Romans 6:16
Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?
Do you not know
This phrase serves as a rhetorical question, emphasizing the importance of the knowledge Paul is about to impart. In Greek, "οὐκ οἴδατε" (ouk oidate) implies a reminder of something the audience should already understand. Paul often uses this technique to engage the reader's conscience and provoke self-reflection. It underscores the necessity of awareness in the Christian life, particularly regarding spiritual servitude.

when you offer yourselves
The Greek word "παραστήσητε" (parastēsēte) means to present or offer. This implies a voluntary action, suggesting that believers have a choice in whom they serve. The act of offering oneself is a conscious decision, reflecting the biblical principle of free will. Historically, this would resonate with the Roman audience familiar with the concept of presenting oneself for service or allegiance.

as obedient slaves
The term "δοῦλοι" (douloi) refers to slaves or bondservants. In the Roman context, slavery was a common institution, and the idea of being a slave to someone or something was well understood. The adjective "obedient" highlights the nature of this servitude—not just any service, but one characterized by compliance and submission. This reflects the Christian call to submit to God's will.

you are slaves to the one you obey
This phrase emphasizes the principle of allegiance and its consequences. The Greek "ὑπακούετε" (hypakouete) means to listen or obey, indicating that true servitude is marked by whom one listens to and follows. The historical context of Roman slavery, where a slave's identity and fate were tied to their master, parallels the spiritual truth that our spiritual allegiance determines our spiritual condition.

whether you are slaves to sin
Here, "sin" (ἁμαρτία, hamartia) is personified as a master. In the biblical narrative, sin is not merely an act but a power that enslaves. The imagery of slavery to sin would resonate with Paul's audience, who understood the oppressive nature of both physical and spiritual bondage. This highlights the destructive nature of sin, which leads to separation from God.

leading to death
The Greek word "θάνατον" (thanaton) signifies not just physical death but spiritual death—eternal separation from God. This phrase underscores the ultimate consequence of sin. In the biblical worldview, death is the antithesis of the life God offers, reinforcing the gravity of choosing sin as a master.

or to obedience
"Obedience" (ὑπακοή, hypakoē) is presented as the alternative to sin. It implies submission to God's will and commands. In the Christian context, obedience is not merely following rules but a heartfelt response to God's grace. This obedience leads to transformation and aligns with the biblical theme of sanctification.

leading to righteousness
"Righteousness" (δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosynē) in this context refers to a right standing with God, achieved through faith and obedience. It is the state of being justified and sanctified, reflecting God's character. Historically, righteousness was a key theme in Jewish law and prophetic writings, and Paul redefines it in light of Christ's redemptive work. This phrase encapsulates the hope and promise of the Christian life—eternal life and communion with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the Book of Romans, Paul is writing to the Christian believers in Rome, addressing issues of sin, grace, and righteousness.

2. Roman Christians
The recipients of the letter, they are a diverse group of Jewish and Gentile believers living in the heart of the Roman Empire.

3. Sin
Personified as a master to whom one can be enslaved, leading to spiritual death.

4. Obedience
Represents submission to God's will, leading to righteousness and life.

5. Righteousness
The state of being morally right or justifiable, which is the result of obedience to God.
Teaching Points
Understanding Slavery to Sin
Recognize that sin is not just an action but a master that demands obedience, leading to spiritual death.

Choosing Your Master
Every person has a choice to make—whether to serve sin or to serve God. This choice determines the trajectory of one's life.

The Path to Righteousness
Obedience to God is not just about following rules but about aligning oneself with His will, which leads to righteousness and life.

The Consequences of Obedience
Understand that obedience to God results in a transformation of character and a deeper relationship with Him.

Living Out Your Freedom
Embrace the freedom found in Christ, which empowers believers to live righteously and reject the bondage of sin.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does it mean to be a "slave to sin," and how can we identify areas in our lives where we might be enslaved?

2. How does the concept of obedience in Romans 6:16 relate to the idea of freedom in Christ found in Galatians 5:1?

3. In what ways can we actively choose to be "slaves to obedience" in our daily lives?

4. How does understanding the consequences of our choices (death vs. righteousness) impact our decision-making as Christians?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced the freedom of living in obedience to God. How did it affect your relationship with Him and others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
John 8:34
Jesus speaks about everyone who sins being a slave to sin, which parallels Paul's teaching on the enslavement of sin.

