Session 4.16: March 27, 2026

Study session scripture: Romans 6:15-23

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 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? 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, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 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.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 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. 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. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Study session topics:

• The Triumph of Grace over the Power of Sin, Continued

• "What then?" Paul anticipates a further objection based on a misunderstanding of his last statement in 6:14

• The antinomian again asserts that sin does not matter because "we are no longer under law but under grace"

• Paul's emphasis is that "sin will have no dominion over [us]," that freedom from the power of sin enables us to fight against sin in our lives

• Paul's new illustration: Slavery

• Echoes Christ's words in John 8:31-36

• Slave--doulos -Same word Paul used as the first descriptor of himself in Romans 1:1

• Not describing chattel slavery, but voluntary slavery

• Importantly, Paul only describes 2 options: slavery to sin, or slavery to God

• Paul acknowledges in v. 19 that this is an imperfect illustration, but it is helpful to illustrate 2 truths:

  • God does not look upon us as profitable commodities that He needs, but as weak, frail, destitute beggars whom He graciously welcomes into His house

  • We cannot entrust ourselves to be cared for by God and think that we will somehow rule the roost

• 3 Important Contrasts between Slavery to Sin and Slavery to God

  • Increasing corruption vs. increasing righteousness (v. 19)

  • Romans 1:18-32: Choosing sin over God leads to being given over to a worsening state before God

  • Increasing sanctification comes as a necessary consequence of saying "no" to sin and saying "yes" to God more and more

• Shame vs. joy (v. 20-21)

• From a Godly perspective--which we share as slaves to God--all sin is shameful

• The world gets this backwards and will often try to shame us for obeying God

• There is great joy in living with a clean conscience

• Death vs. eternal life (v. 23)

• We all, consciously or not, seek eternal life (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

• As God is the source and sustainer of all life, separation from Him means death, but being joined to Him inevitably leads to eternal life

Study session audio: