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Romans 6:15-23
Paul had shown the assemblies in Rome how God achieved His purposes for mankind through His two
creations, in Adam and in Christ. It was in laying out these two creations that Paul began to concentrate on
powers that have authority over men: sin, death, grace, righteousness. In fact, Paul personified these
powers as ruling monarchs, or masters of men, exerting their dominating influence over them.
As we continue in Romans chapter 6, we will see that now Paul once again picks up that thread of thought,
this time focusing not so much on the powers themselves, but on the ones over whom they have influence
men. Paul will show the effect these powers have on men, and the final outcome for men under their
influence. And just as Paul characterized these powers as masters, he now shows that those who are
dominated by them are slaves.
It is essential to recognize that Pauls discussion in this passage is based on a question that he himself
posed, in his letter. Paul intentionally did this because he knew that this question would come up in the
minds of his listeners. In order to understand Pauls answer, we must be very sure we understand just what
his question was the question of the Romans, and many others, who have read this letter.
Lets read the whole passage together first.
[Read Romans 6:15-23]
So in verse 15, we have Pauls question, on behalf of the reader, followed by his answer and a lengthy
explanation. Pauls question is clearly based on his concluding statement in verse 14; thats the conclusion
of the previous discussion, which was also based on a question (6:1).
Now, some see these two questions in verse 1 and verse 15 as virtually indistinguishable. But they are
really quite different. Verse 1 is dealing with the idea of continuing to live in the manner of life that one
had before, as a member of the old creation, in Adam; to continue to sin as a way of life.
Pauls answer shows just how incompatible that is, with what God has done for the believer, in Christ.
Then in his explanation, Paul showed how the believer is united to Christ by faith, so that he has died out of
the old creation in Adam, and is now a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Paul then exhorted the believers to count on it; that they are dead indeed to the Sin, but alive to God, in
Christ. And based on that, they are not to let the Sin reign in their bodies; they are not to keep presenting
their members as instruments of unrighteousness to the Sin.
Instead, believers are to present themselves to God as the new creation that they are, and the members of
their bodies as instruments of righteousness to God. Verse 14 concludes this discussion; lets read that
again, with verse 15.
v. 14-15 At first glance, it might seem strange that Paul is bringing up law here its not the Law, as in the
Law of Moses, but law in general. Paul hasnt been speaking about law, about being under it. Hes been
speaking about no longer letting the Sin reign not being under the Sin. And Hes been speaking about
the reign of Grace, both here and back in chapter 5, verse 21.
But Paul has a very specific reason for introducing this thought about law, here. He will be writing about
the Law, the Law of Moses, in chapter 7. He will be writing of how Jewish believers are freed from the
Law, in Christ.

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But before he does that, Paul introduces a thought about law in a general sense, here from the perspective
of law being a restraint on men; a curb on their behavior. For that is how a Jew in particular would regard
law; as a necessary restraint, to sin; after all, without law, one would be like a . a lawless Gentile!
So what Paul is doing here is beginning to reveal to his more legalistic listeners that grace makes law, as a
restraint, obsolete because grace not only frees the believer from the penalty of sin, but it frees him from
sins power. Then Paul uses the master-slave relationship to show how the believer is now subject to a new
power. Where grace reigns, no law is needed.
This distinguishes Pauls second question from his first. The first question concerned licentiousness;
continuing to sin as a way of life; not living as a member of the old creation.
But this second question is more about the means of sanctification; of being made righteous; how to
actually live our righteousness, as a member of the new creation.
The legalist would think, Yes, were saved by Gods grace, and so now, were under grace. But isnt some
sort of restraint needed, under grace, to control sin; laws or rules, or principles to govern ones
behavior? This false teaching was a plague among other assemblies where Paul had preached the gospel.
Pauls explanation shows why law is not needed, for believers under the reign of grace. This will lead into
his discussion of being freed from the Law, and then, to living according to the Spirit (chapters 7-8).
So what is Pauls answer to this question, that without law, without that restraint on behavior, believers who
are simply under grace, will sin? Lets say it another way: Isnt the law needed for sanctification; doesnt
grace need the laws help, in order to live ones righteousness? Pauls answer is an emphatic NOOO!!!,
just as in answer to the question in verse 1. Now Paul will illustrate how grace alone is sufficient to
produce in the believer the fruit of righteousness.
v. 16 Paul is following a very similar pattern of thought to the preceding passage. His explanation once
again begins with, Do you not know? Again, Paul is not saying that the believers in Rome dont know
this, or that they are supposed to know this; he is simply using this device to introduce his teaching on the
subject; he is enlightening them, and he is again doing so through an illustration.
