Romans 6

Romans 6:1

Romans 6:1 : What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? If where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly, what is the consequence, or what should we do about it? Here Paul deals with a possible objection. “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” That question would naturally arise in the minds of the uninformed. Besides, some people would like to have an excuse to indulge in sin. If God’s grace abounds where sin abounds, why not keep on sinning, so that grace may abound the more?

Romans 6:2

Romans 6:2 : God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? In physical death a person no longer lives the life which he formerly lived. And so the sinner dies to the life of sin in that life he no longer lives. A sinner dies to sin, and there is one less sinner in this world. Paul says: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). When Paul became a Christian, there was one less sinner in the world as certainly and definitely as if he had died physically and been buried at Damascus. And that death is repeated every time a person becomes a Christian. How shall we continue in sin, since we are dead to sin?

Romans 6:3

Romans 6:3 : Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Paul takes for granted that they knew they had been baptized into Christ, but asks if they were ignorant of the fact that, in being baptized into Christ, they were thereby baptized into his death. He plainly implies that if they knew they had been baptized into the death of Christ, they should know that they should no longer continue in sin. To be baptized into Christ is the same as to be baptized into the name of Christ, into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, into the remission of sins, and into the death of Christ. We are not baptized into the literal death of Christ, but into the benefits of his death, including the freedom from sin. A person is not completely dead to sin till he is separated from it, and that separation takes place in baptism.

Romans 6:4

Romans 6:4 : We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the father, so we also might walk in newness of life. In baptism there is a burial, an immersion in water. No other act would so fitly represent the complete ending of a life of sin. If there was no other source of knowledge as to how baptism was performed, this text should settle the matter beyond doubt. There is no burial in sprinkling and pouring a little water on a person’s head, but there is a burial in immersion in water. With-out going into a lengthy discussion of the subject, we call attention to three lines of evidence, each one in-dependent of the others and each conclusive within it-self.

 

The Lexicons. Thayer defines baptism: “Immersion, submersion.” Thayer is a recognized standard authority. As other lexicons agree with Thayer, it is useless to fill our limited space with quotations from them.

 

History. Concerning baptism in the first century, Mosheim says: “In this century baptism was administered in convenient places, without the public assemblies and by immersing the candidate wholly in water.” With this testimony other historians agree.

 

Circumstantial Evidence. If we could step back to the days of the apostles and see them baptize people, the matter would be settled. But we cannot be eye-witnesses to a first-century baptism. However, the circumstances connected with baptism then are so fully recorded that we should have no trouble in seeing that people were then immersed in water. Many a man has been convicted on circumstantial evidence less conclusive than can be presented in favor of immersion.

 

John the Baptist baptized the people in the river Jordan (Mark 1:5). If you notice the marginal reading in Mark 1:9, you will see that John baptized Jesus into the Jordan. (See American Standard Version). John could have dipped Jesus into the Jordan, but he could not have sprinkled or poured him into the Jordan. And Mark 1:10 says he came up out of the water. Later “John was baptizing in AEnon near to Salim, because there was much water there” (John 3:23). It does not require much water to sprinkle or pour, but it does require much water to immerse.

When Philip baptized the eunuch, they came to a certain water, they both went down into the water, the baptizing was done while they were in the water, then they came up out of the water (Acts 8:36-39). When people are immersed, they go to the water, the administrator and candidate both go down into the water, the baptizing is done while they are in the water, they then come up out of the water; but not so when people are sprinkled or poured. In baptism the body is washed in water (Hebrews 10:22). The evidence is conclusive. Add to this Paul’s statement that we are buried in baptism, and assurance is made doubly sure, even though we did not know the meaning of the Greek word for baptism, nor what the historians, commentators, and critics say.

 

The New Life. Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father even so are we raised up from our burial in baptism to walk in newness of life, or in a new life. We begin to walk in the new life after we are baptized. We were baptized into death, and are raised to a new life. We are baptized into Christ, “in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” In Paul’s language, redemption is forgiveness of sins. It is according to God’s grace that we have the forgiveness of our sins in Christ, and not out of him.

