Chapter 6
As a means of practical deliverance from sin, Paul now sets forth the truth of our identification with Christ in death in verses 1-10. This is positional truth—that is, truth concerning the position of every Christian before God. Then, in verses 11-14, he exhorts us to live in the light of this great truth, which will result in practical deliverance. Then, in verses 15-23, Paul explains that a believer can still come under bondage to sin—even though he has been positionally delivered from that evil thing that dwells within him—if he refuses to put the truth that Paul unfolds in this chapter into practice in his life. Thus, chapter 6 presents the doctrinal principles necessary for the believer's practical deliverance from sin.
In Which Sphere of Life Are We to Live?
Chap. 6:1—The previous chapter ended with two heads over two races of men with two corresponding spheres of life in which men live. Building on these facts, Paul now asks a very logical question: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" To "continue in sin" is to continue to live in that sphere of things where the old master (sin) dominates all who live there. Paul's reasoning is simple and logical: if we have been separated from that whole order of things under Adam by our connection to Christ under His headship, why would we think of living our Christian lives in that lawless state from which we have been separated?
Many have thought that Paul is referring to Christians continuing in the actions of sinning (sins). But that is not what he is saying here. If that were the case, he would have said, "Shall we continue to sin?" Or, as the NIV translates it, unhappily, "Shall we go on sinning..." It is certainly true that we shouldn't go on sinning after we are saved—and Paul seeks to help the believer to that end in this chapter—but he is not speaking of deeds (sins) here but rather of sin's state. R. Elliot remarked, "'Shall we continue in sin?' is not the same as if he said, 'Shall we continue sinning?' It is a wider thing than that. It means that sin is no longer the principle of our life or descriptive of our state" (The Faith and the Flock, vol. 3, p. 340). Paul will address the matter of Christians choosing to sin in verses 15-23, but here in verse 1, he is asking a rhetorical question concerning the logic of a person, who has been delivered from the master of sin, continuing in that sphere where sin's dominion is felt practically.
Studying the chapter carefully, we see that there are two similar looking questions which address these two different things:
• The question in verse 1 ("Shall we continue in sin?") has to do with continuing in that sphere of life where sin's dominance is exercised. This is addressed in verses 1-14.
• The question in verse 15 ("Shall we sin?") has to do with the acts of sinning—believers continuing in the practice of sinful deeds after they have been saved. This is addressed in verses 15-23.
Dead to Sin
Chap. 6:2—Paul repudiates the idea of continuing in sin with the statement: "God forbid [Far be the thought]." To show how incongruous it is with our Christian position, he asks, "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" He applies the principle of federal headship (established in chapter 5) to our situation. Namely, what Christ accomplished in death can be applied to His whole race. This being the case, since Christ died to sin, Paul speaks of us as being "dead to sin."
Seven Ways Death is Used in Scripture
We might wonder in what way it is that we are "dead," because it certainly couldn't be referring to physical death. Let us remember, death is used in Scripture in at least seven different ways. In every case it has the thought of separation, but never extinction—as men think. The context will dictate which aspect is in view. They are:
It is sobering to think that sin is the cause of every one of these aspects of death! Truly, “the wages of sin is death” – chapter 6:23.
Christ's Death to Sin and Our Identification With His Death
We can see from the above list that the aspect of death in Romans 6:22God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:2) has to do with the Christian being dead judicially, and this, as a result of our identification with Christ's death. It is important to understand that the focus in this chapter is on a different aspect of Christ's death than what Paul has taken up in the previous subdivision of the epistle. In that earlier part of the epistle, it was Christ's death "for" sins (chap. 4:25; 5:6, 8, etc.); here it is Christ's death "to" sin (chap. 6:10). His death "to" sin is not to make atonement, but to sever His connections with sin.
It may come as a surprise to think that Christ had some connection with sin, because Scripture makes it clear that He didn't have the fallen sin-nature. God's Word carefully guards the glory of His Person as to this, stating that "in Him is no sin" (1 John 3:55And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5)). In which way then was the Lord connected with sin? It actually began the moment He entered this scene (an environment of sin) at His birth. In living here, He came into immediate contact with sin, and His holy nature repudiated it. Thus, He suffered constitutionally by being in the very element of sin. Then, on the cross, the Lord was "made sin," and thus He was fully identified with it as the Sin-bearer—though He was not tainted by it personally (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21); Heb. 7:2626For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)). He stood before God in sin's place, and bore the consequent judgment of sin's condemnation (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)). But in dying, He stepped out of the sphere of sin, and thus separated Himself from it—never to come into contact with it again. He is now no longer in touch with sin. J. A. Trench put it in this way: "As having come into this world, He had to do with sin on every hand, and went at last to the cross to be made sin for us....now He has no more to do with it forever" (Truth For Believers, vol. 2, p. 78).
Applying the principle of the federal headship of Christ to believers, we are entitled to view ourselves as separated from sin, and no longer part of that whole principle of life—even though we still have the sin-nature in us. We can say that we are "dead with Christ" (vs. 8), and thus, "dead to sin" (vs. 2). Our connection with sin and its lawless state has been broken, for there could not be a more complete break with something than that which death makes.
In this chapter, Paul personifies sin and views it as an evil master dominating and controlling men (its slaves) in their sins. He shows that a master has claims over his slave, but only as long as the slave lives. Once the slave dies, his master has no more power over him. So it is with us; we have died with Christ, and sin now has no claim over us.
Know, Reckon & Yield
Chap. 6:3-14—Paul now proceeds to teach the principles involved in the truth of deliverance from sin. He uses three key words to mark the teaching of the chapter: know, reckon, and yield. There are certain things we need to “know,” then we must “reckon” on those facts, and then we are to “yield” to righteousness as servants of righteousness, as our new master, and thus prove the power of grace working in our lives in practical deliverance from sin.
Know the Meaning of Our Baptism
Chap. 6:3—The fact that Paul would tell us that we need to know certain things in connection with our deliverance shows that knowledge has a place in this. There are three things in particular that we need to "know." Firstly, every believer needs to know the meaning of his baptism. Paul asks, "Are you ignorant [know ye not] that we, as many as have been baptised unto Christ Jesus, have been baptised unto His death?" He appeals to the ordinance of baptism because it signifies the Christian's identification with Christ's death and burial. Paul is not speaking of the manner or mode of our baptism here—whether we have been immersed in water or christened—he is speaking of its meaning. He is saying, "You have professed, by the act of being baptised, that you have died with Christ. And, since Christ's death has separated Him from sin, then you are separated from it too! To continue in that state, therefore, would be a practical denial of what you profess in your baptism! It is totally inconsistent with the position which you have taken, because we can't say that we are dead to something and at the same time live in it."
