Some Key Words (8/17/00-8/19/00)

Lusts (epithumeo [1939]):

the active desire resulting from passion, the diseased condition of the soul; desire for what is forbidden, longing, craving; a longing for what is forbidden

Instruments (hoplon [3696]):

any tool or implement, arms used in warfare, weapons, an instrument; a utensil or tool, an offensive weapon of war; Vine's suggests that weaponry is the proper idea here, in keeping with the reference to soldiers' wages in v23.

Unrighteousness (adikia [93]):

what is not in line with justice, what shouldn't be, what is wrong; injustice, unrighteousness of heart and life, a deed violating law; injustice as a quality or in an act, moral wrongfulness of character or act

Righteousness (dikaiosune [1343]):

the essence of one who is just, fulfilling God's claims, conforming to the claims of authority, conformance to God's standard; the state of one who is what he should be, the condition acceptable to God; equity of character or act, Christian justification

Master (kurieuo [2961]):

to have dominion over, be lord of, to exercise influence upon, have power over; to exercise lordship

Under (hupo [5259]):

under something, subjection or dependence, succession - being behind or after, underhanded or covert; by, under; beneath, through, by means of, when

Law (nomos [3551]):

assigning each his own, or administering by commanding or forbidding, a law, divine law, the gospel law of faith, a force equivalent to law; any established usage or custom, a law or command, a precept or injunction, a rule of action prescribed by reason, Mosaic law, Christian religion; law, regulation, principle

Grace (charis [5485]):

a kindness granted, a benefit, thanks, gratitude, a favor done without expecting return, the freeness of God's love towards man, unmerited favor; good will, loving-kindness, the merciful kindness of God, the spiritual condition of one governed by divine grace, the proof of grace, thanks; graciousness of manner or act, the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life

Know (eido [1492]):

to perceive by the senses, to see, to understand, to experience, to be acquainted with, to esteem, to acknowledge, to consider; to see, perceive by senses, discern, to turn one's attention to, to observe, inspect, determine what must be done about, behold, to experience, to know, to get knowledge of, the force and meaning of that which has definite meaning, to be skilled in, to pay attention to; to see or know

Present (paristemi [3936]):

to place beside or near, to set at hand, to present or provide, to put at one's disposal, to show, to bring to, to bring into fellowship and intimacy, to be at hand, to stand ready; to exhibit, proffer, recommend, to substantiate, to be ready, to aid

Slaves (doulos [1401]):

one who is in a permanent relationship of subjection to another, one whose will is totally subsumed under another's; a bondman, a slave, one who is given up to another's will, devoted to another with disregard for one's own interests; a slave

Obedience (hupakoe [5218]):

obedience, obedience to God's will, willing subjection, subjection to God's saving will; compliance, submission, obedience to counsel, obedience to the requirements of Christianity; attentive hearing leading to compliance or submission

Committed (paradidomi [3860]):

to give into the hands of another, to give over to one's use, to deliver something to keep, use, take care of, or manage, to commit or commend, to deliver verbally as with commands or narration; to surrender, yield up, entrust, transmit

Freed (eleutheroo [1659]):

to make free, liberate; to set at liberty from the dominion of sin; to exempt from moral, ceremonial, or mortal liability

Weakness (astheneia [769]):

without strength, weakness or sickness; the native frailty of the body, feebleness of health, sickness of the soul, lack of capacity to understand, do great things, or restrain corrupt desires; feebleness of mind or body, moral frailty

Impurity (akatharsia [167]):

uncleanness, filth, lewdness, unnatural pollution; physical uncleanness, moral impurity, profligate living; physically or morally impure

Lawlessness (anomia [458]):

transgression of the law, iniquity; without law due to ignorance or violation of it, contempt of the law, wickedness; illegality, violation of law

Sanctification (hagiasmos [38]):

holiness, separation unto God, behavior befitting those who are holy, the result of the process of sanctification, the enabling change of character; consecration, purification, the effect of consecration, sanctification of heart and life; the state of purity, a purifier

Benefit (karpos [2590]):

fruit, progeny, what comes from something, the effect or result, advantage, profit, utility, praises; plucked fruit - literally or figuratively

