Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Verse 19 is the last verse in the ellipsis started in verse 12. The overall case for how to think and how to live is continued through verse 23, but this verse finishes the thought of not letting sin reign and of not presenting your bodies as slaves to unrighteousness. This is evident because of the restatement in theme in verse 19. The first statement is a parenthetical, meaning this is an interjection by Paul into his own argument but does not really support the main idea of the section. Paul states something here that draws some raised eyebrows. Initially this appears to be critical against the believers at Rome. The rest of the letter has instruction but it does not have the same criticism that 1 st Corinthians or Galatians has. The letter is a systematic doctrine in case Paul does not make it to Rome. So we need to read this in its immediate and greater context. Does it make sense that Paul would give a one sentence criticism in the middle of doctrine? It does not. We need to shake off the preconception and review this sentence as the language would lead in light of the context. I am speaking in human terms is two words ἀνθρωπινος anthrøpinos (ahn-throh -pih-nahs) and λέγω legø (leh-go). The word for man here is an adjective. So it is not to men but rather to those who are characterized as being human. The translation of human terms is not bad. The NIV renders this as I am using an example from everyday life. The NIV provides interpretive value (not a strict translation). Liddell-Scott defines this word as suited to man, human understanding. Normally this word is used as a true adjective of a noun (Acts 17:25; 1 st Corinthians 2:13). You also have human courts, or human institution. In 1 st Corinthians 10:13 this is translated common to man. Therefore, this can be rendered, I am speaking as to a common man (in normal human language). In which way has Paul done this in the section? The immediate verses are centered around the example of slaves. Slaves and servitude to the one you obey are human examples, as opposed to spiritual examples. It is as if Paul interjects, I need to explain what I am doing. It is not that he is using plain language, but that he is speaking as though it were possible that they would not comprehend a full spiritual discussion. Then Paul explains why he is using human examples, because of the weakness of your flesh, which means that the typical believer still had trouble with spiritual thoughts. (1 st Corinthians 2:14-3:3 Paul knows they cannot handle a full spiritual explanation; John 3:1-12 Jesus confronts Nicodemus about his lack of
understanding basic human principles.) Why are we spending so much time with this? It is important to know your audience. If the person or group has very little Biblical history or knowledge, then we have to drop the technical spiritual language and speak in simple terms. This is not condescending but actually shows respect for the audience. I don t think anyone listening to this would enjoy a discussion on the the importance of the hypostatic union on trans-dispensational soteriology. Moving on to the main point of the verse, Paul reiterates the point made in verse 13. This is now coupled with results. To the one who submits to impurity and lawlessness, the result is lawlessness; the one who submits to righteousness, the result is sanctification. This point will be reasoned in verses 20-23, but for now let s review verse 19. The first concept is that letting sin reign only increases sinfulness. It is a downward spiral. And if you submit to righteousness, it increases your being set apart from the world. The words in Greek are a little different. Instead of using the general concept of sin, verse 19 uses two words. The first is ἀκαθαρσία akatharsia (ah-kath-ahr-see-ah), which means not clean or not cleansed giving yourself over to that which is not pure. This word is usually found in lists by Paul (Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5) and believers are consistently warned not to commit acts of impurity. The word means not clean and in Greek indicates anything that violates a deity, or is morally offensive. Next lawlessness is ἀνομία anomia (ah-nahm-ee -ah), which we saw in Romans 4:7 and is the name for the earthly enemy during the Tribulation in 2 nd Thessalonians 2:3. What is interesting is that this is the lawlessness. If you were here for 2 nd Thessalonians, we reviewed the implications of the lawlessness. What was said was this What appears to be indicated by the use of this word is the complete rejection of God, His Word, and His standard. The fact that the lawlessness leads to further lawlessness means that the rejection of God only gets worse when not corrected. When you present your members (your body, cf verse 13) to righteousness it leads to sanctification. Sanctification is ἁγιασμός hagiasmos (hah-gee-ahs-mahs) which is a derivative of holy. There are aspects to sanctification in New Testament. The first is that which the Holy Spirit does as we abide in Him we are set apart (1 st Peter 1:2,16). The second aspect is that we are to set ourselves apart from sin (1 st Thessalonians 4:3-8). Romans 6 is about our life and our responsibility. Paul is urging the believers to not live in sin but to live in righteousness, not to submit to sin but to God. Here is what we know concerning sanctification or being set apart: there is a sanctification that God does at the point of initial justification (Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 10:10-14), there is a sanctification that we do by avoiding sin, then there is a sanctification of the Holy Spirit as we grow (1 st Thessalonians 5:23). We know that this is not the initial sanctification, so this is either our own
setting apart of ourselves, or this is God sanctifying us as we live a life submitted to God. The conclusion that I have come to is that this is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Although we are setting ourselves apart by not being slaves to sin, the end result is sanctification. Romans 6:20-23 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The last portion of this chapter is all the because. gar is used three times in this paragraph. Paul is informing the readers of the reason why we should submit ourselves to God rather that to sin (uncleanliness, lawlessness). Looking ahead Romans 6:23, this verse is reason to live a life dedicated to God. Keep that in mind as we learn this paragraph. Verse 20 states that when you were slaves of the sin. The verb is in the imperfect, meaning the action of the past that was continual in the past. This is not stating when you submit to sin but prior to initial justification. Prior to having the righteousness of God, you were free in regard to righteousness. Free is ἐλεύθερος eleutheros (eh-loo -theh-rahs). This word means independent of, set apart from, not under the jurisdiction. Righteousness is actually the righteousness. This means that prior to being known by God, the righteousness of God was completely foreign to us. We did not know it, we could not identify it, and there is no way we could perform it. Apart from God, people can live with a sense of morality. Compared to one another, we can do seemingly righteous deeds that are above and beyond, sacrificial, and seemingly loving. But compared to the righteousness, it is nothing, it is pointless, and it has no benefit. But without knowing God, without understanding His salvation, and without being deemed righteous, humans always fulfill the desires of the flesh, following the world s system. The only outcome of these actions is death. The action of someone who is unsaved may seem to us to be good, but according to God all of our good deeds are as filthy rags. Verse 21 then asks a question in regards to this truth. What benefit were you deriving? The LCV states this Therefore, what fruit had you then? Benefit (fruit) is καρπός karpos (car-pahs ) and means the natural result. The natural result of trees is its fruit. The natural result of animals is offspring. When we review actions, we look at the natural result or the results of the action. The question then should be translated, what is the result that you had?
