Romans 6:15-23
by:
Dan Hill, PhD
Pastor, Southwood Bible Church
7655 South Sheridan Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74113
E-Mail: hill918@aol.com
Romans 6:15
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?
May it never be!
With the bold declarations of our freedom from the OSN and that we are dead
to sin, Paul now heads off a possible wrong conclusion.
Here SIN is a verb, indicating personal acts of sin that originate with
the OSN.
Remember, we sin because we are sinners.
This rhetorical question is similar to the one that began this chapter:
Rom. 6:1, What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might
increase?
There, the issue of continuing in sin, a dative noun. Here, a verb in the
aorist tense so it is single acts of sin.
Paul has used in Romans the verb form for sin six times but until now it
has been used historically of Adam or the whole human race or describing
the UB.
So this is the first mention in all that Paul has said in Romans where specific
acts of sins are attributed to a Christian believer.
SINS ARE MENTIONED HERE because of the false conclusion that could be drawn
from all that he has said of the believer being dead to the OSN and no longer
under the Law but under grace.
Would that mean that we could just engage in acts of sin without any results?
He answers, "may it never be"!
This is a very common error made by those who think that removal of a law
system and the believer's stand in grace means that we have a license to
sin all we want.
That type of thinking, however, is as much a part of the Law system as is
legalism. We could also call the law system performance-based Christianity.
And the error of performance-based Christianity begins with a false view
of God, or self, and of sin.
REASON: The person who says grace is a license to sin fails to see what
sin is all about. They view sin simply in terms of God's absolute and often
arbitrary standard.
But certain human attitudes and actions are declared by God to be sin because
they harm our relationship with Him, with others, and even to ourselves
in our own self image and self love.
In performance-based Christianity the believer's view of God is that of
a judge having decided certain things that man really wants to do are sin
for no other reason than His decision.
But sin is defined in the Word because God loves us and wants us to love
him, others, and self.
That is grace-based Christianity and sees God wanting His very highest and
best for us.
In PBC we see God establishing a list of sins and we have to not do them.
It is up to us.
In GBC we do not sin because we want a good relationship with Him, others,
and self.
In the OT God was very specific in listing sins as a part of the Law. But
even there we see grace. God's desire for His people to have good relationships:
EXAMPLE: The Ten Commandments:
1. Thou shall have no other God before me.
2. Thou shall not make for yourselves idols.
3. Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. Thou shall not murder.
7. Thou shall not commit adultery.
8. Thou shall not steal.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness.
10. Thou shall not covet.
COMMANDMENTS 1 to 4: Relationship to God
COMMANDMENTS 5 to 10: Relationship to Others
SO THEN, WHAT IS MY MOTIVE is not wanting to sin? I do not sin because the
God of all grace has graciously told me what will harm the relationship
I have with Him and with others.
Romans 6:16
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?
Paul explains why the reasoning of v 15 is unacceptable.
NOTICE: Paul gives no middle ground. He states only two absolutes. Either
the believer has chosen to be a slave to sin or a slave of obedience.
This verse emphasizes the absolute status of the believer of being either
in fellowship with God or out of fellowship, either spiritual or carnal.
DO YOU NOT KNOW: This is OIDA, a self evident truth. He is using a simple
illustration that they all will understand. They knew about slavery.
You present yourself as a slave. This is volunteer slavery, and you do so
knowing you will have to obey the one to whom you present yourself.
TWO ABSOLUTE CHOICES: No Middle Ground,
1. Present yourself as a slave to the OSN which leads to death.
2. Present yourself to as a slave of obedience (to God) which leads to righteousness.
QUESTION: When does this choice take place? While out of fellowship or upon
getting back into fellowship? Is this spiritual recovery or is this the
first step in walking in the spirit?
Well, this is the first step you take in your walk in the Spirit. Romans
12:1. You cannot present an unholy, filthy sacrifice to God. And that is
what we are when we sin. So we confess, depend by faith on the Cross, and
then present ourselves to God.
This will LEAD TO RIGHTEOUSNESS . . . which here is a synonym for sanctification
and eternal life (see v 22).
Romans 6:17
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, and
having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
As Paul thinks back to salvation he praises God not man. So often we praise
man for their faith in Christ but Paul shows us a much better perspective
. . . thanks be to God!!