Note: the KJV says that the believer has been "baptized into Jesus Christ," but it should be translated, "baptised unto Christ Jesus." "Into" indicates a vital connection in life with Christ in our new position before God in which justification places us. Baptism cannot do that. If it could, then baptism can fit a person for heaven. The truth is: being justified, we have a new place in heaven before God "in Christ," and by being baptised we have a new place on earth among men as "unto Christ." "Unto" signifies identification, and that is Paul's point here—we are identified with Christ in His death.
Chap. 6:4-5—Paul mentions another thing which baptism signifies—burial. Burial has to do with a dead person being removed from sight. Hence, in baptism, we are not only "dead with Christ" (vs. 8), but we are also "buried with Him" (vs. 4). Being dead with Christ, we profess to have broken our connections with Adam and sin. But being buried with Christ, we profess to have passed out of that whole order of life in which the world lives and where sin reigns. Hamilton Smith said, "Baptism is a figure of death and burial. It is evident that a dead man has done with the life of self-will in which he once lived, and a buried man has passed out of the sight of the world in which he once lived." Hence, baptism is the formal way of renouncing our connection with the old Adam standing and state. It does not, however, make a person more holy. A case in point is the man we heard about who got saved and baptised, and afterward lost contact with the man who had baptised him. Sometime later they ran into each other, and he said, "I've been thoroughly disappointed in my baptism; I thought that I wouldn't sin anymore." The other man said: “Willy, well, had I known that that is what you were expecting from baptism, I suppose I could have held you down under the water a little longer when I baptised you!"
Paul goes on to speak of Christ's resurrection, stating that as Christ lives in resurrection life, "we also should walk in newness of life. For if we are become identified with Him in the likeness of His death, so also we shall be of His resurrection." This means that God has opened up a new sphere of life in the resurrection of Christ where He and the members of His race are to "walk" in the "newness of life." F. B. Hole rightly said, "Our death with Christ is in view of our living with Him in the life of the resurrection world" (Paul’s Epistles, vol. 1, p 21). Paul will say more about this in verses 8-10. (Note: the epistle to the Romans does not go as far as to view the believer as presently identified with Christ in resurrection. Ephesians and Colossians view us on higher ground as risen with Christ and in union with Him – Eph. 2:5-65Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:5‑6); Col. 2:12-1312Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:12‑13)).
Know That Our "Old Man" Has Been Crucified With Christ
Chap. 6:6—The second thing that Paul says that we need to know is the meaning of the cross in relation to the "old man." He says, "Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him." The "old man" (Rom. 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6); Eph. 4:2222That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Ephesians 4:22); Col. 3:99Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Colossians 3:9)) is an abstract term that describes the corrupt condition of the fallen race of Adam—its depraved moral character. The term embodies every ugly feature that marks the fallen human race. To properly see the old man, we must look at the race under Adam as a whole, for it is unlikely that any one person would be marked by all the ugly features that characterize that corrupt state. For example, one of Adam's children may be characterized by being angry, but he is not immoral; another of Adam's children may not be known for losing his temper, but he is terribly immoral. But when the characteristics of all the members of the race are put together, we see the old man in its entirety.
Paul says that the old man has been "crucified" with Christ. This means that God has passed judgment on that corrupt, old Adam state. F. B. Hole said, "All that we were as children of fallen Adam has been crucified with Christ, and we are to know this. It is not a mere notion, but an actual fact. It was an act of God, accomplished in the cross of Christ, and is as much an act of God, and as real, as the putting away of our sins" (Paul’s Epistles, vol. 1, p. 21). Hence, not only have we been separated from the whole system of sin (by being dead and buried with Christ in baptism), but God has also judged that corrupt state (in crucifying the old man).
Note: Paul does not say that the crucifying of the old man is something that we are to do. It is not the exercise of self-judgment in the believer, but rather, a judgment that God has executed at the cross on the whole corrupt state of fallen man. The scene of this judgment was at the cross, not within the human heart. It is true that the believer is to judge himself (1 Cor. 11:3131For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:31)), but that is not the subject here. Chapter 6:1-10 is positional truth; the practise of the believer is not in view here. Paul is referring to the fallen and corrupt condition or state which we were born into and have been a part of as children of Adam—it has been judged by God.
An integral part of our Christian confession is that we have “put off the old man.” Not only has God judged the old man at the cross, but we have confessedly put it off when we took our stand as Christians. Ephesians 4:22-3222That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil. 28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:22‑32) and Colossians 3:5-95Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Colossians 3:5‑9) state this clearly. (Unfortunately, the KJV translates those passages as though it were the Christian's responsibility to put off the old man, but those passages should both be translated "Having put off...." indicating that it is something that we have already done in our confession of being Christians.) As was the case with the judging of the old man, so also is the putting off of the old man—both are not accomplished by a process of spiritual exercise within the believer. They are in the aorist tense in the Greek, meaning that they have been done once and for all. Paul's point in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3 is that if we have put the old man off in becoming Christians, then let us be consistent with it and cease to practice those things which characterize the state which God has judged and we have professedly put off.
Many use the term the “old man” inter-changeably with “the flesh,” as though it were our fallen sin-nature, but this is not correct. The old man and the flesh are not synonymous. J. N. Darby remarked, “The old man is being habitually used for the flesh incorrectly” (Food for the Flock, vol. 2, p. 286). The NASB, NIV, ESV translate it as, "our old self," but this is confusing it with the flesh. If the old man were the flesh, then Ephesians 4:22-2322That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (Ephesians 4:22‑23) and Colossians 3:99Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Colossians 3:9) would be teaching us that Christians have put off the flesh and no longer have it in them, but we all know from experience that that is not true; the flesh is still in us. The "old man" is never said to be something in us, but the flesh most certainly is. F. G. Patterson said, “Nor do I find that Scripture will allow us to say that we have the old man in us—while it teaches most fully that we have the flesh in us” (A Chosen Vessel, p. 51). Nor are we told to reckon the "old man" dead (as people often say). This again is confusing the old man with the flesh, and is assuming that it is something living in us that we need to judge. Others mistakenly speak of the old man as being dead, which again implies that it is the old life that was once alive in the believer.
Hence, it is not doctrinally accurate to speak of the “old man” as a living thing in us that has appetites, desires, and emotions, as does “the flesh” (the sin-nature). Christians often say things like, “The old man in us desires sinful things.” Or, “My old man wants to do this or that evil thing ... ” Again, these statements are confusing the old man with the flesh. H. C. B. G. said, “I know what a Christian means who loses his temper, and says it is ‘the old man,’ yet the expression is wrong. If he said it was ‘the flesh,’ he would have been more correct” (Food for the Flock, vol. 2, p. 287).
