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Romans 6:5–6 “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”

Think

We live in a culture obsessed with self-improvement. Entire industries exist to help you become a “better version” of yourself—new diets, new habits, new hacks, new books. There’s nothing wrong with growth, but Paul is not talking about self-improvement here. He’s talking about self-replacement. Not a better you, but a new you. Not a moral upgrade, but a resurrection.

In Romans 6:5–6, Paul makes an extraordinary claim. When you came to Christ, your “old self” was crucified with him. Not patched up, not rehabilitated, but nailed to the cross. That part of you that was enslaved to sin, ruled by self-centeredness, and alienated from God has been executed. And the reason is simple: you were never meant to manage sin. You were meant to be freed from it.

Paul uses strong language: “We know that our old self was crucified with him.” That word “know” is key. This isn’t about feelings. You may not feel new. You may not feel free. You may not feel dead to sin. But faith begins by believing what God says is true, even before you fully experience it.

Think about a prisoner whose sentence has been served and whose release papers have been signed. On paper, they’re free. But they’re still sitting in the cell because they don’t realize the door is open. Until they step out, they’re living like a prisoner even though they’ve been declared free. That’s how many believers live. They’ve been crucified with Christ, but they’re still acting like the old self is in charge.

Paul wants us to see that the old self isn’t just wounded—it’s dead. Sin’s rule has been “done away with.” That phrase literally means rendered powerless. Sin still exists. It still tempts. It still calls your name. But it no longer has the right to rule you. You’re not obligated to obey it anymore.

This is where many people get discouraged. They read verses like this, but then they fall back into an old habit, snap at someone they love, or get caught in the same pattern of fear or shame. And they think, “I guess it didn’t work for me. I must not really be dead to sin.” But Paul isn’t denying the struggle. He’s reframing it. You’re not fighting as a slave trying to get free. You’re fighting as a free person learning to live like it’s true.

It’s been said that sanctification is learning to become who you already are. That’s what this passage means. You’re already crucified with Christ. You’re already united with him. You’re already free. But you’re also still learning to walk out that freedom. You’re still unlearning old habits, old lies, old reflexes. You’re still letting the Spirit rewire your heart and mind.

Paul also says we’ve been “united with him in a death like his” and “we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.” This isn’t just about the future resurrection of our bodies. It’s about resurrection life now. The power that raised Jesus from the grave is the same power at work in you today. You’re not trying to live a Christian life by your own strength. You’re living a resurrected life by the strength of Christ.

Think of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. The transformation is total. It’s not a caterpillar with wings. It’s a new creature with a new nature. That’s what Paul is describing. The old self has been dissolved. The new self has emerged. You still live in the same body, but you’re no longer defined by the old patterns.

This is why identity matters so much in the Christian life. If you see yourself as a sinner trying to be a saint, you’ll always feel defeated. But if you see yourself as a saint who still struggles with sin, you’ll start to live from a place of victory. The struggle doesn’t define you anymore. Jesus does.

And this isn’t just for “big” sins. It’s for the subtle ones too. Pride. Anxiety. Self-sufficiency. Shame. These are all remnants of the old self trying to regain influence. But the cross has already decided their fate. They’re not your master anymore.

Sometimes it helps to be literal about this. When an old pattern shows up, speak to it out loud: “That’s not me anymore.” Not in denial, but in declaration. Not pretending you don’t feel the pull, but affirming that the pull no longer defines you. The old you was crucified. The new you is alive.

Paul’s goal here is not to burden you with guilt. It’s to free you with truth. He’s not saying, “Try harder to act dead to sin.” He’s saying, “Believe what’s already true. Then act like it.” There’s a difference between trying to become something and living out what you already are.

If you’ve been crucified with Christ, then the deepest reality about you is not your sin but your Savior. Not your failures but your freedom. Not your history but his resurrection. You’re not just someone who sins and hopes for grace. You’re someone whose old self is gone and whose new self is being shaped by grace.

This may not always feel real, but feelings don’t define reality. Faith does. And as you believe this truth, your experience will begin to align with it. Slowly, steadily, the Spirit will make you more like Jesus. Not by polishing the old you, but by drawing out the new you who is already united with him. So when you feel the old self rising, don’t panic. Don’t despair. Remember the cross. Remember the empty tomb. Remember who you are. The old you is gone. The new you is alive.

Apply

Write down three habits or thought patterns from your “old self” that still try to resurface. Next to each one, write the words, “This has been crucified with Christ.” Pray over each one, thanking God that you are no longer a slave to sin, but alive with Christ.

Pray

Father, thank you that my old self has been crucified with Jesus. I confess that I sometimes live as if I’m still a slave to sin. Remind me of who I am in you. Teach me to walk as someone who is free, alive, and united with Christ. Help me to live out the truth that the old me is gone and the new me is alive. In Jesus’ name. Amen.