So do you also reckon, that you are dead to sin, but alive unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Paul attributes death to sin, i.e., to our body, but life to God, to whose nature it belongs that he lives, so that we must die to our body in order to live in Christ Jesus. While assuming the body of our sin, Christ already lives wholly for God, since he has united the nature that he shared with us in a mutual participation in the divine immortality.”

“He well says, "reckon," because there is no setting that, which he is speaking of, before the eyes as yet. And what are we to reckon? one may ask. That we "are dead unto sin, but alive unto God. In Jesus Christ our Lord." For he that so liveth will lay hold of every virtue, as having Jesus Himself for his ally. For that is what, "in Christ," means, for if He raised them when dead, much more when alive will He be able to keep them so.”

“And again he said, "Ye are dead unto the world, but alive unto God, in our Lord Jesus Christ." And again he said, "If ye died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as if ye were living in the world, do ye receive the commandments?" Now a man arriveth at this rule of life after he hath stripped himself of his possessions, and beginneth to work good deeds in the members of his person, for so long as he hath riches, he justifieth himself by riches, and he emptieth not himself from the cares of riches which he serveth in himself. And if it be imagined that he will also do these things while he liveth in riches, he will not, for his service will be confounded, that is to say, he advanceth, and turneth backwards, and in addition thereunto, although this man may labour in the world of the body, yet it is impossible for him to stand in the purity of the soul, from which a man entereth into spiritual love, from which is born knowledge, the mirror of everything, and from which the understanding riseth step by step unto divine conversation.”

“After the Apostle showed that we ought not to remain in sin, from the fact that through Baptism we have died to sin, here he further shows that we have the capacity to observe this. And concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth what he intends; second he makes clear his proposal, at "for he that is dead," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the benefit which we have obtained; second, the effect of this benefit, at "that it may be destroyed," etc. He says therefore first: it has been said that we ought to walk in newness, namely by ceasing from sin. And lest someone should perhaps say this is impossible, he says that we know this, that our old man — that is, the oldness of man brought in through sin — was crucified together, namely with Christ, that is, was put to death through the cross of Christ. For as was said above, the oldness of man is brought in through sin, insofar as through sin the good of nature is corrupted; and this oldness reigns in man as long as man lies subject to sin. And because that which is principal in man is said to be the man himself, hence it is that in one who is subjected to sin, the very oldness of sin is said to be the old man. Now the oldness of sin can be understood as either the guilt itself, or the stain of actual sins, or else the habit of sinning, which brings in a certain necessity to sin, or also the very tinder of sin arising from the sin of the first parent. Thus therefore our old man is said to have been crucified together with Christ, insofar as the aforesaid oldness was taken away by the power of Christ. Or because it is totally removed, as the guilt and stain of sin are totally removed in Baptism. Or because its power is diminished, as the power of the tinder, or also of the habit of sinning, is diminished. Colossians 2:14: "Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross." Then when he says "that it may be destroyed," etc., he sets forth a twofold effect of the aforesaid benefit, of which the first is the removal of preceding offenses. And this is what he says: "that the body of sin may be destroyed." For the body of sin is said to be the very heap of evil works, just as the very collection of members makes one natural body. Job 41:6: "His body is like molten shields," etc. The second effect, however, is that we may beware of sins in the future; and this is what he adds, saying "that we may serve sin no longer." For then does man serve sin, when he obeys the concupiscence of sin through consent and the execution of the body. John 8:34: "He who commits sin is the servant of sin." Then when he says "for he that is dead," etc., he makes clear what he had said. And first as to the first effect; second as to the second, at "now if we be dead," etc. Concerning the first it must be considered that the heap of sins is destroyed when sins are remitted to man. Thus therefore he makes clear the destruction of the body of sin, saying: "for he that is dead" — namely to sin, through Baptism, by which we die together with Christ — "is justified from sin," that is, sins being remitted, he has been transferred into the state of justice. 1 Corinthians 6:11: "And such indeed you were sometime, but you are washed," etc. Because therefore through the cross of Christ man dies to sin, it follows that he is justified from sin, and thus that the body of sin is destroyed. Then when he says "now if we be dead," etc., he makes clear the second effect through conformity to the life of Christ, by this reasoning: he who dies together with Christ as he dies, likewise lives together with him also as he rises. But Christ so rose from the dead as one who would never afterward die again; therefore he who has been put to death to sin so lives together with Christ rising, that he has the capacity never afterward to return to sin. Concerning this, therefore, he does three things. First he shows the conformity of the faithful man to the life of Christ rising; second he sets forth the condition of the risen life, at "knowing that Christ," etc.; third he infers the intended conclusion, at "so do you also," etc. He says therefore first, "now if we be dead with Christ" — that is, if by the power of the death of Christ we are dead to sin — "we believe that we shall live also together with him," that is, in the likeness of his life. We shall live, I say, here the life of grace, and in the future the life of glory. Ephesians 2:5: "When we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together," etc. Then when he says "knowing," he sets forth the condition of the life of Christ rising. And first he sets it forth; second he proves it, at "for in that he died," etc. He says therefore first: this, I say, which has been said, we believe, knowing that Christ, rising from the dead, dies now no more, but lives a perpetual life. Apocalypse 1:18: "I was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever." And, what is more, "death shall no longer have dominion over him" — death which indeed has dominion in man not only while he dies through the separation of the soul from the body, but also before death, while he suffers sickness, hunger and thirst, and other things of this kind, through which one comes to death; but the life of Christ rising is free from these. And therefore he is not subjected to the dominion of death, but rather he himself has dominion over death. Apocalypse 1:18: "He hath the keys of death and of hell." Then when he says "for in that he died," etc., he proves the proposition, namely that Christ, rising, does not die further, and this in two ways. First indeed by a reason taken on the part of the death which he sustained, saying "for in that he died to sin, he died once." But it is not to be understood that he himself died to sin which he himself committed or contracted, because in him sin had in no way any place. 1 Peter 2:22: "Who did no sin," etc. But he is said to have died to sin in two ways. In one way, because he died for the taking away of sin: 2 Corinthians 5:21: "Him that knew no sin, God hath made sin for us," that is, a sacrificial victim for sin. In another way, because he died to the likeness of sinful flesh, that is, to a passible and mortal life. Below, 8:3: "God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh." In either way, however, it can be concluded that Christ died once, from the fact that he died to sin. For as to the first, it is manifest that through one death he blotted out all sins, according to that saying of Hebrews 10:14: "By one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Therefore it does not remain that he should still die for sin. 1 Peter 3:18: "Christ also died once for our sins," etc. As to the second, however, the same can be concluded. For if Christ sustained death so that the likeness of sinful flesh might fail in him, his death had to be conformed to others bearing sinful flesh, who die once. Hence it is said in Hebrews 9:27-28: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die... so Christ also was offered once," etc. Second, he shows the same from the condition of the life which he obtained by rising, saying "but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God," that is, in conformity to God. For it is said in 2 Corinthians, the last chapter, that "if he was crucified through weakness, he liveth by the power of God." Now the effect is conformed to the cause; hence also the life which Christ acquired in rising is God-formed. Therefore, just as the life of God is everlasting and without corruption, according to that saying of 1 Timothy, the last chapter, "who only hath immortality," so also the life of Christ is immortal. Then when he says "so do you also," etc., he infers the intended conclusion, that we should be conformed to the life of Christ rising, both as to this, that he died to sin — that is, to the mortal life which has the likeness of sin — never to return to it, and as to this, that he lives in conformity to God. And as to the first he says, "so do you also reckon that you are dead to sin," namely as those who will never return to sin. Isaiah 26:14: "Dying, let them not live." And as to the second he says, "living unto God," that is, unto the honor or likeness of God, namely so that we may never die through sin. Galatians 2:20: "And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God." And therefore he adds "in Christ Jesus our Lord," that is, through Jesus Christ, through whom we both die to sins and live to God. Or: "in Christ Jesus," that is, as incorporated into Christ Jesus, so that through his death we may die to sin and through his resurrection we may live to God. Ephesians 2:5: "He hath quickened us together in Christ, by whose grace you are saved through Christ."”

