United with Christ in His Death and New Life

Romans 6:1-4 NLT

¹ Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? ² Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? ³ Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? ⁴ For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Message
Paul compared and contrasted Adam and Christ in Romans 5:12–21. We know Adam’s fall resulted in sin and death entering the world and affecting everyone. It is difficult to fully understand, but we see its reality. Adam, as the first man, represented humanity.

Likewise, Christ represented us. Therefore, when Paul says, “when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death” (v.3), “we died and were buried with Christ by baptism” (v.4a), and “just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives” (v.4), we can understand that believers are united with Christ. His death became our death to sin, and His resurrection opens the way for us to live a new life.

NOTE: In the passage above, “baptism” is also the word Jesus used to describe His suffering and death in Luke 12:50 (NLT):

“I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished!”