“ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
In chapters 3-5 of Romans, Paul spoke about justification by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ. Now in chapter six, he wants to help the believers make the right application of what it means to be united to Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
In our union in his death, the penalty for sin has been satisfied. Also, the old self with all of its sinful passions and desires has been crucified with Christ. The dominance of sin in our lives has been broken; it no longer controls us. Verse 11 tells us that we are daily to consider–take into account–that we have died to sin. It is no longer our master.
The second part of that verse tells us to consider that we are now “alive to God in Christ Jesus.” This is our new identity. As Christ rose from the dead unto newness of life, so have we. This new life is no longer controlled by our sinful passions, but by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, enabling us to live a life pleasing to God. Once we were servants of sin, the fruit of which was death; now we are servants of righteousness, the fruit of which is sanctification and everlasting life. All this by the power of the risen Christ who dwells within us by His Spirit.
As we consider our new life in Christ, we are to remember that it is life eternal. In the same way that Jesus rose from the dead, never to die again, we likewise have been raised from spiritual death and possess eternal life (cf: John 5:24, 11:25-26). Physical death will only usher us into the presence of Christ (2 Cor 5:8), and the second death has no claim on us, because the penalty of sin has already been paid by Christ (Rom 6:9). It is only a matter of time before Christ returns and raises us up to dwell with him forever. This ought to give us cause to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, regardless of our circumstances; and if we live in the joy of this hope, it will not only be evident to those around us, but it will give us an opportunity to tell them of the hope that is within us. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1:3).