5

For stumblings occur for us from the pleasure concerning food and drink and outward adornment and indeed also sexual relations with women, 121 with the many in each of these things not standing upon what is proper but being carried away into excess. But these things could never happen to an immortal nature. For what pleasure, or what avarice will have a place in an immortal nature? But since we have become and are mortal by nature, we endure a certain inexpressible trouble from the aforementioned passions, and from this we receive a great inclination toward sinning. Well then did he say that sin reigned in death, all but mastering us through the inclination that is in us from this toward sinning. Just as then, he says, sin ruled over us, as we were pushed toward it, often even against our will, so also the munificence of God will hold sway, having an unshakeable kingdom in us, when, having been counted worthy of eternal life through the resurrection, we are about to live in true and firm righteousness, not being susceptible to sin.

Ro+m 6,3 Or do you not know this, he says, that baptism makes us partakers of the death of Christ? For indeed, just as we seem to be buried with him when we are baptized, at least according to the type, so it is fitting for us, just as the Lord, having risen from the dead, entered into a certain other, new life, so also for us ourselves to stand in a certain new life after baptism, reckoning that we ought to display a life worthy of that life into which we believe we have come through baptism. Ro+m 6,5 And so this also is clear, he says, that it is not possible for those who have partaken of the death in a typical manner not also to attain the resurrection in the realities themselves. And he well said "united with," when discoursing about both being put to death and being made alive, since it is also a characteristic of plants to be put to death in the planting, but to be changed to something better and far more glorious. And reasonably he confirmed the future things from present things; for since it was clear that they partook of the Spirit in baptism, and this was clearly shown by the facts themselves, well did he confirm to them what was not yet clear from what was then apparent. Ro+m 6,6 He also says for what reasons the passion of the Lord happened, for greater faith in the things that were said. For since, having come under the sentence of death, we became very much more prone to sinning on account of mortality, with the crucified Christ, he says, just as our whole nature that lies under mortality was crucified with him, since also the whole of it 122 rose with him, as all men hope to share with him in the resurrection. so that from this our readiness for sinning might be destroyed through the change of the body to immortality, and that we also might be born and stand outside the necessity of sinning. Ro+m 6,12-14 He says that these things being so, it is right for us not to sin in the present life, even if, still being mortal by nature, you have a greater inclination to this. And since he has used "to reign" in the case of sin, he well said "do not present your members"; for it is the custom for bodyguards to stand by kings. Therefore, he says, do not, hastening to serve sin as a queen, do what you ought not, but rather be eager to set yourselves apart for God like those who have come back to life from the dead, having been zealous to do the works of righteousness wholly through and through. And most admirable of him is the phrase "as alive from the dead," showing that he does not demand the reality from them but imitation as far as possible; for alive from the dead they will be at that time when they also will stand outside the inclination to sin, but now he says "as alive from the dead" instead of "imitating that as far as possible." And well, persuading them not to fear the inclination to sin and the movements from it, if the things of the mind should be kept sound, he adds: For sin will have no dominion over you.

5

μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ ἡδονῆς τῆς περί τε βρῶσιν καὶ πόσιν καὶ τὸν ἔξωθεν κόσμον καὶ μὴν καὶ τὰς τῶν γυναικῶν ἐπιμιξίας 121 ἐγγίνεται ἡμῖν πταίσματα, ἐφ' ἑκάστου τούτων οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ πρέποντος τῶν πολλῶν ἱσταμένων ἀλλ' εἰς ἀμετρίαν ἐκφερομένων. ταῦτα δὲ ἀθανάτω μὲν οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐγγένοιτο φύσει. ποία γὰρ ἡδονή, τίς δὲ φιλαργυρία ἐπὶ τῆς ἀθανάτου χώραν ἕξει φύσεως; ἐπειδὴ δὲ θνητοὶ γεγόναμέν τε καὶ ἐσμὲν τὴν φύσιν, ἄφατον μέν τινα ἀπὸ τῶν προειρημένων παθῶν τὴν ἐνόχλησιν ὑπομένομεν , πολλὴν δὲ τὴν περὶ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ῥοπὴν ἐντεῦθεν δεχόμεθα. καλῶς οὖν ἔφη βασι λεῦσαι ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, μονονουχὶ κρατοῦσαν ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς ἐνούσης ἡμῖν ἐντεῦθεν περὶ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ῥοπῆς. ὥσπερ οὖν τότε ἡμῶν ἡ ἁμαρτία, φησίν , ἐκράτει συνωθουμένων ἐπ' αὐτὴν καὶ παρὰ γνώμην πολλάκις, οὕτω δὲ ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ καθέξει φιλοτιμία, ἀσάλευτον τὴν βασιλείαν ἔχουσα ἐν ἡμῖν, ἐπειδὰν τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς καταξιωθέντες διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐν ἀληθινῇ καὶ βεβαίᾳ τῇ δικαιο σύνῃ διάγειν μέλλομεν ἁμαρτεῖν οὐκ ἐπιδεχόμενοι.

