로마서 Chapter 6

Translation: ESV

1

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?

Key Message

Does the fact that grace exceeds sin permit sinning all the more? This is the core question that chapter 6 must answer.

▸This is an objection that naturally arises from 5:20's 'where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

This is an objection that naturally arises from 5:20's 'where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.' Should we then sin more to experience more grace? This question represents the dangerous conclusion reached when justification by faith is misunderstood as a license for licentiousness.

Related Verses

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
2

By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Key Message

The reason a Christian cannot continue living in sin is that they have already died to sin.

▸A strong negation is followed by a reason: we 'died to sin (ἀπεθάνομεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ).

3

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Key Message

Baptism symbolizes union with Christ, specifically dying together with Christ's death.

▸The theological meaning of baptism is presented.

4

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Key Message

Those who have been buried and raised with Christ in baptism must now walk in the newness of life.

▸The second meaning of baptism: burial and resurrection.

5

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Key Message

Those united with Christ in death will certainly also be united with Christ in resurrection.

▸Union with Christ encompasses both death and resurrection.

6

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Key Message

The old self of a Christian was crucified with Christ, and therefore the state of enslavement to sin has in principle ended.

▸The 'old self (παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος)' was crucified together with Christ.

7

For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Key Message

One who has died with Christ has been completely freed from sin's legal claims.

▸A legal principle is applied: the dead are freed from sin.

8

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Key Message

If we have died with Christ, it is certain that we will also live with him — this is the content of the Christian's faith.

▸The principle of verse 5 is repeated.

9

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Key Message

The risen Christ will never die again, and death has no more dominion over him.

▸Christ's resurrection conquered death forever.

10

For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Key Message

Christ's death is a single, complete atonement, and his life is entirely directed toward God.

▸The character of Christ's death is presented: 'once for all (ἐφάπαξ).

11

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Key Message

Being dead to sin and alive to God is an actual fact, so receive this fact by faith and live accordingly.

▸The pattern of Christ in verse 10 is applied to us.

12

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Key Message

The theological fact of dying to sin must manifest in the practical refusal of sin's dominion in actual life.

▸Moving from the 'consider' of verse 11 to the ethical imperative of verse 12.

13

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Key Message

Do not present our bodies and members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present them to God as instruments of righteousness.

▸'Instruments (ὅπλα)' is a military image.

14

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Key Message

Being under grace means being freed from sin, and this is a more powerful force than being under the law.

▸The reason sin cannot dominate: because we are not under the law but under grace.

15

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Key Message

Being under grace does not permit even individual acts of sin, and this too receives a strong negation.

▸The question of verse 1 is raised again: since we are under grace, may we sin? Whereas the question in verse 1 was about the direction of life — 'let us remain in sin' — the question in verse 15 is about individual acts: 'may we sin occasionally?' Both receive a strong negative.

16

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Key Message

People inevitably obey someone; obedience to sin leads to death, while obedience to God leads to righteousness.

▸A new image: the relationship of slave and master.

17

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

Key Message

True gospel obedience is voluntary obedience welling up from the depths of the heart, not external compulsion.

▸Paul gives thanks while describing the conversion of the Roman believers.

18

and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Key Message

The Christian's freedom is liberation from sin and simultaneously enslavement to righteousness — and this is true freedom.

▸A concise and powerful declaration.

19

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Key Message

Just as you were dedicated to sin in the past, now present that same dedication to righteousness, leading to sanctification.

▸Paul continues using the slave analogy 'in human terms' for human understanding.

20

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Key Message

Being unrelated to righteousness while enslaved to sin was not freedom but bondage on the way to death.

▸The state of being slaves of sin is described.

21

But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Key Message

The fruit of the past life of sin is shame, and its end is death.

▸Paul asks about the fruit of the past life of sin.

22

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Key Message

Those who have become slaves of God bear the fruit of sanctification and receive eternal life at the end.

▸The present contrasted with the past of verse 21.

23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Key Message

The wages sin earns is death, but the free gift God gives in Christ is eternal life.

▸This is the conclusion of chapter 6 and the most compressed summary of the gospel.