Bourland Family Blog

1 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Romans 7:1-3

Paul opens Chapter 7 with a legal principle everyone would’ve understood: the law only binds a person while they’re alive. Then he uses marriage to illustrate it. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If she joins herself to another man while her husband is still alive, she’s called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she’s free to marry another—no guilt, no law-breaking.

Now, here’s where it gets personal. Before Christ, I was bound to the law. It was my “husband,” in a sense—my covenant partner. But the law couldn’t save me. It could only expose my sin. And if I tried to join myself to Christ while still bound to the law, it would be spiritual adultery. I’d be trying to live under two covenants at once—one of works, one of grace. That doesn’t work. The law had to die—or more accurately, I had to die to the law through Christ—so I could belong fully to Him.

APPLICATION

Today, I don’t try to mix grace with performance. I’ve died to the law. I’m not cheating on grace by running back to self-effort. I belong to Jesus now, and that covenant is secure. I don’t live in fear of breaking rules—I live in the freedom of being loved.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:20-23

Today, Paul brings the whole argument to a head. He lays out the contrast in plain terms: when I was a slave to sin, I was free from righteousness. That’s a haunting line. It means I didn’t feel the pull toward holiness because I was bound to something else; even more scary is that what I was bound to was “evil”. And what did that life produce? Shame, lawlessness, and death. Sin always promises freedom but delivers bondage. It offers pleasure but ends in destruction.

But now, having been set free from sin and become a slave to God, the fruit is different. It’s sanctification. It’s right living. It’s life. It’s growth. It’s the slow, steady transformation that leads to eternal life. Paul isn’t just talking about heaven—he’s talking about the kind of life that starts now and stretches into eternity.

Then he drops the line we all know: the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. That’s the summary. Sin pays out death. Grace gives life. One is earned, the other is gifted.

APPLICATION

So today, I remember that I’m not working for sin anymore. I don’t owe it anything. I’m not collecting its wages. I’ve been hired into a new kingdom, and the fruit of that work is life. That means I don’t just resist sin—I pursue sanctification. I lean into the process, even when it’s slow or hard. Because I know where it leads. And I know who I belong to. I’m not free to do whatever I want—I’m free to live as I was meant to. That’s the kind of freedom that bears fruit. That’s the kind of freedom I want.

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. Romans 6:15-19

This whole passage circles back to the question of grace and obedience. If I’m not under law but under grace, does that mean I can sin freely? Paul shuts that down immediately. He says whoever I present myself to—whether sin or obedience—I become a slave to that master. There’s no neutral ground. I’m always offering myself to something.

The major theme here is lordship. Sin used to be my master, and I obeyed it from the heart, even when I didn’t realize it. But now, through grace, I’ve been set free from that slavery and made a servant of righteousness. That’s not just a change in behavior—it’s a change in allegiance. Paul uses the language of slavery intentionally. It’s not about autonomy—it’s about who owns me. And grace doesn’t make me my own master. It transfers me to a better one. Just as importantly, I have been purchased. My heart recognizes the price my new master paid to free me from my previous master of sin.

APPLICATION

So today, I ask myself: who am I presenting myself to? In my thoughts, my reactions, my habits—am I offering myself to sin or to righteousness? I’ve been set free, but freedom isn’t aimless. It’s purposeful. I want to use my freedom to serve the One who saved me. That means I don’t just avoid sin—I actively pursue obedience. Not out of fear, but out of love. Because the more I obey from the heart, the more I see the fruit of that righteousness showing up in my life. And that fruit reminds me—I’m not who I used to be. Grace didn’t just rescue me, it redirected me.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 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. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14

Think of sin like a landlord who used to own the building I lived in. Before Christ, I was under that landlord’s authority—he had the keys, set the rules, and I had to obey. But when I died with Christ and was raised to new life, I moved out. I don’t live there anymore. Grace bought me a new home, and now I live under a new owner—Jesus. The old landlord might still shout through the windows, try to send mail, or act like he’s in charge, but he’s not. I don’t owe him anything. I don’t have to let him in. I’m free to live by the new rules of grace, not the old demands of sin.

This passage today is that reminder: don’t let sin reign in my mortal body. Don’t hand the keys back. I’m not under law anymore—I’m under grace. That means I don’t fight sin in my own strength. I fight it by remembering who owns me now, and living like I belong to Him.

When I read Romans 6:12–14, I’m reminded that sin doesn’t have the right to boss me around anymore. It used to reign in my body, used to dictate my choices, used to feel inevitable. But now, because of grace, I don’t have to obey those old impulses. I can present myself to God—not just in theory, but in the actual moments where decisions are made. That means my eyes, my hands, my thoughts, my time—they’re not neutral. They’re either being offered to sin or offered to righteousness

APPLICATION

So today, when I feel that tug toward frustration, pride, laziness, or whatever form sin tries to take, I stop and remember: I’m not under law. I’m under grace. That’s not a license to sin—it’s power to resist it. I get to choose who I present myself to. And I want to choose well. Not just because it’s right, but because I’ve been bought with a price. Grace didn’t just save me—it empowers me to live differently. And that difference shows up in the small, daily choices that declare who I belong to.