The question concerns the results of that which you are now ashamed. We need to remember the audience. This letter is primarily to first-generation believers. Remember that these people were saved not only from damnation, but also from a life of paganism, religious immorality, and an absolute moral depravity. These believers were, no doubt, remembering their former lives and being absolutely ashamed. The word ashamed, ἐπαισχύνομαι epaischunomai (ehp-eyes-khoo -nah-my), was first seen in Romans 1:16. This word means to feel shame. When we looked at it in regards to Luke 9:23-26, we saw that not being ashamed of Jesus was to live a life dedicated to him. It is a lifestyle, a behavior. To be ashamed means not wanting to identify yourself with shameful things you ve done in word or deed. Paul states that these saints are ashamed of their former lives. They do not talk about it nor do they desire to think about it. The question of the natural result of that former life is answered in the same verse. The outcome of those things is death. Outcome is τέλος telos (teh -lahs) and means end, completion, conclusion, outcome. The result of that former life is death. So far we have Paul providing a reason for why a person should not submit to sin, impurity, and lawlessness because you know that you were slaves to those things and you know that the natural result of those sins is death. Death (θάνατος thanatos) can be literal or figurative, the core idea is separation. Physical death is the spirit/soul separated from the body. Spiritual death is separation from God. Without salvation, these readers knew that the life they lived was not only a life separate from God, but also that it would lead to their physical and eternal death. Verse 22 reverts back to the current state. These believers, although fully cognizant of their former life, knew that this was not their current status. Being ones who have been set free the word is a cognate of free in verse 20. This time, the verb is in participial form (Plural Aorist Passive Participle). The word for enslaved is also in the Aorist Passive Participle. The first part of verse 22 is positional. This is who they are they, having been freed from sin and having been enslaved to God. Passive means it was done to them and they had no involvement in making this a reality. Going back to the benefits of salvation, we can add being set free from the sin and being enslaved to God. This takes place at the moment of being convinced that God s promise is true, through Jesus Christ. Some may say that being a slave to God is not a benefit, but as we have already seen, we are by nature serving something. The only way to get a positive benefit from being a servant is to serve the One who loves, saves, and provides.
Again this is identification, this is provided by grace, this is who they are. The ought has been established in verse 19: So now present your members as slaves to righteousness because you having been freed from sin and having been enslaved to God. The end of verse 22 provides the natural result to this position and it is twofold. First is sanctification and the second is eternal life. The same structure is used in verse 22 as in 21. The natural result of sin is death; the natural result of righteousness is sanctification. The outcome (telos) is eternal life. You derive is the verb ἔχω echo (eh -khoh) and is in the Present Active Indicative. This indicates that the readers possess fruit, they have sanctification, and as we saw in verse 19, when they submit to God (matching their position), they are further sanctified. Verse 22 is not something worked for, or is conditional based on performance, but something that is already obtained. The end, the conclusion, the result is eternal life. Eternal life is not what we get when we die but something we have now, obtained at the moment you believe (John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47). Eternal life is not just going to heaven but also has a quality of life. Eternal life is a life characterized as being God s life. We have been granted the life of God. Not only will we live eternally but also we can live in accordance with eternity. Finally verse 23, For the wages of sin is death. Wages is ὀψώνιον opsōnion (ahp-soh-nee -ahn) means the money given to a soldier to buy one s daily provisions. It was adapted as payment in Koine Greek (Luke 3:14; 1 st Corinthians 9:7). Looking back to verse 13, we saw that instruments meant tools for warfare. When you pick up arms for sin, your wages is death. Wages stands in opposition to χάρισμα charisma (kha -rihs-ma) which is not wage or what is due, but solely grace (Romans 5:15-16). Eternal life is not a reward or something to be fought for; it is a grace gift and is provided to the believer in Christ Jesus our Lord, provision based upon Jesus His provision, His grace. Overall main points of Romans 6 Everything we have is by grace We have been identified with Christ Our position is that we are freed from sin and now we belong to God We are now to live our lives in alignment with who we are and not return to the sin We have the benefit of serving God through Jesus, living our lives with respect to our eternal life 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.