Exploring Romans/No Longer Slaves

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verse 1 says:

Should we sin because of Grace?

Certainly NOT!

Notice here that he isn’t referring to unintentional sin that happens in a moment of weakness but rather he’s referring to unrepentant sin.

Notice he says “shall we CONTINUE in sin?”.

There is a difference in sin that we ignorantly fall into and sin that we willingly ignore.

Verse 2

He goes on to say: How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

I think the real problem we face today is that most new converts never truly die to their sin.

If we never truly die to our sin nature then are we ever truly saved?

Verses 3-6

He then goes onto say that if we are going to share the resurrection with Christ we have to share His death and burial also.

He said that our old man and this body of sin shall be done away with so that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

How many of you are slaves to sin today?

If you have an addiction in your life then you are a slave to sin.

If you have anything that you say you can’t quit or exercise dominion over than you are a slave to it.

Some might say I’m a slave to unhealthy eating.

Verses 7-9

Paul makes further mention of Jesus’ victory over death, Jesus died to sin once and for all.

If Jesus died once and for all then He lives to God forevermore.

Verses 10-11

If Jesus died once and for all and lives to God then we should RECKON ourselves to be dead INDEED to sin, and ALIVE to God in Christ Jesus.

Reckon Ourelves

Reckon and Indeed

Dead Indeed

Alive to God

In Christ Jesus

Verse 12

Don’t let sin reign in your mortal body

The body lusts after wicked things

Verse13

Don’t present your bodies as instruments of unrighteousness to sin.

But instead Present your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

If you were a piano what would you sound like to God tonight?

Verse 14

Sin SHALL NOT have dominion over you because you are under Grace.

Verses 15-16

Paul again asserts that we shouldn’t sin just because we have grace. And goes on to say that we are slaves to whoever we present ourselves to obey.

Whether it’s sin leading to death or Obedience leading to Righteousness

Verse 17

But thanks be to God that though we were slaves of sin we are now free from sin.

Verse 18-22

Now that we are freed from slavery to sin we should become slaves of Righteousness.

Verse23

For the wages of sin is death

We all have earned death because we’ve all sinned.

But the gift of God is Eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A gift isn’t earned but is the result of another’s love and affection toward us.

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

12 ‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but I will not be mastered by anything.

1 Corinthians 6:12

Galatians 5:13–14 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

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