Romans 6:4, Choosing to Live in Freedom
Romans 6:4, Choosing to Live in Freedom. Believers are encouraged to reject the slavery mindset and accept the freedom of grace offered through Jesus.
Romans 6:4 says we must choose to live in freedom. Below are the verses before and after verse 4, shown in bold.
Scriptural Context, Romans 6:2-7
"How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For anyone who has died has been freed from sin" (BSB).
What Does It Mean?
In Romans 5, Paul explains that the grace we receive through faith in Christ is stronger than our sinful existence before faith. In Chapter 6, he uses the physical act of water baptism to explain the spiritual change we undergo as believers. Romans 6:4 shows that we can choose to live in freedom.
Accepting Jesus means we receive God's Spirit, making us new creations. Baptism symbolizes this transformation. Our submersion symbolizes our death to our old, sinful self, and our bodies being lifted from the water symbolizes our new lives, which are forever bonded to Jesus.
When we understand that baptism is the physical representation of a spiritual awakening, we know we are no longer forced to live under the condemnation of sin. Our minds can choose to live according to the will of our Father in Heaven, who has given us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our walk in life. We know we are forgiven and free from the eternal effects of sin.
Men who undergo the Cohort Program are taught and trained to live in this freedom, so they can be the Discipled Warriors God created them to be.