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ROMANS CHAPTER 6
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Romans.
This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
You will notice that verse 6:1 refers to a point made in chapter five, so we will begin there and move into chapter 6:
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Immediately below is an excerpt that reviews this context in chapter 5 or
Skip to verse 6:1 
********* EXCERPTS FROM CHAPTER 5 ********
(v. 5:20 NKJV) "Moreover... law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" =
- By God's design law came so that men might be conscious of sin, (3:20), and thereby trespasses against law might increase thus exposing man's sin nature for what it is. Hence sin has reigned producing physical and spiritual death / separation from daily fellowship with God throughout the world. so much
so much the more, (v. 5:15)
- where sin abounded, God's grace is demonstrated as abounding all the more and reigning in the life of individuals who express a moment of faith in the redemption that came from Jesus Christ our Lord unto eternal life , (3:21-24).
(v. 3:19) "Now we know that whatever the Law says, it says to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
(v. 3:20) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing law; rather, through law we become conscious of sin."
"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing law; rather, through law we become conscious of sin."
Notice that through law, man becomes conscious of sin, resulting in a number of responses, not the least of which is an increase in sin, (5:20; 7:5) - proving out man's rebellious nature, that he has an intrinsic sin nature. This is not to say that this is the only purpose of God for imposing law upon mankind, just one of the purposes. Furthermore, the increase in sin points to man's intrinsic nature which has a propensity to sin and does so all the more when rules of human behavior are made evident.
(v. 4:15 NAS) "For law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation."
The word rendered "violation" = "parabasis", lit. 'transgression'. [Kittle's Abridged Dictionary, p. 772]:
"In the NT it [parabasis] denotes sin in relation to the Law."
[B.K.C. op. cit., p. 458]:
"This does not mean that sin does not exist unless there is a Law. It means that sin does not have the character of being a transgression [a deliberate violation] apart from Law and therefore sin is not taken into account (lit., 'imputed, reckoned') as such"
In the context of Romans 4:13, "parabasis" is a violation of a stipulated rule of behavior which rule is in order to achieve the righteousness of God. Since the promises of eternal life and heirship of the world are received by faith alone where there is no law in view, then man's transgressions, which are violations of law, are not in view. Therefore the one who believes is not held accountable for his transgressions and the promises of eternal life and heirship of the world are deliverable."
(v. 5:17 NAS) "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness [these abundances] will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (v. 5:20 NKJV) Moreover [the] law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more (v. 5:21 NKJV) so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." =
- Where sin abounded because of law making men conscious of sin, (3:20), grace abounded much more, (v. 5:20), so that, as sin therefore reigned in death, physical and spiritual, throughout the whole world.
even so (= so much the more, v. 5:15)
- God's grace all the more might reign in individuals through God's righteousness unto eternal life through their faith in the redemption that came from Jesus Christ our Lord, (cf. Ro 3:21-24)
In view in verse 5:20 is the fact that law, God's rules governing human behavior - especially including the Mosaic Law, came for the purpose that men be conscious of their sins that the trespass might abound; but where trespasses abounded, grace abounded all the more. The grace in view is that grace of God which justifies all men freely through each individual's faith in the redemption for the sins of the whole world that came by Christ Jesus, (3:21:24). Verse 5:21 continues this train of thought beginning with "hina" rendered "that" pointing to forthcoming details: Notice the phrase "as sin reigned in death", i.e., as sin rules the world to the end that all men are born sinners and spiritually dead; hence all men physically die and are initially headed for eternal death. This situation of death reigning throughout the world is contrasted with God's grace which might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Notice the word "might" indicating objective possibility, a potential for each individual to respond to. This means that by God's design law came so that men might be conscious of sin, (3:20), and thereby trespasses against law might increase thus exposing man's sin nature for what it is. Hence sin has reigned producing physical and spiritual death / separation from daily fellowship with God throughout the world; so much the more, (v. 5:15) where sin abounded, God's grace is demonstrated as abounding all the more and reigning in the life of individuals who express a moment of faith in the redemption that came from Jesus Christ our Lord unto eternal life , (3:21-24).
Evidently God's righteousness unto eternal life comes through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord so that it might reign graciously (with unmerited favor), over the whole world, i.e., all mankind may receive it without doing anything to deserve it.
The verb "basileusE" rendered "might reign" is in the subjunctive mood, a mood of objective possibility. Hence the reign through God's righteousness unto eternal life is provisional for the whole world and depends upon each individual's response to it by a moment of faith alone in Christ alone. So in 5:20-21 law was added so that men might be conscious of sin that the trespass - a deliberate violation of a now made known statute of God's holiness - might increase; but where sin increased, God's free grace covering of that sin increased all the more in order that, just as sin had ruled in man causing temporal and eternal death so God's grace which covers sins might reign in the individual through His provision of righteousness to those who expressed a moment of faith alone in Jesus Christ our Lord alone.
Notice that the reception of God's righteousness is tantamount to the reception of eternal life. Hence the words 'Judgment,' 'condemnation,' 'death' being presented in opposition to this in vv. 20-21 then refer to physical and eternal death.
[Expositors, op. cit., p. 65]:
"20, 21 At the conclusion of the chapter, Adam as a figure fades from view. Yet his influence is still present in the mention of sin and death. Paul now introduces another factor - the Mosaic Law - to show its bearing on the great issues of sin and righteousness. There is scarcely a subject treated by Paul in Romans that does not call for some consideration of the Law. The closest affinity to the thought in v. 20 is found in 3:20, 'Through the Law we become conscious of sin.' Also, chapter 7 traces the relationship between the law and sin in rather elaborate fashion.
The apostle is not maintaining that the purpose of the giving of the Law is exclusively 'that the trespass might increase,' because he makes room for the law as a revelation of the will of God and therefore a positive benefit (7:12). The law also serves to restrain evil in the world (implied in 6:15... ). Paul says the Law 'was added.'...
This function of the law - viz., to increase transgression - was not recognized in rabbinic Judaism...
Lest someone raise a charge against the Almighty that to make possible an increase in sin is not to His credit, Paul insists that only where sin is seen in its maximum expression can divine grace truly be appreciated. 'Grace increased all the more.' The apostle waxes almost ecstatic as he revels in the superlative excellence of the divine overruling that makes sin serve a gracious purpose.
With great effect Paul brings the leading concepts of the passage together in the final statement (v. 21). 'Sin reigned in death' picks up vv. 12, 14, 'grace' looks back to vv. 15. 17: 'reign' reflects vv. 14, 17; 'righteousness' harks back to v. 17 as well as to 1:17 and many other passages; 'eternal life' completes and crowns the allusion to 'life' in vv. 17, 18. Sin and death are virtually personified throughout. Sin poses as absolute monarch, reigning through death as its vicar, but in the end it is exposed as a pretender and is obligated to yield the palm to another whose reign is wholly absolute and totally different, being as much a blessing as the other is a curse.
The treatment of sin, death, and salvation in terms of righteousness is crucial to our understanding of our relation to God. It loudly proclaims that no sinner, whether a mystic aspiring to direct contact with God or a legalist counting on his good works to approve him in God's sight, is able in his own way to find acceptance with God. Because another man, Adam, has intervened between him and the Creator, still another, even Jesus Christ, must be the medium of his return as a sinner to a righteous God."
*********** END OF EXCERPTS FROM CHAPTER 5 *********
(v. 6:1) "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?"
"What shall we say, then?" =
Paul asks the question "What shall we say then?", i.e., What conclusions shall we draw in view of what he just got through saying in 5:20-21 - that law was added so that the trespass - deliberate violation of a now made known statute of God's holiness - might increase; but where sin increased, God's free grace covering of that sin increased all the more in order that, just as sin had ruled in man causing temporal and eternal death so God's grace which covers sins might reign in the believer through His provision of righteousness to those who expressed a moment of faith alone in Jesus Christ our Lord alone.