The "old man" is not Adam personally and neither is the "new man" Christ personally (Eph. 4:2424And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24); Col. 3:1010And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:10)). The new man is a term that denotes the new moral order that characterizes the new race of men under Christ. G. Davison said, “The new man is not Christ personally, but it is Christ characteristically.” Every moral feature of the new man was seen in His life in perfection. However, just as the old man has been used erroneously for the flesh (the old nature), the new man is universally mistaken for the believer's new nature. Comments are made, such as, “The new man in us needs an object to look to ... ” or, “We need to feed on things that will satisfy the new man.” These remarks are clearly confusing the new man with the new life in us. In actuality, the old man and the new man are abstract terms describing the state of the two races of men under Adam and Christ.
Also, the "old man" is not to be confused with the "first man" (1 Cor. 15:4747The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47)), which denotes a different aspect of the human race under Adam. The old man denotes the corrupt state of the fallen race, whereas the first man denotes what is natural, earthy, and soulish in the race—they are not identical terms. The first man is never said to be corrupt or sinful, but the old man is nothing but that. The first man has to do with what is human and natural; it is what God made in man. For this reason, the first man is never said to be judged by God (crucified with Christ), as is the old man.
Paul adds, “That the body of sin might be annulled.” He uses the word “body” here, not to refer to our physical bodies (as some have thought), but to describe "sin" as a whole system of life in its totality. Similarly, we use the word "body" to express the totality of a certain thing. For instance, we might say, “The body of scientific knowledge,” or “the body of medical knowledge,” etc. J. A. Trench explained it in this way: "'The body of sin'—that is, its whole system and force, as we say, the body of a river....It is the whole system and totality of it" (Truth for Believers, vol. 2, pp. 77, 83). J. N. Darby said, "He [Paul] takes the totality and system of sin in man as a body which is nullified by death" (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible). E. Dennett said something similar: "It may be well to say that 'the body of sin' is the totality of sin in its dominating energy" (The Christian Friend, vol. 23, p. 182).
"The body of sin" couldn't be referring to our human bodies because they are a creation of God. The human body has been affected by sin—aging and death prove this—and it can be engaged in doing all kinds of sinful acts, but the human body is not intrinsically sinful. If our bodies were sinful, God would never tell us to present them to Him for His use in service (Rom. 12:11I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)). (The KJV translates Philippians 3:2121Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)—“our vile body,” which in today's English conveys the thought of something being disgusting and sinful. However, when that translation was made 400 years ago, vile meant "of little worth." Compare James 2:22For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; (James 2:2). To avoid this misunderstanding, it has been better translated, “Our body of humiliation.”) Later in Romans 6, Paul makes a reference to the believer’s physical body, and to make sure that there is no misunderstanding about what he is referring to, he calls it, our "mortal body" (chaps. 6:12; 8:11) to distinguish it from "the body of sin."
So, what Paul is saying here is that in the judgment of the old man, the whole system of sin in its totality has been “annulled” for the believer. The KJV translates "annulled" as "destroyed," but the body of sin has not been destroyed yet; we see the evidence of sin's presence everywhere in the world. Sin will be destroyed, and thus entirely removed from the creation in the Eternal State. This is the force of John the Baptist's remark, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)). Many have thought that John was referring to Christ's work on the cross to take away believers' sins, but he was really speaking of a future work of Christ when He removes every trace of sin from the universe. It is only then that "the body of sin" will be destroyed and gone. It has been presently "annulled" for believers. This does not mean that the sin-nature is removed from our bodies, but that the whole system of sin in its totality has been defeated for us, and consequently, we do not have to be controlled by sin's power any longer. This annulment has opened the way for Christians to be liberated from the dictates of the old master (sin), and thus, from "henceforth" not "serve sin."
Chap. 6:7—Paul concludes, "For he that is dead is justified from sin" (vs. 7). J. N. Darby said, "The statement that 'he that has died is justified from sin,' I apprehend means rather, 'you cannot charge sin, self-will, lust, on a dead man.' It becomes true of us when we are dead" (Collected Writings, vol. 7, p. 242). Thus, being dead with Christ; we have an honorable discharge from the old master, sin.
Know the Meaning of Christ's Resurrection
Chap. 6:8-10—The third thing that every believer should know is the meaning of Christ's resurrection. Paul says, "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God." For a brief moment death had dominion over the Lord, and that only because His Father had called Him to lay down His life, and He did so in obedience (Phil. 2:88And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8); John 10:17-1817Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:17‑18)). As we had earlier, having died to sin, He left that whole order of things behind. But being raised from the dead, the Lord entered a new sphere of life where He lives "unto God." By stating that "we shall also live with Him" (vs. 8), Paul is indicating that since the Head of the new race is alive in the sphere of resurrection life, that sphere is also open to us to live in by faith. In fact, it is the Christian's proper sphere of life. Understanding this is essential to deliverance from sin; if we live practically in that sphere of eternal life that is now open to us, sin cannot assert its power in our lives.
The Reckoning of Faith
Chap. 6:11—Having established these doctrinal facts concerning deliverance, Paul proceeds with the next thing—the reckoning of faith. He says, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin." This is the first exhortation in the epistle, and, as with all exhortations, it brings in our responsibility. God would have us to be responsibly exercised in this matter. We are to "reckon" on the facts which our faith has laid hold of. That is, we are to reckon on what we know. This is why knowledge is important and comes first. If we do not know rightly, we cannot reckon rightly.
As mentioned in our comments on chapter 4:1-5, "reckon" means "think or consider it to be so." We must firstly apply these things to ourselves in our minds. We are to consider and believe that what is true of Christ is true of us also. Since Christ’s link with sin has been severed through death, we are entitled, on account of our identification with Him, to consider ourselves as "dead indeed unto sin," and thus, to have our connections with sin severed too! It has been illustrated in this way: It is like a man who paid another man a large sum to go to war in his place. When the government wrote and told him that the man had died in battle, and that he would have to go to war now, he wrote back and told them that he couldn't go because he was dead. He realized that he had a right to consider himself dead because his substitute had died.