When a person is for-given, there is nothing then against him. He then stands justified in God’s sight–“being justified freely by his grace through the redemption (forgiveness) that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) But it is faith that leads us to be baptized into Christ, in whom we have forgiveness and consequent justification. It is by such faith that we are justified, and it is according to grace that it should be so. “For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27). They were sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for their faith had led them to put on Christ in baptism. In baptism, therefore, we become closely united with Christ.

Romans 6:5

Romans 6:5 : “For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the like-ness of his resurrection.” In being buried in baptism there is a likeness of his death so also there is a like-ness of his resurrection in our being raised from baptism to a new life. Hence, in being baptized we are united with him in the likeness of his death and resurrection. We are, therefore, partakers with him in death, and also in being raised to a new life. Jesus was buried and arose to a new life; we are buried in baptism and arise to a new life. These verses show the act of baptism, and also its spiritual value.

Romans 6:6

Romans 6:6 : “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done, away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin.” Paul continues the analogy between Christ’s death and our death to sin. Christ was crucified–“our old man was crucified.” What is the old man that was crucified? Some say: “Our corrupt nature.” But Paul does not view our nature as corrupt. Besides, our nature is not put to death in the process of conversion to Christ. Read the verse again and you will see that “our old man” and “the body of sin” are the same thing, for certainly “our old man” is not crucified in order that something else might be put to death. If we will keep in mind what Paul had been saying, we will see that to crucify the old man is the same thing as to die to sin.

Of himself Paul said: “I have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). Paul the sinner died. What was true of him is true of every one who becomes a Christian. The old man, the body of sin, is the sinner. Every time a person becomes a Chris-tian, a sinner dies. We die as sinners and are raised –up as saints.

In verse 2, Paul affirms that we died– died to sin; we are then raised to a new life. We are then no longer the bondservants of sin. When a bond-servant, or a slave, dies, he passes from under his mas-ter. His master no longer has dominion over him.

Romans 6:7

Romans 6:7 : For he that hath died is justified from sin. Or, according to the marginal reading in the American Standard Version, “For he that hath died is released from sin.” Meyer translates it, “Whosoever is dead, is acquitted from sin.” If a slave died, he is free from service to his master. If a slave of sin dies to sin, he is free from service to his master. Sin rules him no more.

 

Thus, in Romans 6:2-7, Paul answers the question of the first verse–namely, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”

Romans 6:8

Romans 6:8 : But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Paul is not here referring to life with Christ in the world to come. He is stating a present, general truth. “The future tense does not necessitate a reference to the future life, and in the context such a reference is very unnatural; it is rather the logical future tense marking the new life as fulfilling a promise or natural consequence.” Note in Cambridge Greek Testament. We died to sin, and were raised to a new life. This new life we live with Christ. We must live with him as our guide, as our Teacher, as our High Priest, and as our King. We cannot, therefore, continue in sin.

Romans 6:9

Romans 6:9 : Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. Knowing that Christ was raised from the dead to die no more gives us assurance that we shall live with him. If we feared that he would die again, our faith would be too defective to sustain us in our Christian life; we would certainly fall by the wayside, and cease to live with him. In fact, if a person does not believe that Christ arose from the dead to die no more, he does not believe in him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Death had dominion over Christ while he was in the grave. He forever threw off that dominion when he arose from the dead. Spiritual death lost its dominion over us when we died to sin and arose to righteousness.

Romans 6:10

Romans 6:10 : For the death that he died, he died un-to sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. “Once” is from a word that means once for all, as may seen by noticing the marginal reading in the American Standard Version. It denies a repetition of the act. Jesus died once for all time. “But he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). This verse connects directly with the preceding verse. Jesus will die no more, for in the death that he died, he died for sins once for all time. He now lives unto God–unto the glory and honor of God. As Christians live with Christ, they also live so as to honor God. Hence, the admonition of the next verse.