Outcome (telos [5056]):

the limit, the point at which previous activities cease, the goal reached, the completion or conclusion, the result, consummation; the limit at which a thing ceases to be - the completion of an act vs. the end of a time period, the last in a series, the close of an issue, the aim or purpose of things, a toll or custom tax; the point aimed at as a limit, the conclusion of an act or state, the result

Wages (opsonion [3800]):

to buy meat, whatever is bought to be eaten with bread, provisions, supplies for a soldier's pay; a soldier's pay, wages; rations for a soldier, his stipend or pay

Sin (hamartia [266]):

missing the true scope of our lives, an offense relative to God - emphasizing our guilt; to be without a share in, to miss the mark, to err, to wander from the path of uprightness, to do wrong, to wander from God's law, that which is done wrong, an offence, a violation of divine law; a sin

Free gift (charisma [5486]):

a gift of grace, an undeserved benefit from God; a favor received without merit, a gift of divine grace, the economy of divine grace; a divine gratuity, deliverance from danger or passion, a spiritual endowment

Life (zoe [2222]):

the principle of life in the spirit and soul, the highest and best of life, - which Christ is, the highest blessedness of the creature; the state of one possessed of vitality, the absolute fullness of life in essence and ethic which belongs to God, real and genuine life devoted to God; life

 

Paraphrase: (8/17/00)

12 [Since you have died in Christ] don't allow your body to be ruled by sinful lusts, 13 nor allow yourself to continue in unrighteous acts; but rather allow your body to be a present to God as one returned from death to life, and continue in righteous acts, as God's instruments. 14 After all, you are not under law that sin should be master of you, but you are under grace.
15 Am I suggesting that as those under grace we can go on sinning? No way! 16 Don't you realize that you must obey the one you enslave yourself to? And everybody serves something - either sin and death, or righteousness. 17 Oh, but thank Your God that he took you from your slavery to sin, and made you rather obedient to His teaching, 18 freeing you from sin, and making of you slaves of righteousness. 19 Clearly, I am speaking in these terms so that your weak fleshly state can grasp my meaning. You used to make yourselves available to the rule of impurity which led to greater lawlessness. Now, then, make yourselves available to righteousness which leads to sanctification. 20 When you were ruled by sin, you were free relative to righteousness. 21 But what did it buy you? The end result of your choices is death. 22 Ah, but now! You have been freed from sin, and are ruled instead by God, with the end results of sanctification and eternal life. 23 For the payment for sin is death, but God's free gift to you is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Key Verse: (8/17/00)

6:22 - (although 23 is probably the obvious choice.) We are freed from sin and given over to God - slavery with benefits! And what benefits! For in our new slavery, we attain to sanctification and eternal life!

People Mentioned: (8/17/00)

N/A

Some Parallel Verses (8/20/00)

6:12

6:13

Ro 7:5 - The Law aroused our passions, which in turn led our members to sin and towards death. Col 3:5 - We must learn to think of our bodies as dead to immorality, idolatry, and sin. Ro 12:1 - Our worship consists of presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices. 2Co 5:14-5:17 - Christ in dying, died for all, so that we could be a new creation, letting go the old ways of sin. 1Pe 2:24 - He bore our sins so that we could die to sin in His death, and live to righteousness instead, our natures healed by His sufferings.

6:14

Ro 8:2 - the Law of the Spirit and of Life which is ours in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death. Ro 8:12 - We are no longer obliged to live by fleshly rules. Ro 5:18 - Just as in one transgression sin was accounted to all, so in one obedience, life was accounted to all. Ro 7:4 - In Christ we died to the Law and were joined together with Him raised from death to be fruitful for God. Ro 7:6 - We have died to the Law so that we can serve in spirit and truth. Gal 4:21 - Do those who want to be under the Law understand it fully? Ro 5:17 - By the gracious gift of righteousness, we will reign in life [vs. death.] Ro 5:21 - Sin reigns in death, but grace reigns in life through righteousness and through Christ Jesus.

6:15

Lk 20:16 - When told that the Lord would give their heritage to another, the Jews exclaimed "May it never be!"

