Bible Study Romans 6: 1-23

 

Commentary of the Book of the Romans

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study Romans 6: 1-23

Text:

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become [a]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [b]in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [c]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died has been [d]justified from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, [e]is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting your members to sin as [f]instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as [g]instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Slaves of Righteousness

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you go on presenting yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin [h]leading to death, or of obedience [i]leading to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were given over, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became 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, [j]leading to further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, [k]leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 Therefore what [l]benefit were you then having [m]from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your [n]benefit, [o]leading to sanctification, and the end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?”

Paul, drawing from his background as a Pharisee, foresaw the primary critiques he would face. He had previously addressed the accusation that his teaching of justification, based purely on God's free grace, promoted sinful behavior.

Verse 2: “May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

"May it never be" is the strongest Greek idiom used by Paul in his epistles, appearing 14 times. It powerfully repudiates a statement, conveying outrage that such a statement could ever be considered true. This expression emphasizes that believers "died to sin" as a one-time past event, not an ongoing struggle. This foundational concept of chapter 6 is based on the premise that, being "in Christ," we are considered dead with Him because He died in our place. Paul dedicates the rest of the chapter to elaborating on and supporting this fundamental idea.

Verse 3: “Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”

The phrase "baptized into Christ Jesus" does not refer to water baptism but is used metaphorically. It signifies a spiritual immersion and unity with Christ that all Christians experience through saving faith. This identification is specifically with Christ's death and resurrection, as further explained by the apostle, and water baptism serves as a symbolic representation of this transformative reality for the justified.

Verse 4: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

Baptism signifies and seals our initial union with Christ, serving as both a burial for the "old self" and an inauguration for the new person in Christ. It declares that those united with Christ have died to sin. From Romans 5:20 to 8:4, sin is depicted as a tyrannical taskmaster, the driving force behind sinful acts, demanding dominion and requiring resistance.

Verse 5:  “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,”

Through our union with Christ, we are grafted into His death and resurrection. This means we share in His life, much like a branch grafted onto a tree shares the life of that tree. The life of Christ has now become our life.

Verse 6: “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;”

Our "old self," encompassing our life before conversion and all that we were through our connection with Adam (as interpreted in Romans 5:12–21), was crucified with Christ. We are to consider this entire former self as having been nailed to the cross to die. The "body of sin" likely refers to the physical body as the domain where sin held sway, perhaps akin to the "body of death" in Romans 7:24. Union with Christ in His death does not destroy the physical body itself, but it eliminates the body's inescapable role as a tool of sin by ending sin's reign within it. Christians' bodies are now dedicated to Christ, producing holy fruit in His service. We are no longer enslaved to sin, as a bodily existence once dominated by sinful cravings has been replaced by one driven by a passion for righteousness and holiness.

Verse 7: “for he who has died has been justified from sin.”

When a believer dies with Christ, they are freed from sin's power and control, having been acquitted of their transgressions through this union.

Verse 8: “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,”

This suggests not only the concept of resurrection but also an ongoing involvement in Christ's resurrected life, characterized by being "alive to God." This means that every aspect of our lives is touched by His resurrection, now in this life, as well as the one to come.

Verse 9: “ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.”

"Knowing”  signifies an additional aspect we are meant to comprehend. The "victor's chorus" proclaims, "Is never to die again." As the glorified Christ states, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:18). Christ's Resurrection ushers in eternity for Him, and it will similarly usher in eternity for those who place their trust in Him.

Verse 10: “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”

Christ's death defeated sin in two ways: by fulfilling its legal penalty for sinners and by permanently breaking its power over believers. This sacrifice is final and never needs repetition. Similarly, believers have died to sin. Christ now lives for God's glory.

Verse 11: “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

"Even so" highlights the importance of understanding the preceding explanation, as it forms the necessary foundation for what follows. Scripture consistently emphasizes knowledge as the basis for one's actions. "Consider" implies more than just counting; it metaphorically refers to an absolute, unreserved confidence in what one knows to be true—a conviction that shapes actions and decisions. Paul is not suggesting self-deception, but rather urging us to embrace, through faith, the truths revealed by God. "Dead to sin" is Paul's key phrase for our union with Christ, making its first appearance in Romans here.

Verse 12: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,”

 As sin's dominion is broken, any efforts by sin to regain control can and must be opposed. The body, which was once subject to sinful desires, must no longer surrender to them.

