Romans 6:1-7

Romans 6:1-7 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Paul in chapter six completely destroys the thinking that a believer in Christ can precede full speed ahead in sin because grace will cover him.  Paul refutes the notion that a true Christian can be a carnal Christian, as many today believe.  Why?  Christians have died to sin because they have been baptized into Christ Jesus and into his death.  A believer has been changed and is no longer a captive to sin, but is a new creation that has been raised to a new life.  Anyone who has died with Christ has been crucified with Christ and is no longer a slave to sin.  He has been set free from sin and has a new desire to pursue Godliness.  In short a believer is a Saint that has been changed internally by God and while he still sins, he no longer is a sinner in slavery to sin.  Praise God that it is God who changes a sinner internally and not human effort or will that does this work of crucifixion to the old self.