The illustration in the previous passage concerned life and death; with Christ, the believer died out of the
old creation in Adam, and was made alive a new creation in Christ. Death removed the believer from the
realm where the Sin reigned, to the new realm of Grace. Now Paul uses an illustration of the master-slave
relationship to show that when the believer died to the Sin, he was made free; but not to do as he pleased.
The believer acquired a new Master.
Now, in order to gain a fuller appreciation of what Paul is meaning here, and the impact on his listeners in
Rome, it would be helpful to have a little understanding of slavery, in the ancient world. In Pauls day, that
world was the Roman Empire; and Paul is directing this letter to the very heart of that empire to Rome,
itself.
At that time, about half the total population of the Empire about sixty million people were slaves.
Slavery was absolutely fundamental to the economy, and therefore a fact of life. Undoubtedly, many of the
believers who would hear Pauls letter read were slaves; there were probably also some slave-owners. And
all would be very familiar with what it was to be a slave, in that day.

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We might tend to think of the benevolent treatment of slaves as outlined under the Law of Moses. But
slavery under the Gentile dominion of the Roman Empire was completely different from that. Slaves were
usually acquired as captives during war, or purchased off of slave markets. Masters were for the most part
cruel, often brutal; and slaves were usually oppressed greatly.
Under Roman law, a slave had no rights or protection; he was considered to be the property of his master.
The slave owner could have his slave put to death for almost any reason. To be a slave of this sort in
forced servitude was to have no hope.
It is interesting that the Greek word that Paul uses for slave refers both to this type of slave one who
serves against his will as well as to what is sometimes called a bondslave, or a bondservant a slave who
submits to his servitude willingly. The concept of the bondservant is found in the Law of Moses. We find a
description of the bondservant back in Deuteronomy chapter 15.
[Deuteronomy 15:12-17]
v. 12-15 The mercy that Israel was to have toward their slaves was patterned on the mercy that the LORD
has shown them, in freeing them from Egypt. Both reflect the deliverance that the LORD intends for the
nation Israel, still a slave to sin, when Israel believes into their Christ, and enters into His rest, during His
1000 year reign on the earth.
You can see how the LORD tempered this inclination of men to subjugate others to themselves, with His
gracious mercy. Not only were slaves to be freed in the seventh year, but they were to be given gifts, when
they left. What a contrast this is to the harsh slavery that was prevalent in Roman society, in Pauls day!
v. 16-17 After six years of servitude, the slave was to be freed by the master. But the slave did not have to
leave. If the slave had come to love his master; if he had come to love those of his masters house; if the
slave recognized that through his relationship with the master, the slave had been caused to prosper; he
could choose to remain, and become part of the masters house forever.
The slave was choosing to become a bondservant one who willingly chose to devote himself to the
service of his master, for all of his days out of love for the master.
The bondservants ear was pierced with an awl in the doorway of the house, symbolizing that he was
joining himself to his master and his house. The awl indicated the masters ownership of the slave. The
piercing of the bondservants ear reflects the idea that his hearing would be forever open to the voice of his
master, ready to do his will. This shows the bondservants willing obedience, his devotion, motivated by
love for the master.
[Return to Romans 6]
In his writings, Paul uses this Greek word for slave with both of its meanings; for slaves that are both
involuntary, and for bondservants, who willingly serve out of love for their master. In fact, Paul has already
used this word earlier in this letter.
Turn back to Romans chapter 1. Look at the prescript of the letter in verse 1. How does Paul identify
himself, to the Roman assemblies? As a bondservant of Jesus Christ.
This is the Greek word slave, but the translators for the NKJV correctly understood Paul to mean that he
was a bondservant he willingly gave himself to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Paul frequently identified himself in this manner, as did James (James 1:1) Jude (Jude 1) and Peter (2 Pet
1:1). And it was not just the apostles; other believers are also identified in this manner (Col 4:12, 2 Tim
2:24, Philem 16). And that makes sense we can see that bondservant well characterizes the relationship
of all believers with Jesus, to whom we have willingly subjected ourselves, as our Lord and Master.
So how is Paul using the word slave here, in Romans chapter 6? Actually, the context shows us that Paul
is using the word both ways; and as we continue in the passage, this will become evident.
In verse 16, Paul is making a general observation concerning slaves. Slaves regularly presented themselves
before their masters, to receive their commands, in order to do their will.
This is true for both the unwilling slave, and the bondservant. Neither was free to do their own will; to go
wherever they pleased, and do whatever they wanted. By nature of their servitude, in that they were both
slaves, both were to do the masters will, and the person whom they routinely went to was, of course, their
master.
