Romans 6:16-20: "Being slaves of Christ instead of slaves of sin." Verse 16: "Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves to obey, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" In this passage, Paul builds on Jesus' words: "No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold fast to the one and despise the other." Paul tells us that we have basically two choices: obeying sin
or obeying righteousness.
However, we cannot do both, for we become the slaves of the one we choose to obey. As Origen notes in this passage, Paul once again testifies to our free will: we are the ones who decide to yield to one master or the other. Ambrosiaster comments, "We must not profess one thing while doing the opposite. We cannot call ourselves slaves of God when our works show we are slaves of the devil." For that reason, the apostle warns us and declares that we are slaves of the one whose will we are actually carrying out.
Our actions speak louder than our words, and they demonstrate the reality of our spiritual situation. Romans 6:17-18: "But thanks be to God that although you once were slaves of sin, you have obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching that was delivered to you. Therefore, being made free from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness." You once were slaves of sin. It is critical to note the tense in which Paul speaks.
Paul says that the Roman Christians were slaves of sin at one time, but now they obey Christ's teachings from their hearts. Paul does not say they are still slaves of sin. He does not refer to them as still sinners saved by grace. You have obeyed from the heart. If they were now obeying from the heart, it means there were laws, commandments, and teachings to obey. So, how could Paul have possibly been telling them, in verses 15 and 16, that they were not under any laws but under grace?
If there is no law, there is nothing to obey. Christians are indeed under law, but they are not under the law. Being made free from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness. Notice the strong commendation Paul gives to the Romans. No wonder their faith was spoken of throughout the world. They did not possess a barren faith but a faith that turned them into slaves of righteousness. Take note of this description.
In the next chapter, Paul will be describing a "wretched man" who is "a slave to sin." Many Christians imagine that Paul is there describing his life as an apostle. Yet is it believable that the Romans were "free from sin" and "were slaves of righteousness" while Paul himself was still in miserable bondage to sin? Of course not. Chrysostom comments on this passage, "By these words, Paul shows that we have been freed from great evils and that this was not by any labors of our own.
Therefore, from this point forward, righteous things will be more attainable for us." It is like someone who has rescued a captive from a cruel tyrant. He advises the captive not to run back to his former tyrant. He also reminds him of his former grievous slavery. Therefore, Paul emphatically reminds us of our past evils. And he gives thanks to God, for no human power could have set us free from all those evils. Paul appropriately says, "You have obeyed from the heart, for you were neither forced nor pressured.
Rather, you came over by your own accord, with a willing mind." Paul both praises and warns at the same time. He says, "You having willingly come, not having had any necessity forced on you. Therefore, what exception can you claim, or what excuse can you make if you run back to your former condition?" Paul wants you to learn that this did not come about solely from your own willing state of mind. Rather, the whole of it also came about through God's grace.
For that reason, after saying, "You have obeyed from the heart," he adds, "that pattern of teaching that was delivered to you." In short, obedience from the heart demonstrates free will. But the words "that was delivered to you" indicate the assistance from God. And what is the pattern of teaching? It is righteous living that conforms to the highest standard of a holy life. In short, in order to become slaves of righteousness, our free will has to cooperate with the grace of God. God does not do our obeying for us.
At the same time, we cannot walk obediently without His empowering grace. He freed us from the bondage of sin, and He provides the power that can enable us to stay free of such bondage. Romans 6:19: "I speak after the manner of men because of the weakness of your flesh. For as you formerly yielded your members as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness.
Even so, now yield your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to holiness." "I speak after the manner of men." Theodoret writes, "Paul says, 'I speak after the manner of men.' This means, 'I adapt my exhortations to your nature, for I know the passions that war in a mortal body.'" Chrysostom comments, "Paul says, in effect, 'I make no greater demand on you because of the weakness of your flesh.' For who is so wretched and in such dire straits that he cannot give as much effort to the service of Christ as he
once gave to sin and the devil?" In harmony with this, Ambrosiaster writes, "In order to deprive us of a pretext for fearing to approach the faith, the apostle commands us to serve God to the same degree that we previously were slaves to the devil." Of course, one should surely be more disposed to serve God than the devil, especially since in the one instance salvation is achieved, but in the other condemnation.
Nevertheless, the spiritual physician has not required more of us, lest we, having weighed our weakness and fled the commands as being too heavy, might remain in death. For this reason, the Lord says, "Take my yoke upon you, for it is kindly, and my burden is light." Romans 6:20: "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. You were free from righteousness." When Paul says that they were once "free from righteousness," he means that they were thoroughly unrighteous.
No one can simultaneously serve both sin and righteousness. Chrysostom comments, "In the past, you did not divide your servitude between righteousness and sin. Rather, you gave yourselves wholly up to wickedness. Now, therefore, since you have come over to righteousness, give yourselves wholly up to holiness." As Origen notes, there is a blameworthy liberty and a praiseworthy servitude. To be free from righteousness is blameworthy. But to be "a servant of righteousness" is praiseworthy.
Romans 6:21-23: "Sin leads to death, while holiness leads to life." Verses 21 and 22: "Accordingly, what fruit did you have in those things in which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit unto holiness. And the end is everlasting life." Paul continues to expound his sixth key point.
After our initial salvation by grace, God requires us to walk faithfully with Christ, producing godly fruit for the remainder of our lives. The race is not over when we are converted and baptized. Rather, the race has only begun. Paul continues to declare that, as Christians, we cannot return to our old way of life. To do so means eternal death.
Chrysostom comments, "So great was your slavery that even the remembrance of it now makes you ashamed." Theodoret adds, "When Paul says death, he does not mean the present death, which is merely temporary. He means that which is eternal." In these words, he contrasts God with sin, holiness with shame, and everlasting life with everlasting death.
John explains how this works, saying, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So, the cleansing from sin is not a single, finalized act.
At the time of our initial salvation, we are cleansed from all past sins. However, John tells us that the cleansing of our future sins is dependent upon our "walking" in the light of Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sin pays wages; God gives gifts." The Greek word used here for wages is "opsonion." It was mainly used in reference to the pay of soldiers.
For instance, when the soldiers came to John the Baptist, he told them, "Be content with your wages." Theodoret writes, "Paul calls the compensation of sin by the term wages, opsonion, for it was his custom to use this term for the pay of soldiers. For example, in the Epistle to the Corinthians he asks, 'Who ever goes to war on his own wages, opsonion?'" 1 Corinthians 9:7. Origen likens unsaved humans to soldiers serving under King Sin. The wage paid to them by this wicked king is death, the second death.
In contrast, eternal life is a gift, not a wage. Chrysostom comments, "Paul does not say 'the wages of good works,' but 'the gift of God.'" He does this to show that we were not freed through our own efforts. Nor is what we receive something owed to us. Eternal life is neither a debt nor the compensation for labor performed. Rather, it and many other blessings come about as a gift.