21 The Wages of Sin

In Romans 6:18, Paul had spoken of how believers had been set free from sin, and become slaves of righteousness:

Romans 6:18

Whiles some might be confused by Paul speaking of believers being a “slave” of righteous, it’s necessary to understand the ancient Greek rendering of the word slave. In Greek, it spoke of “being born into a system”, and also being “swallowed by something”, to be “bound” by something, and finally to “serve the interests of someone or something, to the disregard of one’s own interests”. When understood in that light, we may understand what Paul was suggesting.

The believer was “born into” God’s family through salvation. Additionally, our lives are to be “swallowed up in Him” as we are to completely surrender to Him. Then, we’re to be “bound” to Him through our faithful service. Finally, His “interests” (will) is to become ours, thus disregarding our own will.

1 Serving Righteousness

Paul understood that some of the Roman believers might have been confused regarding some of what he’d said both regarding slavery, and the need to present ourselves as “instruments of righteousness to God”.

Therefore, Paul wanted to both clarify, as well show that any lack of understanding, was due to the weakness of their flesh:

Romans 6:19

Because of their spiritual immaturity, Paul understood that he needed to communicate spiritual matters, by using understandable every day, and physical examples.

Jesus often found the need to use similar teaching methods, by using parables:

Matthew 13:10-13

Paul showed that, before one comes to salvation in Christ, they are slaves of uncleanness (impurity) and “lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness.” This pointed to how unbelievers are trapped in a cycle of bondage to sin.

However, Paul did not simply end his thought on that negative note, but then concluded positively and with hope, as he stated how believers are to present our members, “as slaves of righteousness for (leading to) holiness.

Therefore, while there was a cycle of negative behavior present, prior to salvation, there should exist a positive cycle, once one comes to salvation. That is what it means to continually submit oneself as a slave of righteousness.

The type of “slavery” which Paul spoke of, was something his Roman audience would have completely understood, since they lived in a culture with numerous “bondslaves”. Bond slavery was voluntary servitude, whereby an individual would voluntarily become the slave of another, usually as the means to pay off indebtedness, and if there were no other options.

2 Ramifications of Sin

In the final verses of the chapter, Paul summarized much of what he’d been speaking of previously, while also laying the foundation for areas which will become essential doctrinal statements in the middle portion of his epistle. One of those areas, is the ramifications of sin:

Romans 6:20-23

Paul thereby shows the vast difference between slavery to righteousness and slavery to sin. Jesus Himself, stated that a man cannot serve two masters:

Matthews 6:24

Therefore, Paul first spoke of how those who at one time had been slaves to sin, have become free “in regard to righteousness”, which is literally translated as “unto righteousness”.

Paul had previously stated that the only way one may be “accounted for righteousness” is for them to believe God:

Romans 4:5

Because the believer has been “accounted” as righteous by God, that they will experience a great benefit. In the original Greek the word “benefit” is rendered as “fruit”.

In verse 21, Paul then sought to emphasize his point, by asking the question, what fruit had the believer borne when living in unrighteousness:

Romans 6:21

The answer to the question, is clear that no fruit had come from that lifestyle, because prior to new life in Christ, the individual had been spiritually dead, and therefore unable to produce any life.

Paul spoke of the spiritual state of the believer in his letter to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:1

The fact that a spiritually dead individual is unable to produce anything acceptable to the Lord, is also shown from the following Old Testament passage:

Isaiah 64:6

Since man cannot produce anything by himself, which is acceptable to the Lord, it points to the fact, that the Lord must do it Himself.

In verse 22, Paul again, addressed the fact, that the believer has been set free from sin:

Romans 6:22

The passage shows how the Christian has been free from being dominated by sin and are therefore no longer a slave to sin.

Having been set free from sin, means being freed from a lifestyle of sin. And it doesn’t mean the believer doesn’t sin at all, since Scripture is clear that everyone sins on occasion:

1 John 1:8

In verse 22, Paul shows that because believers are bondslaves to Christ, we then bear fruit, which leads to holiness, which then culminates ultimately in eternal life.

In verse 23, Paul addresses what he calls “the wages of sin”. Which indicates as being “death”:

Romans 6:23

By using the word “wages” Paul is showing that those things which are products of sinful behavior, have been earned.

From mankind’s earliest day, in the Garden of Eden, God has made it clear, that sin would produce death:

Genesis 2:17

Therefore, there is no doubt, that sin brings for death. Yet, in verse 23, God has provided a wonderful antidote for the wages of sin, which is eternal life in Christ.

Paul is establishing another great foundational doctrinal statement, that eternal life os found in Christ alone.