In verse 10 we have the truth that Jesus Christ died not only for sins, but that "He died unto sin."  When He was "made sin" God exacted of Him sin's penalty to the full.  That penalty was death.  In death, sin's penalty and power were exhausted.  Sin's power, as well as sin's claims, are no more.  Hence we read "death hath no more dominion over him." Christ died unto sin.  He now lives forever unto God beyond the touch and reach of sin.

Paul asks: "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.  We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?  Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Rom. 6:1-3, R.V.) Note that Paul does not say we have actually died, neither is he saying we are literally "dead to sin." But Paul is saying that which is true of every believer, namely, that he is dead to sin through his union with Christ.  Each and every believer has been baptized by the Spirit into Christ.  "He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" one with the Crucified.  When Christ took upon Himself my humanity, apart from which He could never have borne the penalty for my sins, He made me one with Himself.  I am identified with Him.  He not only died for me, but I died with Him.  He took me with Himself into death, and His death was my death to sin.  He took me through the Cross, down into the tomb, and out of the tomb on and beyond the reach of sin's dominion.  This is the great basic fact.  The Holy Ghost says to you and to me: Know ye--know that Christ took your place, fastened you to Himself (Himself being in your very humanity), and took you into death, and through death out into glorious resurrection and emancipation from sin's dominion.

Regardless of our feelings, we are to reckon on this great fact, --of our union with Christ in death and resurrection.  "Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:11, R.V.). Note that Paul does not say, reckon sin dead to you.  God's way of victory over sin is not through the suppression of sinful desires, nor through the eradication of the old nature, nor yet through the cleansing of inbred sin.  God's way of victory is through cruclfixion--deliverance is only through death.  There is a vast difference between reckoning myself dead to sin and reckoning sin dead to me.  Every attempt to make sin dead to me, through self-effort, or struggle, or blessing, or make-believe, is not following the scriptural pattern.  God says I am to reckon myself dead to sin.  If I am willing to be rid of sin, let faith fasten on the fact of my death to sin through my actual life-union with Christ.  I am "in Christ." And to be in Him is to be "dead to sin." Oh, to believe it!  Never mind the feelings.  Each time I come up against some particular sin, let me there say: I died to that in Christ.  If it be a worldly attraction: I am crucified to the world and the world unto me.  If it be proud, haughty self, again let me reckon: One died for all, all died.  Then I should not, and need not, live unto myself--I am dead to my selfish pride and conceit and haughtiness.  Let me do as the two young women who replied to an invitation to attend a hall: 'We are very sorry, but it will be impossible for us to attend.  We died last week.  We are Christians." They had declared their testimony in baptism the previous week, as dead, buried, risen, and henceforth Christ-ones only.

It is said that Emperor William refused request for an audience prepared by a German-American.  The Emperor declared that Germans born in Germany but naturalized in America became Americans: "I know Americans; I know Germans; but German-Americans I do not know." Even so, I was once bound in Adam.  I am now freed in Christ.  The cross cut me off, killed me outright to the old citizenship and life.  I am no Adam-Christ believer.  Such a position will get me no audience with my King, bring me no deliverance from bondage to the old man.  Let me cease at once any such unholy duplicity.  Let me declare that I am Christ's and His alone.  Let me yield fully unto Him as one "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:11).