Grace Thoughts
Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 94)
We’ve been studying the Book of Romans together for more than ten years. We published the first study on July 14, 2012. I was in my mid-60s at the time and a friend asked me how long I thought it would take to publish a commentary on one of the longest Books in the Bible. I smiled and told him I hoped to finish before I was 90. I think we’ll beat that deadline, but it does demonstrate the size and scope of Paul’s longest letter.
Many scholars believe Romans is Paul’s most important writing. Here’s how we introduced the series years ago:
The Book of Romans is the ‘mountain peak’ of the Apostle Paul’s inspired Writings. This great Book demonstrates the Power of God over sin and the astonishing efficacy of His Grace. Romans is Paul’s triumphant exposition about the truly amazing Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is through Romans that we learn about the sinfulness of sin and the Righteousness of God. We learn about the wrath of God revealed from Heaven against all sin. Paul writes about the extreme penalty for sin for all members of the human race and the extreme payment for sin by God’s Son, Jesus Christ. It is in Romans that we see the horror of sin and the honor of the sinless Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. God is the Judge of sin. Jesus is the Propitiation for that sin. We learn through Romans that God frees sinning slaves to become forgiven saints. God is Sovereign in all the universe and the Source of all Truth.
One of the shortest outlines of the Book of Romans comes from Dr. J. Vernon McGee (no relation):
- I. Doctrinal, Chapters 1-8
- II. Dispensational, Chapters 9-11
- III. Duty, Chapters 12-16
If we use Dr. McGee’s outline, we see that we’re still in the Doctrinal section. We are about to complete Chapter 6. You can read previous studies on Chapter 6 by clicking on the free eBook link at the end of this study.
Verse 20
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
οτε γαρ δουλοι ητε της αμαρτιας ελευθεροι ητε τη δικαιοσυνη
οτε γαρ δουλοι ητε της αμαρτιας (hote gar douloi ēte tēs hamartias) “for when slaves you were of sin” … this idea of slavery to sin is a primary theme in Romans chapter 6 ..
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
verse 6
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
verse 16
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
verse 17
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
verse 20
We find hope to the terrible slavery to sin in verses 18 and 22 ..
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
verse 18
We’ll look at verse 22 in a few minutes.
Whenever a writer or instructor repeats the same idea several times in the span of a few paragraphs, we need to take note of the importance to the author. We know that the true Author of Romans was the Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write it, which means that the idea of slavery to sin is of great importance to the Spirit of Christ.
ελευθεροι ητε τη δικαιοσυνη (eleutheroi ēte tē dikaiosynē) “free you were from righteousness” … this is another primary theme of Paul’s .. Jews viewed themselves righteous because of their connection to the Mosaic Law, but Paul emphasized that both Jews and Gentiles were slaves of sin and free (eleutheroi – not a slave, not under restraint, free) from righteousness .. Paul mentioned this multiple times in chapter 6 ..
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
verse 16
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
verse 18
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
verse 19
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
verse 20
Paul’s point was simple and direct: you are going to obey one or the other. Either you are a slave of sin or a slave of righteousness. As we saw in our last study [LINK], you will present members of your body as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness or you will present members of your body to righteousness for holiness. It’s one or the other, but not both at the same time.
What do you think of when you think of a slave? I’m guessing the thoughts you had about slavery were negative. Do you ever think of slavery as a positive?
How about the slave master? Are your thoughts negative about that as well? Could there be a positive to slave mastery?
I believe there can be in the context of how Paul refers to slavery in Romans 6. He presents us with two types of slavery and two slave masters. Sin is a slave master and so is righteousness. Each slave master oversees a different type of slavery. Sin oversees uncleanness, lawlessness and death. Righteousness oversees holiness and everlasting life, which we’ll see in verses 22 and 23.
You are going to be a slave of one of those slave masters: sin or righteousness. Which one would you prefer? One (sin) leads to death. The other (righteousness) leads to life. Your choice.
