1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
This chapter expounds the case of a person who has accepted the gift of God, but continues to yield his members to do works of iniquity. Through several lines of argument the answer is always emphatically the same: “God forbid. Having been set free from sin to become servants of God, you must not let sin reign in your bodies, for the wages of sin is death” (v22, 12, 23). The Apostle begins by posing the situation in the form of a question: “Since Christ has developed a solution for Mankind’s sin problem, namely the twin towers of God’s grace (Pardon and Power), then why not continue in sin so that His grace might abound even more?”
How illogical! God’s grace is wonderful, all-powerful, fully effective, merciful and longsuffering, but those who presume that grace will always cover the sin they continue to commit daily, have done despite unto the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29). By aligning themselves with the shameful pattern of the children of Israel, who rebelled, complained and tempted God again and again on their way to the land of Canaan, they stand to have their bodies also scattered in the wilderness (Heb 3:8-13). A Christian that has been baptized into close communion with Jesus Christ cannot live in sin.
This Scriptural picture does not agree with the prominent teaching of many Protestant preachers that the grace of God is “unmerited and irresistible.” There is, perhaps, no doctrine that clashes so spectacularly with the unfailing, universal witness of the Scriptures. Always and without exception, Man has the ability to refuse God’s grace. Always and without exception, God’s grace comes upon men that have shown themselves worthy to receive it. Not that a man judicially merits God’s grace, but that he demonstrates a reverence for God and a desire to receive His grace. In the final analysis, that is all God is looking for: a humble, contrite heart that trembles at His Word (Is 66:2). His eyes are constantly searching the earth, seeking to show Himself strong on behalf of those with a heart bent toward Him (2Chr 16:9). See my notes at John 1:16 and 1Cor 1:4-5.
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Being dead to sin figuratively describes the proper attitude of a person who has been made righteous by the blood of Christ (Rom 5:9). Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body (Rom 6:12), mortify (put to death) all bodily lusts (Col 3:5). Dead to sin. Imagine the Devil trying to tempt a physically dead man to sin! That’s the way a Christian should respond when he is tempted. On the other hand, the strong language of Scripture illustrates that this is no easy battle, that a man must fight hard in this war for his soul. He must put off the old man with his deeds (Col 3:9), crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts (Gal 5:24); deny himself (Mark 8:34) and even hate even his own life (Luke 14:26).
Paul says a little later, If Christ be in you, the body is dead (Rom 8:10; Col 3:3). Not literally of course, but the secret to living victorious over sin is to truly achieve this mind: The old me is dead, crucified with Christ; the life people now see in me is Christ (Gal 2:20). Preparing the mind to suffer for righteousness’ sake is absolutely key to overcoming temptation in this world where Satan’s corruption tactics have taken the most devious, surreptitious forms imaginable (see note for 1Pet 4:1; Heb 12:3). Jesus’ life was the embodiment of self-denial and submission to the will of God. It must also be so in the mind of a Christian if he is to truly cease from sin. So prepare yourself for the battle! There is nothing more important (Luke 14:27), yet there is probably nothing more neglected, less-esteemed and even forgotten. It must be a daily, even hourly, mental commitment. He that hasn’t fully set his mind to suffer, to consider his own body to be dead, is doomed to sail the sea of ups and downs and some will even end up shipwrecked on the dangerous shoals of selfish lusts (2Tim 3:12; 1Tim 1:19).
The next verses expand on the figure of the Christian reckoning himself to be dead to the world and sin, but alive unto God (Rom 6:11). There is no stronger, more vivid language in the Scriptures than this picture of death and life, of crucifying the old man, of putting to death those bodily members that offend, of being dead with Christ. It depicts a bitter, continuing spiritual battle that the fearful and cowardly will not be able to win (Rev 22:7-8).
It is important to recognize that being dead to sin and being dead by sin express two very different conditions. The first describes the Christian’s attitude toward sin and the second describes the condition of a person overcome by sin. Every man dies spiritually when he sins; he is dead (Rom 7:9). Those who accept the gift of Christ are born again (John 3:7), they are alive from the dead (Rom 6:13). These two phrases, the former a figurative expression and the latter a spiritual term, are seen together in Romans 8:13. The same figurative expression is used in the next chapter, but with a different object, Ye also are become dead to the Law (Rom 7:4).
