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15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6.15-23).[1] Memory Verse: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6.23) Sin is not supposed to control our lives any more. We are not to follow after our fleshly desires, but to seek out God’s ways; because we are no longer under the law, but under grace. So, does this mean because we are no longer under the law we can live and do whatever we want? This is the question Paul addresses at the beginning of this chapter and again here in verse 15. “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” (Romans 6.15, ESV),[2] Let’s think about all God has done for us, what He has asked His Son to do, and what His Son has done. Do we think we have the right to ask Christ into our lives, and then go back out into this fallen world and continue to live our old life as nothing has changed; expecting God to just pour more grace upon us? Really, why would He do that? It makes no sense. This is the point Paul is making here in verse 15 as he did in verse 1, Absolutely Not, by no means, how on earth could we. Charles Haden Spurgeon a mid to late 18th century preacher who by the time he was 22 years old was preaching to audiences numbering more than 10,000. He was known for his vast library and sermons, each week his sermons were published and sold for a penny. “By the time of his death in 1892, he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions.”[3] In his critical and expository commentary on Romans he writes; Faith in Christ’s atonement is the vital and spontaneous source of morality and piety. The peace of conscience spoken of in chapter 5:1-ff, as the immediate effect of the application of Christ’s blood, is naturally connected with holy living. A justified person, though regenerated, is imperfectly sanctified. He has remnants of original corruption. Owing to these, he may lapse into sin, and sin mixes with his best experience; but he cannot contentedly “continue in sin,” without any resistance of it and victory over it. St. Paul teaches, with great cogency and earnestness, that trust in Christ’s atoning blood is incompatible with self-indulgence and increasing depravity. The two things are heterogeneous, and cannot exist together.[4] Sin is here, it never really goes away, but because of Jesus Christ we have been set free; free from its power, control and enslavement. So, why would we want to continue to live in that sin life style after what Christ has done? Are we trying to serve two masters at the same time? Jesus said we cannot serve two masters at once. We will either love the one and hate the other, or despise the one and love the other (Matthew 6.24). When we choose to willfully sin, we are being disobedient to God and thumbing our noses at His Son’s sacrifice on the cross. We are in reality saying, “thanks, but no thanks. I got this today, and when I need You I will come and find You for Your help.” What kind of attitude it this to have with our Savior? Imagine if we had saved someone’s life, what do we think they might owe us? It might depend on their status, abilities or skills. But in many cultures when someone saves your life you owe them your life until the ‘life debt is paid.’ This can happen in one of two ways, saving their new master’s life, or their death. But Jesus Christ did not require this from us nor did God, all that is required is for us to believe, accept His free gift and obey. It is hard to walk away from a life of “fun and games” into a life of “eternal joy and happiness.” Because, we cannot always see the joy and happiness now, and many of the things we go through as a believer results in suffering and we have a hard time handling those things. There is great news, we were never supposed to handle those things, God wants us to give them to Him, allow Him to be in control and help us move through life (I Corinthians 10.13; James 1.3-5). So, choose obedience to Christ, which leads to righteousness or continue to obey sin and be its slave and it will lead to death (Romans 6.16). Application
Prayer Oh God, I thank You for Your amazing love and grace. As I read Your Word I am always reminded of Your wrath which You did not pour out upon me, but on Your Only Son. “Down from the top of earthly bliss Rebellious man was hurl’d; And Jesus stoop’d beneath the grave To reach a sinking world. Oh love of infinite degree! Immeasurable grace! Must heaven’s eternal darling die, To save a traitorous race?”[6] Almighty God, I praise You and Your boundless mercy. Please give me opportunities to share Your gospel today, all this I pray in Your Son Jesus Christ’s Name, Amen. [1] The New International Version. (2011). (Ro 6:10–23). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. [2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ro 6:15–16). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon [4] Shedd, W. G. T. (1879). A critical and doctrinal commentary upon the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans (p. 145). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. [5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Heb 10:26–27). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. [6] Spurgeon, C. H. (1883). Our Own Hymn Book: A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Public, Social and Private Worship. London: Passmore & Alabaster. You Can Download This Blog Here – November 3 – Romans 6.15-23 Pt 3
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