At Grace Church, we believe the Bible is God’s word to us. Though written thousands of years ago, it contains truths that help us today, with the power to transform how we think and live. We’re currently exploring Paul’s letter to the Romans, one of the most extensive treatments of what it means to be a Christian.
In Romans 6, Paul uses an illustration from everyday life in ancient Rome – slavery. While this example feels foreign to us today, it was as common to Paul’s audience as democracy is to us. But to understand his teaching, we need to clarify which kind of slavery Paul is referencing.
Two Types of Biblical Slavery
The Bible speaks of two very different forms of slavery:
- Forced slavery – People kidnapped, trafficked, sold, shackled, and brutalized. The Bible clearly condemns this evil in both the Old and New Testaments.
- Voluntary servitude – People who, due to poverty and desperation, offered themselves to a wealthier person for protection and provision. As Paul writes in Romans 6:16, “Don’t you know when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey.”
This second form is what Paul uses as a metaphor for our spiritual condition.
The Master We Choose Reveals Our Heart
Paul presents us with a stark choice between two masters: sin or righteousness. “You are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness” (Romans 6:16).
The things we do reveal who our master is. When sin is our master, two major drawbacks occur:
1. Sin Leads to Death
Sin might promise freedom, but it always leads to death. This is the spiritual principle Paul has been explaining throughout Romans. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
2. Sin Leads to “Ever-Increasing Wickedness”
What starts as something mild has a tendency to spiral out of control. Like a virus that spreads through your system, sin affects every part of our lives. Not every sin leads to criminal behavior, just as not all viruses kill you, but they all make you sick.
Even “respectable sins” like worry, anger, judgmentalism, gossip, or complaining can damage your soul. These might not land you in jail, but they still have consequences for your character and heart.
What Benefit Are You Getting?
Paul asks a piercing question in Romans 6:21:
“What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?” Think about it – what benefit are you getting from worry, anger, lust, or idleness? Sin always pays exactly what it promised – death. Death to our relationships, our emotional health, and ultimately to our soul.
The Good News: You’ve Been Set Free
But here’s the amazing news –
“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:18)
How did this happen? Paul explains in Romans 6:17 that it has to do with teaching – someone told you a truth that had the power to set you free.
This message isn’t about what you have to do to be free; it’s about what God has already done. Jesus died with your sin, and if you trust in Him wholeheartedly, His death frees you from sin and its consequences, while His resurrection gives you the life you so desperately need.
A New Master, A New Life
Paul challenges us by saying we haven’t simply moved from slavery to freedom – we’ve moved from one master to another. We were slaves to a terrible master who treated us cruelly and rewarded us with death. Now, we’ve been redeemed by a new Master who treats us with love, leads us toward flourishing, and rewards us with everlasting life.
This is why Christians call Jesus both Savior and Lord. He saves us from our sins, but He is also our Master whom we follow and obey. “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Living Out Our New Identity
If you call yourself a Christian, remember that obedience isn’t optional. As Paul says, “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). We obey our new Master because:
- He has paid for us with His life
- He loves us deeply
- He has promised good for us
- Obeying Him brings joy and freedom
If you’re still regularly obeying your old master, today is an opportunity to “count yourself dead to sin and alive to God” again. Present yourself to your true Master and say, “Here I am, I’m ready to do Your will.”
Thanks be to God that though we were once slaves of sin, we have “become obedient from the heart” and “having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).
There is more to discover on this path of righteousness. Don’t settle for just getting through life – invest yourself in this journey with Christ. With His leading and the Spirit’s strength, it will do you good.