Galatians 5:1
Paul discusses the freedom found in Christ, contrasting the slavery of sin with the liberty of living by the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:16
Peter encourages believers to live as free people, but not to use their freedom as a cover-up for evil, aligning with the call to obedience in Romans 6:16.
Not Masters, But ServantsS.R. Aldridge Romans 6:16
The Reign of GraceR.M. Edgar Romans 6:12-23
Servants to ObeyT.F. Lockyer Romans 6:15-23
The Two Services and Their RewardsC.H. Irwin Romans 6:15-23
Branded with the TruthR. Wardlaw, D. D.Romans 6:16-18
Freedom from Sin and Subjection to RighteousnessC. Bradley, M. A.Romans 6:16-18
Master or ServantChristian JournalRomans 6:16-18
Moral SlaveryH. Melvill, B. D.Romans 6:16-18
Moulded by the TruthM. Rainsford, B. A.Romans 6:16-18
Obedience to ChristRomans 6:16-18
Obedience to the Form of DoctrineT. Chalmers, D. D.Romans 6:16-18
Our Change of MastersC. H. Spurgeon.Romans 6:16-18
The Apostolical Form of DoctrineJ. Lyth, D. D.Romans 6:16-18
The Devil's SlavesH. W. Beecher.Romans 6:16-18
The Form of TeachingA. Maclaren, D. D.Romans 6:16-18
The Liberty of the BelieverG. H. Salter.Romans 6:16-18
The Service of Sin and the Service of RighteousnessJ. W. Burn.Romans 6:16-18
The Strictness of the Law of ChristJ. H. Newman, D. D.Romans 6:16-18
Transformation of GraceC. H. Spurgeon.Romans 6:16-18
True LibertyXenophon.Romans 6:16-18
True LibertyC. Kingsley, M. A.Romans 6:16-18
People
Paul, Romans
Places
Rome
Topics
Bondmen, Bondservants, Conscious, Death, Desire, Either, Leads, Obedience, Obedient, Obey, Present, Result, Resulting, Righteousness, Servants, Sin, Slaves, Someone, Surrender, Whether, Yield, Yourselves
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Romans 6:16

     6022   sin, causes of
     6024   sin, effects of
     6139   deadness, spiritual
     6663   freedom, of will
     8223   dedication

Romans 6:1-18

     6028   sin, deliverance from

Romans 6:12-23

     7449   slavery, spiritual

Romans 6:14-18

     6662   freedom, abuse
     6679   justification, results

Romans 6:16-17

     5020   human nature

Romans 6:16-18

     6745   sanctification, nature and basis
     8454   obedience, to God

Romans 6:16-19

     8272   holiness, growth in

Romans 6:16-20

     5004   human race, and sin
     8157   righteousness, as faith

Romans 6:16-21

     6106   addiction

Library
May 6. "Reckon Ye Also Yourselves to be Alive unto God" (Rom. vi. 11).
"Reckon ye also yourselves to be alive unto God" (Rom. vi. 11). Death is but for a moment. Life is forevermore. Live, then, ye children of the resurrection, on His glorious life, more and more abundantly, and the fulness of your life will repel the intrusion of self and sin, and overcome evil with good, and your existence will be, not the dreary repression of your own struggling, but the springing tide of Christ's spontaneous overcoming life. Once in a religious meeting a dear brother gave us a most
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

November 11. "Reckon Yourselves Dead, Indeed" (Rom. vi. 11).
"Reckon yourselves dead, indeed" (Rom. vi. 11). Our life from the dead is to be followed up by the habit and attitude henceforth which is the logical outcome of all this. "Reckon yourselves dead indeed, unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, and yield yourselves unto God," not to die over again every day, "but, as those who are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Further His resurrection life is given to fit us for "the fellowship of
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

February 24. "Sin Shall not have Dominion Over You, for Ye are not under the Law, but under Grace" (Rom. vi. 14).
"Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. vi. 14). The secret of Moses' failures was this: "The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did." And this was why his life work also came short of full realization. He saw but entered not the Promised Land. The founder of the law had to be its victim, and his life and death might demonstrate the inability of the law to lead any man into the Promised Land. The very fact, that it was
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

