As believers in Christ, we are dead and free because we are no longer part of this world. Jesus stated in John 17 that believers, like Him, are not of the world because He is not of the world and Paul takes this thought and says in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are ambassadors of Christ. I like to think of it in terms of nations. When someone becomes an American citizen they renounce their former allegiances and pledge themselves to the United States of America. They no longer have obligations to their former country but are now protected and must serve the US. They are in a sense dead to their old nation. We are still in the world but we are no longer servants of it, instead, we belong to the kingdom of God and are here in the world to do the bidding of our new King. Our allegiance is to God and we are to represent Him here on earth. This transaction has taken place because of Christ’s death burial and resurrection and our belief and receiving of that give us His benefits. We are not free to do as we please but have a new set of guidelines to follow. We now follow the Law of Christ. We are now dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.