Romans 6:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does “we died” mean? Either that all of us were subjected to the same sentence pronounced against sin, or that, having believed and been enlightened, we became dead to sin. It is better to accept the latter, as is clear from what follows.

What does it mean to become dead to sin? To obey it no longer in anything. Although baptism accomplished this once, that is, put us to death to sin, from then on we ourselves must constantly advance with all diligence.

Thus we must not obey sin, whatever it commands us, but remain unmoved like a dead man. In other places the Apostle says that sin itself has died. There he says this in order to show the ease of attaining virtue. Here, however, in order more quickly to stir the hearer, he attributes death to the hearer himself.

Then, because what was said was unclear, he again explains the same thing, using stronger expressions.

Then he gives the proof: since we died to sin and became dead to it through Baptism, so that we should no longer obey it, how can we still live in it, be inclined toward it, and obey it? From this we learn that through Baptism every believer truly dies to sin. Yet through his own negligence he "raises" himself and at once comes alive to sin, as soon as he unites himself to it. By contrast, the diligent man always preserves this deadness within himself. Whatever sin commands him, he does not obey it, as one dead.

Here Paul shows that former sins have been forgiven. Grace so abounded that even old sins were remitted. Therefore one who seeks to increase sin so that grace may increase does not understand that he acts in such a way that grace can accomplish nothing in him. For the work of grace is that we die to sin.

It could not be said more briefly or better. For in this fearful age, what more useful thing can the grace of God give us than that we die to sin?

May it not be, for we who died to sin through the cleansing of Baptism, how shall we still be able to live in it?

Paul speaks this way because, while living in sin, we were dead to God. The one who sins lives for sin, just as the one who does not sin lives for God.

But when the grace of God through Christ appeared upon us, washing us spiritually by faith, we began to live for God and to be dead to sin, which is the devil.

This is what it means to die to sin: to be freed from sin and to become a servant of God. Therefore, having already died to sin, let us not return to the former evil. Otherwise we will come alive again to sin, die to God, and receive the punishment we escaped.

According to the Apostle, fleshly and unbelieving men might speak in this way. But for us, who have once died to sin, it is utterly impossible to come alive to it again.

"We died to sin." To die to sin means to break every bond with it, or, as Chrysostom says, to obey sin in nothing and not even to move from one's place, like a corpse. This death occurs through repentance, which a man brings when turning to Christianity; through faith in the grace-filled power that gives man life and sanctification; and through the death of Christ, Who put our sins to death on the Cross.

General note on this section. The main thought of this section is the following. The new condition of justification, without one’s own merits and without works of the law, in no way gives occasion to treat the requirements of the law with contempt or to surrender carelessly to the power of sinful sensuality.

On the contrary, it imposes the obligation to lead a purely spiritual life, for which full possibility has been opened by the grace of God.

One may suppose that the holy Apostle Paul was called to this argument by Judaizing zealots of the law and opponents of Paul’s teaching on justification by faith.

Having unfolded the general teaching on the justification of all believers, the Apostle draws from it the teaching on the Christian life.

After showing the complete incongruity of remaining in sin under the pretext of expecting still greater grace, which the Hebrews wrongly expected and still expect even now, the Apostle Paul teaches that, with the annulment of death for sin, Christians, as those who live a new life, have died to sin.

This death of theirs was accomplished in baptism. Having been immersed in the water, they were buried together with Christ. Having risen, just as He rose from death to life, they rose together with Him. Thus they were made like Him in death and resurrection.

“What does ‘we died’ mean? It means that, having believed and been enlightened, that is, baptized, we became dead to sin. What does it mean to become dead to sin? To obey sin no longer in anything.

Although baptism has already accomplished this once for all, that is, has put us to death to sin, we are nevertheless obliged continually to use all our diligence to remain in the same state. Whatever sin commands us, we must not only refuse to obey it, but not even move from our place, like a dead man” (St. Chrysostom).

“We died.” Who are “we”? All of us Christians. The death meant here is not physical, but moral. It consists in the rejection of every sin and hatred of it.