Slaves to Sin and Slaves to Righteousness (1)
[Romans 6:15-23]
When we read today's passage, Romans 6:15-23, the word "slaves" appears nine times in these nine Bible verses. The phrases "slaves to sin" (vv. 16, 17, 20), “slaves of the one whom you obey" (v. 16), "slave of righteousness" (vv. 18, 19), and "slaves to God" (v. 22) are present. Under the theme of "Slaves to Sin and Slaves to Righteousness (1)," today, we will meditate on the concept of being a "slave to sin," and in the next Wednesday worship, we will contemplate being a "slave to righteousness," seeking to receive the grace given to us.
What is "sin" according to the Bible? The Bible speaks about it in four aspects: (1) Sin is defined as breaking the law. 1 John 3:4 says, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness" (Modern Korean Bible). Violating God's law is considered sin. (2) Sin is not only breaking the law but also failing to do what is right when one knows how to do it. James 4:17 states, "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (Modern Korean Bible). Jesus taught this truth through parables in Matthew 25, addressing the responsibility to do what is right. Judges 5:23 provides an example where the people of Meroz failed to help Deborah and the Israelites in their victory over King Jabin. Their inaction was considered sin. (3) The Bible also defines not acting in faith as sin. Romans 14:23 mentions, "But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Modern Korean Bible). Jesus emphasized that not believing in Him is a sin in John 16:8-9. (4) Finally, the Bible considers falling short of God's standards in deeds done in faith as sin. The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 14 asks, "What is sin?" The answer is, "Sin is any want of conformity to or transgression of the law of God." For example, even if someone keeps all the commandments except the tenth, it is considered sin. James 2:10 emphasizes that breaking one part of the law makes a person guilty of breaking the entire law (Modern Korean Bible).
In this way, the Bible defines sin in four aspects. So, how did we become slaves to sin? Romans 6:16 says, "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (Modern Korean Bible). We become the slaves of whoever we submit ourselves to (v. 16, Modern Korean Bible). For example, if we submit ourselves to Satan, who governs the realm of these four sins, we become slaves to Satan, becoming "slaves to sin" (vv. 16, 17, 20). Conversely, if we obey God, we become "slaves to God" (v. 22), "slaves of the one whom you obey" (v. 16), and "slaves to righteousness" (vv. 18, 19). Before we believed in Jesus, we were slaves to sin, obeying Satan. Ephesians 2:2 states, "in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience" (Modern Korean Bible). Here, "that time" refers to when we were spiritually dead due to sin and disobedience (v. 1). In modern terms, it refers to the time when we were people who had spiritually died due to disobedience and sin (v. 1, Modern Korean Bible).
When we were people who had spiritually died, we became slaves to sin, following Satan, and obeying him. The reason for this is rooted in the disobedience of the first man, Adam, the "one man" (Rom. 5:12), to the command of the covenant God (Gen. 2:17). Adam disobeyed and, instead, obeyed Satan, the serpent, by eating the fruit from the tree that revealed the knowledge of good and evil (3:1-6). As a result, "sin entered the world" (Rom. 5:12), and Adam's descendants, including us, were born into sin (Ps. 51:5). Therefore, the Apostle Paul stated in Romans 5:17, "... you were slaves to sin ...." The life of a slave to sin was free from righteousness (6:20). In modern terms, when we were slaves to sin, "righteousness had nothing to do with us" (v. 20, Modern Korean Bible). In the Common Korean Translation, it says, when we were slaves to sin, we "acted as we pleased without being bound by righteousness." In the Standard New Translation, it mentions that when we were slaves to sin, we "were not bound by righteousness."
Looking back on our lives when we were slaves to sin before believing in Jesus, we lived a life where righteousness had nothing to do with us, and we acted as we pleased, didn't we? We lived a shameful life (v. 21). Now, as we believe in Jesus Christ through God's grace and become slaves to righteousness, looking back at the time when we were slaves to sin, we realize how shameful that life was. The consequences of being a slave to sin are described in the Bible as death. Romans 6:16 and 21 state: "... or of obedience, which leads to righteousness. But the final result is death." Here, "death" refers to eternal death, receiving eternal punishment in hell due to the price of sin.
In this way, we who were once slaves to sin have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness (v. 18). We have become slaves to God (v. 22) and slaves to the one whom we obey (v. 16), so that we no longer are slaves to sin, which leads to death (v. 16, note: v. 21) but have attained eternal life (vv. 22, 23). How is this possible? It is because the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is the servant of God's righteousness, took upon Himself all our sins and, like a slave to sin, was crucified on the cross and died. Therefore, we can do nothing but give thanks to God (v. 17). We should give thanks to God in all things, throughout our lives, and for all eternity.