What Paul is bringing out is that the one to whom they presented themselves was the one to who they
belonged; that was the master who owned them.
Who are these slaves, of whom Paul is writing? He wrote, to whom you present yourselves; that refers to
those who are hearing Pauls letter read. That would be the assemblies in Rome; and by extension, all who
read Pauls letter.
What! Paul is saying that even believers are slaves? Yes, he is; in fact, Paul is bringing out that everyone
everyone is a slave; everyone has a master whom they serve. Further, Paul will make it plain that there
are really only two masters, that men can serve. And notice that law is not one of these two masters;
because when men try to serve the law, they fail. Men serve one of two masters. Either they serve sin, or
they serve God.
But what about freedom? Freedom in accordance with the worlds thinking does not exist. Natural men
flaunt their liberty; but are they free? No; theyre slaves of sin.
Whats the proof of that? Well, what do natural men do, with their freedom of choice, which God gave
them? They exercise it, by choosing to sin; and sin; and sin. They sin as a way of life. They present
themselves to the Sin, their master; by which they demonstrate that they belong to the Sin; it owns them; it
has the rule over them; that is their master. They are not free.
What kind of servitude would this be, for natural men, serving the Sin? Well, it is a servitude that they are
born into simply by being born into this world, a son of Adam. By virtue of the self-will in their hearts,
men are born slaves to the Sin, because sin serves self.
Men in Adam were not willing; they didnt choose their master, but they reinforce sin to be their master
every time they present themselves to the Sin; they affirm that they rightly belong to that master.
As the property of their master, the Sin determines the destiny of those who serve it which is death. The
Sin is a brutally harsh taskmaster. And every time natural men present themselves to the Sin, they are one
step closer to that destiny.
Now, natural men cannot free themselves from that master, Sin he is too powerful for them. But by the
power of God, men can be made free.

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v. 17-18 You were slaves of the Sin everyone was, in that old creation, in Adam. But thanks be to God,
He provided the way, through Jesus, to be made free. By the blood of Jesus Christ, you have been bought
off the slavemarket of the Sin.
In verse 17, what would be the doctrine, the teaching, of which Paul writes, that you obeyed from the
heart, that set you free? That would have to be the gospel of Christ the power of God unto salvation, for
everyone who believes (Rm 1:16).
You were a slave who obeyed sin, but then you obeyed the truth (Gal 3:1) the gospel and in doing so,
you accessed the power of God His mighty power, His omnipotence, that delivered you from the Sin;
from its power. But notice how Paul words it speaking instead of what you were delivered to to that
form of doctrine, the gospel.
The word form here is speaking of a pattern or mold. That mold is what we saw at the beginning of
chapter 6; you have been united by faith with Christ, to be baptized into His death, and raised to walk in
newness of life. You have been conformed to Christs death (Phil 3:10).
That was the power of God unto salvation, that delivered you from bondage to the Sin a complete
deliverance. The Son has made you free, and now you are free, indeed (Jn 8:36); but you are not free to do
as you please. In being set free, what did you become? Verse 18 a slave of righteousness.
The idea of being a slave to anything does not appeal to us. Do you know why? Because of our selfwill. We are a new creation in Christ; in eternity, we have already been raised with Christ, as a glorified
son of God but the Spirits work to sanctify us, in the inner man, is an ongoing process.
You are a new creation; but you are still you. How can the self-will in us be overruled, so that Gods will is
done, in our lives; so that we are willing to live our righteousness as Paul says here, to be a slave of
righteousness?
Well, we had seen a couple of weeks ago that we need to count on the fact that we are dead indeed to the
Sin, but alive to God in Christ. That certainly keeps us focused on the goal, but in itself, it does not tend to
overrule our self-will.
And last week, we saw that the Spirit in the believer shares the deep things of God with him, so that the
believer can know the Fathers ways; still we can continue to want our own way despite that, cant we?
But as the Spirit glorifies Christ to us, so that we really come to know Him, and through Christ, we come to
know the Father personally then we begin to fathom the love of God for us. And as we come to
understand, in the spirit of our being, just how much God loves us, we find ourselves loving God in return
and THAT is what motivates us to lay down our will for ourselves because of our love for the Master.
For this is not a forced servitude, in which we serve; we freely chose to become the bondservants of Jesus
Christ. We were moved by the love of God, to send us His Son; we were stirred by the love of Christ, to
lay down His life for us. And as we marveled in our hearts over the plan that our good Father, our Creator
God has for us, to prosper us, so we can be with Him, forever we made a decision.