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Many Scriptures describe baptism as being cleansed from sin (justified), but here it is presented as an identification with Christ, a sober pledge of allegiance where the new believer formally and publicly acknowledges that he has submitted himself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Being baptized into Jesus Christ means to share in His temptations, sufferings and death, which brings up the key point. We must be planted together with Him in the likeness of His death in order to be raised up in the likeness of His resurrection.
Baptism is an all or nothing choice. One cannot be baptized into certain parts of the Christian faith but reserve some areas for self or other religions. No, baptism into Christ is baptism into death (1Cor 15:29). Not physical or spiritual death in this case, but death to sin, self and the world (see note for Mat 16:24). Sin cannot reign in the life of a person who has been baptized into death with Christ. Baptism is an outward marker point of a person leaving his old life behind and entering into new life with Christ, and that agrees with a wide range of figures: the old man and the new man (Col 3:10; Eph 4:24), being born again (John 3:3; 1John 5:1; 1Pet 1:23), being made a new creature (2Cor 5:17), having passed from death unto life (John 5:24), being translated from the power of darkness unto the Kingdom of light (Col 1:13), etc.
Baptism as an identification with, and participation in, the sufferings of Christ is evident also in other passages (see Mat 20:22-23; Php 3:10; 1Pet 4:1-2). Baptism is both a funeral and a birthday; a soul has passed from death unto life (1John 3:14). The funeral is starkly in view here: baptized into His death…buried with Him…planted together in the likeness of His death…crucified with Him. The newly baptized Christian must continue in this present evil world, his life goes on, he is still surrounded by the same physical things he experienced before. Inwardly however, he is a new creature and all things take on new meaning and purpose (2Cor 5:17). In the process of salvation, baptism is a physical sign marking its beginning.
Planted together (sumphutos). The Greek word is found only here in the NT (also Amos 9:13; Zech 11:2, LXX). Some versions translate, “united with Him,” attempting to derive the metaphorical meaning of the word. If we associate ourselves with Christ in death to self and the old man, we shall certainly be found worthy to be associated with Him in rising again (Rom 8:11). Planting seeds is a beautiful analogy of the resurrection of the body and is found in two other key passages. Jesus said, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone (John 12:24). The amazing birth of plants, flowering bushes and majestic trees from the death of one tiny seed wonderfully parallels the resurrection of the body. Later in 1Cor 15:35-38, the Apostle makes that very comparison.
The likeness of His death. Which, perhaps, draws upon Psalms 17:15 (see also Rom 8:17). Most Christians will never come close to experiencing the same sufferings as Christ, but the more important correlation is to be like Christ in the manner He approached death, completely obedient and submissive to the Father’s will. If we have been planted together in the likeness of His death. It is a strong, serious picture, but the result is even stronger and very encouraging! We shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection. At that moment, the process of salvation is complete and full, final redemption will be accomplished, and we shall be like Him (1John 3:2), forever freed from sin.
To enter into the arguments concerning the “correct” mode of baptism would serve to detract from the beautiful message here. Suffice to say that the Immersionist will suggest that the word “buried” implies the person is dunked under the water (also Col 2:12). The Sprinklist though, will cite verses such as 1Cor 10:2 to defend their viewpoint (see note on Baptist at Mat 3:6). The metaphor of being buried with Christ by baptism into His death is multi-faceted. You don’t bury live men, but a dead body – these would be the voluntarily dead to sin (v2) who have crucified the old man (v6) to become servants of Christ (v16).
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
So the Christian needs to consider himself to be dead to sin (vs 2,11), but how? By crucifying the old man. This term appears three times in the Pauline epistles (also Eph 4:22; Col 3:9), each time in contrast to the new man or life (Rom 6:5; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). Although we can infer what the old man is just by reading the present passage, the definition is spelled out in Ephesians 4:22 as one’s former conversation (manner of life); which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. The body of sin, the flesh, the old man – these are synonymous terms for the sin-contaminated part of man which constantly wars against the spirit.
The old man must die so that the new man can be born. This “death” is neither literal, physical or spiritual. Instead, as we mentioned in the note for verse 2, it’s a figurative expression that means to reckon oneself to be dead indeed unto sin (Rom 6:11). Jesus employed a similar metaphor when He said, He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it (Mat 10:39). The pivotal aspect of this “dead to/lose your life” metaphor is that it is a condition of the mind, a drastic decision that will forever and completely affect you to the very core of your being! A dead man is not only totally dead, but he remains dead. Just so, the old man must die, so that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness (1Pet 2:24). The old man served sin, the new man lives unto holiness (Rom 6:22).