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:8-11

Wow! This builds directly on the foundation of our union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Paul’s logic is tight—if I’ve died with Christ, then I will also live with Him. That’s not just future hope, it’s present reality. Christ died once, and now He lives to God. So if I’m united with Him, I’m called to the same pattern: die to sin, live to God.

This section shifts from theological declaration to personal reckoning. Paul says I must consider myself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. That word “consider” is key—it’s an intentional mindset, a daily choice to live out what’s already true. I’m not trying to die to sin—I already have. I’m not trying to earn life—I’ve already been given it.

APPLICATION

So when I face temptation, I don’t negotiate with it. I remind myself: I’m dead to that. It doesn’t own me. And I don’t just avoid sin—I pursue life with God. That means I lean into righteousness, into obedience, into joy. I’m not just surviving—I’m living! And that life is rooted in Christ, sustained by grace, and marked by freedom.

6 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. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:6-7

This passage takes the truth of our union with Christ (us in Him and He in us) and presses it deeper into the reality of our daily walk. Paul says our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be brought to nothing. That’s not just poetic—it’s surgical. The old me, the one enslaved to sin, was nailed to the cross with Jesus. That means sin doesn’t own me anymore. It doesn’t get to call the shots. The power it once had has been broken.

Paul doesn’t say we’ll never sin again. He says we’re no longer enslaved to it. That’s a huge distinction. Before Christ, sin was my master—I obeyed it, often without even realizing it. But now, having died with Christ, I’ve been set free. And if I’ve died with Him, I’ll also live with Him. That’s not just future resurrection—it’s present participation. I live with Him now. His life is in me.

In biblical counseling, Romans 6:6–8 is foundational when helping someone wrestle with life-dominating sin. The counselor doesn’t just offer behavior modification—they point to identity transformation. This passage reminds the counselee that if they are in Christ, their old self has been crucified. They are no longer enslaved to sin, even if it feels powerful. That truth becomes the anchor: sin is no longer their master. The counselor helps them see that sanctification is not about trying harder, but about walking in the reality of their union with Christ—dead to sin, alive to God. The goal isn’t just to stop sinning, but to live as someone truly free.

APPLICATION

So today, when I feel pulled toward old patterns, I remind myself: that’s not who I am. That man died. I’m not a slave anymore. I belong to Jesus. And the more I walk with Him, the more I see the fruit of that freedom—peace where there used to be anxiety, patience where there used to be reaction, love where there used to be selfishness. I’m not perfect, but I’m progressing. And that progression is proof that grace isn’t just a covering—it’s a power. A power that raised me from death and keeps raising me, day by day.

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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. Romans 6:1-4

If grace abounds where sin increases, then the natural question is—should I just keep sinning so grace keeps flowing? Paul doesn’t hesitate. By no means. That’s not just a moral objection, it’s a theological one. If I’ve truly died to sin, how could I still live in it? That’s not who I am anymore.

Romans 5 showed me that grace reigns, not sin. Romans 6 takes it further—it says I’ve been united with Christ in His death. Baptism isn’t just a symbol, it’s a declaration that my old self was buried. And just like Christ was raised, I’ve been raised to walk in newness of life. That’s not poetic language—it’s a spiritual reality.

This passage tells me that grace doesn’t just forgive me, it transforms me. I’m not just avoiding punishment; I’m living a new kind of life. The power that raised Jesus is the same power that enables me to walk differently. I’m not dragging my old self around—I’ve left him in the grave.

APPLICATION

So today, when I feel tempted or discouraged, I remind myself—I’ve died to that. I don’t belong to sin anymore. I belong to Christ. And the more I walk with Him, the more I hate what separates me from Him. That hatred of sin isn’t bitterness—it’s love. Love for the One who gave me new life. And every time I choose righteousness, I’m not just obeying—I’m walking in resurrection.

Once again, one of my favorite verses tells this in one fail swoop – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21

This passage is one of those passages that flips the way I think about sin and grace. Paul says the law came in so that the trespass might increase—not because God wanted more sin, but because the law exposes it. Like turning on a light in a messy room. Once the law is known, sin becomes clearer, more obvious, and in some ways, more accountable.

But then Paul says something wild: where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. That’s not just a balancing act—it’s an overflow. Grace doesn’t just meet sin at the line; it floods past it. It’s like sin builds a dam, and grace breaks it wide open.

