Dead men don’t wear plaid! Romans 6:6

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Rom 6:6-7 NIV

I would like us to take a look at these two verses on phrase at a time.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him...

The rule and reign that sin had in and over our lives was crucified, put to death when Jesus died. Before Jesus died on the cross, we all had to sin. There was no alternative.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
Rom 6:12 NIV

The purpose for the Jews continually offering sacrifices was because they continually sinned. Every year it was the same thing – offer up the lamb as a sacrifice as the propitiation of our sins.

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 KJV

By explanation of the use of the word “propitiation”, I offer this from Vine,

Through the "propitiatory" sacrifice of Christ, he who believes upon Him is by God's own act delivered from justly deserved wrath, and comes under the covenant of grace. Never is God said to be reconciled, a fact itself indicative that the enmity exists on man's part alone, and that it is man who needs to be reconciled to God, and not God to man. God is always the same and, since He is Himself immutable, His relative attitude does change towards those who change. He can act differently towards those who come to Him by faith, and solely on the ground of the "propitiatory" sacrifice of Christ, not because He has changed, but because He ever acts according to His unchanging righteousness.

The expiatory work of the Cross is therefore the means whereby the barrier which sin interposes between God and man is broken down. By the giving up of His sinless life sacrificially, Christ annuls the power of sin to separate between God and the believer.*

Paul explained it this way.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 2 Cor 5:18 NIV

Through the word of Christ’s death, we can once again have a relationship with God. We come back to Him.

It reminds of a story of an elderly couple driving down the road together. He’s behind the wheel and she is over next to the passenger’s door. They see a young couple drive by and the young lady is snuggled up against the driver and they are being all lovey-dovey. The elderly wife turns to her husband and says, “Why don’t we do that any more?” He replies, “I didn’t move!”

God didn’t move but He provided a way for us to once again “snuggle in close”.

so that the body of sin might be done away with...

This is best understood by translating the phrase “might be done away with” as the more appropriate “rendered powerless”.

As long as we are alive, we will be in a battle with our flesh. Being human, we are spirit which is born anew or born again when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior to be eternally alive rather than eternally dead. By this we are saved!

We are soul and mind, which is being renewed.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Rom 12:2 NIV

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Phil 2:12-13 NIV

In this, we are being saved! This is the process of sanctification about which I shall write in greater length at a later time.

And we are body which shall yet be saved.

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Rom 8:11 NIV

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor 15:51-54 NIV

That day shall come when these mortal bodies shall be redeemed and we shall be like Jesus – immortal.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1-3 NIV

But until that day or until we die we are in mortal combat.

No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Cor 9:27 NIV

Paul is not in some masochistic ritualism here. He is saying that he delivers his flesh and its desires a knockout punch so that his spirit is in charge not his appetites. He brings his hunger, his thirst, his sex drive, etc. all under submission to God’s word and His will. He tells of the struggle in one particular passage.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! Rom 7:21-25 NIV

And again,

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Rom 8:13-14 NIV

Therefore, this body of sin is rendered powerless; this need to sin has had its power revoked, this propensity to disobey is like a lion with no teeth. It makes a lot of noise but it can do no harm – unless we give it life.

It is without life, without breath this need to sin and yet we do. Each time we choose to sin, to disobey God, to not do what His asks, it is as if we are reanimating a dead body. We are carrying around this reanimated corpse. We have this zombie on our backs and rotting flesh stinks. Therefore, each time we sin, we stink! Who wants to hang around with putrid flesh?

...that we should no longer be slaves to sin

We cannot serve two masters. Jesus said it about money and Paul stated it with greater clarity about sin.

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Rom 6:16-18 NIV

It doesn’t matter what you say, how many times you say it or what words you use. Actions speak louder than words. What you do indicates who your master is. If you sin, sin is your master. If you obey, then you demonstrate that Jesus is indeed your Lord. The results are vastly different.

Sin results in death!

Obedience results in righteousness!

...because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Whether dead men wear plaid or not, I don’t know. But this I do know - dead men do not sin! It is that simple.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Col 3:3 NIV

I die every day-I mean that, brothers-just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Cor 15:31 NIV

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. Luke 9:23-24 NIV

The bottom line, we are freed from sin. It no longer is our master. Our need or propensity to sin is powerless to make us sin. Therefore, if we sin, we made the choice.

As Jesus said once said, “Go and sin more.” You have that freedom!

*(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)