These believers in Rome are perhaps wondering how do they present themselves
to God? What are the mechanics of this, it sounds difficult, it sounds like
a struggle.
But it is no more of a struggle than when you were saved and by faith believed
in Christ.
Colossians 2:6-7, As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted {and now} being built up in Him
and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing
with gratitude.
Even when they were slaves of sin, they became obedient. How? By faith,
by trusting in what God had done.
This faith came literally out of the heart, the soul of the believing sinner.
AND NOTICE THE OBJECT: "That form of teaching".
They received God's Word, His promise of salvation by faith in Christ.
AND NOW THEY ALSO were receiving God's Word, His promise of sanctification
by faith in the power of the Spirit (Romans 8)
The word COMMITTED is passive verb that would better be translated DELIVERED
or ENTRUSTED WITH.
The idea is difficult to translate but basically states that the teaching
they received required a decision on their part.
JUST AS THE TEACHING THEY ARE now receiving requires a decision on their
parts.
Will you believe it?
Romans 6:18
And having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
That was positional, that was the subject of the first part of Romans 6,
now make it experiential not by switching to some works system or performance
based Christianity, but in the same manner in which you were saved, by faith.
The prohibition, the struggle that Paul will deal with in Romans 7 is not
so much a struggle of sin and righteousness but a struggle of Law and Grace.
So the only way to grow in Christ is by faith, every good thing that comes
to the believer comes by way of faith.
Law, works, legalisms, ritual, all these stand as ridged systems that can
distract a believer from grace/faith.
Grace and Faith place a demand upon the believer and that demand is Spiritual
Love.
Spiritual Love is not a rigid system, it is a grace system. Spiritual Love
demands sacrifice and sacrifice is always hard.
Whereas a rigid system is easy, at least easier, it is defined, specified,
you can follow it.
Grace/Faith and Spiritual Love are described, but not defined.
But it is only on the basis of Grace and Faith that we can progress towards
friendship with Jesus Christ.
Two Promises, both from Philippians:
Philippians 1:5-6, In view of your participation in the gospel from the
first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who
began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
How did they participate in the Gospel, by faith and now they continue in
faith.
Philippians 2:13, For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and
to work for His good pleasure.
At salvation we became, at that moment, slaves of God's righteousness.
That was not merely positional but experiential, and that experience continued
until we sinned, quenching, grieving, or lying to the Holy Spirit.
When we did sin and when we sin now, we need to deal with that sin by confession
and faith and then present ourselves to God leading to His righteousness
in us.
Romans 6:19
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.
WEAKNESS OF YOUR FLESH: Indicating that these are immature believers and
in need of analogies and figures of speech to understand spiritual things.
While the unbeliever is in bondage to the sin nature, as a slave the believer
is in bondage to God and God's righteousness.
We have freewill, God gives us the freedom of our volition to make the choice
to present ourselves to Him.
JUST AS YOU PRESENTED: This looks at a past action, aorist tense.
Slaves to impurity and lawlessness: Things UNCLEAN and things opposed to
LAW.
In the Gospels and in Acts, the adjective form of this word, UNCLEAN, is
consistently used for unclean spirits or demons.
In the Epistles, the noun form found here, is used for anything that is
unclean in the sense that it separates one from the presence of God.
So it is behavior and attitudes that are rejected by God and thus separate
man from God.
The word LAWLESS is the word LAW with a negative prefix, opposed to law
and thus authority.
Preceding each of these is a dative definite article which not only views
these as supposedly beneficial for the one engaged in such activity but
also see them as two activities:
Uncleanness and Lawlessness sum up the attitude and actions of the sin nature.
One separates from God and the other separates from society.
THESE LEAD TO: INIQUITY: The same word as LAWLESSNESS.
The difference is that while in the first the man is doing this as a dative
of advantage for self, thinking such action will be beneficial, here it
is a accusative in which God declares this one as LAWLESS, in INIQUITY,
and receiving no benefit from Him.
BUT NOW THE ALTERNATIVE: So now present (aorist tense) your members slaves
to righteousness unto sanctification.
Salves to RIGHTEOUSNESS: The faith decision to be in a right relationship
with God and to be right according to His Word.
The result is sanctification: HAGIASMOS, a word not found in the Gospels.