Romans 6:11

Romans 6:11 : “Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.” A person is either dead to sin or he is not. If he is dead to sin, he is admonished to so consider himself. If we have not died to sin, we cannot in truth reckon ourselves dead to sin but the person who is dead to sin should so count himself, and act accordingly. We are also to reckon ourselves alive to God in Christ. We are, therefore, to reckon ourselves as both dead and alive–dead to sin and alive to God. Hence, we cannot continue in sin.

Romans 6:12

Romans 6:12 : “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof.” Paul addresses that part of man which has the control of the body and which is, therefore, responsible for what the body does. The body is a mere instrument to be used by the inner man, the spirit, for good or bad. The spirit is charged not to let sin control the body. Our natural appetites and passions are not evil within them-selves. They are God-given, and become evil only when they become the master, and thereby lead us into sinful thoughts and deeds. Now, since we died to sin, we are not to allow sin to reestablish its reign in our bodies.

We must control the lusts of our bodies, not obey them. The mortal body, the body which must die, must not be allowed to cause spiritual and eternal death.

Romans 6:13

Romans 6:13 : “Neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present your-selves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” This language shows plainly that when we sin, the members of our body are mere instruments through which the inner man accomplishes its purposes. The instrument used in committing a crime cannot be blamed for the crime. God gave the human being certain appetites and passions for his own preservation and for the perpetuity of the human race; but the purpose to hold them in check, or the plans to gratify them either in a lawful or unlawful way, are formed in the heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Obedience is from the heart. The spirit expresses itself through the body. Not one thing can be done in service to God without the use of the body.

Hence, we are commanded to present our “members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” And so also does the spirit sin through the instrumentality of the body. Though committed through the instrumentality of the body, sin comes from the heart. “For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man (Mark 7:21-23). As all sins come from the heart, or spirit, of man, it is absurd in the extreme for anyone to claim, as some do, that the body of a regenerated man may sin, but his spirit remains pure and sinless. Certainly the body, being merely an instrument, is not responsible for the sin and if the spirit of the regenerate is not responsible for the sin, it would seem that a regenerate man is not in any sense responsible for any wrong that he does!

Romans 6:14

Romans 6:14 : For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace. The reign of sin over us has been broken by our death to sin, and through grace our sins have been forgiven. We are free from sin, and can, therefore, present our members to God as instruments of righteousness. It is not as if we had no escape from sin for we are un-der grace, not law. Sin would have dominion over us if we had no means of escape from it, but through grace there is a way of escape from sin. Law does not free us from sin; it condemns the sinner.

Under the reign of Christ sin does not have dominion over any one till he submits to its control and does not seek forgiveness. How can sin have dominion over one who abhors it, turns from it, and seeks forgiveness in God’s appointed way? This verse does not mean that we are free from all law. Grace predominates. Where law condemns, grace makes pardon possible. If we were under no law, we would be guilty of no sin, and there would be no need of grace to forgive our sin.

This verse is a figure of speech in which the less is denied so as to emphasize the greater. We are not merely under law, but more especially under grace.

Romans 6:15

Romans 6:15 : What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid. As Paul proceeds with his argument in this letter, he anticipates and meets arguments or objections that might be presented by Judaizing teachers. Since we are under grace, not law, someone might contend that this would give us liberty to go on sinning. But grace to forgive our sins and to help us overcome sin is not license to indulge in sin. Grace does not grant indulgences. Grace does not give license to indulge in sin, but grants to us a way of escape from sin.

 

The gospel teaching that we are not under law, but under grace, does not give liberty to continue in sin. Certainly the gospel of God’s grace, which is God’s power to save people from sin, would not encourage people to sin. Besides, those who think that the gospel teaching concerning law and grace gives license to sin overlook the fact that there is a principle of serv-ice involved. Whose servant are you? Whom do you serve?

Romans 6:16

Romans 6:16 : Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Although we have been bought from the bondage of sin by the blood of Christ, God does not force us to accept the freedom bought for us. In those days captives in war were forced into slavery. Such men had no choice. But it is not so under the reign of Christ. We are not forced to be servants of sin, nor does God force us to be servants of righteousness.