Just as the slave had the awl driven through his ear in the door, to become the bondservant of the master,
forever, we chose to join ourselves to Christ, through the hearing of faith Christ, our door, to Life
Everlasting our ear now forever open, to the voice of our beloved Master.

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We are now members of the household of Christ. And our devoted love to our Master is what constantly
motivates us, so that we desire to please Him, and have no will but His, be done. We have become slaves
of righteousness. Were free to serve Christ.
As we continue, well see that Paul stops for a moment, to indicate why he is using this illustration. In
doing so, he makes it clear why this is his answer as to why law is not needed as a restraint for sin, in the
believer who is ruled by grace.
v. 19-21 I speak in human terms is more literally translated, I speak as a man. What Paul is saying is
that he is using an illustration common to men. Slavery is a distinctly human innovation. God does not
literally have slaves; He has birthed sons, who are part of His loving family.
But Paul speaks of men as slaves; and he makes it clear that this is true for all men. Why does Paul use
slaves as his illustration? Paul says, because of the weakness of your flesh.
You see, Pauls point is that the body of flesh is weak, meaning impotent. The body of flesh is powerless to
rule over itself. The body was designed, not to rule, but to serve. It was created, not to command, but to
act. The body of flesh must have a master, like a slave. And there are only two masters that the body of
flesh can have either sin, or God.
When you were part of the old creation in Adam, you presented your body to the Sin, to do unclean works.
You went from lawlessness, to lawlessness. You presented the members of your body to the Sin, as
instruments of unrighteousness. Why did you do that? Because that served you; that fed the lusts and
desires of your heart, with its will for self.
You were a slave of the Sin, and therefore free from righteousness; you were incapable of doing the will of
God, because your motives were all for yourself. So you served the master, Sin, in your body. And that
was a shameful way to live; self-serving; dishonoring to you, as a creation of God, and to your Creator.
In verse 21, Paul speaks of the fruit of such a life; a metaphor for what is produced by it; the result of such
a life. What was it? Paul doesnt answer this directly, but indicates that the end of it is death.
Real fruit is always a sign of life. Fruit carries the seed of life, in it. But this unnamed fruit, the
lawlessness produced by serving the Sin, generates death instead. Paul is bringing out that this is an
unnatural product; it was never intended by God that men should remain in the creation in Adam, serving
sin in lawlessness.
But now, you have been set free from that old master, Sin. You have a new master God by whom you
are now empowered to serve, in righteousness. Paul exhorts believers to do so to begin right now.
Notice that as a slave of sin, you are free in regard to righteousness; and as a slave of righteousness, you
have been set free from sin. Paul is showing that only one can be your master; either you are a slave to sin,
in the old creation, or you are a new creation in Christ, a slave of righteousness. If I can speak for Paul
here, we need to reckon it so!
The term holiness in verses 19 and 22 actually refers not to the end result, but to the process of
sanctification. Sanctification is the translation we find in the Interlinear, a literal translation. The idea is
that having chosen God as our Master, we will serve righteousness; we will live the righteousness that
Christ has given to us.

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In verse 22, Paul indicates that this way of living will bear fruit; it will produce sanctification in the life of
the believer. We will be more and more set apart from the world, and more and more set apart to God, for
His purposes His consecrated servants. And what is the end of that, in verse 22? Everlasting Life, here
speaking of the glorification of the believer, a completed son of God, holy as God is holy.
Lets look back now, and consider how this is Pauls answer to the legalist, who suggests that laws or
principles be added to grace, to effect sanctification in the believer. Paul has laid out two very different
slaves, with two very different masters.
Sons of Adam serve sin in a kind of forced servitude; they had no choice about it; they were born slaves.
But they nonetheless present themselves to the Sin as their master, validating its mastery over them. And
that cruel master is working them to death, so to speak.
But the one who has put his faith in Christ Jesus has a very different master. God is a loving, wise,
beneficent Master; everything that He asks of His servants is designed to further His good purposes, and
that includes the good of the servant, to prosper him.
With God and His servants, grace reigns in righteousness; there is no need for any external law, to foster
their obedience; there is no need for any restraining rules, to curb their behavior. Why not? Because their
hearts are ruled by the love of God, and their love for God; and through that, the Holy Spirit is sanctifying
them, working Gods righteousness in, on the inside producing righteous character; which results in
righteousness on the outside righteous living.
Man cannot be made righteous by modifying his behavior through laws, rules and principles; by reforming
the flesh. The flesh is weak; it is powerless to do anything but to serve a strong master. That master used
to be the Sin, and in your will for self, you were continually presenting your body to that master.
