You’re Not Who You Used to Be

Salvation is more than a moment; it's a movement—past, present, and future. Romans 6:1-14 paints a powerful picture of how salvation transforms not only our standing before God but also the way we live each day. If you’ve placed your faith in Jesus, you haven’t just been saved from something—you’ve been saved into something: a new life.

Some misunderstand grace as a free pass to keep sinning. But Paul confronts that idea head-on: “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not!” (Romans 6:1-2)

God’s grace doesn’t lower the standard; it lifts us into a new realm—life with Him. If you've truly encountered the transforming grace of Jesus, the idea of continuing in sin should feel inconceivable. You've died to sin. Why live in it any longer?

The gospel tells us something radical has happened: “We were buried with him by baptism into death… just as Christ was raised from the dead… so we too may walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)

At salvation, you entered a spiritual reality: united with Christ in His death and raised with Him to new life. You’ve been transferred from the realm of sin and death into the realm of grace and righteousness.

This isn’t just a theological idea—it’s the foundation for living in freedom from sin’s power.

Romans 6:6-7 reminds us that the “old self” was crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Sin may still tempt, but it no longer reigns. The person you were before Christ—the one sin controlled—has been put to death.

That’s what true freedom looks like. Not a license to sin, but liberty to live in victory.

Paul calls believers to know this truth, believe it deeply, and live like it's real:

• Know you’ve died to sin.
• Believe you’ve been raised with Christ.
• Live like you belong to God, not to sin.

This mindset shapes your everyday choices. “Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). When you know who you are, you stop living like who you were.

Victory over sin isn’t passive—it’s intentional. Paul urges believers to stop presenting themselves to sin and start offering themselves to God as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13).

This is what sanctification looks like: daily choosing to step into the life Jesus secured for you.

Verse 14 is the turning point: “For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

Grace doesn’t just forgive sin—it breaks its power. You’re not under condemnation anymore. You’re under resurrection power. And that changes everything.

This blog is based on a message preached by Lead Pastor Brian Stone on Sunday, July 13, as part of the Romans: The Righteousness of God series. You can watch the full message here.