"What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" =
Paul then asks individuals who were earlier described as "called of Jesus", (1:6); "beloved of God", "saints", (1:7); and thus it is implied are justified by a moment of faith alone in Christ alone, i.e., believers: 'shall we (believers) go on sinning so that God's free grace goes on covering the penalty for those sins?'
C) SINCE GOD'S GRACE COVERS THE BELIEVER'S SINS THE BELIEVER IS ETERNALLY SECURE
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" (cont.) =
Notice that the ever increasing sins committed by the believer are covered by God's ever increasing grace maintaining the believer's righteous standing before God. Hence the believer is eternally secure because of God's ever increasing grace.
"epimenoumen [pres, act, subj] ........te amartia [dative case]" =
"are we to remain....................................in sin" ..........................=
"are we to remain" is in the deliberative subjunctive which poses a question of objective possibility best rendered in English, 'Are we to - is such the path' (maybe we choose to and maybe we don't)
(v. 5:20 NKJV) "Moreover the [the] law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. (v. 5:21 NKJV) so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (v. 6:1) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" =
The question is asked, 'Shall we believers continue in sin, i.e., lead a lifestyle of sin in subjection to the reign of the intrinsic sin nature since God's grace will increase to cover those sins.
Verse 6:1 states the false objection in the form of a question:
'One may say that if one is saved by grace alone through faith alone that the more one sins the more grace abounds to cover those sins. So a believer can choose to continue "in sin", i.e., remain under the absolute control of the sin nature. The more that the believer committed evil acts, the more God's grace would increase to provide forgiveness for those sins. Thus objectors to free grace salvation by faith alone in Christ alone falsely state that if a moment of faith in Christ were the only condition whereby one is to be saved, (and it is), then believers would be encouraged to keep on sinning'. Nothing could be further from the truth. That is why Paul uses the strong negative in verse 2.
It is notable that Paul begins this discussion by raising an objection and answering it. The objection grows out of his presentation of justification, especially the teaching that where sin increased, grace increased all the more (5:20). The query, then, is to this effect: 'Are we not able, or even obligated, by the logic of justification, to continue on in sin, now that we are Christians, in order to give divine grace as much opportunity as possible to display itself? The more we sin, the more will God's grace be manifested to meet the situation, and this will in turn contribute the more to His glory.'
(v. 6:1) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?"
(v. 6:2) "Far be the thought! Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it?"
"Far be the thought" = "By no means" =
"Me .genoito"
"Not May it be!"
This is the strongest of negatives in koine Greek, it is in the aorist tense, middle voice, optative mood. Optative mood signifies Paul's wish that it be so that believers not continue committing acts of sin. Hence it is not a certainty. The aorist tense in optative mood signifies a simple undefined completed action, not a continuous one. The concept of completed action here, or rather negative completed action, points to the believer "by no means" should ever consider continuing in sin at any point in time. Hence we have the aorist tense which emphatically rules out such a consideration at any time.
The middle voice indicates that the believer's participation is required in some manner upon himself - it is up to him to decide whether to go on sinning or not.
(v. 5:21) "so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (v. 6:1) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (v. 6:2) Far be the thought! Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it?"
"Such ones as we - who died to sin" =
"Such ones as we" = "hoitines", relative pronoun of characterization which has in view all believers with an emphatic force because of it's primary position at the beginning of the phrase.
"who died to sin" = having become dead, i.e., inactivated relative to being separated from the authority of the sin nature in the believer's life. Sin is singular and refers here to the capacity or nature within man which compels him to commit acts of sin, i.e., the sin nature.
The verb "died" is "apethanomen" in the Greek which is in the aorist tense denoting a completed action and not an ongoing one. Thus it cannot refer to an action as ongoing or prolonged such as a lifestyle of not sinning any more or one of gradually decreasing of acts of sin. Since it is a completed action it must refer to no longer being under the control of the sin nature such that the believer is not enslaved to sin all the time any more. Since believers are exhorted not to continue committing acts of sin in this passage indicating that they indeed can sin, a state of ongoing sinlessness cannot be in view. Thus the action in 'died to sin' is an aorist completed action. Hence we are looking at the believer being separated from the absolute authority over him of the sin nature within the believer such that when he was an unbeliever, everything he did was motivated by the sin nature - even the human good he did.
Previously, in verse 5:21 we learned that the old sin nature in the individual reigned "in death" in the unsaved man's life, i.e., sin rules the world to the end that all men are born sinners and spiritually dead; hence all men will physically die. But now the believer is no longer enslaved under that reign, He has died, i.e., become separated from the rule of death of the sin nature through the grace of God through the righteousness of Jesus Christ given to the believer when he believed and such position of righteousness is maintained solely by God. The believer's physical death will be immediately followed by eternal life and eternal righteousness - unless the Rapture when Christ comes into the clouds above and takes you home to evermore be with Him.
(v. 6) "Knowing this that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin -"
Notice that this verse corroborates that the sin nature, the body of sin, has had its rule over an individual broken, i.e., "rendered powerless." It has not been annihilated or rendered incapable of functioning again if the individual resorts to exercising it once again.
II cont.) [Ro 6:2 cont.]:
(v. 6:2) "Far be the thought! Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it?"
"Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it?" =.
Notice that Paul's question, 'How shall we any longer be living in it?' implies that it is indeed possible that the believer can do just that: The believer still has the capacity to live in sin in spite of the fact that he has died, i.e., been separated from the control of the sin nature of his lifestyle.
"How shall we any longer be living in it" =
The verb "be living in it" is rendered from the Greek:
"pOs eti .......zEsomen ......en autE" =
"how longer shall we live in .it"
"zEsomen" is in the future tense, active voice and indicative mood. Indicative mood is a statement of fact. Hence the question follows Paul's declaration that the believer has died to sin and emphasizes it all the more. Since the control of the sin nature has been deactivated in the believer's life Paul then asks, 'How will the believer live under it?' for the control of the sin nature over the believer has been made inactive in the believer's life. This question is phrased in such a way as to elicit the answer that the believer will not be living under the control of the sin nature because he has been separated from its control over him.
This is not to say, however, that the believer cannot still voluntarily resubmit himself to the control of his sin nature from moment to moment. Hence the many exhortations to lead a faithful lifestyle by the author in this passage, throughout the book of Romans and throughout the New Testament.
(v. 6:3 NIV) "Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?"
(v. 6:3a) "Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus" =
"Or" = This conjunction begins an all important point relative to the believer's choice of lifestyles - a point about him being baptized into Christ, into His death, burial and resurrection so that that believer can choose to live a new & godly life, instead of choosing to go on sinning so that grace may increase, (v. 6:1).
(v. 6:3b) "were baptized [into Christ, i.e., into His death]" (cont.) =
Paul continues to reflect on the believer's position by reminding us that "all of us who were baptized, i.e., placed into Christ Jesus (and that includes all believers) were baptized = placed into His death.
"were baptized [into Christ Jesus]" = "ebaptisthemen" = were placed into. The definition of the verb to baptize which is transliterated from the Greek verb baptizo is to immerse into or identify with.
Here in Ro 6:3a it is in the aorist tense: completed action, indicative mood: statement of fact and passive voice: the believer is passive in his placement into Christ Jesus.
The passive voice rules out the believer actively participating in the baptism stipulated in Romans 6:3 as he would have to in water baptism. Water baptism is further ruled out because water cannot accomplish the placing of one into Christ Jesus nor into His death. Hence the baptism in Ro 6:3 is done via the power of the Holy Spirit, not the properties of physical water. Hence we have a placement into Christ Jesus by an Entity outside of the believer - the believer being passive in this activity by definition. This points to God Himself, via the Holy Spirit, i.e., Holy Spirit baptism and not water baptism. The Holy Spirit is the only One Who has this capacity in the first place.