Verse 21
What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
τινα ουν καρπον ειχετε τοτε εφ οις νυν επαισχυνεσθε το γαρ τελος εκεινων θανατος
τινα ουν καρπον ειχετε τοτε εφ οις νυν επαισχυνεσθε (tina oun karpon eichete tote eph hois nun epaischynesthe) “what therefore fruit had you then in the things of which now you are ashamed” … karpon (fruit) can be used literally or figuratively, depending on context .. the context here is figurative about what a person’s thoughts and behavior cause .. “things of which now you are” looks back at the way the Romans had lived in the past under the slave master of sin .. those things, in retrospect, cause shame .. epaischynesthe means “to be disgraced, humiliated, ashamed” .. I am ashamed about the way I lived under the slave master ‘sin’ .. I do not look back at my previous life and find any reason to be proud or boast .. I was a miserable slave under sin and feel nothing but shame and humiliation when I consider my former life .. the fruit my life produced was wretched and ugly and it was getting worse by the day .. you may feel similarly about your former life under master sin ..
το γαρ τελος εκεινων θανατος (to gar telos ekeinōn thanatos) “the for end of those things death” … if someone continues living under sin they will eventually come to the end of their life and they will die in their sins .. that’s the fruit of living a sinful life .. it’s the sad outcome for most people around the world .. “the end of those things is death” .. the word telos means “consummation, end goal, purpose” .. the reward for all the years of obeying the slave master sin is death .. nothing else .. unsaved people think they are free to do what they want during their lives, but sin is their master and will take everything from them at the end and give them death in return .. that certainly is sad .. but it doesn’t have to be that way!
Verse 22
But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
νυνι δε ελευθερωθεντες απο της αμαρτιας δουλωθεντες δε τω θεω εχετε τον καρπον υμων εις αγιασμον το δε τελος ζωην αιωνιον
νυνι δε ελευθερωθεντες απο της αμαρτιας (nuni de eleutherōthentes apo tēs hamartias) “now however having been set free from sin” … Paul now gives his readers a different view, that of being under a different slave master ..
δουλωθεντες δε τω θεω (doulōthentes de tō Theō) “having become slaves now to God” … Paul now introduces another side of the slave master he had called “righteousness” .. slavery to righteousness is the same as being slaves to God .. that is a positive type of slavery as we will see ..
εχετε τον καρπον υμων εις αγιασμον (exete ton karpon humōn eis hagiasmon) “you have the fruit of you unto sanctification” … Paul used the same word for “fruit” that he did in verse 21 .. the outcome of the former fruit was shame and death .. the outcome of the second fruit is “unto sanctification” .. the word hagiasmon means “the process of becoming holy, being set apart for sacred service” .. the idea is of someone who is advancing in holiness and holy service .. becoming slaves to God includes advancing in personal holiness as part of serving God .. advancing in holiness is a good thing .. it compares quite favorably to advancing in lawlessness ..
δε τελος ζωην αιωνιον (de telos zōēn aiōnion) “now the end life eternal” … the goal/purpose of advancing in holiness in response to being slaves of God is eternal life .. that compares quite well with the end of sin, which is death ..
Verse 23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
τα γαρ οψωνια της αμαρτιας θανατος το δε χαρισμα του θεου ζωη αιωνιος εν χριστω ιησου τω κυριω ημων
Part of my training as a young Christian was in how to share the Gospel with someone and guide them toward believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23 was one of the primary verses we used to do that. It summed up the choices we have in life quite well, but is even stronger when we see it in its full context.
τα γαρ οψωνια της αμαρτιας θανατος (ta gar opsōnia tēs hamartias thanatos) “the for wages of sin death” … that’s pretty straightforward .. some slaves in Rome would receive wages as part of their service, especially if they developed specialized skills .. they would still have to give a large portion of they earned to their master, but they were able to keep some and enjoy a small amount of independence .. the word was also used for soldiers in the Roman army .. they received wages for putting their lives in harms way by fighting wars for their military masters .. the slaves of master “sin” earned some wages, but what they earned wasn’t good .. the wages (opsōnia – wages, salary, reward) of sin is death (thanatos – physical and spiritual death in this case) .. not good .. do you think people would keep working for master sin if they knew what it paid? Some might, but many wouldn’t and those are the people we want to reach with this message from Romans 6 ..
