The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is now in a detailed study of Paul's epistle to the church in Rome. These are the notes for Session 7.
Paul’s primary purpose in writing Romans was to teach the great truths of the gospel of grace to believers who had never received apostolic instruction. Unlike with some of Paul’s other epistles, his purpose for writing Romans was not to correct detestable theology or rebuke ungodly living. The Roman church was doctrinally sound, but, like all churches, it was in need of the rich doctrinal and practical instruction this letter provides.
The overarching theme of Romans is the righteousness that comes from God: the glorious truth that God justifies guilty, condemned sinners by grace alone through faith in Christ alone.
Like a skillful lawyer building an airtight case, the Apostle Paul has been laying out the remarkable facts of the gospel. After an extensive discussion of human beings’ sin (and utter inability to please God), Paul announces the doctrine of justification which is God’s declaring believing sinners righteous(3:20–5:21).
Next he moves to the subject of the believer’s holiness—the life of righteousness that God demands of and provides for His children, the life of obedience to His Word lived in the power of His Spirit. In short, Paul sets out to demonstrate the practical ramifications of salvation for those who have been justified. He specifically begins a lengthy discussion on the doctrine of sanctification, which is God’s producing actual righteousness in the believer .
Paul addresses the logical conclusion of his readers: If the old self is dead, why is there continually a struggle with sin and how can the new self become dominant?
Click below to read my notes.
Some believers are “vampire Christians”; that is, they eagerly want the blood of Christ (to pay for their sins and provide eternal life for them), but they want nothing to do with the life of Christ.
Background of the Passage
Like a skillful lawyer building an airtight case, the Apostle Paul has been laying out the remarkable facts of the gospel. After an extensive discussion of human beings’ sin (and utter inability to please God), Paul announces the doctrine of justification which is God’s declaring believing sinners righteous(3:20–5:21).
Next he moves to the subject of the believer’s holiness—the life of righteousness that God demands of and provides for His children, the life of obedience to His Word lived in the power of His Spirit. In short, Paul sets out to demonstrate the practical ramifications of salvation for those who have been justified. He specifically begins a lengthy discussion on the doctrine of sanctification, which is God’s producing actual righteousness in the believer (6:1–8:39).
Paul addresses the logical conclusion of his readers: If the old self is dead, why is there continually a struggle with sin and how can the new self become dominant?
His urgent advice or recommendation is contained in two key words: “reckon” (calculate or consider)
Romans 6:11-12 NKJV Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin , but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
and “present”
Romans 6:13-14 NKJV And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
In other words Paul says if you consider yourself saved and righteous because you have been justified sin will no longer be able to dominate your actions because you have been saved by grace and not by works.
The final section of chapter 6 continues Paul’s discussion of sanctification by reminding his readers of their past slavery to sin and their new slavery to righteousness. He wants them to live in submission to their new master, Jesus Christ, and not to be entangled again with the sins that characterized their old life, sins which no longer have any claim over them.
Dead To Sin, Alive in Christ
Romans 6:1-14 NKJV What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 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. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:1-2 NKJV What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Verses 1-2 Paul has emphasised God’s grace. So some people were suggesting that they were giving God honour by continuous sin. They were providing God with the opportunity to show more of his grace.
Romans 3:5-8 NKJV But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
Paul opposed this idea very strongly. It was a terrible idea. It was a strange way to think.
Galatians 2:17-21 NKJV “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
We know that sin used to control our lives. But our sinful lives ended when we became Christians. God rescued us from the power of sin. Of course, Christians still do wrong things. But they should certainly not allow sin to control their lives again.
Romans 6:3-7 NKJV Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 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. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Verses 3-5 Paul reminded them about the meaning of their baptism. People confessed, repented and made the decision to to turn away from their sins, then they were baptised.
Acts 2:38 NKJV Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Not a literal water baptism, but a metaphorical immersion of a person into the work of Christ; that is, completely united and identified with Him, “so as to alter [aperson’s] condition or relationship to [his or her] previous environment or condition”(Wuest).
So by faith they began a new relationship with Christ. Because of this experience, we take part in his death and resurrection. Our old, sinful lives have ended.
I Corinthians 6:14 NKJV And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
Colossians 2:11-12 NKJV In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
And we rise again to a new life where we live in order to serve Christ.
