Romans 6:15-23 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Romans 6:15-23

• Context:
  • Paul has been telling us in Chapter 6 that when we make the choice to follow Christ it has some major implications on our lives. He has pointed out that we are connected to Christ’s death in baptism and in a real sense our old self is crucified, put to death and we are also connected to a new resurrected life in Christ. But we must go forward living counting ourselves dead to sin but alive to God.
  • Review: Romans 6:13-14
    • 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.
  • What changes have taken place here? Changes of how we are using our lives, change of masters & a change what we are under, law to grace.
• Things to consider in our text:
  • The law- here would represent any law we live under before becoming a Christian.
  • Relationship to the Law- Our personal move from being under law to grace, changes our relationship to the law in significant ways but not in every way. We are no longer under law as a way of salvation but we are still under law in how we should live to please God. We are not under the penalties of the law but under but under its commands.
• Roman 6:15
• 15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not!
  • What might make the law attractive as a way of salvation?
    • There is something I can do, I am not depending on anyone else. That’s the American way. Pull yourself up by your own boot strap. We can take pride and even boast in what we have done.
  • What is the problem of keeping the law?
    • Since we never keep manmade laws perfectly and are rarely punished for it many think God will be the same way. Some think God will let them off on the minor infractions. But that is not how it works. The only way to be saved under law is to keep it perfectly. If you break one part of it you are guilty for all of it.
  • Does freedom from the law mean we are free to break the law, sin?
    • The answer is “NO!” Prior Grace does not diminish our obligation to obey the Lord’s commands.  Accepting grace means we are abandoning the law as a way of salvation. (Based on our  performance)  But the Law still defines sin.
  • When are we under law?
    • Prior to accepting God’s gracious promise of salvation.  Every individual is under some kind of law (trusting their performance to save them)…Being under grace means you are trusting God’s promises rather than your goodness. Once accepting what Jesus has done for them and obeying the gospel, they are under grace…This applies to Adam, Moses, David, Paul and us…Do you think any of these thought they were good enough to earn salvation?
• Romans 6:16
• 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?
  • How does Paul define slavery here?
    • Whoever you offer yourself to in obedience.
  • Is there a possibility we can’t be slave?
    • No! We are slaves and always will be…the question is will it be under law to sin or under grace to God…the choice to us, is who will be our master.
• Romans 6:17-18
• 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.
  • When do we choose to be slaves of righteousness?
    • When we come to Christ in faith and repentance, confession and baptism, seeking to live in step with the Spirit. 
  • What are they obeying in these verses?
    • Evidently Christ’s teaching…taught to them.
• Romans 6:19-21
• 19 I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. 21 So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death.
  • What is the example from everyday life was Paul using to explain a great spiritual truth?
    • Human slavery. So he is using a common everyday human relationship in that day to help us understand our spiritual condition.
  • What might be our human limitations?
    • Other translations say: Weak in your flesh our natural selves- Paul is using the slave analogy because it is difficult to understand. 
  • What is the before and after picture Paul is making here?
    • Before you offered yourselves as slaves to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness…the after picture is very different slave to righteousness and holiness.
  • Is there any benefit to being a slave to sin?  What does that lead too?
    • Death
• Romans 6:22-23
• 22 But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
  • To be the Lord’s slave, what does He set us free from?
    • Sin and slavery to it…we are set free from the penalty of sin but also set free from the power of sin over us. 
  • Is there any benefit to being a slave to God?
    • Holiness- eternal life
  • Look at verse 23 this is one that gets quoted often.  What is the difference between wages and a gift?
    • A wage is earned…it is what we deserve. A gift is not earned but freely given. Wages is it what happens if we try to earn our salvation under some kind of law…we will get what we deserve.
  • The gift is what Jesus Christ has done for us giving us eternal life…we don’t deserve it…but it is given to us…Grace.   
• TAKE AWAY
  • What are our choices?
    • To choose our master sin or the Lord.  
  • How often does this choice need to be made?
    • Many times any time we are tempted offer our bodies to sin.
  • Does being saved by grace give us license to sin?
    • No… 
  • How is a Christian to view sin?
    • No longer our master…with the Lords help