So the believer is placed by God the Holy Spirit into Christ Jesus and is now part of the body of His Son. Paul continues to say that this has immediate ramifications:
III cont.) [Ro 6:3 cont.]:
(v. 6:3) "Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
(v. 6:3b) "were baptized [into His death]" (cont.) =
The believer has been placed into the death of Christ which occurred historically hundreds of years ago such that what was accomplished by that death is now attributable by God to the believer himself - not the least of which is the payment for the penalty for all of his sins and complete and total forgiveness unto eternal life - for that is the declared purpose for our Lord's redemptive sacrifice on the cross at Calvary throughout Scripture, (cf. Ro 3:21-24).
"eis ...ton thanaton autou ebaptisthEmen"
"into ........death .....His ....were baptized"
"were baptized [into His death]" = "ebaptisthemen" = were placed into His death. It is in the aorist tense: completed action, indicative mood: statement of fact and passive voice: the believer is passive in his placement by God into the death of Christ Jesus and all that His death/sacrifice accomplished. It is a completed action pointing to the eternal security of the believer without any behavioral requirement in view. The context demands a once for all time action of receiving the benefit of what our Lord did on the cross -a sacrifice on the cross once for all time for the sins of the whole world, (1 Jn 2:2). There is no sense of something more to do or receive here as a result of the aorist - completed action tense.
(v. 3:21) "But now a Righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
(v. 3:22) This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
(v. 3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(v. 3:24) and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Notice the text of verses 23 and 24: "For all [= all individuals] have sinned, (3:23a); and [all individuals] fall short of the glory of God, (3:23b); and [the same "all" individuals] are justified freely [declared righteous and totally forgiven of all sins] by His [God's] grace through the redemption [payment for the sins of the whole world] that came by Christ Jesus" (3:24) [through faith], (3:22).
To be justified is to be declared to have a Righteousness from God, (vv. 3:21-22), whereby one is no longer held accountable for any sins. One who expresses a moment of faith alone in Christ alone for eternal life is totally forgiven of all sins one will ever commit relative to the redemption that came by Christ Jesus, (v. 3:24). The words "freely" and "by His grace" tell the tale of salvation unto eternal life being free, no strings attached, by God's grace = unmerited favor, for all mankind as each individual chooses to express a moment of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, (v. 3:24).
(v. 6:3b) "were baptized [into His death]" (cont.) =
When an individual is referred to in Scripture as being baptized into Christ or via the Holy Spirit, as in the passage in Romans chapter 6:1-4, the verb is always in the passive voice relative to the individual indicating that the person who is baptized by the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with it - it is God and God alone Who accomplishes this task. This rules out believer's water baptism which is an active or middle voice action requiring the individual's participation.
The person simply receives the action by God the Holy Spirit of being placed into Christ and receiving all the benefits of His dying on the cross - all of this occurring at the point of faith. Paul points out in Romans 6:3 that this baptism has been experienced by every believer.
(v. 6:4) "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into [His] death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
(v. 6:1) "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (v. 6:2) Far be the thought! Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it? (v. 6:3) Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (v. 6:4) We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into [His] death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ provide the believer in some manner with the freedom to choose and the capacity to live a new and godly life, (v. 6:4). Or he can revert to slavery to the old ungodly nature which still remains within him, (v. 1). So verse 4 in Romans chapter 6 verifies that this union with Jesus Christ via Holy Spirit baptism means that the believer is credited with sharing the benefits of Christ's death, burial and resurrection, (cf. v. 3), which includes complete forgiveness, (v. 1), the crediting to him of the Righteousness of Christ, (cf. 3:21-24), and the provision of the enablement to live a new and godly life, (v. 4).
(v. 6:4a) "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into [His] death" =
The believer was buried = "sunetaphEmen" = aorist, passive, indicative = completed action verb, once for all time, passive voice pointing to the action being performed by God on the believer and not by the believer; indicative mood meaning a statement of fact.
So the believer was once for all time identified and credited with the results of the death of our Lord on the cross, he was therefore through that baptism by God, buried with Him. In other words it is as if we believers were actually crucified, dead and buried in the tomb with our Lord - in the viewpoint of God Himself relative to all of our sins - past, present and future.
(v. 6:4a) "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." =
The death, burial and resurrection of Christ provide the believer in some manner with the freedom to choose and the capacity to live a new and godly life. Or he can revert to slavery to the ungodly nature which still remains within him (Ro 5:20-6:1). So verse 4 in Romans chapter 6 verifies that this union with Jesus Christ via Holy Spirit baptism means that the believer is credited with sharing the benefits of Christ's death, burial and resurrection which includes complete forgiveness, the crediting to him of the Righteousness of Christ and the provision of the enablement to live a new and godly life.
"We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (cont.)" =
"in order that" = "hina" = in order that. Paul is going to introduce a purpose for the believer having been buried with Christ through Holy Spirit baptism.
Note that the kind of baptism which is portrayed here is in the passive voice, i.e., a passive one relative to the believer's participation. This kind of baptism - which is passive, relative to the recipient, identifies the believer with the death, burial & resurrection of our Lord and provides the believer with the capacity to live a new and godly life. Therefore this could not be believer's water baptism which is in the active or middle voice where he must then actively participate. It must be Holy Spirit baptism. Only God can do these things to the believer. Water baptism relative to this only makes one wet.
"just as" = "hosper" = as a thing is true on one side.
This word introduces the first part of a comparison between two ideas:
Then on the other side of this comparison comes the word "houtos" translated as "so" or "even so". This word indicates that after it comes the conclusion.
So we started with "hosper" = "just as" indicating the first part of this comparison:
"Just as Christ was raised [up] from the dead through the glory of the Father"
"was raised [up]" = " egerthe" =
This word refers to the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ. It is in the aorist tense which defines a completed action, one which occurred at a point of time in the past - on that Resurrection day when Christ Himself rose from the dead. Our Lord's body was resurrected, raised up physically as a sinless body which is evidently a pattern of the bodies that we believers are going to have, (cf. 1 Cor 15:49). The verb is also in the passive voice which indicates that Jesus Christ in His dead humanity, (His deity can never die), was raised from the dead by God the Father, (Ro 4:25). This physical raising up from the dead of our Lord indicates that God the Father is satisfied with the payment of the penalty for the sins of the world by Jesus Christ; otherwise God the Father would not have raised our Lord up at all.
"was raised [up] from [the] dead............." =
"from" = from, indicating source.
"[the] dead" = "nekron", adjective used for noun = physical death
E) CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD AS A RESULT OF GOD'S GLORIOUSLY OMNIPOTENT POWER
"We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (cont.)" =
"through" = "dia" = "by means of" = preposition indicating that Christ was raised from the dead by the means of the glory of God.
"glory" = "doxEs" = the possession of honor because of something uniquely intrinsic about the One receiving the glory. Here "glory" refers to the honor of God. God has honor and glory because of Who He is. This verse is specifically referring to the glory of God the Father in His action of raising Jesus Christ as expressed through His almighty power - his omnipotence which demonstrated His glory.
(v. 6:4) [So, on the one hand] "just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." =
And now we come to the "houtos" = "even so" part which is the conclusion of this comparative statement.
"outos kai .nmeis en kainoteti
"so ....also we .....in .newness ..
zoes ....peripatesomen.[1 pers pl, aorist, active voice, subjunctive]
of life .should walk
"just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (cont.) =
Notice the word "also" which refers back to our Lord's resurrection from the dead resulting in His walking in newness of life which we should also walk in, but may not. This refers to His resurrected humanity from the dead to live a perfect and holy life in His resurrected body - an example that we believer's should choose to follow.
The KJV renders a more literal translation of the Greek in this part of verse 4: "even so we also should walk in newness of life."