These verses portray the death of the old man as a definite, past event, in parallel with the image of baptism. By other Scriptures however, and especially in the next chapter of Romans, we see that the old man is somehow still tempting the Christian to sin! What? Didn’t we just read here that the old man is DEAD? Again, it’s a metaphor, a figurativism. Nevertheless, the Apostle does elsewhere say that the old man must be put to death death daily (see Rom 8:13; Col 3:5; Gal 5:17; 1Cor 15:31). Surely that is also why he often likens it to a crucifixion – a long, tortuous, unrespectable death.
The person who has crucified the old man is dead to sin (v1) freed (dikaioo) from sin (v7), does not serve (douleuo) sin (v6). While the end truth remains the same, dikaioo is virtually always translated justified (a dozen times in Romans alone). Being made righteous (justified) is a complementary action of dying to self. The former is Christ’s work and the latter is Man’s work. And the result is a New Man, reconciled, justified and fit for communion with God. He is free from sin and death (Rom 6:18; 8:2), and saved from the wrath to come. Peter wrote similarly, He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (1Pet 4:1). In other words, he that is truly crucifying his flesh has ceased sinning. They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal 5:24).
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
As we noticed in the previous verses, being dead with Christ refers to a condition of the mind (1Pet 4:1). The dead-to-sin, self-denying, flesh-crucified Christian has every reason to believe this two-faceted promise that he shall also live with Him. To live with Christ is first the privilege of reigning with Him in life (Rom 5:17), but even better is the promise that God will one day quicken his mortal body to eternally live with Christ in the heavens (Rom 8:11). Paul repeated this promise to Timothy during the last weeks of his life (2Tim 2:11).
Death has no dominion over the free-from-sin and made righteous saint of God! It is a particularly encouraging thought to any true-hearted Christian who sees up close that the end of his life approaching, whether by martyrdom or natural causes. The Apostles saw Christ alive from the dead, walking, talking, eating. They, with us, have real reason to believe that God will raise up also all those who are dead with Him. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power (Rev 20:6). The first resurrection is the death of the old man and birth of the new man (2Cor 5:17), and the second death refers to eternal punishment (Rev 20:14).
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
These verses are basically a rephrasing of verses 6-7 with the added detail that Christ died unto sin once (Heb 9:28), but now lives forevermore unto God (Rev 1:18). This seemingly refers to Christ’s physical death, for now sin and death have no power over Him any longer. We who have not yet died physically should nevertheless consider ourselves to be dead also, but alive unto God. Again we see that the old man is “dead” so that the new man can “live.” This life is a quickly-passing trial and for those who are faithful, life everlasting awaits.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The command is strong, Let not sin reign in your mortal body. When sin reigns in you, he controls you. You are enslaved (douleuoi, v6) to him, you obey him, you yield your members to do his unrighteous works. When Christ reigns in you, He controls you. You are enslaved to Him, you obey Him and yield yourself to doing His righteous works. These verses clearly speak of a situation over which we have control. We must decide who we will let reign over us; to whom will we yield our members. To say Man has no choice in the matter would render these verses meaningless.
The body is mortal, meaning it is destined to die. But the real You is more than a mortal body, for you have control over your own body; you yield your members (melos) either to doing unrighteousness unto sin, or to doing righteous deeds unto God. The word melos is used to refer to parts of the human body (Mat 5:29-30; 1Cor 12:12-27; James 3:5-6), like hands, feet, eyes, tongue, etc. In Romans 7:23, a distinction is made between the mind and the other members of a body.
The members of one’s body can be used for good deeds or for bad. They become instruments (holpa) for use on one side or the other. The Greek word is often used in contexts of soldiery (see John 18:3; Rom 13:12; 2Cor 10:4). To yield one’s body to either God’s use or to Satan’s use is a figure repeated through verse 19, and also in Romans 12:1 where the same Greek word is used. The body is controlled by the mind, will and emotions, and to these the Apostle appeals: “the Flesh, that old body of sin, wants you to yield your members to work iniquity, but don’t give in to him.”