Then he says that just as sin reigned in death, grace reigns through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus. So sin had a kingdom—it ruled, and its throne was death. But grace has a kingdom too, and it rules through righteousness, not just to make us better people, but to bring us into eternal life IN and THROUGH Jesus.

For me, this means I don’t have to be afraid of the depth of my sin. The more I see it, the more I can marvel at the grace that covers it. It also means I don’t have to live under the rule of sin anymore. Grace is the new authority. And it’s not passive—it reigns. That gives me hope, especially when I feel stuck or discouraged. Grace isn’t just a soft cushion—it’s a powerful force that leads me somewhere eternal.

APPLICATION

I see a picture of grace that doesn’t just cover sin—it overwhelms it. That truth shapes how I view my own sanctification. I’m not who I used to be. I used to be under the reign of sin, ruled by its impulses and blind to its cost. But now, grace reigns in me. And that reign isn’t passive—it’s active, transforming me day by day.

I can see the progression. The things I used to justify or ignore now grieve me. Not because I’m trying to be perfect, but because I’m getting closer to Jesus. And the closer I get, the more clearly I see how ugly sin really is. My hatred of sin isn’t just moral—it’s relational. Sin separates me from the One I love. So I fight it, not out of fear, but out of love.

The fruit shows up in how I respond to temptation, how I treat others, how I repent more quickly and forgive more freely. I’m not a slave anymore. I still stumble, but I don’t stay down. Grace lifts me, teaches me, and keeps me moving forward. That’s the evidence—that I’m not just avoiding sin, I’m being reshaped by righteousness. And that righteousness isn’t mine—it’s Christ’s, reigning in me.

16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. Romans 5:16

This verse presents a theological contrast between the consequences of Adam’s sin and the gift of grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul explains that the judgment resulting from one man’s sin—Adam—led to condemnation. In contrast, the free gift that comes after many trespasses leads to justification. This highlights several theological themes.

First, it points out the contrast between Adam and Christ. Adam’s single act of disobedience brought condemnation to humanity, while Christ’s act of sacrifice brings justification even after so many sins. This sets up a situation where Adam represents the fall and Christ represents redemption.

Second, it contrasts judgment and gift. Judgment is the rightful consequence of our sin, showing God’s justice. The gift, however, is undeserved and shows God’s mercy. God’s grace is not a reversal of judgment but a crediting of it to Jesus, Who paid for it.

Third, the verse contrasts condemnation and justification. Condemnation is a legal declaration of guilt, while justification is a legal declaration of righteousness. Through Christ, we believers are not just forgiven—we are declared righteous.

Fourth, it shows the scope of grace. Adam’s sin affected all people, but Christ’s gift is available to all who receive it by faith. Grace is not limited by the number or severity of sins; it is abundant and sufficient.

Spiritually, this verse teaches that while sin has real consequences, God’s grace is greater. It invites believers to trust in the sufficiency of Christ’s righteousness and marvel at the depth of divine mercy.

APPLICATION

I can apply this verse to my life by remembering that grace is not something I earn—it’s a gift that covers even my repeated failures. When I mess up, I don’t have to live under the weight of condemnation. Instead, I can turn to Christ, knowing that His gift of justification is stronger than my sin. That frees me to live with hope and humility.

It also reminds me to extend grace to others. If God’s gift can cover many trespasses, then I shouldn’t be stingy with forgiveness or quick to judge. I want to reflect that same mercy in how I lead, mentor, and parent—offering restoration instead of punishment when someone falls short.

Finally, this verse helps me stay grounded in gratitude. I didn’t earn this standing with God, and I can’t lose it by failing. That truth gives me courage to keep going, even when I feel inadequate. I’m not defined by my worst moment—I’m defined by Christ’s gift

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that One Man Jesus Christ abounded for many. Romans 5:15

In these next 3 verses, I will cover in as many days, are 3 amazing truths that Paul shares with us. The first is the Grace of God that has come to so many after the trespass of one man, Adam for that which died. So, the gift is not like the sin Adam committed. It is so much more because of Who the grace is offered through. By the sin Adam committed, we are born into sin because of the nature of sin that was passed down to us by birth. BUT, Jesus, Who committed no sin, willingly gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice to bring about the grace through God to all who trust in His Son Jesus.

So, the gift of Jesus is so much more than the sin that sunk us. We just need to accept it in a surrendering way. Trusting in Jesus means that He becomes the Lord of our life. There is no sharing of our heart when it comes to Him. He is either has it all or He hasn’t been given it, at all.

APPLICATION

Do I live every facet of my life surrendered to Him? He has my heart but this carcass, world I live in, and the great deceiver have not left…surrender to God is a second-by-second choice. That choice, however; is reinforced with an acknowledgement of what He has done and the gift I have received through that work. It is not only a commitment I made, it is a moment-by-moment recognition in gratefulness of the hope in eternity I have because of King Jesus.