Slavery is a topic that reminds us of bad events from our country’s history. In times past, people were purchased and sold as property. They were often cruelly treated and were forced to serve their owner as permanent slaves. If you are in any doubt as to how bad it got, you should read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. He wrote that book in 1845 to help people understand the evils that accompanied slavery in America. What he reveals about slavery is terrible. Thankfully, that evil practice was finally abolished in 1865 when the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified.
However, you may be surprised to find that slavery is mentioned several times in the Bible. In the Old Testament, people could sell themselves and their families to pay a debt. This would usually take a number of years to pay off the debt. But after the debt was paid, they would have the option of remaining a slave by their own choice. It sounds inconceivable, but some people made the choice to remail slaves to their masters. Keep this in mind as we read today’s passage in the Bible.
- What does it say? (Rom. 6:15-23)
Paul begins this section with a question based on what was previously discussed. Earlier in the chapter, he had asked whether they should continue in sin that grace could abound. The answer was, “Certainly not!” It didn’t make sense for those who have died to sin to continue living in it.
In our current passage, Paul asked another question. Should Christians sin since they are under grace instead of the law? Of course not! Didn’t they know that they would become slaves to whomever they obeyed. They could choose to become slaves to sin or to righteous living. Thankfully, because of God and despite their previous slavery to sin, they had obeyed the doctrine that had been given. And when they were set free from sin, they became slaves to righteousness. He spoke to them in a way that they could understand. In the same way that they had presented themselves as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness (which led to more lawlessness), they should now present themselves as slaves to righteousness (which would lead to holiness). When they were slaves to sin, they had nothing to do with righteousness. But what was the result of their shameful activity? It produced death. In contrast, now that they had been set free from sin, they had become slaves of God. The result of that was holiness and eventually eternal life. To sum it up, the wage earned from sinning is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ. - What does it mean?
The passage just read can be divided into two parts. The first part deals with choosing whom to serve (15-19). The second part deals with the results of the previous choice (20-23). Let’s take a look at how Paul develops these thoughts.
You will become a slave to whomever you choose to serve (Rom. 6:15-19).
You have to make a choice (16). Paul had previously asked whether they should sin because they were not under the law. The answer was obvious. Certainly not! He then asked them if they understood how their choices would lead to slavery. Slavery is a strong word in the context of American history. We usually think of slavery as the unlawful kidnapping and selling of people without their consent. But here, Paul used the term to describe a voluntary choice. If someone chose to obey his sinful desires, he would eventually become a slave to sin and earn death. On the other hand, if someone chose to obey God, he would become a slave to righteous living. Their choice was what would make the difference.
You have already made the right choice (17-18). As Paul looked back at their history, he thanked God that they had made the right choice. When confronted about their sin and need to believe in Jesus, they chose to obey from their hearts. We often think of salvation as repentance and faith. But Paul rightly said that they had obeyed what they had been taught. This obedience, though not spelled out here, was a voluntary response to what they had received from those who told them about God’s salvation through Jesus. When they believed, God set them free from their sin, and they chose to become slaves to righteousness. In other words, they left their slavery to sin to willingly serve God by living righteous lives.
You must continue to make the right choice (19). Although God had brought them to this point, Paul knew that they were still weak in the flesh. The temptation to sin was still there and they needed to continue to make the right choice. Their prior experience had been voluntary slavery to uncleanness and lawlessness. During that part of their lives, they had become progressively more lawless. In other words, their poor choice led to more and more sin. But now they needed to be as committed to being slaves of righteousness as they had previously been to sin. As they did so, they would progressively become more and more holy for God. This would be a choice they would need to continue to make throughout their lives.
Paul’s point in this section is to say that every believer must choose whom they will serve. They used to be slaves to sin, but then they became slaves to righteousness. Now they had to make the continued choice to be holy for God. With that choice in mind, Paul now moves on to another important point.
You will be rewarded by whomever you choose to serve (Rom. 6:20-23).
You were free from righteousness (20). Paul looked back on their sinful past. They had been slaves to sin. While not named specifically in this passage, Paul elsewhere listed the type of sins other believers had been involved with.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you.” —1 Cor. 6:9-11
Before they had been changed by God, these Roman believers had probably been involved in similar sins. They were slaves to sins and were free from any desire to be righteous for God. But was it worth it?
You were rewarded by sin (21). When you voluntarily invest yourself in an activity, you do so for what you get out of it. Paul asked these believers what they had gotten out of their previous lifestyle. He knew what their answer would be before he asked the question. They were ashamed of their previous sinful activity. When a Christian is changed by God, he doesn’t view things the same way as he once did. What was enjoyed in the past is now something to be ashamed of. How could I have sinned against God so blatantly? Why was I so self-focused? And to take things a step further, what was the end result of living a sinful life? Paul stated that the end was death. Yes, there is pleasure in sin for a season, but the end result is death and the eternal judgment that follows.
You were rewarded by God (22). Thankfully, God did something in their lives that overcame their desire to serve sin. God set them free from their slavery to sin when they repented of it and placed their faith in Jesus. Now that they had voluntarily become slaves to God, there was a much better result. Their choice had led to holiness. Now, because of Christ, they had become holy instead of shamefully sinful. And the end of this journey would end not in eternal death but in everlasting life with God forever. This is a much better result than what their previous slavery had promised. - How does it apply?
Paul ended by contrasting the results of sin and God’s gift (Rom. 6:23). Sin leads to death while God’s gift leads to eternal life. And that life is provided through the Lord Jesus Christ. As you think about those two results, which would best describe the choices you have made?
Who have you chosen to serve?
When you repent of your sin and put your faith in Jesus, God makes a remarkable change in your life. He changes your heart and opens your eyes to how bad things actually were while you served sin. With your spiritual eyes opened, you chose not only to believe but to voluntarily serve Him as your Master. That is a great choice. But it is a choice that you need to continue making during your entire life.
Although you may be a Christian, I need to ask you a question. Who have you chosen to serve? Are you currently serving the Lord and seeking to live a holy life for Him? Or have you drifted back to your previous commitment to sin? It can happen to the best of us. If you are not serving the Lord with your life, will you take this moment to return to Him? With His help, repent of your sin and get back to serving the right Master.
How are you enjoying the results?
There are times when serving sin may seem enjoyable. You indulge in your sinful pleasures and think that you get away with it, but do you? As we have learned in our passage today, sin produces shame, lawlessness, and eventually death. Are these the results you are looking for? It would be better for you to turn from your sins and to serve the Lord with a righteous life. The end result of that choice will be holiness and thankfulness to God.
Perhaps you haven’t thought through your current life choices. If you are serving sin, recognize that this will only lead to shame and regret. Why not turn from those sins that have been ruining your life? Then choose to voluntarily serve the Lord and live a holy life for Him. You will not regret it.
Conclusion
At the beginning of the message, I mentioned how slaves were given the opportunity to remain with a master they liked. This may seem strange to us when compared with our country’s experience with slavery. It would seem even stranger if the master was cruel. Now think about what we just studied in Romans 6. Each of us is a slave to whomever we choose to serve. Sin offers short-term pleasure but also shame, lawlessness and death. God offers freedom, holiness, and eternal life. Which master will you choose to serve?
Bibliography
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Vol IV, Matthew through Romans, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983.
Witmer, John A., “Romans” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary New Testament, USA: SP Publications, 1983.