"we should walk" = "peripatesomen" = word used figuratively to signify the whole round of activities of one's lifestyle. Aorist tense - indicating one's life viewed as a whole with emphasis on results. It is active - a lifestyle which is to be chosen by the believer to walk in. Subjunctive mood - a potential mood which signifies in this context that the death of Jesus Christ makes the choice of walking in newness of life a possibility but not a certainty. The death of Jesus Christ makes it possible for the believer, i.e., the one who has been baptized into Christ's death, to have a new moral freedom to live a godly life. But, as Scripture reflects, this capacity for godly living is one which Christians often do not exemplify due to their constant failure of succumbing to the lust patterns of their own sin natures, which evidently remain intact in their mortal bodies.
"even so we also should walk in newness of life." =
"in" = indicating location
"newness" = "kainoteti" = from the Greek word kainos meaning new in the sense of kind rather than new in the sense of time. The proper form of the Greek word "neos' is used when new is to mean new in terms of time or age.
So "newness" = "kainoteti" in Romans 6:4 means a new quality. The word "newness" = "kainoteti" might better be translated "freshness" , i.e., a fresh new lifestyle, something totally different and unrelated to the days when the old sin nature was always in control.
H) THIS NEW LIFESTYLE ENTAILS CHOICES FOR THE BELIEVER -
RE-ENSLAVE HIMSELF TO THE SIN NATURE REMAINING WITHIN HIM
WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE NOW PROVIDED WITHIN HIM VIA THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
"just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (cont.) =
The word "life" = "zoes" in this verse refers to the principal of life, the lifestyle under the control of God as opposed to the deathstyle of being born a sinner, spiritually dead facing physical and eternal death under the control of the indwelling old sin nature. There is a significance here in the fact that we should walk in a newness - a freshness - of lifestyle because we are no longer enslaved by the sin nature. Notice the word "should" or "might" - indicating possibility, not certainty. It's the choice of the believer every day to do this. We are in fact freed from the absolute control of the old sin nature and are under the control of God. The baptism in view in verse 6:4 which is Holy Spirit baptism breaks the absolute rule of the old sin nature over a believer, (Ro 6:2). Christians therefore are now in a position in Christ, (Ro 6:3), in which they are eternally secure and enriched with respect to the fact that they now have the opportunity to live a new lifestyle.
This cannot say, however,
that believers can no longer lead a sinful lifestyle, because Ro 5:20-6:1
indicates that they certainly can.
And Ro 6:4 exhorts the individual who has been placed into Christ that they 'should walk in newness of life' indicating the possibility that they may not; thus indicating that they may choose to sin every day. If this were not possible - that Christians could not sin or lead a lifestyle of sin - then these passages should not be in Scripture.
(v. 6:1 ) "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" (v. 6:4b) just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." =
"peripatesomen" = "should walk," subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is a mood of potential, i.e., of objective possibility wherein one is exhorted to walk in newness of life with no guarantees implied that one will comply.
Those who were baptized into Christ Jesus hence are exhorted to walk in newness of life which has been made available to them through their identification with (i.e., baptism into), Christ - His death, burial and resurrection into a new life rather than go on sinning so that grace may increase, (cf. Ro 6:1).
(v. 5 NIV) "For if [since] we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection."
(v. Ro 6:5a NIV)
...."For if [since] we
[believers] have become united with Him in the likeness
of His death" =
.(v. Ro 6:5a Greek) "ei ...........gar sumphutoi egonamen ...........tO .....homoiOmati tou thanatou autou"
................................"If [since] for united together we have become .in the likeness.........of ..death .....His"
This is a first class "If" clause best rendered "since:"
"gegonanmen" = we have become, perfect tense, active voice, indicative mood which renders "ei" = since; thus stipulating a certainty that believers have indeed and forever (perfect tense) become united together in the likeness of His death. The significance of this is that the penalty and forgiveness for all believers' sins relative to eternal redemption by Christ Jesus is paid for once and for all; for believers are viewed by God as having died with Him.
"For if [since] we [believers] have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection." =
Since believers are identified by God as having died with Christ on the cross for their sins relative to personal forgiveness, (Ro 5:20-6:4), then it follows that they have the certainty of being resurrected from the dead in the manner He was - to eternal glory.
The word "for" (from "gar") which occurs at the beginning of verse 6:5 means "because" and introduces another reason why we believers should walk in newness of life.
(v. 5 NIV) "For if
[since] we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death,
certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.
(v. 6:6) Knowing this that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin -"
"For [= Since] we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection; (v. 6:6a) knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him" =
The believer's understanding that since he has become united with Jesus Christ in the likeness of His death and the likeness of His resurrection, is paralleled here with knowing that his old self was crucified with Christ. So at the moment of becoming united with Christ in the likeness of His death which is concurrent with being united in the likeness of His resurrection, one at the same time has ones old self crucified with Christ.
"For [= Since] we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection; knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him" (cont.) =
Since this passage deals with encouraging believers to not go on sinning so that grace may increase but to live a new life such that theirs is an example of a reign of righteousness;
and since being crucified signifies being put to death, i.e., made inactive;
then we must conclude that the old man being crucified refers to the capacity of the individual to sin being made inactive in its absolute control over the individual.
Notice that the verse stipulates "that our old self was crucified with Him" indicating that even before one person is physically born his old man was crucified, i.e., put to death with Christ on the cross nearly 2000 years ago but waiting to be deactivated the moment one becomes a believer!
Hence we must conclude that since all individuals are born with a capacity to sin which continues even after they become believers (Ro 5:20-6:1), then neither a condition of sinlessness nor a lack of capacity to sin can be in view. Rather, we have the potential created at Calvary in history for an individual to deactivate the absolute control of his sin nature which occurs at the moment he trusts alone in Christ alone unto eternal life to become a believer.
VI cont.) [Ro 6:6 cont.]:
(v. 6:6) "Knowing this that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin -"
(v. 6:6) "For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin." =
touto ginOskontes hoti ho ..palaios hEmOn .anthrOpos sunestaurOthE
this ...knowing .......that the old .......our ........man ...........was crucified with
hina katargEthE ..........to ..sOma tEs ....hamartias tou mEketi ....douleuein ............hEmas
that .might be nullified the body ..of the sin ............the no longer to be subservient we
tE ......hamartia
to the sin
Since 'our old self', i.e., the believer's sin nature, has been crucified with Christ, i.e., put to death, (v. 3); then the body of sin, i.e., the sin nature is rendered "katargEthE" = useless, unproductive - but not annihilated as the verb does not carry this possibility of meaning. This is a verb in the 3rd person singular, aorist tense signifying a completed action. It is in the passive voice indicating that the believer has had the action done to him as opposed to done by him, i.e., done by God Himself. It is also in the subjunctive mood signifying objective possibility, in other words the rendering of the believer's sin nature useless, or unproductive is not absolute and may be reinstated in some manner, by the believer voluntarily doing this. This is elaborated upon later in this passage.
The situation is clear that the believer should no longer be a slave to sin because the reigning power of his body of sin, i.e., that intrinsic part of him that compelled him to sin as a matter of lifestyle = "our old self," the sin nature, has been crucified - put to death, i.e., rendered powerless in its absolute rule over him. The plug on the sin nature has been pulled and so it is rendered powerless. It lies dormant within the believer but the believer can always plug it again. Sadly, this is so often the response amongst believers. And that's a key message that Paul addresses in the negative.
(v. 6:1) "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (v. 6:2) Far be the thought! Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it? (v. 6:6) Knowing this that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin -" =
Notice that Paul has defined here what he meant earlier by the phrases 'we have died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?' (v. 2); and in verse 6, 'our old self was crucified with Him that our body of sin might be done away with.' He declares that the result of dying to sin and our old self being crucified with Christ is that we should no longer choose to be slaves to sin in our experience.
