Romans 6:1-6,12,16 NKJV

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin… 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts… 16Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

The Wedding Ceremony

Imagine with me for a moment that you have just gotten married to your spouse. This is the moment you had been waiting for, and now you did it. You said your vows, and you signed the contract, and now you are husband and wife, a married couple. But then imagine with me that soon after you decide to take a vacation from your spouse, to go away somewhere else where they cannot see you or what you are up to, where they are not included, and which opens the door wide for you to find someone else.

This is how many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ treat the Lord, who is their spiritual husband (whether they are male or female), for they committed themselves to be his bride. The big difference is that he can and does see what we are doing in secret when no one else is looking. So he does know what we are up to. But they think that just because they prayed the prayer and said the words that they now have what they want, but that they are still free to live however they want, to go where they want to go.

Death to Old Life

But that is not how it works. That is not what a marriage should look like, and it is definitely not what a marriage relationship with Jesus Christ should look like. For God’s grace to us is not carte blanche (absolute freedom) to live however we want now that our sins are forgiven and we believe that heaven is guaranteed us. God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives now and forever (Titus 2:11-14).

So, we are not free to continue in sin. For by faith in Jesus Christ we die to sin that we might no longer live under its control. And this does not mean that we will never sin again (1 John 2:1-2), but that sin should no longer have dominion over us to where it is what we obey, in practice, instead of us obeying our Lord. For by faith in Jesus our former self is put to death with Christ that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we should no longer be slaves to sin but now servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Baptism Into Death

Now, with regard to the verses here speaking of us being baptized into Christ, thus being baptized into Christ’s death, this is clearly speaking of a spiritual baptism which may or may not include water baptism. For in the Scriptures there were people who believed, then were baptized, and those who received the Holy Spirit upon belief, and then were baptized in water. And many people get baptized in water who never, in truth, give their lives over to the Lord Jesus Christ to belong to him and to obey him forever.

But our water baptism serves as an outward sign of an inward faith, if truly we have believed in Jesus with biblical faith which saves. And if we are baptized by dunking in the water, it symbolizes our faith. For biblical faith involves us dying with Christ to sin and being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as servants of righteousness in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living for the glory of God. And all of this is of God, and not of the flesh, for it to be genuine.

Slaves to What?

And this is what it all comes down to. Are you, in truth, a slave to sin? Or are you a slave to God and to obedience to his commands? You cannot be both at the same time. As followers of Jesus Christ we are no longer to let sin reign (rule) in our mortal bodies, to where we still obey its lusts, in practice. For, if we present ourselves, by our actions, as slaves to sin, that leads to death (eternal separation from God). But if obedience to our Lord is what we obey, in practice, it leads to sanctification and eternal life with God.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship You

Marriage to Christ
An Original Work / June 4, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love