Reflections on Romans 6

Romans 06 (Contemporary English Version)
1. What should we say? Should we keep on sinning, so that God's wonderful kindness will show up even better?
   
2. No, we should not! If we are dead to sin, how can we go on sinning?
   
3. Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death?
   
4. When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.
   
5. If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him.
   
6. We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin.
   
7. We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people.
   
8. As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him.
   
9. We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die.
   
10. When Christ died, he died for sin once and for all. But now he is alive, and he lives only for God.
    
11. In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God.
    
12. Don't let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don't obey its desires
    
13. or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God.
    
14. Don't let sin keep ruling your lives. You are ruled by God's kindness and not by the Law.
    
15. What does all this mean? Does it mean we are free to sin, because we are ruled by God's wonderful kindness and not by the Law? Certainly not!
    
16. Don't you know that you are slaves of anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to him.
    
17. You used to be slaves of sin. But I thank God that with all your heart you obeyed the teaching you received from me.
    
18. Now you are set free from sin and are slaves who please God.
    
19. I am using these everyday examples, because in some ways you are still weak. You used to let the different parts of your body be slaves of your evil thoughts. But now you must make every part of your body serve God, so that you will belong completely to him.
    
20. When you were slaves of sin, you didn't have to please God.
    
21. But what good did you receive from the things you did? All you have to show for them is your shame, and they lead to death.
    
22. Now you have been set free from sin, and you are God's slaves. This will make you holy and will lead you to eternal life.
    
23. Sin pays off with death. But God's gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord.
    
    

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    Paul addresses in this chapter an imagined argument that if forgiveness of sin is offered to us freely by God's grace, based on our faith, then why not sin all the more so God's grace can be multiplied? Paul's response to this imagined argument explains that anyone who has such a thought does not understand the nature of sin and righteousness.
    
    Paul explained the nature of sin and righteousness in two ways. The first way was in relationship to Christ's death to sin. When a person accepts, by faith, Christ's death as an atonement for their sin, Christ's death becomes their death. They too have died to sin. Sin no long is their master. Furthermore, Christ's resurrection to new life also becomes the person's resurrection to a new life that is free from the desire to sin. Therefore, the idea that once one has received Christ's pardon for sin that they would want to sin more to experience more of God's grace is absurd. Besides, Christ died for sin once. If we receive His atonement for our sin but then return to sin, must He die again to again give us atonement?
    
    The second way Paul explained the nature of sin and righteousness was to portray sin as a master that holds a person in slavery to it. We must choose whether we will serve sin as our master or righteousness as our master. Once we make that choice there is no going back and forth. We can't give righteousness mastery in our lives and also intentionally choose to sin. We cannot serve two masters.
    
    In conclusion, Paul says in effect, why would one even want to sin intentionally? For the fruit of sin is death while the fruit of righteousness is eternal life: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (6:23)