us for condemnation, Christ’s death is imputed to believers for liberation (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:14). Therefore the verse directly addresses the root of original sin, not merely individual transgressions. Crucifixion of the Old Self: Divine Remedy for Original Sin The cross did not merely forgive acts; it broke the covenantal bond with the first Adam. Baptism signifies that believers participate in a historical event—Christ’s death c. AD 30-33 (attested by Tacitus, Annals 15.44, and multiple early creedal formulas such as 1 Corinthians 15:3-5)—that defeats the inherited corruption. The participatory language (“with Him”) underscores that the remedy for original sin is not human effort but union with the crucified and risen Christ. Freedom from Bondage Versus Eradication of Sin Nature Romans 6:6 states that the body of sin is rendered powerless (katargēthē) so believers “should no longer be slaves.” Paul does not teach sinless perfection in this life (cf. Romans 7:14-25) but a decisive transfer of dominion. The believer’s continued struggle demonstrates the already/not-yet tension: original sin’s penalty and tyranny are broken, yet its presence awaits final eradication (Romans 8:23). Connection to Romans 5:12–21: Adamic Headship Romans 5:12 introduces sin and death “through one man,” establishing Adam as covenant head. Romans 6:6 supplies the practical outcome: the old man (in Adam) was crucified. The chiastic structure—Adam brings death; Christ brings life—means Romans 6 cannot be detached from the doctrine of original sin; it presupposes it. Parallel Texts Confirming Paul’s Teaching • 1 Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” • Colossians 2:11: “You were circumcised … by the removal of the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ.” • Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” These passages echo Romans 6:6 by linking union with Christ’s death to release from Adamic corruption. Historical Church Understanding Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.18.1) wrote that Christ “recapitulated” Adam, undoing his disobedience. Augustine later systematized original sin (On Nature and Grace 2.16), building on Romans 5-6. The Council of Carthage (AD 418) affirmed that baptism “takes away the guilt of original sin.” The Reformers reiterated that the “old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die” (Luther’s Small Catechism, Baptism IV). Pastoral and Behavioral Implications As a behavioral scientist observes universal moral failure across cultures, Romans 6:6 provides explanatory power: inherited corruption explains why every tribe, language, and epoch displays deceit, violence, and idolatry. Practically, the verse grounds ethical change in positional truth: believers fight sin not for victory but from victory already secured at the cross. Conclusion Romans 6:6 stands at the nexus of Paul’s teaching on union with Christ and the universal plight of original sin. By declaring the crucifixion of the “old self,” the verse affirms that the inherited Adamic nature has been judicially dealt with in the death of Christ, rendering sin’s mastery inoperative and inaugurating a new life under the risen Lord. |
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