“Those things result in death!”
[Romans 6:19-21]
Romans 6 begins with ‘sin’ (v. 1) and ends with “sin” (v. 23). It starts with “the grace” (v. 1) and ends with “the gift” (grace) (v. 23). Romans 6 is a chapter where grace increases all the more where sin increases (5:20). Look at Romans 6:19-21: “I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!” In Romans 6, the last part, verses 19-21, is divided into three parts to meditate on: (1) “Those things result in death!”, (2) ‘The result is eternal life’ and (3) ‘The gift of God.’
First, “Those things result in death!” (Rom. 6:21)
Who are the ones result in death? They are slaves to sin (v. 20). As we listen to the last part of Romans chapter 6 today, we earnestly pray that those who are still slaves to sin will be freed from the slavery of sin. The result of the slavery of sin is death.
(1) The slave of sin yields his own members to impurity and to lawlessness.
Look at Romans 6:19 – “I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, ….” Here “members” refer to our body (eg. eyes, nose, mouth, feet, hands, etc.). Also, “members” refers more broadly to the time, possessions, etc. that we have. In the book of Psalms (Psalms 1-150), the psalmist has a lot to say about our human body. And he gave all his members to goodness/righteousness consistently. But the wicked yielded their members to unrighteousness (this is what the psalmist says less). Look at Psalms 140:2-3: “Who devise evil things in their hearts; They continually stir up wars. They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.” Evil men (v. 1) devise evil things in their hearts (v. 2). And they sharpened their tongues as a serpent, and poison of a viper is under their lips (v. 3). Look at Psalms 140:9 – “As for the head of those who surround me, May the mischief of their lips cover them.” The evil men who surrounded the psalmist cursed the psalmist with their lips when they raised their heads. We righteous people lift up our heads to praise/worship God and give thanks.
(2) The life of a slave to sin is freedom in regard to righteousness.
Look at Romans 6:20 – “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.” In other words, the slave of sin does what he wants about righteousness, but his heart is not pure and is full of iniquity. For example, the slave of sin disobeys God's word to do not doing righteousness, but rather doing unrighteousness, disobeying God's word (e.g. disobeying the Lord's commandment to love one another and not loving one another rather hate each other).
(3) The slave to sin bears shameful fruit.
Look at Romans 6:21 – “Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? ….” Here “then” (v. 21) refers to when we were slaves to sin (v. 20). When we were slaves to sin, we were not ashamed in the dark. Further, when we were slaves to sin, we sinned against God by doing the shameful dark work, yet we considered it a glory. Look at Philippians 3:19 – “whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”
(4) At the end of the slavery of sin is death.
Look at Romans 6:21b – “… Those things result in death!” Here, “death” refers to the death of the body. And the end of this physical death is eternal death. The reason why the body dies is because of our sin [“the wages of sin is death …” (Rom.6:23)]. But we Christians, servants of righteousness, do not die in the flesh as the price for sin. Because God justifies us, there is no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus. Look at Romans 8:1-2: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” When the body dies, the Bible says “asleep”. Look at Acts 7:60 – “Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.” Here, the Bible refers to Stephen's death as "asleep". Also, look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” Here the Bible speaks of the dead three times as “those who are asleep”. We Christians are asleep, not the body dies (because death is the end). We will wake up one day. That time will be when Jesus Christ comes (v.15). In other words, the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (v. 16). But since unbelievers, that is, the slaves of sin, who do not believe in Jesus, die outside Christ, the result of their physical death is the second death, which is eternal death. Look at Revelation 21:8 – “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Here, “the second death” means that unbelievers, etc., are thrown into a lake burning with fire and brimstone, where they will not be consumed, but will be punished forever. This is the last!
We must contemplate how terrible sin is, and the end of it! We were originally slaves of sin and were to be punished forever in the second death, the eternal lake of fire. However, through God's unconditional grace and love, we received eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ and being saved. We are no longer slaves to sin, but to righteousness, and our end is not death, but eternal life. When we think of this great grace and love of God, how can we give thanks, praise, worship, and glory to God? Until that day when we are out of breath, we should give thanks, praise and worship to God.