We are subject to death. It will surely come to us all. When this happens, normally we will
bury the body. Having done this, we don’t expect to see it again. It is permanently buried. No
matter what our feelings were toward that person in their lifetime, there is no reason why we
would dig up the body. It is dead!
The analogy of death and burial is used in many Scriptural texts: (Romans 6:1-12 and
Colossians 2:12-13 et al). The death mentioned in these passages defines a permanent change of
status ¾ that of change from living in sin to dying to sin, and also the change from being dead
in sins to being alive in Christ.
Being dead to sin simply means that we are no longer actively engaged in sins. The old man
of sin is dead. The new man has been brought into being (Ephesians 4:24).
Even though we are constantly tempted to sin, we cannot dig up the old body of sin that we
once were. Sane reasoning would dictate that once that sinful life is dead and buried, it is to
remain buried. Rather, rejoice in the fact that we are raised with Christ through faith in the
operation of God, who made the whole thing possible (Colossians 2:12).
— John Wright