Alive from the dead. This is the key point of this chapter which links to that great spiritual event of every born-again believer upon passing from death unto life (John 5:24-25). It is the resurrection of the spiritual part of man which was slain by sin (Rom 7:9). “Remember this, that once you were dead in sins, but now the Son has given you new life! (John 6:40). So you must not yield your bodies unto sinfulness, but to His service and will.”
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
In the New Covenant era, seekers of God are no longer obliged to follow the Law of Moses, but to live according to the new law of Grace. These two Covenants are compared and contrasted all through the book of Romans and in this chapter Paul debunks the idea that to be free from the Law is freedom to live in sin. The Word of Christ teaches the stipulations of this new Covenant of Grace. While there are many impressive promises for those who accept Christ’s grace, there are also quite a few precepts, warnings and commandments. These are very solidly given; they are not optional!
Unfortunately, some have cherry-picked a select set of verses and built a theology of grace that is opposite to all law. And voila! With one wave of their magic wand, they make obedience to disappear from the new Covenant of Grace. Of course, they must ignore many categorical warnings that evil-doers will be judged, that those who disobey will be cast into the Lake of Fire, that only doers of the Word will be justified. How foolish to believe that the Bible is true concerning grace and justification in Christ, but not true when it warns against disobedience and selfish living. The prophet called such as these: “Rebellious people, lying children that refuse to hear the law of the Lord; which say to the prophets, ‘Don’t tell us right things; speak unto us smooth things and deceitful” (Isa 30:9-10).
Until quite recently, most Bible commentators understood the Apostle to be comparing the state of Man when he was under the Law to how he now is under Grace (v14-15). However, a recent wave of Reformed Theology experts have thought to eliminate the very concept of law from Christ’s covenant. And conveniently almost all of the modern versions translate verses 14-15 to read: “you are not under law, but under grace” (NKJV). The modern reading and the experts’ tactic are proven to be illegitimate and counter-Scriptural by several simple facts. First, the context demands the definite article, for the subject of the Apostle in these chapters concern the the Old Covenant Law. And that’s why virtually all of the older versions (see KJV, Bishop’s, Coverdale, Tyndale) translate it, “the law.” This was not demanded by the text (although they surely will have arguments to justify the new translation), but a board decision to favor a pet doctrine. Second, the Scriptures affirm that the Christian is under a law, which is called the law of liberty (James 2:12), or the law of Christ (Gal 6:2), which Paul himself confessed to be under (1Cor 9:21). So living under grace cannot mean living lawlessly. In fact, that is plainly seen right here: Ye have obeyed from the heart (v17). Obedience is an absurdity without the existence of a law.
The false doctrine of “free grace,” and its companion error of “irresistible grace,” are incompatible with the substance and tone of the teachings of Christ and the Apostles. God’s grace is freely offered to all, but not all will accept it. Man was designed and created with the ability to reason and choose for himself. Each person has the ability to refuse, for God does not force Himself upon man, which is why Paul warns: “You must not allow sin to have dominion over you; do not allow your members to sin.” The injunction would be meaningless if grace were irresistible. Again, we are either serving Satan or we are serving Christ. We identify which one is our master by the things that we do.
I do not think that Paul meant for us to infer that during the Covenant of the Law sin had dominion (kurieuo – “ruled”) over the righteous doers of the Law in the sense that they could not help sinning, but rather that Sin ruled without remedy until Christ’s work of Atonement. This corresponds with the Apostle’s earlier statement: As sin hath reigned (basileuo) unto death (during the Age of the Law), even so might grace reign through righteousness (during the Age of Grace) unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 5:21).
In my opinion, some respectable commentators have incorrectly balanced the implications of the two covenants. For instance, Adam Clarke says the Mosaic Law “exacts obedience, without giving power to obey; that condemns every transgression and every unholy thought without providing for the extirpation of evil or the pardon of sin.” Would our good God impose such a Law? One that is impossible to keep and does not provide a means of pardon? May it never be! The Law of Moses was a good covenant (Rom 7:12; 1Tim 1:8), and did provide a means for man to seek God’s pardon such that he could commune with Him; Paul claimed to be blameless in its righteousness (Php 3:6). The Apostle is not denying the validity of the old Law in and for its era, but is manifesting the new and better Covenant of Grace which is authorized to immediately pardon the penitent soul and is purposed for obedience unto righteousness. See his full conclusion in Rom 6:22.
