Rom 6:15-20 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 15. What then? shall we sin , etc. The apostle proceeds to notice an objection which might be suggested. "If Christians are not under the law, which forbids all sin, but are under grace, which pardons sin, will it not follow that they will feel themselves released from obligation to be holy? Will they not commit sin freely, since the system of grace is one which contemplates pardon, and which will lead them to believe that they may be forgiven to any extent?" This consequence has been drawn by many professing Christians; and it was well, therefore, for the apostle to guard against it. God forbid . .

Romans 6:15-20

Verse 15. What then? shall we sin, etc. The apostle proceeds to notice an objection which might be suggested. "If Christians are not under the law, which forbids all sin, but are under grace, which pardons sin, will it not follow that they will feel themselves released from obligation to be holy? Will they not commit sin freely, since the system of grace is one which contemplates pardon, and which will lead them to believe that they may be forgiven to any extent?" This consequence has been drawn by many professing Christians; and it was well, therefore, for the apostle to guard against it.

God forbid. Rom 3:4. Verse 16. Know ye not, etc. The objection noticed in Rom 6:15 the apostle answers by a reference to the known laws of servitude or slavery, (Rom 6:16-20,) and by showing that Christians, who had been the slaves of sin, have now become the servants of righteousness, and were therefore bound by the proper laws of servitude to obey their new master; as if he had said, "I assume that you know; you are acquainted with the laws of servitude; you know what is required in such cases." This would be known to all who had been either masters or slaves, or who had observed the usual laws and obligations of servitude.

To whom ye yield yourselves. To whom ye give up yourselves for servitude or obedience. The apostle here refers to voluntary servitude; but where this existed, the power of the master over the time and services of the servant was absolute. The argument of the apostle is, that Christians had become the voluntary servants of God, and were therefore bound to obey him entirely. Servitude among the ancients, whether voluntary or involuntary, was rigid, and gave the master an absolute right over his slave, Lk 17:9, Jn 8:34, 15:15.

To obey. To be obedient; or for the purpose of obeying his commands.

To whom ye obey. To whom ye come under subjection. That is, you are bound to obey his requirements.

Whether of sin. The general law of servitude the apostle now applies to the case before him. If men became the servants of sin, if they gave themselves to its indulgence, they would obey it, let the consequences be what they might. Even with death, and ruin, and condemnation before them, they would obey sin. They give indulgence to their evil passions and desires, and follow them as obedient servants, even if they lead them down to hell. Whatever be the consequences of sin, yet he who yields to it must abide by them, even if it leads him down to death and eternal woe.

Or of obedience, etc. The same law exists in regard to holiness or obedience. The man who becomes the servant of holiness will feel himself bound by the law of servitude to obey, and to pursue it to its regular consequences.

Unto righteousness. Unto justification; that is, unto eternal life. The expression stands contrasted with "death," and doubtless means that he who thus becomes the voluntary servant of holiness will feel himself bound to obey it, unto complete and eternal justification and life. Comp. Rom 6:21,22. The argument is drawn from what the Christian would feel of the nature of obligation. He would obey him to whom he had devoted himself.

(y) "whom ye yield" Jn 8:34, 2Pet 2:19 Verse 17. But God be thanked. The argument in this verse is drawn from a direct appeal to the feelings of the Roman Christians themselves. From their experience Paul was able to draw a demonstration to his purpose, and this was with him a ground of gratitude, to God.

That ye were, etc. The sense of this passage is plain. The ground of the thanksgiving was not that they had been the slaves of sin; but it is, that notwithstanding this, or although they had been thus, yet that they were now obedient. To give thanks to God that men were sinners, would contradict the whole spirit of this argument, and of the Bible. But to give thanks that although men had been sinners, yet that now they had become obedient that is, that great sinners had become converted--is in entire accordance with the spirit of the Bible, and with propriety. The word although or whereas, understood here, expresses the sense, "But thanks unto God, that whereas ye were the servants of sin," etc. Christians should thank God that they themselves, though once great sinners, have become converted; and when others who are great sinners are converted, they should praise him.

The servants of sin. This is a strong expression implying that they had been in bondage to sin; that they had been completely its slaves.

From the heart. Not in external form only; but as a cordial, sincere, and entire service. No other obedience is genuine.

That form of doctrine. Greek, Type. Rom 5:14. The form or type of doctrine means that shape or model of instruction which was communicated. It does not differ materially from the doctrine itself, "you have obeyed that doctrine," etc. You have yielded obedience to the instructions, the rules, the tenor of the Christian revelation. The word doctrine does not refer to an abstract dogma, but means instruction, that which is taught. And the meaning of the whole expression is simply, that they had yielded a cheerful and hearty obedience to that which had been communicated to them by the teachers of the Christian religion. Comp. Rom 1:8.

Which was delivered you. Marg.," Whereto ye were delivered." This is a literal translation of the Greek; and the sense is simply in which you have been instructed.

(z) "form of" 2Ti 1:13 (1) "doctrine" or, "whereto you were delivered" 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 Verse 19. I speak after the manner of men. I speak as men usually speak; or I draw an illustration from common life, in order to make myself better understood.

Because of the infirmity of your flesh. The word infirmity means weakness, feebleness; and is opposed to rigour and strength. The word flesh is used often to denote the corrupt passions of men; but it may refer here to their intellect, or understanding: "because of your imperfection of spiritual knowledge; or incapacity to discern arguments and illustrations that would be more strictly spiritual in their character." This dimness or feebleness had been caused by long indulgence in sinful passions, and by the blinding influence which such passions have on the mind. The sense here is, "I use an illustration drawn from common affairs, from the well-known relations of master and slave, because you will better see the force of such an illustration with which you have been familiar, than you would one that would be more abstract, and more strictly spiritual." It is a kind of apology for drawing an illustration from the relation of master and slave.

For as ye have yielded. Rom 6:13.

Servants to uncleanness. Have been in bondage to impurity. The word uncleanness here refers to impurity of life in any form; to the degraded passions that were common among the heathen. See Rom 1.

And to iniquity. Transgression of law.

Unto iniquity. For the purpose of committing iniquity. It implies that they had done it in an excessive degree. It is web for Christians to be reminded of their former lives, to awaken repentance, to excite gratitude, to produce humility and a firmer purpose to live to the honour of God. This is the use which the apostle here makes of it.

Unto holiness. In order to practise holiness. Let the surrender of your members to holiness be as sincere and as unqualified as the surrender was to sin. This is all that is required of Christians. Before conversion they were wholly given to sin; after conversion they should be wholly given to God. If all Christians would employ the same energies in advancing the kingdom of God that they have in promoting the kingdom of Satan, the church would rise with dignity and grandeur, and every continent and island would soon feel the movement. No requirement is more reasonable than this; and it should be a source of lamentation and mourning with Christians that it is not so; that they have employed so mighty energies in the cause of Satan, and do so little in the service of God. This argument for energy in the divine life the apostle proceeds further to illustrate, by comparing the rewards obtained in the two kinds of servitude, that of the world and of God. Verse 20. Ye were free from righteousness. That is, in your former state, you were not at all under the influence of righteousness. You were entirely devoted to sin; a strong expression of total depravity. It settles the question; and proves that they had no native goodness. The argument which is implied here, rather than expressed, is, that now they ought to be equally free from sin, since they had become released from their former bondage, and had become the servants of another master.

(b) "servants of sin" Rom 6:16 (1) "from" or, "to"