το δε χαρισμα του θεου ζωη αιωνιος εν χριστω ιησου τω κυριω ημων (to de charisma tou Theou zōē aiōnios en Christō Iēsou tō Kyriō hēmōn) “but the gift of God life eternal in Christ Jesus the Lord of us” … this is the contrast between masters .. master sin forces a person to work for wages that result in death .. God gives us the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus the Lord (Master) .. the choice seems clear .. work for master sin and get paid death in the end .. enjoy the Grace of God and receive His gift of eternal life ..
I often think of these words when I consider the wonderful gift God has given me … I have received what I do not deserve and have not received what I do deserve .. thanks be to God for His amazing Grace!
Other Commentaries
It all comes down to this: the wages paid by sin are death, but the gift God gives is eternal life (v. 23). Not only is the contrast between death and life but also between earning and giving. Sinners earn what they receive. By obeying the impulses of sin, they are storing up the reward for sinning. Their severance check is death—eternal separation from God, who alone is life. By yielding to the impulses of righteousness, believers do not earn anything. They do, however, receive a gift—the gift of eternal life, which comes by faith through Jesus Christ their Lord.
Robert H. Mounce (2012). New American Commentary Vol 27: Romans. B&H Publishing Group.
The pleasure and profit of sin do not deserve to be called fruit. Sinners are but ploughing iniquity, sowing vanity, and reaping the same. Shame came into the world with sin, and is still the certain effect of it. The end of sin is death. Though the way may seem pleasant and inviting, yet it will be bitterness in the latter end. From this condemnation the believer is set at liberty, when made free from sin. If the fruit is unto holiness, if there is an active principle of true and growing grace, the end will be everlasting life; a very happy end! Though the way is up-hill, though it is narrow, thorny, and beset, yet everlasting life at the end of it is sure. The gift of God is eternal life. And this gift is through Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ purchased it, prepared it, prepares us for it, preserves us to it; he is the All in all in our salvation.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
The Gr. is same word as free gift, ch. Romans 5:15.—This word here is, so to speak, a paradox. We should have expected one which would have represented life eternal as the issue of holiness, to balance the truth that death is the issue of sin. And in respect of holiness being the necessary preliminary to the future bliss, this would have been entirely true. But St Paul here all the more forcibly presses the thought that salvation is a gift wholly apart from human merit. The eternal Design, the meritorious Sacrifice, the life-giving and love-imparting Spirit, all alike are a Gift absolutely free. The works of sin are the procuring cause of Death; the course of sanctification is not the procuring cause of Life Eternal, but only the training for the enjoyment of what is essentially a Divine gift ‘in Jesus Christ our Lord.’
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Eternal life – The same words which in Romans 6:22 are rendered “everlasting life.” The phrase is opposed to death; and proves incontestably that that means eternal death. We may remark, therefore,
(1) That the one will be as long as the other.
(2) as there is no doubt about the duration of life, so there can be none about the duration of death. The one will be rich, blessed, everlasting; the other sad, gloomy, lingering, awful, eternal.
(3) if the sinner is lost, he will deserve to die. He will have his reward. He will suffer only what shall be the just due of sin. He will not be a martyr in the cause of injured innocence. He will not have the compassion of the universe in his favor. He will have no one to take his part against God. He will suffer just as much, and just as long, as he ought to suffer. He will suffer as the culprit pines in the dungeon, or as the murderer dies on the gibbet, because this is the proper reward of sin.
(4) they who are saved will be raised to heaven, not because they merit it, but by the rich and sovereign grace of God. All their salvation will be ascribed to him; and they will celebrate his mercy and grace forever.
(5) it becomes us, therefore, to flee from the wrath to come. No man is so foolish and so wicked as he who is willing to reap the proper wages of sin. None so blessed as he who has part in the mercy of God, and who lays hold on eternal life.
Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Romans Resources
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1 Verses 1-15
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1 Verses 16-17
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1:18 – 25
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1:25-32
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 2:1-29
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 3
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God”Chapter 4
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 5
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 6
Next Time
We will look at the first part of Romans 7 as we continue our study of the Gospel of God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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