This reckoning should not be confused with the reckoning in chapter 4:5. Chapter 4:5 refers to a reckoning that takes place in God’s mind when we believe the gospel. Here in chapter 6:11 it is what occurs in the believer's mind in view of Christ’s death to sin. The story of Isaac and Ishmael illustrates this. Isaac is a type of Christ and Ishmael is a type of the flesh. When Isaac was given his rightful place as son in Abraham's house, God would no longer acknowledge Ishmael as being Abraham's son (Gen. 21). Thereafter, He called Isaac Abraham's "only son," even though Ishmael was still alive! (Gen. 22:2, 12, 162And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. (Genesis 22:2)
12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. (Genesis 22:12)
16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: (Genesis 22:16)) This illustrates the truth that God no longer recognizes the first order of man after the flesh in the believer. Since such is the case, we are entitled to consider it to be so also. Thus, we are to reckon with God concerning this fact.
A believer might say, "But sin is not dead in me." But the Apostle doesn't say that sin is dead in us; he says that we are dead to sin. The sin-nature is still in us and will continue to beckon, but we are to reckon ourselves to be dead to sin. We are dead, and therefore, separated from it. This means that we are to see ourselves as separate and apart from sin (the evil principle), even though sin (the nature) is still in us.
Some, having read what Paul has said here, have come away thinking, "I see it now; I need to die to sin so that Christ can live in me!" But this is not what he is teaching. He is not exhorting us to die to sin; he is stating that we are dead to sin—that we are separate from it. This is an accomplished fact; it is not something that we need to do through a process of self-discipline, etc. J. N. Darby remarked, "It is never said in Scripture that we have to die to sin" (Collected Writings, vol. 34, p. 406). Nor should we think that the application of the truth of our identification with Christ's death is a thing of fooling ourselves mentally; it is believing something that is actually true before God. God has judged it, and He no longer recognizes it (sin) as being us. We then are to believe what He says and act upon it.
Reckoning, has to do with our thinking. Paul is showing us here that we need to reason from the right perspective. When temptation presents itself and the sin-nature in us would like to respond, we are to no longer reason from the perspective of who we were under Adam, but from who we are under Christ. We have the right to treat sin as not being us. We can say—and truthfully say—"I don’t want that evil thing..." because the new nature in us surely doesn't want it. (If, however, we allow the flesh to act, we must take ownership of it, and confess our sin to God our Father with true repentance, and He will restore us to communion with Himself–1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).)
The faithless man of the world does not understand this principle. He would tell us that we are just lying to ourselves because we really do want those evil things, like any other person. But it is not a mental trick that Paul is telling us to play on ourselves; it is simply believing what God says about us, and reasoning from that perspective.
Paul also says that we are "alive unto God in Christ Jesus." This shows that we are also privileged to reckon ourselves to be alive with Christ in that new sphere of life where He lives unto God. We have a new life from God that is suited to that sphere of life where Christ is in resurrection. Thus, we are to live in that element in communion with God, and reason from the perspective of the new "I." This is a privilege that we have because of this great truth.
Chap. 6:12—Paul goes on and says, "Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body." We cannot stop sin from reigning in the world where it is the master of all, but because of what has taken place in the death of Christ, we don't have to let it "reign" in our lives. Note: he doesn't say, "Let not sin dwell in your mortal body"—because we will not be rid of the old sin-nature until the Lord comes at the Rapture. Rather, he says, "Let not sin reign in our mortal body." This shows that since God has provided a means of deliverance from sin through the principles that Paul has given us, we have an obligation to refuse sin any rights over us. The believer holds the reins now; he can choose which state or sphere he wishes to live in, and thus he is responsible to not allow sin to use his body for its lusts. Hence, we have no excuse for letting sin have a place in our lives. Paul mentions that our bodies are "mortal," which refers to them being subject to death, but there is a day coming (the Rapture) when "this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Cor. 15:5353For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:53)). Then we will be free of the sin-nature and every effect that sin has had in our bodies.
Yielding—By the Principle of Displacement
Chap. 6:13—We might ask, "How can reasoning from the perspective of the new 'I' deliver us from temptation when it assails?" It is quite true, knowing certain points of doctrine and right thinking are not enough; there must be a yielding to God. Paul says, "Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." He introduces the principle of displacement here. He says that since we are "those that are alive from the dead" and living unto God in that new sphere of life that has been opened up for us by Christ's resurrection, in the power of that life, we can now refuse the flesh. We no longer have to yield the "members" of our bodies (our ears, eyes, hands, feet, etc.) to the lusts of the flesh. Living in that sphere of life with what we have in Christ in communion with God, there will be the practical power to resist the flesh. In chapter 8, Paul will show us that this power is not a result of our personal efforts to keep the flesh down, but by the Holy Spirit working in us to counteract it.
Note: we are to yield "as those that are alive from the dead"—that is, from the perspective of living in that new sphere of life with God. If we try to yield to righteousness, but at the same time, we are living our lives in the old Adam state, we will fail miserably. We recall a brother who was struggling with the lusts of the flesh which were controlling his life, complaining that deliverance from the flesh which Christianity promises, doesn't work. Essentially, he blamed God for promising something that wasn't happening in his life as he thought it should. But when his life was examined, it was found that he surrounded himself with almost every imaginable earthly and worldly object and activity—worldly books, magazines, videos, music, games, companions, etc. He lived in that element every day from morning to night. It is evident that his problem was that he was still living in the old Adam state (or sphere of life)—to which the Christian is professedly dead and separated from—and yet was expecting to be free of sin's influence and dominion! He was doing the very thing that Paul insists we shouldn't do in verses 1-2. He was continuing, after being saved, in sin (the state). It was no wonder why the flesh was asserting itself in his life and he was experiencing a "power failure."
However, when we are occupied with the blessedness of what is ours in this new sphere of life in communion with God, we will not be controlled by sin. This new state in which Christ lives unto God is characterized by “the things of the Spirit” (chap. 8:5). These are spiritual things having to do with the interests of Christ. They are things such as: reading the Scriptures, praying, attending Christian meetings for worship and ministry, singing hymns and spiritual songs, reading Christian literature, listening to recorded Christian ministry, teaching the truth, sharing the gospel, meditating on spiritual things as we go about our daily responsibilities, serving the Lord with good works, visiting, etc. If we live in this sphere, the Spirit’s power will be evident in our lives by keeping the flesh in check (chap. 8:2).
Thus, the principle of displacement is the secret of moral power. This principle is found in a number of places in Scripture. For example, "Butter and honey shall he eat that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good" (Isa. 7:1515Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. (Isaiah 7:15)). Milk and honey were good things connected with Israel’s inheritance (Ex. 3:88And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (Exodus 3:8); Deut. 11:99And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey. (Deuteronomy 11:9)). They typify the rich spiritual things of our heavenly inheritance (1 Peter 1:44To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:4)). When these things are enjoyed, evil can be eschewed. Galatians 5:1616This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.” That is, when we live in our proper Christian sphere of life ("in the Spirit"), the power of the Spirit will keep the flesh in check.