Taking into account Paul's initial declaration in this section of Romans chapter 6, that where believers' sin increased, grace increased all the more; and his question, 'shall we believers go on sinning so that grace may increase?'; we come to the conclusion that Paul is indicating that the result of the individual becoming a believer is that he can choose to go on sinning so that God's grace will increase to cover that sin, but since the believer is no longer a slave to this compelling nature to sin as a result of receiving the benefit of Christ's death for him, Paul asks in the negative, 'Why should he go back to that lifestyle?' Answer demanded by the context might be stated as follows: 'By no means, absolutely not.' This reiterates the message in vv. 1-2.
(v. 7) "because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."
A) DEATH WITH CHRIST CANCELS THE BELIEVER'S ENFORCED SLAVERY TO SIN
"that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed (justified) from sin." =
tou mEketi .....douleuein hEmas tE ......................hamartia
that no longer to serve ....us ...................................sin
(that we should no longer serve [be slaves to] ........sin)
ho .........gar apothanOn dedikaiOtai .........apo .tEs hamartias
the one .for having died has been justified from ......sin.
(for he who has died ..... has been freed .....from ......sin) =
"has been freed" = "dedikaiOtai" = lit., 'has been justified', i.e., declared righteous, perfect tense providing a completed action with ongoing effect of a once for all time that the individual has been extricated from the control of the sin nature within himself.
The finality of death with Christ, (vv. 4-5), is presented here as once and for all settling the issue of the individual being enslaved from conception to the sin nature within himself when he trusted in Christ's death for his sins. It is thus not an ongoing issue but a settlement in an instant of time when he believed. The individual has died to sin and thus has been freed from his enslavement to it. He should not, but may volunteer to be a slave to it thereafter.
(v. 8) "Now if [since] we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him."
A) SINCE BELIEVERS DIED WITH CHRIST THEY WILL ALSO LIVE WITH HIM FOREVER
"Now if [since] we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him =
'If' = since ['ei' plus the indicative mood in the 'if clause'].
Hence since we [believers] died with Christ, [i.e., it was if they died themselves to pay the penalty for their sins and thus received all the benefits of our Lord's death on the cross as a result....then] we [believers] believe that we will also live with Him [i.e., live eternally live with Him]
Since our Lord lives eternally we believers will also live with Him eternally. Notice that an individual is portrayed as dying with Christ in a moment in time resulting in a future of eternal life - an eternally secure picture.
(v. 9) "For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him."
"We believe that we will also live with Him for we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him" =
The reason Paul said in verse 8 that believers believe that they will also live with Him is stipulated immediately afterward in verse 9:
'For [= because] we know ['eidotes' = know because it is self-evident] that since 'Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him'. So it is self-evident that since Jesus Christ cannot die again, hence death has no mastery over Him, then this value is now attributable to those who trusted in Him and have been identified as having died with Him, receiving the same benefit of mastery over death, i.e., eternal life with Him and without death. This further reinforces the picture of eternal security.
(v. 10) "The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God."
"The death He died, He died to sin once for all" =
Notice the conjunction 'to' in 'Christ died to sin once for all.' The word 'to' means in reference to, i.e., that His death was a result of sin. The phrase 'once for all' defines Christ's death as a result of the sins of all mankind who will ever live. And notice further that Christ not only died 'to' sin but He also died to sin 'once for all'. So our Lord died as a result of the sins of the whole world for the sins of the whole world.
The death Christ died on the cross was a once for all time and once for all men who will ever live event which was in payment for the sins of the whole world once for all men & once for all sins. What is portrayed here is that there is no payment needed after this by anyone for their sins.
Hence acts of sin committed by anyone at any time are never the issue relative to salvation unto eternal life since Christ has paid the penalty "once for all." But notice that only those who have been justified by faith are in view in this passage as receiving eternal life. So sins are not the issue, but whether or not one has been justified by a moment of faith alone in Christ alone is.
(v. 8) "Now if [since] we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him... (v. 10) The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God."
Our Lord's death to sin on the cross for all time for all mankind who will ever live is contrasted with the resurrected life of His humanity which He lives eternally to God. A life lived to God implies an eternal life of godly righteousness. So the One in Whom believers died is the One Who lives forever. Hence believers will live forever with Jesus Christ to God just as He does - in godly righteousness, (v. 8).
(v. 11) "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin" =
"Count yourselves" is rendered from "logizesthe," present tense indicating an active ongoing participation by the believer of living to God.
In the same way that Jesus Christ died to sin and lives eternally to God in godly righteousness, so in the same way believers are to count themselves dead to sin, to its control over their lifestyles.
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." =
Just as Jesus Christ died to and for our sins and lives to God in righteousness, in the same way believers are to count themselves dead to sin, to its control over their lifestyle and count themselves alive to God in Christ Jesus.
The phrase in verse 6:11, "count yourselves" = "logizesthe," present tense, imperative mood, (a command) = Notice the juxtaposition of the two positions wherein an individual is dead to one thing and therefore alive to Another. So one thing is no longer in control but now Another has that control. The individuals are thus commanded to take an accounting in their mind's mind of the fact that they are dead to sin, i.e., sin's rule and control of them is now inactive, but instead they are to take an account of themselves as now being actively ruled and controlled by God as a result of being placed in the life and rule of Christ Jesus. So the context of this passage is of genuine believers despite their potential to be unfaithful.
To count oneself alive to God in Christ Jesus is not saying that one is to recognize that one is physically alive - all men recognize this; but believers are to recognize that they are spiritually alive to God - that they now have an eternal and spiritual relationship with God. This counting or recognition of ones alive relationship with God in Christ Jesus is commanded of believers by Paul in order that one might choose to live a lifestyle in this mortal life commensurate with one's position in Christ Jesus and His righteousness.
Just as one may have a position as King of England who is expected to act in accordance with that position, so a believer has a position in Christ and His righteousness which is credited to him and who is expected to act in accordance with his position; but such may not always be the case.
(v. 12) "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires."
"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." =
Notice that the word sin, (singular), is in view which has the characteristic of being in the believer in some capacity which includes having evil desires such that it can reign as it formerly did in the mortal body of the individual before he became a believer. Hence sin can be viewed as an intrinsic part of the believer's nature. It is portrayed as having evil desires and a capacity to sin. It can reign in the believer in spite of the believer's position in Christ and His righteousness.
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." =
Believers are to count themselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. They are exhorted not to let sin reign in their mortal bodies so that they obey the sin nature's evil desires which remains an intrinsic part of the believer.
This passage and the book of Romans indicate that in God's view an individual is declared and positioned in Christ Jesus and His righteousness when he believes. There is no indication that this a guarantee that in the believer's experience he will always live to righteousness; rather in view of frequent admonishments to the believer to live unto righteousness, just the opposite is implied in scripture as possible by the believer. Thus it is not in view here that the true believer will always behave in perfect godly righteousness all the time. The believer has to constantly choose whom he will serve.
Paul uses the verb to count, (logizomai), instead of the verb to know, as in vv. 3, (agnoeO), 6, (ginOskO) & 9, (oida). The verb to know indicates passiveness on the part of the individual with a view to acknowledging one's position that one is no longer under the control of the sin nature.
Paul uses the present tense of the verb to reckon, i.e., to count (logizomai) in 6:11 to indicate an active ongoing participation by the individual in ones experience as a result of the knowledge of one's position of no longer being under sin's control. Verse 11 commands the believer to reckon/count his position in Christ. He must follow through on his knowledge that in his position he has 'died with Christ' and 'will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection' and that his 'old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin.' The believer must choose daily to do good and not choose to do evil.
Verses 2, ('We died to sin'), and 6, ('Our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin') indicate that the control of the sin nature was broken so that believers should no longer be slaves to sin. The word should, (subjunctive mood), indicates that there is a possibility that he might or might not comply. So this passage does not to say that the believer does not nor will not ever commit acts of sin, but instead it indicates that he has the capacity to commit acts of evil but should not.
