Joh 8:36, Rom 6:18, 22 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 36. If the Son , &c. The Son of God --heir of all things--who is for ever with God, and who has therefore the right and power to liberate men from their thraldom. Shall make you free . Shall deliver you from the bondage and dominion of sin. Free indeed . Truly and really free. You shall be blessed with the most valuable freedom; not from the chains and oppressions of earthly masters and monarchs, but from the bondage of sin. (g) "the Son" (h) "ye shall be free"

John 8:36

Verse 36. If the Son, &c. The Son of God --heir of all things--who is for ever with God, and who has therefore the right and power to liberate men from their thraldom.

Shall make you free. Shall deliver you from the bondage and dominion of sin.

Free indeed. Truly and really free. You shall be blessed with the most valuable freedom; not from the chains and oppressions of earthly masters and monarchs, but from the bondage of sin.

(g) "the Son" Gal 4:30 (h) "ye shall be free" Isa 61:1

Romans 6:18

Verse 18. Being then made free from sin. That is, as a master. You are not under its dominion; you are no longer its slaves. They were made free, as a servant is who is set at liberty, and who is, therefore, no longer under obligation to obey.

Ye became the servants, etc. You became voluntarily under the dominion of righteousness; you yielded yourselves to it; and are therefore bound to be holy. Comp. Jn 8:32.

(a) "free from sin" Jn 8:32

Romans 6:22

Verse 22. But now. Under the Christian plan of justification.

Being made free from sin. Being delivered from its dominion, and from bondage; in the same manner as before conversion they were free from righteousness, Rom 6:20.

Ye have your fruit unto holiness. The fruit or result is holiness. This service produces holiness, as the other did sin. It is implied here, though not expressly affirmed, that in this service, which leads to holiness, they received important benefits, as in the service of sin they had experienced many evils.

And the end. The final result--the ultimate consequence will be. At present this service produces holiness; hereafter it will terminate in everlasting life. By this consideration the apostle states the tendency of the plan of justification, and urges on them the duty of striving after holiness.

Everlasting life. Jn 3:36. This stands in contrast with the word death in Ro 6:21, and shows its meaning. One is just as long in duration as the other; and if the one is limited, the other is. If those who obey shall be blessed with life for ever, those who disobey will be cursed with death for ever. Never was there an antithesis more manifest and more clear. And there could not be a stronger proof than the word death, in Rom 6:21, refers not to temporal death, but to eternal punishment. For what force would there be in the argument on the supposition that temporal death only is meant? The argument would stand thus, "The end of those sins is to produce temporal death; the end of holiness is to produce eternal life!" Will not temporal death be inflicted, it would be immediately asked, at any rate? Are Christians exempt from it? And do not men suffer this, whether they become Christians or not? How, then, could this be an argument bearing on the tenor of the apostle's reasoning? But admit the fair and obvious construction of the passage to be the true one, and it becomes plain. They were pursuing a course tending to everlasting ruin; they are now in a path that shall terminate in eternal life. By this weighty consideration, therefore, they are urged to be holy.