August 7. "Knowing this that Our Old Man is Crucified" (Rom. vi. 6).
"Knowing this that our old man is crucified" (Rom. vi. 6). It is purely a matter of faith, and faith and sight always differ, so that to your senses it does not seem to be so, but your faith must still reckon it so. This is a very difficult attitude to hold, and only as we thoroughly believe God can we thus reckon upon His Word and His working, but as we do so, faith will convert it into fact, and it will be even so. These two words, "yield" and "reckon," are passwords into the resurrection life.
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Sixth Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to Christian Living.
Text: Romans 6, 3-11. 3 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Seventh Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to Resist Sin.
Text: Romans 6, 19-23. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. 20 For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. 21 What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Address on Easter Eve
"We were buried, therefore, with Him through baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life."--ROM. VI. 4. "I delivered unto you, among the first things, that . . . He was buried."--I COR. XV. 3, 4. St. Paul lays extraordinary and, at first sight, inexplicable stress, on the fact of our Lord's Burial. It is certainly strange that, in the second of these two texts, he mentions it as constituting, along with the
J. H. Beibitz—Gloria Crucis

Twentieth Day. Holiness and Liberty.
Being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness: now present your members as servants of righteousness unto sanctification. Now being made free from sin, and become servants unto God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.'--Rom. vi. 18, 19, 22. 'Our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus.'--Gal. ii. 4. 'With freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.'--Gal. v. 1. There is no possession more
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Love of Religion, a New Nature.
"If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him."--Romans vi. 8. To be dead with Christ, is to hate and turn from sin; and to live with Him, is to have our hearts and minds turned towards God and Heaven. To be dead to sin, is to feel a disgust at it. We know what is meant by disgust. Take, for instance, the case of a sick man, when food of a certain kind is presented to him,--and there is no doubt what is meant by disgust. Consider how certain scents, which are too
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

'The Form of Teaching'
... Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.'--ROMANS vi. 17. There is room for difference of opinion as to what Paul precisely means by 'form' here. The word so rendered appears in English as type, and has a similar variety of meaning. It signifies originally a mark made by pressure or impact; and then, by natural transitions, a mould, or more generally a pattern or example, and then the copy of such an example or pattern, or the cast from such a mould.
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Christ's Resurrection an Image of Our New Life.
(Easter Sunday.) Praise and glory be to God, and peace with all who with joyful hearts greet one another with the cry, The Lord is risen! Amen. TEXT: ROM. vi. 4-8. IT is natural, my friends, that the glorious festival of our Saviour's resurrection should attract the thoughts of believers to a far remote time, and that it should make them rejoice to think of the time when they shall be with Him who, after He had risen from the dead, returned to His and our Father,--a joyful prospect, expressed in
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

Death to Sin through Christ
"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."-Romans 6:11. THE connection of this passage will help us to understand its meaning. Near the close of the previous chapter Paul had said, "The law entered that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord." He speaks here of
Charles G. Finney—Sermons on Gospel Themes

Baptism --A Burial
I do not understand Paul to say that if improper persons, such as unbelievers, and hypocrites, and deceivers, are baptized they are baptized into our Lord's death. He says "so many of us," putting himself with the rest of the children of God. He intends such as are entitled to baptism, and come to it with their hearts in a right state. Of them he says, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" He does not even intend to say that those who were
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 27: 1881

The Doctrines of Grace do not Lead to Sin
No sooner is this doctrine set forth in a clear light than men begin to cavil at it. It is the target for all carnal logic to shoot at. Unrenewed minds never did like it, and they never will; it is so humbling to human pride, making so light of the nobility of human nature. That men are to be saved by divine charity, that they must as condemned criminals receive pardon by the exercise of the royal prerogative, or else perish in their sins, is a teaching which they cannot endure. God alone is exalted
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 29: 1883

Christ's Resurrection and Our Newness of Life
The idea that the grace of God should lead us to licentiousness is utterly loathsome to every Christian man. We cannot endure it. The notion that the doctrines of grace give license to sin, comes from the devil, and we scout it with a detestation more deep than words can express. "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" On our first entrance upon a Christian profession, we are met by the ordinance of baptism, which teaches the necessity of purification. Baptism is, in its very
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

