Shall we continue in sin? Dead to sin and buried with Christ through baptism (Romans 6:1–4)

Says Paul answers the question of 6:1 with another: "How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?" (6:2, BSB). ἀπεθάνομεν (apethanomen) is aorist: a death already died, and τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ is a dative of reference, as in 6:10–11 (note.language.Rom.6.8-Rom.6.14.ephapax-kyrieusei).

Implies Those who died to sin cannot treat grace as a reason to stay in it, so 6:1–2 excludes antinomianism. The grounds are set out in note.exegetical.Rom.6.1-Rom.6.14.union-and-sanctification and are not repeated here.

Says Paul reminds the readers "that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death" (6:3, BSB). "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life" (6:4, BSB). συνετάφημεν (synetaphēmen) is "buried with," and ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς is "newness of life" (lex.G907; lex.G4916; lex.G2538).

Uncertain Whether 6:3–4 has the water rite chiefly in view (διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, the burial picture, Col 2:12) or Spirit baptism and union with Christ (εἰς Χριστόν, Gal 3:27; 1 Cor 12:13). This commentary takes no lean, and nothing about mode or subjects is drawn from βαπτίζω (note.language.Rom.6.3-Rom.6.5.baptizo-symphytoi). The four traditions are set out in note.exegetical.Rom.6.3-Rom.6.5.baptism-and-union.