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves,.... Two things the apostle would have believers consider of themselves, and reckon themselves, to be, in consequence of their relation to Christ, who was dead, but is alive, and as agreeable thereunto: the one is, that they would look upon themselves to be dead indeed unto sin: believe their discharge from it, and not fear condemnation and death on account of it; and that it shall not be imputed to them, or have any damning power over them, since Christ has died unto it, or for it; and therefore should have no fellowship with it, nothing to do with it, as being dead unto it, and that to them: the other is, that they would consider themselves alive unto God, through, Jesus Christ our Lord; and that either in a legal sense, as justified persons; men in a state of nature, or of "Pharisaism", think themselves alive, when they are not; but when they come under a work of the Spirit of God, they see themselves otherwise, and are convinced both of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the insufficiency of their own righteousness to justify from it; and when they have the righteousness of Christ revealed unto them, and faith is wrought in them to look unto it, and lay hold upon it, they are in themselves, and in their own apprehensions, alive, and that "unto God", in the sight of God; and their life of faith on the righteousness of Christ, is unto the glory of God, and will be followed with an eternal life with God, to which the justifying righteousness of Christ gives them a title; and this is all through Christ, and his righteousness: or this is to be considered by them of themselves as sanctified persons, who are quickened by the Spirit of Christ, and can feel the burden of sin, see the corruption of their nature, hear the voice both of law and Gospel, breathe after spiritual things, speak the language of Canaan, walk by faith on Christ, and work and act for him; which life of faith and holiness is "unto God", to his glory and honour, and is "through Christ", and is maintained and supported by him: or they should consider themselves not only as being justified before God, and made alive by his Spirit, but as such who shall live to and with God, through Christ, for evermore; for as Christ died and rose again, and lives unto and with God for ever, so they being dead to sin through him, and being quickened together with him and by his Spirit, shall never die the second death, but shall have everlasting life.”

“Likewise--even as your Lord Himself. reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed--"dead on the one hand" unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord--(The words, "our Lord," at the close of this verse, are wanting in the best manuscripts.) Note, (1) "Antinomianism is not only an error; it is a falsehood and a slander" [HODGE]. That "we should continue in sin that grace may abound," not only is never the deliberate sentiment of any real believer in the doctrine of Grace, but is abhorrent to every Christian mind, as a monstrous abuse of the most glorious of all truths (Rom 6:1). (2) As the death of Christ is not only the expiation of guilt, but the death of sin itself in all who are vitally united to Him; so the resurrection of Christ is the resurrection of believers, not only to acceptance with God, but to newness of life (Rom 6:2-11). (3) In the light of these two truths, let all who name the name of Christ "examine themselves whether they be in the faith."”