Death and Life in Christ
I. THE FACTS REFERRED TO IN THESE FOUR VERSES CONSTITUE THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL WHICH WE PREACH. 1. The first fact here very clearly indicated is that Jesus died. He who was divine, and therefore immortal, bowed his head to death. He whose human nature was alhed to the omnipotence of his divine nature, was pleased voluntarily to submit himself to the sword of death. He who was pure and perfect, and therefore deserved not death, which is the wages of sin, nevertheless condescended for our sake to yield
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 9: 1863

Alive unto God.
(Sixth Sunday after Trinity.) ROMANS vi. 11. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Every baptised person belongs to God. He is His absolute property, marked with the sign of the great King. As the broad arrow is the mark that certain property belongs to the British Government, so the Cross of Holy Baptism is the sign and pledge that we are God's. Think of that, my brothers, you are not free to choose your own way, your
H. J. Wilmot-Buxton—The Life of Duty, a Year's Plain Sermons, v. 2

Servants of Sin.
(Seventh Sunday after Trinity.) ROMANS vi. 20. "The servants of sin." There is no existence in the world so sad as that of a slave; and there is no slavery so hard as that of sin, no taskmaster so bitter as the devil. There was a tyrant in the old times who ordered one of his subjects to make an iron chain of a certain length, in a given time. The man brought the work, and the tyrant bade him make it longer still. And he continued to add link to link, till at length the cruel taskmaster ordered
H. J. Wilmot-Buxton—The Life of Duty, a Year's Plain Sermons, v. 2

The Parable of the Householder. A Sermon, by Bishop Latimer.
MATTHEW XX.--The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. This parable is written by the evangelist Matthew in the twentieth chapter, and is very dark and hard to be understood; yea, there is no harder piece of scripture written by any evangelist. Therefore it may well be called hard meat; not meat for mowers nor ignorant people, who are not exercised in the word of God. And yet there is no other diversity
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

"But if Ye have Bitter Envying and Strife in Your Hearts, Glory Not," &C.
James iii. 14.--"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not," &c. It is a common evil of those who hear the gospel, that they are not delivered up to the mould and frame of religion that is holden out in it, but rather bring religion into a mould of their own invention. It was the special commendation of the Romans, that they obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine into which they were delivered, (Rom. vi. 17) that they who were once servants, or slaves of sin, had now
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Schleiermacher -- Christ's Resurrection an Image of Our New Life
Friedrich Ernst Daniel Schleiermacher, German theologian and philosopher, was born at Breslau in 1768. He was brought up in a religious home and in 1787 went to the University of Halle, and in 1789 became a Privat-Docent. In 1794 he was ordained and preached successively at Landsberg and Berlin. The literary and philosophical side of his intellect developed itself in sympathy with the Romanticists, but he never lost his passion for religion, a subject on which he published five discurses in 1799.
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 3

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, in Reference to the Killing and Crucifying of the Old Man.
Having thus shortly pointed out some things in general, serving to the clearing and opening up the way of our use-making of Christ for sanctification, we come now more particularly to the clearing up of this business. In sanctification we must consider, first, The renewing and changing of our nature and frame; and, next, The washing and purging away of our daily contracted spots. The first of these is commonly divided into two parts, viz. 1st, The mortification, killing, and crucifying of the
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Evening Prayer for a Family.
O eternal God and most gracious Father, we thine unworthy servants here assembled, do cast down ourselves at the footstool of thy grace, acknowledging that we have inherited our fathers' corruption, and actually in thought, word, and deed, transgressed all thy holy commandments, so that in us naturally there dwelleth nothing that is good; for our hearts are full of secret pride, anger, impatience, dissembling, lying, lust, vanity, profaneness, distrust, too much love of ourselves and the world, too
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Sanctification and Justification.
"Yield your members servants to righteousness unto sanctification." --Rom. vi. 19. Sanctification must remain sanctification. It may not arbitrarily be robbed of its significance, nor be exchanged for something else. It must always signify the making holy of what is unholy or less holy. Care must be taken not to confound sanctification with justification; a common mistake, frequently made by thoughtless Scripture readers. Hence the importance of a thorough understanding of this difference. Being
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

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