"Yield" is mentioned twice in this verse (13), but each occurrence has a different tense in the Greek. One is a present or a continuous (on-going) tense: "Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness." This means that at no time should we think of yielding to sin. The other is an aorist tense, which refers to something that is to be done once and for all: "But yield yourselves unto God." This should be one accomplished act. ("Yourselves" would include our spirits, souls, and the members of our bodies, etc.) There is, therefore, something that we should be doing daily—that is, not to "go on presenting" (NASB) the members of our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness. And, there is also something that we should have done once for all—that is, to "present" ourselves and our members as instruments of righteousness.
Chap. 6:14—Paul concludes by stating emphatically, "For sin shall not have dominion over you." That is, literally, “Sin shall not rule as lord over you.” This is a promise. It is not what might be, or what we hope to have, but what we will have in our lives if we apply these principles of deliverance to ourselves. Paul adds another thing: "For ye are not under the Law, but under grace." The Law is a system of demand, but grace is a system of supply. God is not demanding power from believers to walk rightly because He knows we don't have it. He, therefore, supplies it!
The claims of the Law suppose that we have power to obey its commands—and we may have (mistakenly) thought that we have this power—but grace supposes that we have none at all. It teaches us that, living in resurrection life in the power the Holy Spirit—in that sphere of things where Christ lives unto God—we get His victorious power in place of our own utter helplessness.
Run John and live, the Law commands,
But gives neither legs nor hands;
Far better news the gospel brings,
It bids me fly, and gives me wings.
The underlying lesson we must learn from this passage is that true holiness will not be effected in our lives by our own efforts, but by the power of grace working in us. H. Smith said, "Being under grace not only brings blessing to us, but it sustains us and enables us to overcome....An un-yielded person is always in danger of sinning, but a yielded person will be empowered by the grace of God." Deliverance, therefore, can only be effected by the principle of displacement.
To summarize thus far, we have had three things before us in the first half of chapter 6:
• Learning from God (vss. 1-11).
• Reckoning with God (vs. 12).
• Yielding to God (vss. 13-14).
Servants of Sin or Servants of Righteousness?
Chap. 6:15-23—Sin has assumed mastery over us in times past, but through the application of these principles, it need not be so any more. However, we need to understand that deliverance from sin is not an automatic thing. As Paul has shown in verses 11-13, God wants us to be responsibly exercised in the matter. This being the case, the great question for us is: "In which state or sphere of life am I choosing to live, now that I am a Christian?" If a new sphere of life has been opened up for me to live in, through Christ's death and resurrection (vs. 11), why would I then want to live in the old sphere out of which Christ saved me? Am I not through with that whole order of life in the world which has been judged by God? How can I find my pleasure in that lawless scene, which Christ died to end my connections therewith?
For a Christian to choose to live in that old state and to seek pleasure and satisfaction there, manifests an ignorance (or unbelief) in what the Word of God says about the flesh. In this passage, Paul teaches us that even though the flesh has been judged ("annulled"–Rom. 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)), it is an enemy that has not yet been destroyed, and if possible, the devil will seek opportunity through it to control the believer's life and to bring him into all manner of sins. It is a matter of fact that if we choose to live in that old state (sphere of life), the flesh will rise up in us and exert itself in our lives. Every Christian, therefore, needs to learn—and learn well—that "the flesh profiteth nothing" (John 6:6363It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)), and give up looking for something in that sphere to satisfy his heart. It is a dangerous sphere to live in spiritually, and surely not where God wants us to live. It will lead to failure.
Believers generally are slow to accept this truth, and therefore, must learn from experience that what God says about the flesh is true. In this next series of verses, Paul shows that practical sanctification is a progressive thing in a believer's life.
Chap. 6:15—Paul now addresses the subject of believers choosing to sin because they are under grace. He asks a similar question to that in verse 1: "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the Law, but under grace?" He answers it in the same way that he answered the question in verse 1—"God forbid [Far be the thought]." In no way is the grace of God designed to encourage Christians to sin. Such an idea is completely illogical. How can we praise and give thanksgiving to the Lord for suffering the agonies of the judgment of God on the cross to pay for our sins, and at the same time, carry on committing those very same sins? This should be abhorrent to every right-minded believer. Christians may fail in the path of faith and sin, and if they do, they judge themselves in repentance and rise up and go on (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9); Prov. 24:1616For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 24:16)). But to willfully pursue a course of sinning because we are under grace is not normal Christianity. It calls into question whether such a person really understands the gospel that he professes to have believed. A person who would justify this kind of a course is usually not saved at all.
We might wonder why Paul would take the time to deal with this question when every sober-minded Christian wouldn't even entertain the idea. However, we must remember that Paul was meeting the objections of Judaizing teachers who were opponents of the doctrine of justification by faith. They were legalists who believed that to preach the gospel that Paul preached ("once saved, always saved," as they say) encourages laxity and sin among Christians. Their remedy was to place believers under the Law, and have them try to perfect holiness by adhering to its demands. They believed that if Christians were kept in fear of losing their salvation if they sinned, they would be more careful and diligent to live uprightly.
This idea, however, manifests an ignorance of what the Law is, and what the Law can and cannot do. Simply put, the Law can demand holy living, but it cannot produce it. It was not given for that purpose. Even if holy living could be produced through law-keeping, it would still miss the mark. God's objective is to produce responsive and affectionate companionship for Christ in those who have a relationship with Him that is motivated by love (John 14:15; 15:915If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)
9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. (John 15:9); 2 Cor. 5:1414For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: (2 Corinthians 5:14)). Legalism will not do this. Under legal dictates, Christianity becomes a mundane set of rules and regulations, leaving the hearts of those under such a system untouched. All such means do not produce affection for Christ, nor does it encourage a relationship of intimacy with Him. Nor does living on that legal line give the believer the power to resist the temptation to sin.
An Illustration of the Power of Grace
It is clear that those who have these ideas do not understand the power of grace—God's unmerited favour toward man. When God's grace touches the hearts of His people, its great power effects change in their lives. It results in them being affectionately attached to Christ, with a desire to please Him. A story that G. Cutting mentions in his booklet, "Peace; Is It Yours?" illustrates the power of grace. We give it here verbatim. "A housemaid is busy with her daily work in her master's dining room. While dusting the mantelpiece, she is not aware that her duster has caught upon a costly vase, and in drawing it sharply away, she drags the vase down to the hearthstone, shattering it into atoms! She knows well enough how her master will feel about this; besides being a choice work of art, it has been handed down as an heirloom in the family for generations past. How bitterly she upbraids herself for her carelessness, and is just saying to herself, 'How can I possibly face my master about it,' that the drawing-room bell summons her into his presence. With a heavy heart and great trembling she answers the call.
