Romans 6:11

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Theoretical application to the readers. They are to regard themselves as dead, i.e., insensible and inaccessible to sin, but living in close allegiance and devotion to God through union with Christ.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:11-15 The strongest motives against sin, and to enforce holiness, are here stated. Being made free from the reign of sin, alive unto God, and having the prospect of eternal life, it becomes believers to be greatly concerned to advance thereto. But, as unholy lusts are not quite rooted out in this life, it must be the care of the Christian to resist their motions, earnestly striving, that, through Divine grace, they may not prevail in this mortal state. Let the thought that this state will soon be at an end, encourage the true Christian, as to the motions of lusts, which so often perplex and distress him. Let us present all our powers to God, as weapons or tools ready for the warfare, and work of righteousness, in his service. There is strength in the covenant of grace for us. Sin shall not have dominion. God's promises to us are more powerful and effectual for mortifying sin, than our promises to God. Sin may struggle in a real believer, and create him a great deal of trouble, but it shall not have dominion; it may vex him, but it shall not rule over him. Shall any take occasion from this encouraging doctrine to allow themselves in the practice of any sin? Far be such abominable thoughts, so contrary to the perfections of God, and the design of his gospel, so opposed to being under grace. What can be a stronger motive against sin than the love of Christ? Shall we sin against so much goodness, and such love?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Likewise - In like manner. This is an exhortation drawn from the argument in the previous verses. It shows the design and tendency of the Christian scheme.

Reckon ye yourselves - Judge, or esteem yourselves.

To be dead indeed unto sin - So that sin shall have no influence or control ever you, any more than the objects of this world have ever the dead in their graves; see the note at Romans 6:2.

But alive unto God - Bound to live to promote his glory; to make this the great and sole object of your living.

Through Jesus Christ - By means of the death, and resurrection, and example of Jesus Christ. The apostle regards all our disposition to live to God as resulting from the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. Likewise—even as your Lord Himself.

reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed—"dead on the one hand"

unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord—(The words, "our Lord," at the close of this verse, are wanting in the best manuscripts.)

Note, (1) "Antinomianism is not only an error; it is a falsehood and a slander" [Hodge]. That "we should continue in sin that grace may abound," not only is never the deliberate sentiment of any real believer in the doctrine of Grace, but is abhorrent to every Christian mind, as a monstrous abuse of the most glorious of all truths (Ro 6:1). (2) As the death of Christ is not only the expiation of guilt, but the death of sin itself in all who are vitally united to Him; so the resurrection of Christ is the resurrection of believers, not only to acceptance with God, but to newness of life (Ro 6:2-11). (3) In the light of these two truths, let all who name the name of Christ "examine themselves whether they be in the faith."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

So we in like manner must make account, that by virtue of his death we are dead to sin, and by virtue of his resurrection are alive to God, and so alive as never to resume our former courses, or return again to our former sins.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord; or, in Jesus Christ our Lord; i.e. after the similitude of Jesus Christ, who so lives as to die no more. Or else this phrase imports that Jesus Christ is the root of our spiritual life; even as the scion lives in the stock. so believers are alive unto God in Jesus Christ, receiving from him that virtue whereby their spiritual life is begun, maintained, and perfected.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves,.... Two things the apostle would have believers consider of themselves, and reckon themselves, to be, in consequence of their relation to Christ, who was dead, but is alive, and as agreeable thereunto: the one is, that they would look upon themselves

to be dead indeed unto sin: believe their discharge from it, and not fear condemnation and death on account of it; and that it shall not be imputed to them, or have any damning power over them, since Christ has died unto it, or for it; and therefore should have no fellowship with it, nothing to do with it, as being dead unto it, and that to them: the other is, that they would consider themselves

alive unto God, through, Jesus Christ our Lord; and that either in a legal sense, as justified persons; men in a state of nature, or of "Pharisaism", think themselves alive, when they are not; but when they come under a work of the Spirit of God, they see themselves otherwise, and are convinced both of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the insufficiency of their own righteousness to justify from it; and when they have the righteousness of Christ revealed unto them, and faith is wrought in them to look unto it, and lay hold upon it, they are in themselves, and in their own apprehensions, alive, and that "unto God", in the sight of God; and their life of faith on the righteousness of Christ, is unto the glory of God, and will be followed with an eternal life with God, to which the justifying righteousness of Christ gives them a title; and this is all through Christ, and his righteousness: or this is to be considered by them of themselves as sanctified persons, who are quickened by the Spirit of Christ, and can feel the burden of sin, see the corruption of their nature, hear the voice both of law and Gospel, breathe after spiritual things, speak the language of Canaan, walk by faith on Christ, and work and act for him; which life of faith and holiness is "unto God", to his glory and honour, and is "through Christ", and is maintained and supported by him: or they should consider themselves not only as being justified before God, and made alive by his Spirit, but as such who shall live to and with God, through Christ, for evermore; for as Christ died and rose again, and lives unto and with God for ever, so they being dead to sin through him, and being quickened together with him and by his Spirit, shall never die the second death, but shall have everlasting life.

