“How does our relationship with sin change when we are united to Christ? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to Romans 6:1–14 to examine the profound implications of our union with Christ.”

“We Died to Sin” classic sermon podcast, original recorded on 9/24/2000 at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. (thank you John Piper)

John Piper asks two questions in this sermon:

1. in what sense have you, Christian, died?
2. in what sense, and to what extent, are you, Christian, free from sin?

“God establishes a union between believers and Jesus Christ such that when Christ died, believers died.” (1 Corinthians 1:30 paraphrased) Paul is not teaching perfection.

Romans 5, Paul gives us three commands:

Romans 5:11-13 (paraphrased)
¹¹ consider yourselves dead to sin, make war on sin (who you are), be in conflict with an old identity ¹² do not let sin reign in your mortal body, make war on old impulses that crop up ¹³ don’t go on presenting to your old slave master, stop doing that, make war with the old powers that take hold on you.

Fight them. That’s not the language of sinless perfection, that’s the language of war. I believe Christian life is war. So, that’s my answer to the second question. (not paraphrased, for reference:)

Romans 5:11-13 (NIV)

¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. ¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— ¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.

Philippians 3:12 (NKJV)
¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.