As soon as she enters her master says, 'We wish to tell you that your mistress and I have just been speaking together about you, and that we have decided to give you a week's holiday.' 'Thank you, sir; but are you forgetting that I have already had my holiday this year?' 'We do not forget this, but it is our wish to give you a special week.' Then, holding out his hand, he says, 'Please take this sovereign. It will help you perhaps better enjoy your holiday.'
'Oh sir,' she says, bursting into tears, 'I could not take either the sovereign or the holiday, for I am sure you will offer me neither when you know what I have done. I have in my carelessness, broken the beautiful vase that was standing on the mantelpiece in the dining-room.' 'I know it,' he says. 'Indeed, I happened to be passing the window at the time and saw you do it; but though we both greatly feel the loss, we have long had a desire to show you some special mark of our appreciation, and consider that this is a very good time to do it.' Do we think that this new and unexpected experience of her master's kindness would make her more careless about her work in the future? No, no; the very opposite." The grace displayed toward the housemaid would make her more diligent and conscientious in her work.
Similarly, if we take time to meditate on the incredible grace that has been shown to us by God, who has saved us and blessed us more richly than every other creature in the universe (including angels), it will produce devotion to Christ. There will be a desire to give back to the One who has blessed us so greatly, and this will be expressed in wanting to please Him in any way that we can. On this line of response the Psalmist said, “What shall I render unto the LORD for all His benefits toward me?” (Psa. 116:1212What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? (Psalm 116:12)) Thus, daily meditation on the grace of God produces a daily desire to please Him. This is something that no legal system can do. Paul alludes to the practical power of grace working in the hearts of believers in Titus 2:11-1211For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (Titus 2:11‑12): "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." God's grace not only saves us from the judgment of our sins, but it also teaches us to turn away from ungodly living.
Serving Righteousness
Chap. 6:16—In the next few verses Paul tells us something that every Christian needs to know about sin and practical righteousness. He says, "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves bondmen for obedience, ye are bondmen to him whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" This shows that there is a captivating power both in practising sin and in practising righteousness. In yielding to either one, we come under its power—for bad or for good. If we, as Christians, choose to live in the old Adam state (sphere of life) and yield ourselves to the call of the sin-nature, serious consequences result. We will come under sin's power and become slaves to the sins that we allow! The Lord Jesus taught this to his disciples; He said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:3434Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34)). This is a universal principle that applies to all mankind. It is as true of a believer as it is of an unbeliever. Thus, by choosing to sin, we wrong our own souls (Prov. 8:3636But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. (Proverbs 8:36)).
Every Christian must learn—and it may have to be through the chastening of the Lord—that the "freedom" presented in the gospel (vs. 18) is not freedom to sin, but rather, freedom from sin. God wants to set us free from sin's power so that we can do His will—not so that we can go on sinning! The gospel announces liberty, not licence. If we have been separated from that whole order of things under Adam by our connection to Christ under His headship, why would we think of living our Christian lives in that lawless state, from which we have been separated, when we know that it will lead to bondage? As mentioned earlier, when Christians choose to sin, it manifests unbelief of the fact that "the flesh profiteth nothing" (John 6:6363It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)). The problem is that we still think that there is something good there that will minister to our happiness and satisfaction. And, by yielding to it, we are deceived by it, and we come under the power of those sins which we commit. God allows it to be so, and uses it as a discipline to correct our wrong attitude towards sin. We can say, thankfully, that for the believer who goes in this direction and allows sins in his life, there is a way out through repentance and self-judgment. But for the unbeliever, the sins he allows in his life only bring him into greater bondage.
As mentioned, this servitude works equally on both lines: "Whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." By saying, "To whom ye yield yourselves..." Paul personifies "sin" and "righteousness," and views them as two opposing masters with opposing servitudes. Whichever one of these we yield ourselves to, we become servants to. As believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, by yielding to the new master (righteousness), we form new and good habits which lead to practical sanctification. Paul will speak more about this in verse 19. A solemn thing to consider here is that even though we are positionally in a new place before God—where grace reigns through righteousness—sin can still be our master practically, if we choose to live in that old Adam state. Every Christian needs to consider this soberly.
Chap. 6:17-18—Paul was persuaded that the Roman saints to whom he was writing had "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine" in which they were "instructed." That is, they had believed the truth of the gospel, and thus, were "free from sin" positionally. If they would yield themselves as "servants of righteousness" they would prove the power of grace working in their lives producing practical sanctification—for this is normal Christianity. To indicate these two servitudes, Paul uses the word "servants" eight times in verses 16-23.
Chap. 6:19-20—He then demonstrates the progressive nature of walking in holiness (practical sanctification). He says, "For even as ye have yielded your members in bondage to uncleanness and to lawlessness unto lawlessness, so now yield your members in bondage to righteousness unto holiness [sanctification]." The Roman believers had once practised lawlessness (before they were saved), and by doing so, only became more lawless; they were now to practise righteousness and it would result in their becoming progressively more holy. This shows that it is a progressive thing in both directions. Just as a man who practises wickedness becomes increasingly more wicked ("lawlessness unto lawlessness"), so also the more a Christian practises righteousness, the more holy he becomes ("righteousness unto holiness").
On the negative side, a man does not become a monster all at once; it may take years of practicing sin. He may do an evil deed today that five years ago he would have shrunk from doing. It has been reported that Nero wept over killing a fly in his early days, but ended his career laughing while Rome burnt! Paul's point here is that just as surely as sin works progressively in a person, so also righteousness works progressively in the life of a believer. Every time we do a right deed, it becomes easier for us to do it again. G. Cutting aptly said, "Every new victory will give you new power." Thus, we “grow up unto salvation” practically (1 Peter 2:22As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (1 Peter 2:2)). The children’s hymn emphasizes this point—“Each victory will help you, some other to win.” Thus, Christians are now in a new and happy servitude as "servants [bondmen] to righteousness."
One difference that we should note is that "righteousness" and "holiness" are not the same. Righteousness has to do with doing right things because they are right. Holiness has to do with doing right things because you love what is right and hate evil.