Refers to the work of God in the believer as the believer grows in the CCL.
II Thessalonians 2:13, But we should always give thanks to God for you,
brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you [as firstfruits-justification]
with a view towards [eternal] salvation through sanctification by the Spirit
and faith in the truth.
All three aspects of our salvation are in this verse and notice how sanctification
comes about: By the Holy Spirit and by faith in the Word.
LISTEN TO WHAT ZODHIATES says of this word: It is a process . . . it is
similar to justification, which denotes not only the act of God's free grace
in justifying sinners, but also the result of justification upon the sinner
in making him just and equipping him to recognize the rights of God on his
life. Sanctification refers not only to the activity of the Holy Spirit
in setting man apart unto salvation and transferring him into the ranks
of the redeemed, but also to the Holy Spirit enabling him to be holy even
as God is holy.
WHAT BEGINS ALL THIS? A faith decision to present yourself, surrender to
a right relationship with God and to be right by His word.
A DECISION OF FAITH, NOT WORKS, NOT A PROMISE, NOT A PLEDGE TO DO BETTER,
NOT LAW, NOT EVEN OBEDIENCE . . . BUT FAITH IN THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
AND THE FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD.
Romans 6:20
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
The word FREE in the Greek text had a political and social use in that it
referred to one who was independent or free from any obligation or restraint.
Slaves of the OSN have no obligation of righteousness nor the restraint
of righteousness.
Romans 6:21
Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which
you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
The word BENEFIT is KAROS, fruit. Same as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians
5 and the fruit of righteousness in Hebrews 12:11.
There was no fruit, no production, no benefit, no advantage in the former
life.
ASHAMED is a complex passive with a deponent of the preposition EPI and
means in the passive "to receive shame upon one's self".
Paul used this word earlier in Romans 1:16 when he said he was not ashamed
of the Gospel.
Here the shame comes to the believer as he looks back at his life as an
unbeliever. General rule, some cannot remember when they were not believers.
The shame is passive, received, in light of the holiness of God.
It is passive, thus not an active force, a recognition that what was done
as an UB would have had an outcome:
FOR THE END OF THOSE THINGS, DEATH: Spiritual death and eventually eternal
death.
Romans 6:22
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your
benefit, resulting in sanctification and the outcome, eternal life.
BUT NOW, address the believer
HAVING BEEN FREED FROM SIN and enslaved to God:
Both aorist, passive, participles: These two participles share a common
point in time.
When we put faith alone in Christ alone.
PASSIVE VOICE: God did this. It was not our action that freed us from the
OSN and enslaved us to God but God's action of justification.
NOW we derive benefit: Again FRUIT:
But even the fruit is not the end product, the result of the fruit of righteousness
is sanctification and the end of that is eternal life.
The word END or OUTCOME is TELOS, and does not imply a result but rather
the finish line or the completion of the process.
In II Thessalonians 2:13 we have all three aspects of salvation, Justification,
the passive receiving of God's righteousness, sanctification, glorification.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
WAGES verse A FREE GIFT . . .
The word FREE GIFT is CARISMA, from the same root as GRACE, a grace gift
from God.
In Romans 8:10 and 13 relates the life we have, and remember that we have
eternal life now, to the Holy Spirit.
So the power for this eternal life is the Holy Spirit.
The sphere of this free gift of eternal life is IN CHRIST JESUS.
PRINCIPLES:
1. This verse looks back to the time in which we were unsaved.
We were on a course of life in which sin reigned in us and the outcome of
that is death.
Physical death apart from Christ and the Second Death, eternity in the Lake
of Fire.
2. By comparison we now have received a free gift, the Holy Spirit placing
us in Christ and there we have eternal life.
3. The eternal life we have allows us to then live with grace reigning in
our lives (Romans 5:21) and in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).
4. God has made all this possible for us, it is a real potential of the
believer and comes not by works but by faith.
5. The wages of sin being death can be applied to the believer only in that
when we do sin, get out of fellowship, we are in a temporal spiritual death
(being out of fellowship):
Romans 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh (carnal mind) is death, but the
mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.
I John 5:16-17 talks of sins that lead to death, a premature
death of the believer who is in reversionism(backslidden).
End of Lesson 27
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