Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

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 ^[a]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 ^[b]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 ^[c]to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the ^[d]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NKJV) 

 ¿Qué, pues? ¿Pecaremos, porque no estamos bajo la ley, sino bajo la gracia? En ninguna manera. ¹⁶ ¿No sabéis que si os sometéis a alguien como esclavos para obedecerle, sois esclavos de aquel a quien obedecéis, sea del pecado para muerte, o sea de la obediencia para justicia? ¹⁷ Pero gracias a Dios, que aunque erais esclavos del pecado, habéis obedecido de corazón a aquella forma de doctrina a la cual fuisteis entregados; ¹⁸ y libertados del pecado, vinisteis a ser siervos de la justicia. ¹⁹ Hablo como humano, por vuestra humana debilidad; que así como para iniquidad presentasteis vuestros miembros para servir a la inmundicia y a la iniquidad, así ahora para santificación presentad vuestros miembros para servir a la justicia. ²⁰ Porque cuando erais esclavos del pecado, erais libres acerca de la justicia. ²¹ ¿Pero qué fruto teníais de aquellas cosas de las cuales ahora os avergonzáis? Porque el fin de ellas es muerte. ²² Mas ahora que habéis sido libertados del pecado y hechos siervos de Dios, tenéis por vuestro fruto la santificación, y como fin, la vida eterna. ²³ Porque la paga del pecado es muerte, mas la dádiva de Dios es vida eterna en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro. (RVR 1960)

This week I have decided to take one passage of scripture concentrate on that and  really dig into it. 

CONTEXT: 

     The Apostle Paul is about 3/4 of his way through his discussion (Chapters 1-8) on the Foundations and Fundamentals of the Christian Faith.  He ended Chapter 5:12-21 with an explanation of how as believers we are dead because of our natural sin nature but made alive in Christ. 

 Paul continues that thought in Chapter 6:1-14  explaining how if we are alive in Christ we are dead to sin. He is careful to point out that this does not mean without sin but our sin nature is dead. We are not to present ourselves as instruments of sin, but humbly as tools of righteousness. That it does not reign in us any longer that is reserved for Christ Alone through Grace Alone. 

    That leads us to our main text above. 

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 

Paul draws the obvious conclusion, just because we are not obligated under the “law” and are redeemed under Grace that does not give us a ‘licence to sin’. We have all heard the expression “Once saved always saved” and the arguments for and against it. The chief argument against that I have always heard is that it gives someone that license to sin. My response is then they were never saved, for we will know them by their fruit. 

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?

I have been asked about this passage by many a non-believer, usually something to the effect ‘why would you want to be someones slave.’ They have the mistaken picture of Hollywood tortured and mistreated slaves. This is not the slavery Paul speaks of when he writes: whom you present yourselves slaves to obey. Note it is we presenting ourselves, the original languages make it clear this is a willing act not a forced action. Paul is saying whom is it you are going to obey sin and death or obedience and life eternal?

A true converted, redeemed child of God will ALWAYS be a SLAVE to Christ and LIFE.