Paul has brought both Jew and Gentile into common thought in the last few chapters. He no longer distinguishes between the two, rather they have merged into one common union with Christ Jesus. He addresses believers in Jesus. No longer addressing the issue of each separately.

Romans 5:20-21 6:1

Put a law in place and there will be lawbreakers. Tighten up the law and there will be more lawbreakers. The more laws that are broken, the more need for resolution- either condemnation or forgiveness. As long as there is life, offenses continue, thus sin reigns through mortality, but Grace reigns forever by Jesus Christ. How do you get more grace? Sin more? It's stupid, but do we have to sin more to get more grace? If you are in Christ or (have the gift of grace by Jesus Christ), your spirit is dead to sin and you can't live in sin. Say you are a believer. You are united with Christ in his death and resurrection. Likewise, your spirit walks in newness of life. We are united together; as he was crucified; our old self is crucified with him and sin is destroyed- we are dead to sin.

Romans 6:3

Verses 3-4: Water baptism symbolizes death. It is burial in water. It is significant because it represents the death of self. The baptism by immersion in water is not the baptism into Jesus Christ spoken of here. The baptism into Jesus Christ is the baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost. This baptism is a literal anointing given by Jesus Christ that effects an immediate walk, in newness of life. Thus, the comparison in verse 6: We are buried in water like unto his death and walk, in newness of life like unto his resurrection.

Romans 6:4

Verse 4 and 8. This is not just symbolic. We are crucified with Christ. In our crucifixion, it is not our body that is destroyed, but the body of sin, that we no longer serve sin. We are freed from sin in realtime. This is emphasized in verse 14: sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace! We turn from the law and turn to grace which is the obedience of faith.

Romans 6:5

We are united together; as he was crucified; our old self is crucified with him and sin is destroyed- we are dead to sin meaning we are freed from the effects of sin. In this way we can say that we are dead to sin with Christ. Death and sin have no more dominion over us because we are alive in Christ who is dead to sin.

Romans 6:8

We believe that we shall also live with him- This is not speaking of some future glorious state. It's right now You don't have to wait to die to be free from sin. You are not crucified, but the body of sin in you is crucified. Paul describes this as being 'dead with Christ.' We don't have to be dead to be 'dead with Christ.' God doesn't want us to commit suicide or die so we can live with him. He wants us to live with him today in the flesh! To live with Christ is to dwell in him and he in us. This is union with Christ.

Romans 6:9

You can only really die once. Right? Christ being raised from the dead cannot die again. So, death has no more dominion over him, likewise because sin is of this world- sin has no more dominion- he died unto sin once, but he lives unto God, he is alive unto God.

Romans 6:11 Is so important: likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:14

Being born of the spirit you are alive in Christ- your mortal body will not yield to sin. You switched to grace, a new law. The old law is repealed. You are no longer under the old law. Because you are under grace, would you sin? Impossible.

Romans 6:16

Under grace you yield to obedience; you obey from the heart! Not because of the letter, but because of the spirit. Being freed from sin you could not do otherwise.

Romans 6:19

In the flesh you were free from righteousness. In the spirit you are free from sin.

Romans 6:21

Let's look at the fruit of the two extremes in verses 21 & 22. The fruit of sin vs. the fruit of righteousness. The fruit of sin is 1) shame and 2) death. The fruit of righteousness is 1) holiness and 2) everlasting life.

Romans 6:22 Holiness is the bible term for sanctification. The formula for holiness is to be 1) made free from sin and 2) to be servants to God. We can't make ourselves free from sin. We are made free from sin by believing and confessing Jesus Christ alone, not by our works of righteousness.

Romans 6:23 Now let's talk about wages and gifts. Wages are spent. Sin is a wage. We spend our lives in sin. A gift is received. Eternal life is a gift. The end of holiness is everlasting life.