Romans 6:11 (ESV) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The bible teaches us that as Adam’s offspring, we were the walking dead. (Ephesians 2:1-3) We were helpless to save ourselves; in fact we were not even aware that we were dead. In this world we see rich and powerful and influential people who seem to be having the time of their lives, but apart from Christ, they are dead. We have friends and neighbors and co-workers who seem to have it all. They may be nice people, but they are dead. There is nothing anyone can do to bring life out of this death. But God in his grace acts to change our status, from death to life. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Paul, in Romans chapter 5 makes a case for the grace of God as exhibited in Jesus. God intervenes by sending Jesus to live without sin in human form, and to bear on his sinless body and soul all the horrible penalty for sin. He was buried, confirming that He was truly dead. God raised Jesus to life, never to die again and God gave to helpless sinners the gift of new life in Christ. We have been justified, declared righteous, made new.

In chapter 6 of Romans, Paul shifts the focus to our sanctification. Humans being what they are, still look for loopholes. Some in that day thought that if they were saved by grace, they could sin all they wanted, because God’s grace is without limit. This is called antinomianism, the idea that the law now has no bearing on our conduct. Clearly that’s not the case, and Paul says, “Absolutely not!” (Romans 6:1-2) Once we were dead in our sins and trespasses, then we died in Christ in our baptism and now we live in Christ. And being alive in Christ means we are something different from what we used to be.

Here’s an example. Consider the case of the soldier. I was in the Army. I was a civilian, but the moment I took the oath, I became a soldier. In taking that oath, every soldier, sailor, marine, and airman signs a blank check to the commander-in-chief for everything up to and including his own life. I took the oath and I was a new creation: Frohlich, Robert W., RA12345678, Private E-1. They took away my civilian clothes and gave me new army clothes; uniforms, shoes, boots, underwear and socks. They cut off my hair. They told me when to get up, what to eat, what to do, when to go to bed. I was taught how to be a soldier, how to march and shoot and fight and survive. I was told where to go; I was not free to go where I wanted. Upon taking the oath, I was declared to be a soldier. Over the next three years, I became a soldier. I put off being a civilian and put on being a soldier.

So it is with the Christian. We were once sinners, but now we are a new creation in Christ. In our justification we have been put right with God. In our sanctification, we are being kept right with God. Christ’s righteousness is first imputed, credited to us. In our sanctification, His righteousness is imparted to us, it is being created in us, this love of righteousness and hatred of sin.

Now sin’s power is broken. We are dead to sin. The sin-loving nature is buried. This death is a release from the stimulus of sin.

Now you live a new life, no longer under sin’s control. The old man is being subdued, put off, and Christ is being put on.

R. C. Sproul wrote: True faith always produces change. The fruit of true faith, the fruit of true justification will always be conformity to the image of Christ. A justified person is a changed person.

Justification is a done deal; sanctification is a life long process. We become, over time, what we are meant to be. You cannot be sanctified by works, without first being justified in Christ. Justification will always lead to sanctification

When God declares you righteous, that is what you are. What God says is the truth about you! Let us be encouraged by this truth, and strive to live as the bearers of the image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.