Chap. 6:21-23—Paul concludes by pointing to the incredible difference in the results of these two opposing servitudes. He asks the Roman believers to consider the end of the course they were once treading before they were saved—"What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed, for the end of those things is death?" What profit was there in it? It only brought forth death in every sense. But being set free, he tells them to look at the great and good results that were now being produced in their lives; there was "fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting [eternal] life." They were now free to do the will of God in fellowship with God, and the path they were now treading would end in glory in a coming day. (As in chapter 5:21, Paul views "eternal life" here as being something we reach at the end of the path of faith, when we get to heaven in a glorified state. Of course, we have it now as well, which the Apostle John calls, "life eternal" – John 3:16, 3616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36), etc., see J. N. Darby Trans.)
Verse 22 is sort of a summary of the truth presented in chapter 6. It says:
• We are made "free from sin."
• We have become "servants to God."
• We have our "fruit unto holiness."
• The "end is eternal life."
Vs. 23—The conclusion of the whole matter is this: "For the wages of sin is death; but the act of favour of God, eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." As mentioned, one course leads to "death," and the other course leads to "life." "The wages of sin" mentioned here is often taken to be sins (evil deeds) that men commit. Evangelists will use this verse to tell sinners, that as a consequence of their sins, they will die and go to hell. But we must keep in mind that this section of the epistle is not dealing with sins, but rather with sin, the evil sin-nature in the believer. Paul has already shown in chapter 5 that death in the human race is not the result of personal sins, but the result of being descended from a fallen head. Death may claim a child that is only one day old. It is clear that death has not claimed the child because the child is guilty of sinning, but because he has a sin-nature and the effects of its working in his body has caused the death. Moreover, believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, whose sins are forgiven, still die. If their sins caused their death, we might mistakenly conclude that God had not forgiven them after all! Concerning this verse, J. N. Darby said that it is "not an appeal to sinners as sometimes used, but to those already set free" (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible on Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)).
The Law and Christ
Chap. 7:1-6—Paul, having presented the truth of deliverance, in chapter 6, it could be asked: "Does this deliverance apply to the Law of Moses?" This would be of special concern to believers from among the Jews; the Gentiles, as we know, were never in that legal relationship with God. The answer is yes; Jewish believers are no longer under the Law. In taking this up, Paul addresses himself especially to his Jewish brethren. This is indicated by his statement: "I speak to them that know the Law."
There is one obvious difference between deliverance from sin (chap. 6) and deliverance from the Law (chap. 7). Sin is something bad that has come into the world through man's failure, whereas the Law is "holy, and just, and good" (vs. 12) and was given by God Himself. It is easy to see why we need to be delivered from sin, but we might wonder why anyone would need to be delivered from something that is good. The answer is that the Law is good indeed—good for the purpose for which it was designed—which is to show men what they have done and what they are. However, the Law cannot produce holy living. J. N. Darby has pointed out that there are three things that the Law cannot do (Collected Writings, vol. 31, p. 155); these are:
• It does not give life.
• It does not give strength to perform its demands.
• It does not give us an object for our hearts.
Hence, it is a great misunderstanding to think that the Law was given to help a person walk in holiness. It is not—and never was—God's intention to produce holiness in men through it.
The mistaken idea of thinking that Gentile believers should be put under the Law was settled authoritatively by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. This is recorded in Acts 15. But the question remained, "Are believers on the Lord Jesus, who are from among the Jews, still under the Law?" Paul answers that question here.
The Two Husbands
Chapter 7
In this passage, Paul explains why the Law has no connection with Christians—whether they be Jewish Christians or Gentile Christians. In chapter 7:1-3, he states the principle, giving a hypothetical illustration of the improbability of a woman being married to two husbands at the same time. Then, in chapter 7:4-6, he shows that since Christians are dead with Christ, the bond that once held them (Jewish believers) to the obligations of the Law has been broken.
Chap. 7:1-3—Paul views the Law as being in the position of a husband and the Jews (before they were saved) in the position of a wife. The woman in that situation would be under certain obligations to her husband. Paul states, "The woman which hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth." F. B. Hole said, "Every Jew found the old husband—the Law—very stern and unbending, a wife-beater in fact, though they had to admit that they richly deserved all they got." (Paul’s Epistles, vol. 1, p. 26) Under the Law they were burdened and were "heavy laden" in their efforts to do all that it commanded, and also in performing the adjuncts which the rabbis added to it (Matt. 11:28; 23:2-428Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
2Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (Matthew 23:2‑4)).
Then, Paul says, "But if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband." In this statement, Paul is not teaching that the Law has died—even though he refers to the husband dying. The great point that he is establishing here is that death ends the rule of law; the bond involved in that legal relationship is broken when death comes in.
Chap. 7:4—Mr. H. Smith points out that in the illustration the husband dies, but in the application of the principle, it is the wife who dies. Paul has made it clear in verse 1 That those in that legal relationship, who are now identified with Christ, have come to an end in death. He said, "The Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth." He didn't say that the Law has dominion over a man as long as it lives, but "as long as he (the man under it) liveth."
Applying the principle of Christ's federal headship to Jewish believers in their legal relationship with God, Paul shows that since Christ has died, they have a right to consider themselves dead also. He says, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ"(vs. 4). Thus, believers on the Lord Jesus Christ are not only dead to sin (chap. 6); they are also dead to the Law (chap. 7). The Law has no more dominion over those who were in that relationship who believe because they are viewed as dead and gone—and the Law has no dominion over a dead man. J. N. Darby said, "He dies to that in which he was held. The Law could only assert its claim on the man as a living child of Adam. The 'Law has power over a man as long as he lives;' but I am dead to the Law by the body of Christ; the bond to the Law has absolutely, wholly, and necessarily ceased, for the person is dead; and the Law has power over him only as long as he lived" (Collected Writings, vol. 10, p. 10).
"The body of Christ," of which Paul speaks of here, is not the mystical body of Christ in which we are members (1 Cor. 12:12-1312For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑13)), but Christ's personal (physical) body which He had in becoming a Man (Heb. 10:55Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5); Colossians 1:2222In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Colossians 1:22)). It was through His body in which He died that He brought believers into death through their identification with Him.
The KJV says, "Married to another...." This is mentioned three times in this passage, referring to Christ, but the word "married" is not really in the Greek text. It should read, "Belong to another" (W. Kelly Trans.). This is because our relationship to Christ presently is that of one espoused to a husband; we are waiting for the marriage that will take place in the future (Rev. 19:7-107Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:7‑10)). (It's true that, in Ephesians 5, the Church is seen in union with Christ already, but that epistle presents the truth from the perspective of the eternal purpose of God—as something complete and outside of time altogether.)
