slaves (Romans 6:15-23)

[jars of clay]

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


The Greek/Roman social ladder was set up on two basic levels. You were either a slave, or a free man. Something that the people in the city of Rome placed very high in importance was if you were slave or free. This idea is echoed in our own culture, you are not really human if you have to be bossed around all day. Paul understood this, and used it to get his point across. He starts off by saying that we are not to forget what the law says, that in fact true believers will not not forget the law of God when they hear they are not bound to it, but instead will see the law as establishing a way that Christians will try to live by as they are filled and filled in an overflowing manner with Christ's love for them.

Paul goes on though, he says that either we will be slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. What Paul is getting at is that there are only two sides, there are only two masters. Either you will be a slave to one or the other. Notice however Paul does not leave the option open of being free. Again he is equalling all just as he had done earlier in the letter by showing all have sinned and that knowledge of the law is not enough. Here he is targeting the people of Rome. Slave or free, Paul is saying that all are either on one of two sides.

Paul says something else though. In this passage, he echoes Christ by also saying that men cannot be on both sides at once (15-16). This is something we all try to do. We want what looks like the pleasures of the world, but we also want the grace that comes through faith in Christ. These Paul says, cannot both come, because a true christian will have fruit.

What kind of fruit though? Is this merely good works that we are supposed to hammer out so that we may judge others who are not as holy as we? NO! Paul is not speaking of the fruit of flesh, or works that we humans do, but the fruit that is a sign that we have the holy spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control. These are the marks of a true believer. Go to Corinthians 13:1-3, and also 1 John 4-5. "They will know we are Christians by our ___" by our works? No, for if we do it on our own we will judge others because of pride that is in our hearts. but if they are from the spirit then we will be humble, because we know that we are unworthy for grace, and that we have done nothing to earn what God has offered.

In parting you are either a slave to God, or a slave to sin. What does your life show? do you have the fruit of the spirit? Or are you trying to prove your salvation by doing good deeds, which are not good as they are an attempt to bribe God.