Hence the believer is in Christ Jesus and His righteousness in the believer's eternal position, but not in every moment of his experience in his mortal body. The reign of the sin nature within the believer was broken when he believed, but the believer can still let that sin nature reign once more in his daily experience in his mortal body from moment to moment. This is why Paul commands the believer, 'Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.'
XII cont.) [Ro 6:12 cont.]:
(v. 12) "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires."
(v. 10) "The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. (v. 11) In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (v. 12) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." =
Therefore.... since Christ died to sin once for all but lives to God in righteousness and in the same way since believers are to count themselves dead to sin - to the reign of the sin nature within themselves, but alive to God in Christ Jesus - in His righteousness, then - in view of believers' position in Christ Jesus and His righteousness, believers are therefore not to let sin reign in their mortal bodies in their daily experience. So believers are left with a choice - they can live in accordance with the righteousness of their eternal position in Christ Jesus or let sin reign once again in their mortal bodies in their daily experience.
Notice that just as Christ died to sin, (v. 10), and now lives to God in an intimate relationship; in the same way the believer is to emulate Christ by not letting sin reign in his mortal body so that he too can live to God in a close intimate fellowship with Him, while he is in his mortal body.
XII cont.) [Ro 6:12 cont.]:
(v. 12) "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires."
(v. 10) "The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.
(v. 11) In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
(v. 12) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." =
A comparison is evident here. Since Christ died once for all and now lives the life to God implying an intimate fellowship with Him, so in the same way the believer is to count himself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. The believer more specifically is not to let sin reign in his mortal body in order to live to God in righteousness. Just as Christ living to God implies an intimate fellowship with God, so it is to be with the believer who emulates our Lord.
(v. 13) "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness." =
(v. 13) "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness" =
Notice that the parts of the believer's body can be offered in service to the sin nature or not. Thus the body is a separate entity from the intrinsic sinful nature within man. Hence the parts of the believer's body are not sinful in and of themselves, nor part of the sinful nature. They can however be used by the believer as instruments of sin but must not be. The English rendering "do not present" of "mEde paristanete" is in the present tense. It literally means "neither present" or better rendered "do not present" which implies that believers do have an ongoing capacity and tendency to offer the parts of their bodies to sin as instruments of wickedness; but they are commanded not to do so.
Verse 13 emphasizes the message of verse 12 by repeating it in more specific terms: (From verse 12's, "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body"; to verse 13's "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness." This message is emphasized throughout Romans chapter 6.
B) THE BELIEVER IS COMMANDED TO OFFER THE PARTS OF HIS BODY TO GOD AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
(v. 3) "Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (v. 4) We were therefore buried with Him through baptism [i.e., by being identified with, by being placed] into [Christ's] death in order that, just as Christ was raised [up] from the dead through the glory [meaning His essence - especially His omnipotence] of the Father, even so we [believers] also should walk in newness of life... (v. 13) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness." =
The believer is not to offer the parts of his body to sin. He is to offer them instead to God as instruments of righteousness. Romans chapter six provides a perspective of the believer's position in Christ whereby as a result of his knowledge of his eternal position in Christ and His righteousness, he is to "walk in newness of life", (vv. 3-4), and to count himself "alive to God in Christ Jesus." (v. 11). Verse 13 repeats this command in a more specific way:
"Offer yourselves to God... offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness."
"Offer" = "parastEsate", aorist, active, imperative. Aorist tense signifies a completed action. Together with the imperative mood, this verb is a command of the believer to make an action of offering himself to God complete. So all of the believer's parts from his head to his toes, every thought, word and deed as expressed in those parts are to be offered to God in conformance with the standards of God's righteousness which the believer is already eternally credited with.
(v. 11) "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus... (v. 13) Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness." =
The phrase in verse 11 of "count yourselves" = "logizesthe", present tense, imperative mood, (a command) = Notice the juxtaposition of the two positions wherein an individual is dead to one thing and therefore alive to another. So one thing is no longer in control but now another has that control. The individuals are thus commanded to take an accounting in their minds mind of the fact that they are dead to sin, i.e., sin's rule and control of them is now inactive, but instead they are to take an account of themselves as now being actively ruled and controlled by God as a result of being placed in the life and rule of Christ Jesus.
A motivating factor for the believer to offer himself to God is knowing that he has "been brought from death to life." The believer can count himself "dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus, (v. 11)." So the believer is to offer the parts of his body to God as instruments of righteousness as a result of considering the change of his position from a destiny of eternal death, i.e., forever separated from God and under His eternal condemnation to a destiny of eternal life and forever to be in the presence of God, under His eternal blessing.
The command to offer oneself to God via taking an account of oneself as dead to the control of sin but alive to the control of God in Christ Jesus which resulted in being brought from eternal death to eternal life implies action which is to be motivated out of gratitude and duty to God.
By virtue of a command to live righteously is the implication that the genuine believer has a choice to obey or not. Failure to obey to any degree, then, is not a reliable indicator that one is not a genuine believer.
(v. 14) "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
(v. 11) "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (v. 13) Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." =
"For" = because, refers back to verses 10-13 which have in view the believer's standing in Christ Jesus and His righteousness providing the believer with the new possibility of living outside of the mastership of his sin nature as he offers the parts of his body from moment to moment to God as instruments of righteousness.
The word "for" = because is followed by the reason why a believer should obey the command to offer the parts of his body to God as instruments of righteousness: while he does this sin will not be his master.
(v. 11) "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (v. 13) Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. (v. 14) For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." =
The believer is commanded to offer the parts of his body to God as instruments of righteousness resulting during that time in sin not being his master. This should be done because the believer is no longer in a position of being under law - of having to live in accordance with righteousness in order to be justified - for this condemns him to slavery to sin. Instead, he is under God's grace which has freed him from such slavery when he became a believer. This position gives the believer the opportunity to stay free from slavery to sin while he offers the parts of his body to God as instruments of righteousness.
(v. 5:20 NKJV) "Moreover [the] law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more... (v. 6:13) "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. (v. 6:14) For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." =
"shall not" = "kurieusei," future, active, indicative mood = will not. This verb is a statement of fact indicating the reason a believer should offer the parts of his body as instruments of righteousness - so that during those moments he does this, sin will not be in control of the individual. Notice that sin not being master over the believer is conditioned upon those moments when the believer offers the parts of his body to God as instruments of righteousness. This is not to say that once the control of the sin nature has been crucified with Christ, that the believer cannot re-enslave himself to it from moment to moment. But he is no longer and never to be permanently enslaved to it once he becomes a believer. He now has the capacity to offer the parts of his body to God as instruments of righteousness.
(v. 5:20 NKJV) "Moreover the [the] law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. (v. 5:21 NKJV) so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (v. 6:14) For sin shall not be your master because you are not under law, [any rules of human conduct relative to salvation] but under [God's sovereign rule of] grace" =
"not under law" = "ou ..gar este .......hupo ..nomon" =
..................................not for .you are .under law"
Notice there is no definite article accompanying the word rendered "law" above signifying law in general, i.e., any set of rules to live by relative to God's standard of righteousness.
The sin nature will no
longer be absolute master of the individual when he becomes a believer.
Furthermore, the believer is no longer under law, a set of rules to live
by, in order to be justified unto eternal life. As a matter of fact, any
godly rules one must live by condemn the individual because of his
incapacity to keep them before God, (Ro 4:13-15
).
For law came so that trespasses might abound in all men, thus law condemns
men all the more because with law in place men sin all the more.
The implication here is that while an individual is under law, sin becomes one's master all the more. This leads to the conclusion that law, i.e., a set of rules to live by, causes an individual under such law to commit acts of sin all the more and in such a manner that law and sin control that individual, (cf. Ro 5:20-21). Hence we are led to understand that within the individual is a nature which compels him to sin all the more when under law. The guilt of constantly breaking such law and the rebellious motivation of the sin nature keeps the individual enslaved to sin and under God's condemnation.