Paul concludes his thought by saying, "That we should bring forth fruit unto God" (vs. 4). The "fruit" he is referring to here is practical righteousness manifested in holy living. This is God's objective in delivering the believer from sin and the Law. However, true fruit-bearing can only be produced by living in the conscious enjoyment of eternal life with "Him who is raised from the dead." When we abide with Christ in that new sphere of life, the Spirit of God is free to work in us to keep the flesh in check and to effect fruit in our lives in the way of practical righteousness. Paul will expand on this in chapter 8.
Chap. 7:5—Paul reminds the Jewish believers that when they were "in the flesh" under the Law, their efforts in law-keeping were a failure; it did not produce holiness in their lives. In fact, instead of the Law controlling the flesh, it did the opposite—it excited the flesh! "For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit unto death" (NASB). As soon as the flesh is told not to do a thing, it becomes the very thing it wants to do. J. N. Darby said, "Were I to say to a lover of money, 'You must not desire that gold,' it would only awaken the desire" (Collected Writings, vol. 26, p. 158). Those who apply legal principles to curb the flesh will find that the flesh will lift up its ugly head in a more forceful way than ever! Believers from among the Jews ought to know this better than anyone, having been under the Law formally.
We know this from experience as well, even if we haven't formally been under the Law. If we put some restriction on the flesh, the flesh immediately rebels against it. This is because “the carnal mind (of the flesh) is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be” (chap. 8:7). Hence, putting ourselves under legal restraints in an effort to perfect holiness is counter-productive, because law-keeping only produces moral "death" in those who put themselves under its demands. Legalists evidently don’t know this and continue to put their converts under the Law. The sooner we learn this, the better; then we will stop looking for success through law-keeping.
Paul uses a phrase here ("in the flesh") which is unique to his doctrine. There are other such phrases:
It should be noted that even though we are not in the flesh, the flesh is still in us. It will not be removed until we are with the Lord.
Chap. 7:6—Paul summarizes the foregoing, saying, "We are delivered from the Law, being dead to that wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." In this, he restates the great principle underlying these chapters. It is simply that we cannot be alive in that which we have died—whether it is in connection with sin or the Law. The Law has not been set aside, made void, or gone; it is the believer who is gone. He is dead by virtue of his identification with Christ’s death. The Jewish believer, therefore, is no longer under the Law.
Thus, God's way of practical sanctification is not through Law-keeping. Law-keeping for holiness is a carnal principle that assumes that there is strength in man to produce good. It is not God’s way of practical sanctification. The legalist argues that the believer can keep the Law because he has a new nature and the indwelling Holy Spirit, which enable him to do so. It’s true that the new nature (which gives us right desires) and the Holy Spirit (which gives the power) enable the believer to walk in holiness, but the believer does not do it because of legal demands, but because Christ is his Object. When occupied with Christ, the believer, in practise, far exceeds the moral demands of the Law. In Galatians 5:22-2322But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22‑23), Paul lists a number of things that are “the fruit of the Spirit” in the believer—“love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [self-control].” He then adds, “Against such there is no law.” That is, there is no law anywhere that can be placed upon the believer that will produce these things! In God’s system of grace, the believer moves on a far higher principle than legal obedience in the Law of Moses.
An Illustration of the Power of Love
The following illustration gives the sense of this new principle of Christian living. A man of considerable means hires a maid to clean his house while he is at his workplace. Her responsibilities are laid out in a detailed list of ten things, which he posts on the wall. Under this contractual agreement, she is required to do those things to the best of her ability, for which she is paid accordingly. Bye and bye, the man takes an interest in the girl and they fall in love and get married. Upon returning from their honeymoon, he promptly tears down the list on the wall, for their relationship is now no longer on the lines of a contract. But when he goes off to work and returns, he finds that she has done those very things on the list, even though she is not under that agreement! In fact, she did things for him that were not even on the list! And, all was done with more enthusiasm and joy than ever before! What had happened? The power of grace and love was lavished upon the girl by the man who had won her heart, and it made her want to please him—and she found it a joy to do so.
Thus, by grace reigning through righteousness in the heart of the believer, we have God's way of sanctification, effected by the power of the Holy Spirit. On this principle, we are able to “serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of letter.”
In considering the many details that Paul has covered in this part of the epistle, it is quite possible to have lost the thread of his teaching on deliverance; hence, a brief review is in order.
In chapter 5:12-21, Paul has taught us how we got the sin-nature, from which we so desperately need deliverance—it was through Adam's fall. He has also taught us that, as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are no longer under Adam's headship and thus no longer in that old race, as far as our position before God is concerned. He has explained that we are now "constituted righteous" and are part of a new race of men under Christ's headship, where grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life.
In Romans 6:1-101What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (Romans 6:1‑10), he explains how this transfer from Adam’s headship to Christ’s has come to pass for the believer. Acting as our federal Head, Christ, in dying, severed Himself from the whole system of sin under Adam, and in doing so, He has severed us from it too. Through our identification with Christ's death, God sees us as "dead," and thus disconnected from Adam's race and the principle of sin that dominates it (vs. 7). Paul pointed to our baptism as signifying this great fact. He also pointed to the cross as being the place where God has judged that whole sinful order of things in the crucifying of the “old man.” Furthermore, being “raised from the dead,” Christ has entered a new sphere of life where “He lives unto God,” and this sphere is now open to all who are in His new race, wherein they can “live with Him” in freedom from sin (vss. 8-10). Then, in verses 11-12, Paul exhorts the believer to “reckon” (“think it to be so”) with God that these things which are true of Christ are also true of us. Thus, on account of our identification with Christ's death, we are entitled to consider ourselves "dead indeed unto sin" but “alive to God” in that new sphere in which Christ lives unto God.
Then, in chapter 6:13-14, having our occupation with Christ and His interests where He lives unto God in resurrection, we are exhorted to yield ourselves to Him and begin practising righteousness, one act at a time. And, by the repetition of good habits, we become servants of righteousness. Thus, on the principle of displacement, the flesh is not given an opportunity to act in our lives.
In chapter 6:15-23, Paul warns that if we choose to live our lives in the sphere of the flesh, the flesh will gain control over us, and we will come under its bondage. It is, therefore, imperative that we live practically in the right sphere of life wherein is a new range of objects (“the things of the Spirit” – chap. 8:5) to occupy our hearts. He also shows that walking in holiness is a progressive thing: the more we practise righteousness as a habit, the more holy we become.
Lastly, in chapter 7:1-6, the principle of the believer's identification with Christ's death is applied to those under the Law. Since they are dead with Christ, and the Law has no dominion over a dead man, the believer is delivered from the bondage of the Law.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~