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Every one of us were once the servants (doulos) of sin, but having been made free from sin, we are now slaves (doulos)of righteousness. The words are strong, “You were set free from the bondage of sin in order to become enslaved to righteousness!” Made free (eleutheroo) from sin – the statement is thrice repeated in this chapter. The Greek is different in verse 7, but the same in verse 22. In this context of slaves and works of iniquity or righteousness, to be made free from sin is to be delivered or liberated from Satan and sin (see Rom 8:2; Gal 5:1). Jesus said, Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32). He was referring to Himself and to His teaching, for a few verses later He said, If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36). Freed from Satan and iniquity, but enslaved to Christ and righteousness, this is the way of Grace.
Obedience, that word which many cannot bear, is on display once again. The form of doctrine that they were obeying for access into grace (Rom 5:2) was the very Word of God that Paul was teaching (see 1Thes 2:13). The word form shows again the contrast between the Law of Moses and the Law of Grace, for both are based upon the Word. The form of the new covenant however, is a spiritual experience of the heart that centers upon mercy and humility (see Mat 5:1).
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Will you give your members up to be slaves to uncleanness? or to holiness? The Apostle acknowledges that our flesh is very weak (see Mat 26:41); we need much help to change from servants of iniquity to servants of righteousness. However, in repeating his earlier exhortation (Rom 6:13), Paul affirms again that living under Grace cannot be used to excuse unholy living. For the end of those things is death (v21). The Covenant of Grace is better than the Covenant of Law (Heb 8:6) in many ways, only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh (Gal 5:13; 1Pet 2:16). Man cannot serve two masters – he is either the servant of God or the servant of Satan (Mat 6:24).
The grand purpose for man in Christ’s New Covenant of Grace is beautifully described in verse 22 as four succinct steps that make a powerful and fitting conclusion to the questions which predicated this chapter.
- But now being made free (eleutheroo) from sin. The word carries the sense of being delivered from the bondage of corruption (Rom 8:21; Gal 5:1).
- And become servants (douloo) to God. In the original its a verb: “enslaved.” Linked together we have: “Delivered from sin, enslaved to God.”
- Ye have your fruit unto holiness. If one is truly enslaved to God, then his members will certainly bear righteous fruit (1Pet 1:15).
- And the end (telos) everlasting life. Here the process of salvation is wonderfully complete; and we fly on eternal wings forever and ever. The beautiful butterfly was once an ugly worm too.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Two greater contrasts do not exist! So which will it be? Death or Life? (Deut 30:19). The book of Romans has shown that every man has worked for Satan and earned the wages of sin. And that is death. Not the death of the physical body, but spiritual death, which, at the end of all definition, is to be separated from God and goodness, and united to Satan and wickedness. Jesus Christ however, stands alive and whole at a burst-open grave, and He is offering the Gift of God to whosoever will (Rev 22:17). See my notes in Rom 5:15-18 for a deeper exploration of this gift. Wages are earnings from personal work, while a gift is something received from another. The wages of sin are fully deserved, and imply that the punishments of Hell are exactly that, no more and no less.
Since spiritual death is the earned condition of a person who has sinned, the death of the body at the end of life changes nothing. The soul continues estranged from God and a slave unto Satan. Eternal life is gifted by God to all who choose faith in Jesus Christ. It too is a spiritual condition, so again the death of the body at the end of life changes nothing. The soul continues with the Lord forevermore (1Thes 4:17; Rev 22:5).
Annihilists, who believe that the souls of the wicked cease to exist but the souls of the righteous have eternal life, are forced into a logical fallacy with regards to these two conditions or estates: the wages of sin unto death, or the gift of God unto eternal life. If the one has an end, so should the other. Death implies eternality, forever dead; but the Apostle is speaking of spiritual death, which we know by the Scriptures even occurs during life, with no other effect upon the person. He lives in the body, soul and spirit until the end of his days, when the body dies but the soul and spirit continue to exist, and go to the One who will decide their merits – eternal life, or the second death of eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire (Rev 14:11; Mark 9:44).
The Scriptures uniformly present the future states of the wicked and righteous as unending existences in their respective places (ie Luke 16:19-31). Knowing that our God is good, just and all-wise, we are sure that He will only assign punishments that are deserved and each case will be weighed separately and judiciously (Luke 12:47). The same will be true for heavenly rewards (1Cor 3:12-15).