Ro+m 6,3 Ἢ οὐκ ἴστε, φησίν, ἐκεῖνο, ὅτι τὸ βάπτισμα κοινωνοὺς ποιεῖ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ Χριστοῦ; καὶ γὰρ ὥσπερ συνθάπτεσθαι δοκοῦμεν αὐτῷ βαπτιζόμενοι κατά γε τὸν τύπον ὥστε προσήκειν ἡμᾶς, καθάπερ ὁ κύριος ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστὰς εἰς ἑτέραν καινήν τινα κατέστη ζωήν, οὕτως καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐν καινῇ τινι ζωῇ καθεστάναι μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα, λογιζο μένους ἄξιον ἐπιδείκνυσθαι τὸν βίον τῆς ζωῆς ἐκείνης εἰς ἣν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος γεγενῆσθαι πιστεύομεν. Ro+m 6,5 ∆ῆλον δὲ ἄρα κἀκεῖνο, φησίν, ὡς οὐκ ἔνεστι τυπικῶς κοινωνή σαντας τῷ θανάτῳ μὴ καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐπ' αὐτῶν τυχεῖν τῶν πραγμάτων. καλῶς δὲ εἶπε τὸ σύμφυτοι περί τε νεκρώσεως καὶ ζωοποιήσεως διαλεγόμενος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῶν φυτῶν ἴδιόν ἐστι τὸ νεκροῦσθαι μὲν ἐν τῇ φυτείᾳ, μεθίστασθαι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον καὶ ἐνδοξότερον πολλῷ. καὶ εἰκότως ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων τὰ μέλλοντα ἐπιστώσατο· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δῆλον ἦν, ὡς πνεύματος μετεῖχον ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι, τοῦτο δὲ ὑπ' αὐτῶν σαφῶς ἐδείκνυτο τῶν πραγμάτων, καλῶς ἀπὸ τοῦ φαινομένου τότε τὸ μηδέπω δῆλον αὐτοὺς ἐπιστώσατο. Ro+m 6,6 Λέγει καὶ τὸ πάθος τοῦ κυρίου ἐπὶ τίσιν ἐγένετο, εἰς μείζονα πίστιν τῶν εἰρημένων. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπὸ τὴν ἀπόφασιν γενόμενοι τοῦ θανάτου πλεῖστον ὅσον ἐπιρρεπέστεροι πρὸς τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ὑπὸ τῆς θνητότητος ἐγινόμεθα, τῷ Χριστῷ, φησίν, ἐσταυρωμένῳ ὥσπερ ἅπασα ἡμῶν ἡ ὑπὸ τὴν θνητότητα κειμένη φύσις συνεσταυρώθη, ἐπειδὴ καὶ 122 πᾶσα αὐτῷ συνανέστη, πάντων ἀνθρώπων αὐτῷ συμμετασχεῖν ἐλπι ζόντων τῆς ἀναστάσεως. ὡς ἐντεῦθεν συναφανισθῆναι μὲν τὴν περὶ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ἡμῶν εὐκολίαν διὰ τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀθανασίαν τοῦ σώματος μεταστάσεως, γεννηθῆναι δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς ἔξω καταστῆναι τῆς τοῦ ἁμαρ τάνειν ἀνάγκης. Ro+m 6,12-14 Λέγει μὲν ὅτι τούτων οὕτως ἐχόντων δίκαιον ἡμᾶς μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον, κἂν ἔτι θνητοὶ τὴν φύσιν ὄντες πλείονα ἔχητε τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦτο ῥοπήν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ βασιλεύειν ἐπὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τέθεικεν, καλῶς εἶπε τὸ μὴ παριστάνετε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν· παρεστάναι γὰρ τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἔθος τοὺς δορυφόρους. μὴ τοίνυν, φησίν, ὡς βασιλίδι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ σπεύδοντες ὑπηρετεῖσθαι διαπράττεσθε ἃ μὴ δεῖ, σπουδάσατε δὲ μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς ἀφορίσαι τῷ θεῷ κατὰ τοὺς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναβιώσαντας, ὅλοι δι' ὅλων τὰ δικαιοσύνης ἔργα ποιεῖν ἐσπουδακότες. θαυμασιώτατον δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ ὡσεὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ζῶντας, δεικνύντος ὅτι οὐ τὸ πρᾶγμα παρ' αὐτῶν ἀπαιτεῖ ἀλλὰ τὴν κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν μίμησιν· ζῶντες μὲν γὰρ ἐκ νεκρῶν τότε ἔσονται ὅτε καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ῥοπῆς ἔξω καταστήσονται, νυνὶ δὲ ὡς ἐκ νεκρῶν ζῶντές φησιν ἀντὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἐκεῖνο μιμούμενοι. καὶ καλῶς πείθων αὐτοὺς μὴ δεδοικέναι τὴν περὶ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ῥοπὴν καὶ τὰς ἐντεῦθεν κινήσεις, εἰ τὰ τῆς γνώμης ἀκέραια σώζοιτο, ἐπάγει· ἁμαρτία γὰρ ὑμῶν οὐ κυριεύσει.