We are now at the point where I started this blog. However, I will continue, at least for a time in Romans because it is such a fantastic book. You can read the old blogs here if you wish and see if I have changed my mind or developed at all!
Paul has just said that where sin abounded grace abounded all the more and God's grace is wonderful. So here he deals with the imagined objection/question "should we go on sinning so that grace will abound all the more". We get this response again and again today, and it is partly our fault, for the church often pedals the "ticket to heaven" mentality. Forgiveness and transformation are the "gifts" of the gospel, not a ticket to heaven.
"We have died to sin". Here we get the symbolism and what it represents situation again. Circumcision was of value only if someone was circumcised in their heart. Ie if something fundamental had taken place in their being that made them committed to God. Likewise baptism is of no value whatsoever as a mere "rite". We were baptized into Christ's death. When we were baptized we said that we recognised that Christ died for our sins, His death was what we deserved. We were also saying that we wanted rid of the old sinful self, and wanted to be raised to new life. That is the package, the deal. "I want to be forgiven, but don't want to be changed" is no part of the gospel. If this is what you think it is then you have not really heard the good news. The cross is not about being "let off".
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