A man presents himself as a servant of sin or as a servant of righteousness. But Paul was here writing to Christians, and his language is a warning to us not to indulge in sin on the grounds that we are not under law, but under grace. To do so is to become servants of sin. The life we live determines whose servants we are. To become servants of sin leads to death, but gospel obedience leads to righteousness. And the language of Paul shows that the Christian is as free to choose whom he will serve as is the alien sinner.

To say that the Chris-tian will always choose to continue his service to God is to beg the question, and to make this verse and the remaining part of the sixth chapter without point or reason.

Romans 6:17-18

Romans 6:17-18 : But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were de-livered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. The King James Version: “But God be thanked, that ye were servants of sin, but ye have obeyed,” etc. Paul did not thank God for the fact that they had been sinners, but for the fact that the sinful part of their lives was a thing of the past. They had been servants of sin, but were not now; they had been delivered from sin. When they became free from sin, they became servants of righteousness; and they became free from sin by obeying from .the heart the form, pattern, or mold, of doctrine into which they had been delivered. James Macknight makes this comment: “The original word tupos, among other things, signifies a mold into which melted metals are poured to receive the form of the mold.

The apostle represents the gospel doctrine as a mold, into which the Romans were put by their baptism, in order to their being fashioned anew. And he thanks God that from the heart–that is, most willingly and sincerely –they yielded to the forming efficacy of that mold of doctrine, and were made new men, both in principle and practice.” The mold of doctrine is something to which they had already become obedient, and by that obedience had been delivered from the slavery of sin and had become the slaves of righteousness.

In other words, by this obedience they had changed masters. It was not simply an inner condition of the heart that had made this change, but obedience that came from the heart. That obedience is spoken of in Romans 6:3-6. The death, burial, and resurrection is the fundamental doctrine. In his death he was buried, and then arose from the dead. In our death to sin we are buried with him, and then are raised up to a new life. The thing that caused Paul to be thankful to God was the fact that, in their obedience from the heart to this mold of doctrine, they had been made free from the slavery of sin and had become slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:19

Romans 6:19 : I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. Because they were slow to comprehend spiritual relations, he uses the customs of men as an illustration to enable them to see that, though they were not under law, but under grace, they had no more liberty to continue to serve sin than a man had to continue to serve one master after he had been transferred to another. Formerly they had presented their members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity. Uncleanness has reference to the degrading immoral practices so common among sinners, such as lewdness, drunkenness, etc. The word from which we have “iniquity” means lawlessness, and has reference to their former attitude toward God. They did not regard his law.

As they formerly lived an unclean and lawless life, they are now to present their members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. Formerly their members had been used in worldly living; now they are to separate them from such worldly uses and dedicate them to the service of God. And that is sanctification. In so doing, they, as Paul admonishes in Romans 12:1, pre-sent their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God.

Romans 6:20

Romans 6:20 : For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. This does not mean that there was then no obligation resting upon them to do right, for in that case they would not have com-mitted sin in not doing right. They were free from righteousness in the sense that they were not practic-ing righteousness. The implication is: since they have become servants of righteousness, they should live free from the practice of sin, just as they were once free from righteousness.

Romans 6:21

Romans 6:21 : What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. Why should’ any one think of living in sin because he is not under law, .but under grace? What advantage did you get out of that sort of life? The end–that is, the result–of such a life is death–eternal death.

Romans 6:22

Romans 6:22 : But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. The fruit of being made free from sin and becoming servants to God is sanctification here and eternal life in the world to come. Even if you were permitted to go back under sin, would it pay? Compare the fruits of righteousness and the fruits of sin.

Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 : For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sin pays wages–God makes a free gift. If you serve sin, you need not doubt as to what your wages are to be, nor as to whether you will be paid in full. The final reward for your service to sin is eternal death. And if you serve sin, you must look to sin for your wages. Eternal life is a free gift of God. No man can perform service that will entitle him to eternal life as wages; it comes as a free gift to those who love and serve the Lord. No, a man should not sin, even if he is not under law, but grace.