Romans 6 - Day 324 (link to today's reading)
Scripture: Romans 6:20-23 Commentary: Paul concludes the first half of this chapter with exhortations to refuse to allow sin to reign in us, and to offer ourselves to God instead, as instruments of His righteousness. Paul now continues by offering a rationale for following these commands. In 6:15 he asks a rhetorical question that forms the basis for the argument that follows in this section. Should we continue in sin because there is no longer any condemnation awaiting us? If the penalty of sin is removed, why not just go ahead and sin? Paul answers by addressing the issue in terms of slavery. He frames verse 16 as if the answer is obvious. When we choose to sin, our action has greater ramifications than we might realize. We are choosing to offer ourselves to sin instead of to God (6:12–13). In doing so, we choose whom we will obey—to whom we will enslave ourselves. Before Christ entered our lives, we had no choice—we were slaves to sin (17a), and that enslavement leads to death... In 6:23 Paul concludes the chapter with what has become a famous memory verse—but one I doubt is properly understood in its broader context. Paul appeals to believers not to return to their old lives, and he offers this statement as motivation to fight the urge to re-enslave ourselves to sin. In his parting shot, Paul forces us to consider what “wages” we will receive for our devotion. A life devoted to serving God leads to eternal life. This life won’t be easy, but we have the promise that being indentured to God will sanctify us and make us more like Him. The alternative is death—death is the “reward” for a life of sin. As believers, even though we have accepted God’s gift of righteousness by faith and we are delivered from the penalty of sin (6:1, 15), we still must choose where we will devote our lives. Paul challenges us to invest in a life that will pay the dividends that God intended.1 1 Runge, S. E. (2014). High Definition Commentary: Romans (p. 116). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. Application: Late in the sixth century, Pope Gregory 1 took it upon himself to categorize "7 Deadly Sins" (pride, envy, wrath, gluttony, lust, sloth, and greed) that has enslaved humanity since the beginning. Thank God that we are no longer slaves to sin and are free in Christ. Prayer: Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you... Comments are closed.
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