(v. 5:20 NKJV) "Moreover ... law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more"
Notice that individuals are condemned by the sin nature all the more whenever any law is added because where law is added, the sin nature causes men to trespass, thus condemning them all the more before God because of their increased acts of sin.
On the other hand, as a believer, the individual is under God's sovereign rule of grace: God's forgiveness, justification and free covering of the penalty for all of his sins, past, present and future. So where "sin increased, grace increased all the more" to cover those sins to maintain the righteous standing of the believer before God for all eternity. Thus the believer is no longer condemned under the Mosaic Law, or any law; nor is he permanently enslaved to the sin nature which produced that condemnation.
(v. 6:15) "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!"
A) SHOULD
THE BELIEVER CONSIDER PERFORMING AN ACT OF SIN AT ANY TIME IN ANY CASE?
(v. 5:20 NKJV) "Moreover the....... entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. (v. 5:21 NKJV) so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (v. 6:1) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (v. 6:2) Far be the thought! Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it?... (v. 6:15) What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?" =
"Shall we sin" = "oun hamartEsOmen," aorist tense = completed action. Paul's question "Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?" in the aorist tense asks, 'Should the believer consider performing an act of sin at any time or in any given case?.' Notice that this is a repeat of the context of vv. 1-2.
(v. 5:20 NKJV) "Moreover the....... entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. (v. 5:21 NKJV) so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (v. 6:1) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (v. 6:2) Far be the thought! Such ones as we, - who died to sin! How shall we any longer be living in it?... (v. 6:15) What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!" =
"The reason why Paul asks the believer "shall we sin" is that the believer in fact is "not under law", i.e., any rules to live by in order to attain eternal life. He us under grace wherein God freely covers all sins the believer commits even after he becomes a believer. This ever abounding grace covering ever increasing sins leaves the believer in his eternal position as righteous as His Son is with Whom the believer died when he believed - no matter what, (cp. 5:20-6:2). But the question that Paul poses reflects on the wisdom of doing this. And his answer is "By no means" = "mE genoito" = 'absolutely not!'
(v. 16) "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"
"Don't you know" = "ouk oidate...........hoti" =
...................................."not do you know that"
"ouk oidate" = "perceive intuitively"
Paul answers his own question with the Greek verb "oidate" which means to perceive intuitively which here implies that which is self-evident:
"Don't you know, i.e., is it not self-evident that one is a slave to the one he offers to obey as a slave?"
"Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" =
Since it has already been established that eternal death to eternal life is settled once for all time via a moment of faith alone in Christ alone, (Ro 1:16-17; 3:21-24; 4:1ff); then the word death in Ro 6:16 refers to early physical death. Notice that this early physical death depends upon human doing which is excluded relative to the reception of eternal life. Hence this verse is saying that either an individual is a slave to sin leading to early physical death or to obedience leading to righteousness and a longer physical life.
C) SLAVERY TO SIN LEADS TO DEATH
"whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death" =
Any commission of sin is slavery to sin which leads to death in a number of ways. Since the temporal life is in view then physical death and life are largely in view. Hence physical death is the inevitable result of sin which all men must face at some time because all have sinned in Adam, (5:12), and continue to commit acts of sin in their lives. Individuals including believers who commit acts of sin to a great degree face early physical death. Furthermore, every unaccounted for sin in the life experience of any individual produces a separation from God, i.e., a temporary out of fellowship condition = a temporal death, until the individual is reconciled with God. Finally, from an eternal perspective, sins which are not accounted for relative to one's personal forgiveness & eternal destiny lead to eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire until the individual is personally forgiven by God via a moment of faith alone in Christ alone at some time in the mortal lifetime of the individual.
Hence every sin puts an individual into a status of slavery to sin inevitably leading to death, i.e., separation from the fellowship of God, totally outside and opposite to the realm of His righteousness.
"Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey -- Whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" =
On the other hand, an act of obedience to God which is tantamount to submission to slavery to obedience to God leads inevitably to righteous godly behavior as it continues, lengthening the time of ones physical years. This inevitable result is implied as something the individual should know as self-evident.
(v. 17) "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted."
(v. 17) "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted." =
The verb rendered "used to be", "Ete", literally 'you were' is in the imperfect tense indicating linear action in the past. Believers are in view in this passage as having previously been enslaved to sin when they were unbelievers. Everything they did then was under the rulership of their intrinsic sin natures.
(v. 17) "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted." =
Paul thanks God that the particular believers in Rome did not go back to slavery to sin as was their former status as unbelievers but instead obeyed the form of teaching to which they were entrusted.
C) OBEDIENCE TO THE FORM OF TEACHING OF GOD'S WORD TO WHICH ONE IS ENTRUSTED LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
(6:16b NIV) "whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted" =
Paul indicates that the Roman believers wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which they were entrusted, implying a proper form. Since Paul had not visited the church in Rome as yet, evidently others had provided a form of teaching God's Word which was entrusted to the Roman believers which they wholeheartedly obeyed. Considering verse 15 which contains the phrase, "obedience, which leads to righteousness", and v. 16b quoted above, we see that Paul implies that obedience to the form of teaching of God's Word given to the Roman believers produced righteousness in the Roman believers. Hence we are provided with a method by which believers are to attain righteousness: obey the proper form of teaching of God's Word to which one is entrusted.
(v. 6:18 NIV) "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
"You have been set free from sin" =
"eleutherOthentes" = lit., "you who were set free", aorist, nominative participle
Paul reiterates that the believer has been set free from sin in the sense that sin (sin, singular = the sin nature), no longer has absolute reign over him, (cp. 6:2-3, 6-7, 11). The aorist tense, which portrays a completed action, punctuates this by providing a once for all time, completed action, of being freed from sin at the point when one became a believer at the moment of faith alone in Christ alone. In view of the context throughout this chapter, Paul continues to have the believer's position in view of no longer being absolutely enslaved to the sin nature within him. Yet the believer is also portrayed in this passage as still vulnerable to committing acts of sin, to re-enslaving himself to sin from moment to moment.
B)
BELIEVERS HAVE BECOME SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT CAN STILL SIN
(6:18) "You were set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness" =
Paul introduces a new point - that the individual in a moment of time went from being a slave to sin to a slave of righteousness when he believed. This position of enslavement to righteousness is presented as mutually exclusive from the believer's former position of enslavement to sin. On the other hand, Romans chapter 6 does not present a picture of sinless perfection in the believer's mortal life experience. Verses 1-3 and 12-14 command the believer not to let sin reign in his mortal body, and not to offer the parts of his body to sin as instruments of wickedness. From this we can infer that the believer became a slave to righteousness through being placed under the sovereignty of God and His righteousness; but he has the latitude to offer the parts of his body to sin as instruments of wickedness or to God as instruments of righteousness from moment to moment.
C) THE BELIEVER HAS BEEN PLACED BY GOD UNDER THE ENSLAVEMENT OF HIS RIGHTEOUS SOVEREIGNTY
(6:18b) "You ...have become slaves to righteousness" = "edoulOthEte", aorist, passive, indicative.
Notice that the action in view here is a statement of fact, (indicative mood) of the believer being placed as a completed action, i.e., once for all time, (aorist tense) by someone outside of the believer, (passive voice), i.e., by God under the enslavement of righteousness, i.e., under God's righteous sovereignty which rule demands godly righteousness, but evidently permits the believer to choose between sin and righteousness from moment to moment, with good and bad consequences for how he chooses.
(v. 19) "I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness."