Verse 13: “and do not go on presenting your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

Paul teaches that the key to sanctification is to fully dedicate oneself to God, which in turn leads to consecrating every part of the body to Him. This act should be a conscious and deliberate expression of our new life in Christ, recognizing ourselves as "alive from the dead."

Verse 14: “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

Paul's admonition regarding sin's control in our bodies underscores its potential influence. However, believers are not obligated to let sin reign; Paul is confident they will not. The phrase "not under law but under grace" does not imply God has abolished His moral law. This law is inherently good, holy, and righteous, yet humans cannot perfectly adhere to it, leading to condemnation. Since the law cannot enable obedience, it merely highlights the standard, revealing and rebuking those who fall short. For believers, acceptance with God is no longer contingent on the impossible condition of the law, a condition designed to expose human sinfulness. Instead, they are "under grace," which empowers them to genuinely fulfill the righteous requirements of the law.

Verse 15: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!”

If we are no longer bound by the law but live under grace, does that mean we should continue to sin? Absolutely not! Paul previously addressed a similar question in Romans 6:1. Over the past fourteen verses, he has consistently shown that God's method of sanctification—the process of becoming holy—is, like justification, based on faith. It's about trusting in God's ability to accomplish it, not our own. A crucial lesson in the Christian life is recognizing our inability to live it on our own, which then prepares us to allow Christ to live through us. The Christian life isn't about simply following rules; one can adhere to regulations without truly living for Christ. So, what is it then? It's about obedience and communication with Christ. The essential question is, do you love Him? As the Lord Jesus Christ said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Our identification with Christ provides positional sanctification, which is foundational. However, our obedience to Christ leads to the experience of sanctification, which is practical and lived out daily.

Verse 16: “Do you not know that when you go on presenting yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

Paul's teaching emphasizes that our master is determined by whom we obey. If we succumb to sin, then sin is our master. We cannot claim Christ as our master if we are living in sin, for He leads us to freedom. As John 8:36 states, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed"—free to live for and obey Him. Conversely, the Lord Jesus Christ also declared, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34). This prompts a crucial personal reflection: Is Christ truly my master today? Simply adhering to the prohibitions of the Mosaic Law, such as not murdering or lying, does not equate to living a Christian life. Such conduct may signify a good life, but the Christian life is fundamentally one of obedience to Christ.

Verse 17: “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were given over,”

While Paul stresses the activity of the individual in conversion (“presenting yourselves,” v. 16; “obeyed,” v. 17), he gratefully traces all right spiritual responses to the grace of God. While the individual is active in conversion, it is in a non-contributory and non-meritorious way, so that neither divine grace nor divine sovereignty is compromised.  The opposite of slavery to sin is commitment to the new life-style that grace produces.

Verse 18: “and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

We have been set free, empowered to live a Christian life. This freedom doesn't eliminate sin, but it enables us to dedicate our lives to God and to live for Him.

Verse 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, leading to further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification.”

Although Paul uses the metaphor of slavery to illustrate the Christian life, particularly in the Roman context, this analogy has limitations. Slavery can evoke harsh negativity, and it struggles to fully convey the idea that the yoke of Christ is easy. However, Paul maintains this metaphor, possibly because he believes the greater risk lies in people failing to embrace their personal moral responsibilities to the Lord. The phrase "leading to further lawlessness" suggests that sinfulness is not static but actively worsens over time.

Verse 20: “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”

At that time, you had no interest in serving Christ; you were free from His influence.

Verse 21: “Therefore what benefit were you then having from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.”

You were not only liberated from Christ, but you were also without fruit. You acted as you pleased, and the only result was shame. In reality, it wasn't genuine freedom; it was unbridled license. Do you truly desire to return to that former way of life?

Verse 22: “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit, leading to sanctification, and the end, eternal life.”

Believers are now presented with a joyful and bright future as servants of God. They are liberated from sin, which leads to death, and can bear fruit that endures for eternity. Eternal life stands in stark contrast to death.

Verse 23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The devil acts as a paymaster, ensuring you receive your due. If you serve him, the wages of sin are death. However, eternal life is God's gift, received through faith. You are saved by faith, called to live by faith, and to walk moment by moment in faith. You cannot live for God independently, just as you cannot save yourself. It demands constant reliance on Him, looking to the Lord Jesus Christ through the Spirit's power.