II Corinthians 4:7-10 NKJV But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Philippians 3:8-11 NKJV Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Verses 6-7 Our ‘sinful bodies’ does not mean that the physical body itself is wicked. The Gnostics thought this. But it is not true. ‘*Sinful bodies’ means that sin controls our natural desires. Then our natural desires become sin. For example, it is natural for the body to need food. Sin can change our desire for food. We can want more food than we need. Perhaps we steal because we are greedy. And then other people suffer because we have taken their food away.
But now we are united to Christ by faith. So our old nature has ended. It is as if our old nature died on the cross with Christ.
We read Galatians 2:20 earlier.
Galatians 2:20 NKJV I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Therefore sin has no power over us. Sin was like a master and we were his slaves. Christ has freed us to obey him
Romans 6:8-11 NKJV Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verses 8-10 We believe that we shall have a part in Christ’s new life. We have a new kind of life in the present. We also have a part in his resurrection.
Christ was not like Lazarus, who Christ brought back to life because Lazarus would die again. Christ’s new life was a completely new kind of life. He died once only. He would never die again. He lives always in order to praise God the Father. Our resurrection will be like Christ’s resurrection. We too shall not die again. We shall live with Christ always in order to give honour to God.
Verse 11 So a Christian should remember the meaning of his baptism. He died with Christ and rose again with Christ. So that Christian will have a new attitude to the way that he lives. ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a completely new person.
Our favorite scripture again.
II Corinthians 5:16-17 NKJV Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Romans 6:12-14 NKJV Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Verses 12-14 These verses show how Christians must behave in their new resurrection life. Their whole attitude to sin must change. Every part of the body can sin. With our eyes, we can look at wrong things. With our ears, we can listen to bad talk. Our mouth can say things that can hurt other people’s minds. Our hands can work in bad ways. Our feet can take us to places that we should avoid. We should not use our bodies as tools to serve sin. Instead, Christians should use their bodies to serve God. They should do what God wants. They should go where God wants them to go. Therefore sin should not be a Christian’s master. The law orders us to obey God. But God’s grace gives us the desire and power to obey him.
Background of the Passage
Like a skillful lawyer building an airtight case, the Apostle Paul has been laying out the remarkable facts of the gospel. After an extensive discussion of human beings’ sin (and utter inability to please God), Paul announces the doctrine of justification which is God’s declaring believing sinners righteous(3:20–5:21).
Next he moves to the subject of the believer’s holiness—the life of righteousness that God demands of and provides for His children, the life of obedience to His Word lived in the power of His Spirit. In short, Paul sets out to demonstrate the practical ramifications of salvation for those who have been justified. He specifically begins a lengthy discussion on the doctrine of sanctification, which is God’s producing actual righteousness in the believer (6:1–8:39).
Paul addresses the logical conclusion of his readers: If the old self is dead, why is there continually a struggle with sin and how can the new self become dominant?
His urgent advice or recommendation is contained in two key words: “reckon” (calculate or consider)
Romans 6:11-12 NKJV Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin , but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
and “present”
Romans 6:13-14 NKJV And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
In other words Paul says if you consider yourself saved and righteous because you have been justified sin will no longer be able to dominate your actions because you have been saved by grace and not by works.
The final section of chapter 6 continues Paul’s discussion of sanctification by reminding his readers of their past slavery to sin and their new slavery to righteousness. He wants them to live in submission to their new master, Jesus Christ, and not to be entangled again with the sins that characterized their old life, sins which no longer have any claim over them.
Dead To Sin, Alive in Christ
Romans 6:1-14 NKJV What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 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. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:1-2 NKJV What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Verses 1-2 Paul has emphasised God’s grace. So some people were suggesting that they were giving God honour by continuous sin. They were providing God with the opportunity to show more of his grace.
Romans 3:5-8 NKJV But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
Paul opposed this idea very strongly. It was a terrible idea. It was a strange way to think.
Galatians 2:17-21 NKJV “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
We know that sin used to control our lives. But our sinful lives ended when we became Christians. God rescued us from the power of sin. Of course, Christians still do wrong things. But they should certainly not allow sin to control their lives again.
Romans 6:3-7 NKJV Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 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. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Verses 3-5 Paul reminded them about the meaning of their baptism. People confessed, repented and made the decision to to turn away from their sins, then they were baptised.