But now you have a new Master; will you choose not to have a will for self, and present your body to Him,
so that His will is done? The change must begin in the heart in the inner man and the motive for the
change is love. That is the way of grace. God must effect this change, and its done in the inner man.
Therefore law external principles can have no place, in the work of sanctification.
This was Pauls whole point in his letter to the Galatians. Turn to Galatians chapter 5. False teachers had
come into those assemblies after Paul had departed, instructing the new believers that they needed to add
the works of the Law, to the gospel of grace.
Sadly, most of the Galatians even those who truly believed, in the assemblies were deceived by this
false doctrine. Why did they buy into it? Because after Paul had left, as they were learning to live their
righteousness, they found that they were still sinning, at times. They began to think that the Law might
help them to restrain sin. The Gentile believers were even thinking of becoming circumcised!
When Paul caught wind of this rampant deception, he was horrified. As he was unable at the time to come
to Galatia, he sent them this letter to strengthen them in the faith. Paul has been maligned by the false
teachers, and he first reestablishes his credentials as a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ. He reminds the
Galatian believers that they were saved by simple faith in Christ alone, and calls to mind their experience in
receiving the Holy Spirit, and His power all apart from the Law.
Paul then explains the true purposes of the Law which do not include making a man righteous. Their
liberty is in being led by the Holy Spirit; they are not to become entangled again with the Law the yoke of
bondage.

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Well begin in verse 18.

[Galatians 5:18-23]
v. 18 For the believer, the Holy Spirit within him guides him into all truth. This makes the law
unnecessary as a behavioral restraint, for the believer. Paul now shows why this is so.
v. 19-21 These are the works of the flesh; not an exhaustive catalog, but just a sampling. We see that it
includes actions that go on in the heart hatred, contentions, jealousies, and so on. Those who practice
such things as a way of life will not inherit the kingdom of God, because their habitual practice shows that
they are still part of that condemned creation in Adam.
v. 22-23 Look at the contrast between the work of the Spirit what the Spirit produces in the believer
and the works of the flesh. The works of the flesh are all things that a man does; the unrighteous works,
that come out of his unrighteous heart.
But the work of the Holy Spirit is done in the heart. The things that Paul lists here are not works, but
aspects of character love, joy, peace, and so on. The Holy Spirit creates righteous character, in the
believer, as the believer submits to Him. Righteous character will always lead to righteous conduct; it will
lead to the believer living his righteousness.
This is why Paul ends by saying, Against such there is no law no external laws or principles are needed
for a Christ One, because of what the Spirit is producing in him on the inside. As the believer submits to
the Spirit, grace reigns in righteousness from the inside, out.
[Return to Romans 6]
Paul now sums up what he has been saying.
v. 23 This is a much-quoted verse, but it is often misunderstood. Its meaning is crystal-clear, in the context
of what Paul has been saying, about the master-slave relationships. This is his summary statement on that
teaching.
The verse reflects the two masters the Sin, the master of those who are still in Adam, in bondage to sin;
and God, the master of those in Christ his bondservants.
Wages is money paid, for services rendered; a mans proper pay; his recompense. That harsh taskmaster,
the Sin, pays out wages, to those who serve it. What are those wages? Death.
Death has been the penalty for sin, from the beginning. The man who sins as a way of life serves the Sin;
he has remained a son of Adam, under the mastery of sin.
As a son of Adam, he has inherited that terrible family trait death. His body is a dead seed; theres no life
in it. So once the soul leaves that body, as the body lacks the life of God to raise it up a body of glory, it
will corrupt, and must be destroyed, in the Second Death.
The soul will be left unclothed forever; always naked, unfit for the presence of God; and will continue
forever in the Lake of Fire, in the separation which that person chose from God; from the One who should
have been his true Master. That is the wage which the Sin will pay out to the man who chooses to remain
in Adam, and serve it; death.

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But that man could have had another Master; a gracious Master. Instead of paying the man exactly what he
earned death this Master gives the man the free gift of eternal Life that which he could never earn, and
does not deserve but that which God, in His mercy and His love, gives freely to all of those who choose
to serve Him.
And God graciously gives men this gift right away, when they first place their faith in the One whom God
sent to bring them this gift of Life Everlasting; when they first submit to Gods rule over their lives, when
they first place themselves under Christ Jesus as their Lord. Immediately, they receive this gift of Life
Everlasting; they pass from death, into Life (Jn 5:24).
And as their Master works His righteousness into His bondservants, on the inside, through His Spirit, His
bondservants are being sanctified. They are learning to live their righteousness, as they respond in love to
the love of the Master for them so that when they meet Him face to face, they will be holy as He is holy
His glorified sons of God. What a Master!
Next week: Romans 7.