Experience of Grace #1 - Union with Christ (Romans 6:1-14) | Dr. Kurt Bjorklund

Over the course of Romans 6, the argument unfolds that grace does not license ongoing sin but transforms desire, identity, and action. Baptism functions as a vivid picture of union with Christ: burial with him in death and rising with him to new life. That union changes the motivational center; sin no longer exerts the same mastery because the believer has been repositioned—past penalty removed, present power reduced, and future presence to be undone. Sin gets reframed not merely as a checklist of forbidden acts but as an underlying set of attitudes—pride, fear, greed, envy—that steer behavior and erode joy. These hidden currents explain why surface compliance without inner renewal often fails.

Scripture presses commands as a response to grace: count oneself dead to sin, refuse to let sin reign, and offer bodily members as instruments of righteousness. These are real choices grounded in a new identity, not legalistic rules to earn favor. The moral imperatives target the heart so the life that flows outward reflects trust in God’s goodness rather than attempts to secure life by self-serving means. Practical examples—stealing in many subtle forms, slander, materialism, and sins of omission—illustrate how beneath actions lie motives that need reorientation.

Consequences follow the choices people make: offering parts of oneself to sin escalates bondage; offering oneself to righteousness increases flourishing. Living under grace means focusing less on law‑keeping and more on love‑led devotion. When motivation shifts from fear of punishment to gratitude for what Christ has done, ethical living becomes an expression of alignment with God’s design rather than a burden. The overall hope centers on a visible, winsome community whose transformed hearts demonstrate that grace changes lives from the inside out.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Union with Christ transforms motivation Baptism and union with Christ recast identity so sin’s pull weakens. When union is understood experientially, obedience flows from gratitude rather than compulsion; obedience becomes participation in new life rather than duty. This reorientation changes why someone acts, not merely how they act, and produces durable moral growth. [09:02]
• 2. Sin runs deeper than actions Sin often shows up as hidden attitudes—pride, fear, greed—that produce surface behaviors. Addressing only outward acts misses the roots that reproduce harm, so the work of change requires naming motives and tracing how they shape choices. That inward excavation leads to genuine repentance and renewed freedom. [12:53]
• 3. Grace enables real choices Commands in Romans 6 invite decisive action: consider oneself dead to sin and present members to righteousness. These imperatives presuppose a changed heart but still require deliberate choices; grace empowers those choices rather than replacing them. Choosing righteousness tests faith and cultivates trust in God’s good design for life. [22:14]
• 4. Choices shape destiny and practice Offering parts of oneself either to sin or to God creates divergent patterns of slavery or freedom. Small decisions—what is spoken, what is hoarded, what is omitted—compound into character and communal witness. The trajectory of life follows habitual instruments, so present offerings determine future flourishing. [30:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:21] - Growth and new locations
• [02:10] - “Remember the duck” story
• [04:17] - Grace versus legalism
• [09:02] - Baptism and union with Christ
• [12:53] - Sin as iceberg: attitudes below actions
• [21:35] - Commands: count yourself dead to sin
• [28:01] - Trapeze metaphor and Joseph example
• [30:59] - Consequences: instruments of righteousness
• [35:37] - Closing prayer

Bible Reading
Romans 6:1-14 (ESV)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Colossians 3:5-9 (ESV)
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.

Genesis 39:9 (ESV)
[Potiphar’s wife] is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

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Observation Questions

1. In Romans 6:4, baptism is linked to being "raised to walk in newness of life." How does this connect to the sermon’s emphasis on union with Christ changing our motivations? [09:02]
2. The sermon compares sin to an iceberg, with visible actions above the surface and hidden attitudes below (e.g., pride, fear). What examples of "hidden attitudes" were given to explain sins like stealing or lying? [12:53]
3. Joseph’s response to temptation in Genesis 39:9 focuses on sinning against God. How does this contrast with a view of sin as merely breaking rules?

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Interpretation Questions

1. Romans 6:14 says, "You are not under law but under grace." How does living "under grace" differ from trying to earn God’s favor through rule-keeping? [31:49]
2. The sermon argues that sin’s power is reduced but not eliminated for believers. Why does Paul use the metaphor of slavery to describe both sin and righteousness in Romans 6:16-18?
3. Joseph’s refusal to sin (Genesis 39:9) was rooted in his view of God’s goodness. How might a distorted view of God’s character lead someone to justify sinful choices?

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Application Questions

1. The sermon mentions "hidden attitudes" like pride or fear that drive sinful behavior. What attitude most often influences your choices (e.g., fear of missing out, pride in self-sufficiency)? How could you intentionally "put it to death" this week? [12:53]
2. Romans 6:13 urges believers to offer their bodies as "instruments of righteousness." What is one practical way you can use your time, words, or resources this week to reflect this calling? [30:59]
3. Joseph’s story shows radical trust in God’s goodness even when obedience costs him. Where is God asking you to trust His design over a temptation that promises short-term satisfaction?
4. The sermon warns against reducing sin to a checklist. How can you shift your focus from avoiding "bad actions" to cultivating gratitude for grace in your daily decisions? [08:29]
5. Colossians 3:5-9 lists sins like greed and slander. Which of these do you find easiest to justify as "not that bad"? What step could you take to address the attitude behind it?