Acts 2:38 NKJV Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Not a literal water baptism, but a metaphorical immersion of a person into the work of Christ; that is, completely united and identified with Him, “so as to alter [aperson’s] condition or relationship to [his or her] previous environment or condition”(Wuest).
So by faith they began a new relationship with Christ. Because of this experience, we take part in his death and resurrection. Our old, sinful lives have ended.
I Corinthians 6:14 NKJV And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
Colossians 2:11-12 NKJV In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
And we rise again to a new life where we live in order to serve Christ.
II Corinthians 4:7-10 NKJV But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Philippians 3:8-11 NKJV Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Verses 6-7 Our ‘sinful bodies’ does not mean that the physical body itself is wicked. The Gnostics thought this. But it is not true. ‘*Sinful bodies’ means that sin controls our natural desires. Then our natural desires become sin. For example, it is natural for the body to need food. Sin can change our desire for food. We can want more food than we need. Perhaps we steal because we are greedy. And then other people suffer because we have taken their food away.
But now we are united to Christ by faith. So our old nature has ended. It is as if our old nature died on the cross with Christ.
We read Galatians 2:20 earlier.
Galatians 2:20 NKJV I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Therefore sin has no power over us. Sin was like a master and we were his slaves. Christ has freed us to obey him
Romans 6:8-11 NKJV Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verses 8-10 We believe that we shall have a part in Christ’s new life. We have a new kind of life in the present. We also have a part in his resurrection.
Christ was not like Lazarus, who Christ brought back to life because Lazarus would die again. Christ’s new life was a completely new kind of life. He died once only. He would never die again. He lives always in order to praise God the Father. Our resurrection will be like Christ’s resurrection. We too shall not die again. We shall live with Christ always in order to give honour to God.
Verse 11 So a Christian should remember the meaning of his baptism. He died with Christ and rose again with Christ. So that Christian will have a new attitude to the way that he lives. ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a completely new person.
Our favorite scripture again.
II Corinthians 5:16-17 NKJV Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Romans 6:12-14 NKJV Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Verses 12-14 These verses show how Christians must behave in their new resurrection life. Their whole attitude to sin must change. Every part of the body can sin. With our eyes, we can look at wrong things. With our ears, we can listen to bad talk. Our mouth can say things that can hurt other people’s minds. Our hands can work in bad ways. Our feet can take us to places that we should avoid. We should not use our bodies as tools to serve sin. Instead, Christians should use their bodies to serve God. They should do what God wants. They should go where God wants them to go. Therefore sin should not be a Christian’s master. The law orders us to obey God. But God’s grace gives us the desire and power to obey him.
Two kinds of slave 6:15-23
Romans 6:15-23 NKJV What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 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? 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. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 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. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 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. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verse 15 Paul repeats his thoughts from verse 1.
Romans 6:1 NKJV What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
Law no longer rules them. But to continue in sin is a terrible and stupid idea. If they have accepted God’s grace, they will try to obey him.
Verse 16 People who choose to obey someone become that person’s slave. A slave must do everything that his master orders. A person who sins becomes sin’s slave.
John 8:34-36 NKJV Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
The result of sin will be spiritual death. Those who obey God will live in the right way. God has forgiven them. He has considered them to be righteous.
Just like Paul says at the end of this chapter
Romans 6:23 NKJV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nobody can serve sin and serve God at the same time. ‘Nobody can serve two masters’
Matthew 6:24 NKJV “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Jesus was talking about money but you get the point.
Verse 17 Paul praises God because of the Christians in Rome. They have accepted God’s promises and followed the doctrine that they had been taught. That doctrine was the doctrine of Christ.
Acts 2:40-47 NKJVAnd with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 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.
Romans 6:18-19 NKJV
Verses 18-19 God has freed them from sin. So they can become as slaves to a right manner of life. Paul is sorry to compare the life of a Christian to that of a slave. But he uses this language to help them. They are slow to understand. They need someone to remind them about the results of sin. It is like the effect when someone becomes a slave. That person has to learn how to obey his master. In the end, the master controls the slave completely. And if Christians begin to sin, they will soon become more and more wicked. It is easy to sin at first in small ways. But one sin follows another sin. And worse sins follow. However, if Christians obey God they will begin to live a holy life. And their lives will please God.
