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Romans 6:19
For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness (Rom. 6:19b).
Paul has thrown some truly unusual ideas at his Roman readers in the last few verses we have studied, particularly his characterization of believers as “slaves of righteousness.” It’s not difficult to imagine the Christians who received this letter puzzling over Paul’s use of such strange terminology. But in typical Pauline fashion, the apostle suddenly seems to realize that he has gotten a bit ahead of himself and pauses at the beginning of verse 19 to provide an explanation for his analogy. “I speak in human terms,” he writes, “because of the weakness of your flesh.” Simply put, Paul is making an analogy based on an institution with which the Romans are familiar (slavery) to help them understand a difficult spiritual concept. He seems to be acknowledging that the analogy isn’t perfect; while believers were slaves of sin in a real sense, their relationship to God is different from that of a human slave to his human master. And yet, it can be useful to think of it in those terms. “Stay with me,” Paul seems to be saying.
The thing the Romans must do, according to the apostle, is to think back to how they used to live. They were slaves of sin; they had to obey it. Thus, they cheerfully ignored God’s will and willingly gave free rein to the fulfillment of their fleshly lusts, no matter how impure those lusts might have been. By this submission to temptation, they put themselves into a downward spiral of “lawlessness leading to more lawlessness” (Rom. 1:24–32). But having been brought into union with Christ, their new Master, the Romans now must ignore the call of impurity and give their bodies freely to the righteous requirements of God. They must see themselves as God’s slaves, morally bound to do His bidding. God’s slaves are called to an upward spiral of righteousness leading to holiness (Rom. 5:3–4). Paul is exhorting the Romans to remember how willingly they once submitted to the impulses of sin—and to do the same for this new Master.
Earlier in chapter 6, Paul showed the Romans that they had died to sin and been made alive in Christ. He urgently exhorted them to understand this truth (Rom. 6:11) and act on it by offering their bodies to God, not to sin (Rom. 6:13). In the same way, these Christians have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God. Thus, they are to present their bodies to their Master to carry out His bidding.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
A slave was expected to obey; he had no choice in the matter and was always at his master’s beck and call. It is in this sense that believers are slaves of righteousness. In short, obeying God is what we are supposed to do. Thus, every response to every temptation we face is important. We must strive to know the Master’s will and obey always.
For Further Study
- Deuteronomy 11:1
- 1 Samuel 15:22
- Acts 5:29
- 1 Peter 1:13–16