No way! Absolutely not! Uh, uh! Nope! That’s how Paul responds to the question. Kinda.

If grace is so great, if grace abounded where sin increased (Rom. 5:20), then should we continue in sin that grace may abound (Rom. 6:1)? By no means! Certainly not!

Message received.

But come on. I know me. How’s that even possible?

Possible because it’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Gal. 2:20). Possible because of my union with Christ.

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.

(Romans 6:4-5 ESV)

United with Christ. That’s what makes not continuing in sin possible.

Not talking about being “sinless” — the flesh frustrates that — but talking about not abiding in sin. Not persevering in perpetual transgression. No longer content to walk contrary to God’s commands. Possible because I have been united with Him.

United with Him in death. United with Him in life after death. Christ rose from the dead never to die again, thus “death no longer has dominion over Him” (6:9). Likewise, having died to the old man enslaved by sin, I have been raised with Christ to be forever freed from sin. Or as Paul puts it, I need to consider myself “dead to sin” and “alive to God in Christ Jesus” (6:11). The result? No dominion.

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

(Romans 6:14 ESV)

No dominion. Sin can’t tell me how to live (MSG). Not my master (NASB). Sin is no longer the ruling default. That’s my reality when it comes to sin.

Not that I don’t sin, but that I am no longer a slave to sin. For grace abounds. It’s the trump card on every transgression which trips me up.

Thus, by grace I am free to pursue holiness. To present every part of me “to God as instruments for righteousness” (6:14). To choose to be holy, even while dealing with the failures of net yet fully being holy. All because I am deemed holy through my union with Christ.

No dominion. Worth chewing on, I think.

Because of grace. For His glory.