Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 13 - Shall we sin, because we are not under the law)
In Rom.6:1-13, Paul teaches us that in a positional (or heavenly) state, we are dead to sin, having been crucified with Christ, and that we need to accept this by faith so that as Christ was resurrected by the power of God, so we too can walk in that newness of the resurrection life of Christ. In additional to coming to this understanding concerning sin, we are also introduced to the truth that we are also dead to the law by the body of Christ. See these few verses to highlight the fact,
Rom.3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; … 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. …
Rom.6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Though Paul expounds on this topic in chapter 7, he starts this topic in chapter 6 with another rhetorical question to counteract and neutralize the reasoning mind of believers, saying, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?”
Paul answers his question emphatically with, “God forbid”, to halt that wrong mindset, and then providing the actual answer concerning what we need to faithfully attend to, and commit to, as our doctrine. Let’s dig into what Paul’s answer is and what we are to do with it.
Paul’s anticipated response of a carnal mind:
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (16) KNOW YE NOT, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
These few verses are the foundational truth of our doctrine for overcoming the law. If we receive this advice by faith, by unwaveringly believing these words as truth, and we attend to these words and apply it to our lives, it will free us from a corrupt mindset and launch us into sanctification and into a deeper spiritual walk with God. The command is not difficult, but it requires commitment. The command is attainable if we choose to get into our doctrine and have it form within us so that it can influence our minds and allow us to give over to obedience to it.
So, what does Paul actually tell us? Let us overview the above statements and evaluate our faith and commitment to the instructions.
We are told that it is a corrupt mind that would continue in sin because they have been freed from the law. If the death of Christ was to provide us the means to die to sin, why would one even consider this approach! Though it is reasonable to think this way from a carnal viewpoint, it goes against the values and purpose of the cross and the power to free us from sin and the law.
From here, Paul launches into further questions to bring that line of thinking back on track. I like the way he exclaims, “Know ye not....”. In other words, he is inferring that we are to already know the truths that he is about to remind us with. There are two things to note in the above verses.
First, notice how Paul does not say “righteousness unto life” but rather he says, “obedience unto righteousness.” If the former were true, all you would be doing is placing yourself under the law to try to be righteous. This is death! The letter kills, but the spirit gives life, 2Cor.3:6. Obedience unto righteousness is submitting to the working of the Word within you, allowing it to renew your mind and influence your thoughts, behaviours, actions and speech; producing righteousness not by one’s own works and power, but by the spirit, producing fruit unto righteousness in one’s life.
Second, notice how Paul says, “ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” Paul has just given you the answer to walking after the spirit and how to reckon oneself dead to sin. Our victory over sin and our power to walk in newness of life is by submitting and being influenced by that form of sound doctrine. The only way we are going to take this spiritual reality and make it applicable in our sinful flesh is to study the doctrine, learn it and have it renew our minds, and then become influenced by submitting to its workings within us. It is the power of God’s living words within us, producing the life of Christ out of us. If we do not take in steady servings of God’s word, we will by nature become servants of sin. But by keeping the truth in us, studying the scripture, and growing in knowledge of it, we will become servants of righteousness by the spirit of God within us.
We must recognize that these things are deeper spiritual truths. Sanctification is not a free gift as with justification. Justification saves a carnal unbeliever, but once saved, and once informed about sanctification, that new believer is to press on into these deeper truths. Paul recognizes this issue and the weakness in the flesh and although he writes the following passage below, he certainly does not use it as an excuse to continue in our weakness. There is a definite command in the passage below saying, “Now yield…”. This is not a choice. It is not a suggestion. This is command which has its truth and fulfillment, not in our own strength and willpower, but in the power of our doctrine which should dwell within us and have started to renew our mind so that we can be influenced by its life and persuasiveness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so NOW YIELD your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. (20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is [functional] death.
Paul ends Romans 6 with an affirmative statement; in a sense expecting his readers to have received and committed to this doctrine. To receive Paul’s teaching would enable us to be servants of God, bearing fruit that leads to holiness, fashioning a godly character. However, a reminder is also provided that if we do not heed to his doctrine, though we remain saved unto eternal life, we can expect to also remain functionally dead to the spiritual newness of life within us and remain unprofitable to God in this life.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin [empowered by law] is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Conclusion
Romans chapter 6 deals with deeper spiritual facts that have their basis and reality in faith and in application. Justification, that first level of salvation, has regenerated our spirit and provided us with a connection to the life and truth in His written Word. It is the faithful study of our doctrine that should bring us to an ever-deepening understanding that we are dead to sin and dead to the law through the death of Christ. But even much more, we also have the capacity for walking in the resurrection power of the Lord, in that newness of life, by obedience to the pure words of God, the doctrine of grace that will start to influence us more and more as we study it and have it form a stable foundation of knowledge within us. It is giving over to this knowledge in obedience that causes us to overcome sin in the flesh and helps us to avoid the fatal trap of placing ourselves back under the law to try to serve God.
Romans 6 and 7 is the doctrine, the how to, for living in newness of life. As we read Paul's letters to the Corinthians and Galatians, we see what will happen to us if we ignore the doctrine provided and try to serve and please God by ourselves. We have absolutely no capacity to serve God in a way that pleases Him. We are in a body of sin, fighting the law of sin and the motions of sin within us daily. The only life that pleases God was the sinless and righteous life of Jesus Christ, and our salvation, according to the principles that Paul has provided, is aimed at making that perfect sacrifice and resurrection life of Christ the basis of our sanctification.
