The big picture
Grace has been described as greater than sin. Paul now answers the dangerous conclusion that more sin would therefore be desirable. Paul is Jesus Christ's messenger, writing to believers in Rome, the imperial capital. He turns to their baptism, the washing that marks their belonging to Jesus. Sharing in Jesus' death and risen life changes who rules them. The chapter uses the hard language of slavery to contrast the old master with the new life given by God.
In this chapter
- Baptism Joins Death and New Life Romans 6:1-7
Paul rejects the idea of continuing in sin to increase grace.
- A Body Offered to God Romans 6:8-14
Jesus' resurrection is final: death no longer rules him.
- Obedience Shows the New Master Romans 6:15-19
Paul rejects another version of the excuse: being under grace does not permit sin.
- Sin Pays Death but God Gives Life Romans 6:20-23
Service to sin once left the believers free from righteousness, but that freedom produced acts they now find shameful.
Central truth
Union with Jesus breaks sin's claim to rule, so grace leads believers into new obedience rather than permission to continue wrongdoing.
Scripture beside the summary
Romans · King James Version · 23Romans 6:1-7
Baptism Joins Death and New Life
Paul rejects the idea of continuing in sin to increase grace. Those who died to sin cannot treat it as their normal home. Baptism into Jesus joins believers to his death and burial so they can live a new life through his resurrection. Christian traditions differ on precisely how baptism brings or expresses this union. Paul says the old self was crucified with Christ so sin would no longer hold the body in service. Death ends that old claim. Sharing the likeness of Jesus' death points toward sharing his risen life, not returning unchanged to the former master.
In everyday life
A discharged soldier hands back the insignia of a unit he has left and begins work under a new civilian contract. His former commander keeps sending orders, but those orders no longer define his duty. The formal change calls for a different daily life. Paul describes participation in Jesus' death and resurrection, not merely a change of employment.
Notice
Romans 6:4 Burial with Christ is linked to walking in a new life. Paul does not treat baptism only as a memory of death without a present consequence.
Romans 6:1-7
King James Version1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Romans 6:8-14
A Body Offered to God
Jesus' resurrection is final: death no longer rules him. He died with respect to sin once and now lives to God. Paul calls believers to reckon themselves dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus. Their mortal bodies must not become a throne for sin's desires. Hands, speech, and other bodily powers are to serve righteousness rather than wrongdoing. They present themselves to God as people brought from death to life. Sin will not rule them, because their standing is under grace rather than the law. The promised freedom has a bodily, daily expression.
In everyday life
A recovered fraudster sits at the same keyboard once used to steal and now enters accurate accounts for a food pantry. The equipment has not changed, but the purpose governing his hands has. Old habits do not have the right to direct the next entry. Paul's new allegiance is life offered to God through union with Jesus.
Notice
Romans 6:13 The body is not discarded as useless. Its parts can become instruments of righteousness, so the change of rule reshapes actual conduct.
Romans 6:8-14
King James Version8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:15-19
Obedience Shows the New Master
Paul rejects another version of the excuse: being under grace does not permit sin. A person becomes the servant of what he obeys. Sin leads toward death; obedience leads toward righteousness. Paul thanks God that the believers, formerly enslaved to sin, have obeyed the teaching from the heart. Freed from sin, they now serve righteousness. He admits that slavery is a human comparison adapted to their weakness. Their bodies once served impurity and deepening wrong. Now their bodily service is to produce holiness, a life set apart for God.
In everyday life
A sober house resident gives his evening hours to a recovery meeting instead of answering the dealer who once controlled his nights. His calendar begins to show which voice he follows. Freedom from one demand takes shape through a new pattern of commitment. Paul's slavery image describes obedience to righteousness, not the full experience of addiction recovery.
Notice
Romans 6:17 Heartfelt obedience is the reason for Paul’s thanks to God. The change is more than an outward order enforced while the former loyalty remains untouched.
Romans 6:15-19
King James Version15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Romans 6:20-23
Sin Pays Death but God Gives Life
Service to sin once left the believers free from righteousness, but that freedom produced acts they now find shameful. Its destination was death. Their release from sin and new service to God produces holiness and ends in eternal life. Paul closes by contrasting wages with a gift. Death is what sin pays its servants. Eternal life is what God gives through Jesus Christ. The two outcomes are not presented as rival wage packets earned in the same way. The new life belongs to grace, even as it bears a different kind of fruit.
In everyday life
A quarry worker reads the final account from an exploitative employer and sees only debt and injury after years of service. A neighbour offers a place to recover without demanding repayment for the bed and meals. The two accounts operate on different terms. Paul's contrast is between sin's wage of death and God's gift of eternal life.
Notice
Romans 6:23 Death is called a wage, while life is called a gift. That contrast prevents the new service from becoming a claim that God owes salvation as pay.
Romans 6:20-23
King James Version20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Romans 6:1 begins with “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”
Where the chapter turns
Romans 6:15 forms a natural hinge: “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”
The final note
Romans 6:23 leaves the reader with “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words servants, dead, death, Christ, righteousness, members help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- dominion
- Power to rule over someone or something.
- members
- Parts of the body, considered here as tools for action.
- infirmity
- Weakness or limited strength, here in human understanding and conduct.
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
