Studies in Romans 6:15-23

Paul's first question in working through the logic of our sanctification was back in 6:1. Here's the next question.

15- What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

** Here, Paul begins to counter the thought that since we are under grace, it doesn't matter whether or not we sin. In other words, this should be our argument against licentiousness.

16- Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

** Here again as before, Paul begins with information that we should KNOW.

** This is what we should know. When we plan our actions, we are either showing that we are slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. What is not said is that we are not free beings, doing whatever we want. We are slaves of one or the other.

** People who hold the licentious viewpoint are deceived into thinking that under grace, Christians are totally free and can do whatever we want without consequence. However, when we choose to sin because there is no law, we are indeed enslaving ourselves to sin - the very thing to which we have died.

17- But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

** Notice that from a positional standpoint, we were slaves of sin.

18- and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

** We have been freed from sin through our union with Christ, and our death with Christ. Since we are freed from sin, we are (or should be) slaves of righteousness.

19- I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

** Paul encourages us to be slaves of righteousness. Remember that we are not totally free - we are slaves of sin or of righteousness. Being enslaved to righteousness results in our sanctification.

20- For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regards to righteousness.

21- Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.

** In other words, if we were slaves of sin and our actions led to more lawlessness and death, why should we continue to sin?

22- But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

** Now that we are slaves to God, our actions should point towards sanctification and eternal life.

23- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

** I believe the "sin" in this verse refers to the principle of sin not a specific action.

** After studying this section, we should not focus on licentious living thinking that we are free from any requirements because the law is taken away and God's grace will cover us. Instead, we will always be slaves of one or the other - either of sin or of obedience. So when we desire to sin, we prove ourselves to be slaves of sin - and are either still unsaved or are committing adultery with God as will be displayed in the next chapter.