Geneva Study Bible

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Romans 6:11. Application of Romans 6:10 to the readers.

Although in Romans 6:10 there was no mention of a λογίζεσθαι on the part of Christ, we are not, with Griesbach and Koppe, to break up the discourse by the punctuation: οὗτω καὶ ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε κ.τ.λ[1432] (comp on the contrary Luke 17:10).

Accordingly reckon ye yourselves also (like Christ) as dead, etc. λογίζεσθε, namely, containing the standard by which they are to apprehend their moral life-position in its reality, is not, with Bengel and Hofmann, to be taken as indicative, but rather, seeing that here the discourse passes over to the second person and proceeds in exhortation in Romans 6:12 ff., with the Vulgate, Chrysostom and Luther, as imperative.

ἐν Χρ. ʼΙ.] These words, which Rückert, Köllner, de Wette, and others quite arbitrarily join merely with ΖῶΝΤΑς ΔῈ Τ. ΘΕῷ, belong to both portions of the summons; and do not mean per Christum (Grotius and others, including Fritzsche), but denote rather the specific element, in which the being dead and living take place, namely, in the ethical bond of fellowship, which is just the εἶναι ἐν Χριστῷ.

[1432] .τ.λ. καὶ τὰ λοιπά.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Romans 6:11. In this verse the application is made of all that precedes. The death with Christ, the life with Christ, are real, yet to be realised. The truth of being a Christian is contained in them, yet the calling of the Christian is to live up to them. We may forget what we should be; we may also (and this is how Paul puts it) forget what we are. We are dead to sin in Christ’s death; we are alive to God in Christ’s resurrection; let us regard ourselves as such in Christ Jesus. The essence of our faith is a union to Him in which His experience becomes ours. This is the theological reply to antinomianism.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. Likewise] Here is the strict result of the truth just stated, when the position of Christ as the Second Adam is remembered. What He did and does, as such, was done and is done by those who are “in Him” as their Head.

reckon] This word, just as in Romans 3:28, (E. V., “conclude,”) marks a solid inference from facts. It implies also here an application of that inference to conscience, affections, and will; such as is now developed by the argument.

through Jesus Christ] Lit., and far better, in Jesus Christ. The word “in” is quite strictly used here, of the relation of the Second Adam to His brethren.—“Our Lord” should be omitted, on evidence of MSS., &c.

Bengel's Gnomen

Romans 6:11. Λογίζεσθε, you reckon) The indicative; for the imperative begins in the following verse. So λογιζόμεθα, Romans 3:28 [we conclude that a man is justified by faith, etc.] Whatever is the standing in which every one is, in and according to that standing he ought to account himself.[58]—ΕἾΝΑΙ) is omitted by a few copies, but they are ancient. Baumgarten adopts this reading—I consider it doubtful.[59]—ἐν, in) It is construed with alive, nay even with dead too: So Romans 6:8, only that the prepositions with [σὺν, Romans 6:8] and by, ch. Romans 7:4 [διὰ, by the body of Christ] are rather used in that connection.—τῷ κυρίῳ ὑμῶν) See Appendix. crit. Ed. II. on this passage.[60]

[58] So also the Christian, whose standing is, that of being dead to sin with Christ, and raised with Him in newness of life.—ED.

[59] AD(Λ)G Memph. Vers. Hilary, omit the εἶναι. But BC Vulg. fg and Rec. Text retain it.—ED.

[60] ABD(Λ) Gfg Vulg. Hilary, reject τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. But C Memph. and Syr. Versions retain the words.—ED.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the verses which follow (12-14) the apostle exhorts his readers to do their own part in realizing this their union with the risen Christ, to give effect to the regenerating grace of God. For their baptism had been but the beginning of their new life; it depended on themselves whether sanctification should follow on regeneration, as it needs must do in order to salvation. Romans 6:11