Romans 6:20-23 NKJV For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 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. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verses 20-22 Sin does not really benefit anyone. It controls people. It ruins people’s lives. And it causes death. The death referred to here is what Revelation calls the ‘second death’.
Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:6-8 NKJV And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
This is the terrible punishment that is the result of sin. And it is permanent. But people do not have to suffer that punishment. Christ died so that we can be free from the power of sin. And we are free as soon as we invite him into our lives. Then, because Christ has freed us from sin, we can be God’s slaves. We can live a holy life on earth. And afterwards, we will live with God in heaven.
Verse 23 A soldier received his pay because he had earned it. His wages were what he deserved. A slave also had to work hard. But he did not receive any wages. He worked because his master forced him to work. So a slave’s efforts achieved nothing good for the slave
Paul has explained that Christians used to be slaves to *sin. In other words, sin was like a master. Sin controlled their lives. But they received no wages and no benefits for their efforts. Death was the only result of their efforts.
God’s grace is wonderful. He gives a free gift that nobody deserves. People receive this gift of eternal life by faith in what Jesus did. People receive this free gift when they invite Jesus into their lives. Nobody could earn their own salvation. Only Jesus could pay the price to free people from sin. And he did that when he died on the cross.
And so Christians are glad that Jesus is their *Lord (in other words, their master).
Romans 6:15-23 NKJV What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 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? 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. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 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. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 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. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verse 15 Paul repeats his thoughts from verse 1.
Romans 6:1 NKJV What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
Law no longer rules them. But to continue in sin is a terrible and stupid idea. If they have accepted God’s grace, they will try to obey him.
Verse 16 People who choose to obey someone become that person’s slave. A slave must do everything that his master orders. A person who sins becomes sin’s slave.
John 8:34-36 NKJV Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
The result of sin will be spiritual death. Those who obey God will live in the right way. God has forgiven them. He has considered them to be righteous.
Just like Paul says at the end of this chapter
Romans 6:23 NKJV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nobody can serve sin and serve God at the same time. ‘Nobody can serve two masters’
Matthew 6:24 NKJV “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Jesus was talking about money but you get the point.
Verse 17 Paul praises God because of the Christians in Rome. They have accepted God’s promises and followed the doctrine that they had been taught. That doctrine was the doctrine of Christ.
Acts 2:40-47 NKJVAnd with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 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.
Romans 6:18-19 NKJV
Verses 18-19 God has freed them from sin. So they can become as slaves to a right manner of life. Paul is sorry to compare the life of a Christian to that of a slave. But he uses this language to help them. They are slow to understand. They need someone to remind them about the results of sin. It is like the effect when someone becomes a slave. That person has to learn how to obey his master. In the end, the master controls the slave completely. And if Christians begin to sin, they will soon become more and more wicked. It is easy to sin at first in small ways. But one sin follows another sin. And worse sins follow. However, if Christians obey God they will begin to live a holy life. And their lives will please God.
Romans 6:20-23 NKJV For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 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. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verses 20-22 Sin does not really benefit anyone. It controls people. It ruins people’s lives. And it causes death. The death referred to here is what Revelation calls the ‘second death’.
Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:6-8 NKJV And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
This is the terrible punishment that is the result of sin. And it is permanent. But people do not have to suffer that punishment. Christ died so that we can be free from the power of sin. And we are free as soon as we invite him into our lives. Then, because Christ has freed us from sin, we can be God’s slaves. We can live a holy life on earth. And afterwards, we will live with God in heaven.
Verse 23 A soldier received his pay because he had earned it. His wages were what he deserved. A slave also had to work hard. But he did not receive any wages. He worked because his master forced him to work. So a slave’s efforts achieved nothing good for the slave
Paul has explained that Christians used to be slaves to *sin. In other words, sin was like a master. Sin controlled their lives. But they received no wages and no benefits for their efforts. Death was the only result of their efforts.
God’s grace is wonderful. He gives a free gift that nobody deserves. People receive this gift of eternal life by faith in what Jesus did. People receive this free gift when they invite Jesus into their lives. Nobody could earn their own salvation. Only Jesus could pay the price to free people from sin. And he did that when he died on the cross.
And so Christians are glad that Jesus is their *Lord (in other words, their master).
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