(v. 18) "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (v. 19a) I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves." =
Paul writes that he is putting his explanation to the Roman believers of their spiritual position in human terms, i.e., in terms of their 'natural selves'. The phrase 'natural selves' has in view their non-spiritual, human viewpoint understanding which is controlled by the sin nature within. This implies that the Roman believers were not mature in their spiritual discernment on this particular issue as may be the case with many believers. This conclusion is supported by the phrase 'because you are weak in your natural selves', i.e., your human viewpoint, carnal reasoning makes you weak in your discernment of spiritual truths.
Paul's statement previous to this, 'you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness', is qualified by the phrase, 'in human terms'. It is a direct, confrontational and blunt statement purposed to punctuate through the spiritual dullness of the Roman Christians. To tell someone "you are weak in your natural selves," (v. 19a) and you "have become slaves to righteousness," (v. 18b) is strong language purposed to get the carnal believer's attention. It is also positionally true: the believer actually is under the enslavement/control of God's sovereign righteousness and hence held accountable for any unrighteous actions in his daily life.
"Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and ever increasing wickedness" =
Paul provides a picture of the believer's life before he became a believer. This picture was one of slavery to impurity where the individual offered the parts of his body in slavery to impurity, i.e., everything he did was under the control of the sin nature, even the human good he did.
Furthermore, the unsaved individual's enslavement to impurity was a progressively increasing enslavement of wickedness as his life apart from God continued.
"Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness." =
So now that you are a believer, Paul says, offer the parts of your body in slavery to righteousness instead of to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness.
The phrase 'leading to holiness' indicates that offering the parts of ones body in slavery to righteousness leads to a status of holiness - the standard of God's righteousness. Notice that the phrase "leading to holiness" parallels "and to ever-increasing wickedness," implying that offering the parts of ones body in slavery to righteousness produces a progressively increasing righteousness which in turn leads to godly holiness.
(v. 20) "When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness."
"When you were slaves to sin you were free from the control of righteousness" =
Paul once again emphasizes the believer's position before he became a believer: he was a slave to sin, i.e., the sin nature within him and thus free from the control of righteousness. The sin nature dictated his actions all the time such that he was constantly sinful. Even the human good that he did was motivated out of the sin nature and not out of a motivation of God's righteousness. For at no time is the unsaved individual under the control of God's righteousness. But when an individual becomes a believer, verse 6:20 implies, a new control by God of that individual is set in place, a control of righteousness - the details of which are not immediately provided, but will be in later passages.
(v. 21) "What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!"
A) PAUL EXHORTS BELIEVERS TO STAY AWAY FROM OFFERING THE PARTS OF THEIR BODIES TO SIN
"What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death." =
Paul poses a rhetorical question to motivate the believer away from sin and toward righteousness. His question stipulates that the Roman believers were now ashamed of their former lifestyle which was enslaved to sin. Furthermore, Paul declares that those things which characterize a lifestyle under the slavery of the sin nature result in death, i.e., separation from God via early physical death; even eternal death if one dies in slavery to sin, having never believed in Christ as Savior.
Hence Paul presents to believers the end result of slavery to sin: early physical death. He does this for the purpose of exhorting believers, in view of the fact that they are no longer slaves to sin, i.e., the sin nature, to now offer the parts of their body in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
(v. 6:22) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
(v. 6:6) "Knowing this that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - (v. 6:14) For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. (v. 6:17) But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted (v. 6:18) You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (v. 6:19) I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. (v. 6:20) When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. (v. 6:22) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." =
Paul describes the believer's condition of having died to sin, (v.2). The verb is in the aorist tense: a one time completed action for all time at the point he became a believer, i.e., having been set free from the absolute control of the sin nature, (aorist tense: completed action for all time), (v. 18), once again in verse 22:
"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God"
Thus Paul states that the result of believers being set free from sin is to become slaves to God, to His righteousness which benefit one reaps is holiness and which results in eternal life. Notice that the phrase "have become slaves to God" in verse 6:22 is parallel and thus equated with the second half of verse 6:18:
"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness", i.e., slaves to the rule of godly righteousness in the believer's life.
The verbs in 'Have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness' are both aorist participles which define a completed action once for all time at the time one becomes a believer. Hence a positional truth is in view and an ongoing action is ruled out.
Notice that being under God's sovereign rule of godly righteousness in the believer's life does not exclude the capacity of that believer to offer the parts of his body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, (v. 13), from moment to moment; for which he will be held accountable. The latter Paul commands the believer not to choose to do, but he is commanded to make the choice to live righteously every day.
(v. 6:22) "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness" =
The benefit individuals reap as a result of becoming a believer is that of being set free from slavery to, i.e., absolute control of ones intrinsic sin nature and becoming slaves instead to God and His sovereign righteous rule. Being a slave to God is being under the direction of the sovereign control of God's righteousness, (v. 18). God's righteous control of the believer moves the believer in the direction of righteousness which leads those believers who cooperate with God's leading to holiness. i.e., godly behavior in the believer's experience. Nevertheless, the believer has a choice to make:
to "offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, (v. 13)."
(v. 6:22) "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." =
The moment one becomes a believer one is set free from slavery to sin and enslaved instead to the sovereign righteous rule of God. Such a position benefits the believer in such a way that it can lead to holiness in the believer's temporal life as he cooperates. Certainly it will lead to holiness in the eternal life that he owns forever.
Notice that the position of the believer under the enslavement of the sovereign righteous rule of God which was permanently established at the moment one became a believer results in eternal life. It is not a product of a faithful lifestyle, but exclusively a result of one's position of being under the righteous enslavement of God by the grace of God, (v. 5:20-21).
Since there is no condition presented here in order to maintain the believer's benefit of eternal life, then it is evidently eternally secure.
(v. 23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(v. 22) "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (v. 23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." =
Believers are motivated to offer the parts of their bodies to holiness, (19c), in view of the fact that they have 'been set free from sin', i.e.., set free from enslavement to their sin natures; and have 'become slaves to God'. The result of this change in position is stipulated as follows: 'and the result is eternal life', (v. 22). All of this is corroborated by the fact that 'the wages of sin is death' and the 'gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord', (v. 23).
B) THE WAGES OF SIN IS LOSS OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, PHYSICAL AND ETERNAL DEATH BUT SINCE GOD'S GRACE THROUGH A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE CHRIST JESUS ALONE COVERS THOSE SINS, THE BELIEVER IS SECURE IN HIS ETERNAL LIFE BECAUSE IT IS A GIFT RECEIVED - FREE WITHOUT STRINGS ATTACHED
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." =
Death is in view here in opposition to eternal life. Hence death in this verse translates primarily to eternal death - eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire.
The wages of sin is loss of fellowship with God, physical and eternal death. But since God's grace through Christ Jesus covers those sins of the believer, then this does not to say that the believer who sins will earn the wages of eternal death in the Lake of Fire. On the other hand, sin in the believer's daily experience leads to loss of fellowshp with God and can and often does lead to early physical death. But these kinds of death are not in view in 6:23a because the kind of death here is juxtaposed to eternal life in 6:23b.
Recall 5:20-21 which has believers in view when it says "where sin increased, God's grace [to cover those sins of the believer] increased all the more, so that.... grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." So the believer is secure in his eternal life even if his sins increase because "where sin abounded" even in the believer, God's "grace abounded much more" so that "grace might reign" in the believer's life "through righteousness to eternal life" because it is "through Jesus Christ our Lord." So eternal life is permanently secured "through Jesus Christ our Lord", (cf. 6:23b). Eternal life is not therefore maintained, lost or verified as a result of the believer's own actions even when they fall short of the glory of God:
"The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
"But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." =
Eternal life is a gift, it is free by definition - no strings attached. That is what the word 'gift' means. And it is through Christ Jesus our Lord alone and thus not dependent upon what the believer does or does not do.
Continue
studying Romans chapter 6 with corroborating evidence from elsewhere in
Scripture: