Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 6:5

"For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection;" — Romans 6:5 (ASV)

In v.5 we encounter a problem concerning resurrection. Is Paul referring to the future bodily resurrection of the saints? Many expositors think so, pointing both to the future tense of the verb (“we will... be”) and to the fact that Christ’s resurrection was indeed a bodily one. But a future tense can indicate what must logically or inevitably occur (cf. Galatians 6:5, which has a future tense). Furthermore, Paul does not say that just as Christ was raised, so we too shall be raised. Instead, he connects the resurrection of Christ with the possibility of a new life in the present for those who are his. In addition, the “for” at the beginning of v.6 shows that what follows is intended to relate closely to the mention of resurrection at the end of v.5. Yet one looks in vain for anything in v.6 that relates to future bodily resurrection. Instead, Paul returns to the matter of participation in Christ’s death and its bearing on freedom from the bondage of sin. Consequently, the resurrection in v.5 has to do with spiritual resurrection— raised with Christ (Colossians 2:12; Colossians 3:1).

The certainty of our present participation in this new resurrection life is grounded on the truth that “we have been united with him in his death.” Clearly this union is not something gradually arrived at through a process of sanctification. Rather it is something established by God that becomes the very basis of our sanctification in Christ.

The problem of sin continues to dominate the thought of this section, and Paul returns to this theme by insisting that “our old self was crucified with him” (v.6). While the relation to v.5 is close, the language now becomes sharper and more realistic—e.g., “united with him in his death” becomes “crucified with him” (cf. Galatians 2:20). Our spiritual history began at the cross. We were there in the sense that we were joined to him who actually suffered on it. The time element should not disturb us, because if we sinned in Adam, it is equally possible to die to sin with Christ.

But what was it that was crucified? “Our old self” is literally “our old man” (GK 4094 & 476; Colossians 3:9). In Eph 4:22, however, the putting off of the old self is a matter of exhortation. In some sense, then, the old man has been crucified; in another sense, it may still claim attention. Since “man” has been used of Adam (5:12, 17, 19), it is possible that what has been crucified with Christ is our place in Adam, our position in the old creation, which is under the sway of sin and death. For Christians, the old self is gone; they belong to the new creation order (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The purpose behind the crucifixion of “our old self” is that sin should be rendered powerless so far as we are concerned. But the expression “body of sin” is a phrase that needs clarification. The term “body” (GK 5393) glances at the fact of Christ’s crucifixion, which he endured in the body. Our body can become the instrument of sin, thus negating the truth of crucifixion with Christ. So “body of sin” seems to mean human body insofar as it may become the vehicle of sin. Its previous slavery to the dictates of sin is broken. This annulling of the power of sin is based on a recognized principle—that death settles all claims. Our union with Christ in his death, designed to deal with sin once for all, means that we are free from the hold of sin. Its mastery has been broken (v.7).