6:16

Ro 11:2 - Are we aware of what Scripture says of Elijah's pleading with God? 1Co 3:16 - Are we aware that we are temples of God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit? 1Co 5:6 - Are we aware that a small sin, like leaven, spreads throughout the whole? 1Co 6:2-3 - That we will judge the world? And angels? 1Co 6:9 - That none unrighteous shall inherit God's kingdom? 1Co 6:15-16 - That our bodies are Christ's own members? That joining with a harlot makes our bodies one with them? 1Co 6:19 - That our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? 1Co 9:13 - That those who serve in the temple eat of the temple's food? 1Co 9:24 - That those who race, race to win? Jn 8:34 - Those who sin are slaves to sin. 2Pe 2:19 - A man is enslaved by that which overcomes him. How can one who is overcome by sin offer freedom?

6:17

Ro 1:8 - Paul thanks God for all of us whose faith is proclaimed in the world. 2Co 2:14 - He thanks God for leading us in triumph, and manifesting the sweetness of the knowledge of Christ through us everywhere we go. 2Ti 1:13 - We are to keep the standard of the teaching we have received, in faith and love in Christ Jesus.

6:18

Jn 8:32 - We will know the truth, and it will set us free. Ro 8:2 - The law of the Spirit has freed us from the law of sin and death.

6:19

Ro 3:5 - In questioning the righteousness of God, Paul speaks in human terms, in human weakness.

6:20

Mt 6:24 - No one can serve two masters, for only one will have proper service, and the other will be despised.

6:21

Jer 12:13 - We work to no profit, and create a harvest of shame because of God's anger. Eze 16:63 - We should remember and be ashamed in our humiliation, so that we won't forget when God forgives us. Ro 7:5 - When we were still ruled by the flesh, sin worked in our bodies to produce works of death. Ro 1:32 - Those who break with God's ordinances deserve death, yet they do so and approve of those who do likewise. Ro 5:12 - Death entered the world through the sin of Adam and spread to all men, because all men were sinners. Ro 8:6 - The mind that focuses on this life is focused on death, but the mind that focuses on the Spirit focuses on life and peace. Ro 8:13 - According to the flesh we must die, but by the Spirit we are putting to death the fleshly acts and so, will live. Gal 6:8 - He who pursues the fleshly things will end in death. He who pursues the Spirit will end in eternal life.

6:22

Jn 8:32 - The truth will set us free. Ro 8:2 - The Spirit and Christ have freed us from sin and death. 1Co 7:22 - The slave called by Christ is free, and the freeman called by Christ is enslaved to Him. 1Pe 2:16 - We are to behave as free men, but not use that freedom to allow evil - rather making ourselves bondservants of God. Ro 7:4 - We have been made dead to the Law and joined with the Risen Lord to be useful to God. 1Pe 1:9 - Faith leads to salvation.

6:23

Ro 1:32 - Sin, as it breaks God's laws, deserves God's chosen punishment, which is death. Ro 5:12 - Sin and death entered the world through Adam and spread to all, as all sinned. Ro 8:6 - Fleshly thoughts lead to death. Holy thoughts lead to life. Ro 8:13 - Fleshly life ends in death. Holy life ends in eternal life. Gal 6:8 - Fleshly pursuits lead to death, Spiritual pursuits lead to life eternal. Mt 25:46 - The unrighteous go to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. Ro 5:21 - Grace reigns to eternal life through Christ and through righteousness. Ro 8:38-39 - Nothing can separate us from God's love, which is ours in Christ.

 

New Thoughts (8/21/00)

It is interesting to note Paul's use of military imagery in this passage. For indeed it is a battle we are in, and there are no neutral parties in this conflict. Wittingly or unwittingly, we present ourselves to one side or the other as weapons in their arsenal. And the pay we receive depends upon which side we choose. Most of us have - for some portion of our lives, and with some degree of realization - served in the army of hell, and have earned our wages of death from there. I'll go farther. All of us have. We have been reminded of that over and over again in this very book, and we have been reminded that we can't claim ignorance as our defense. But thanks be to God that He called us out of those ranks, that He freed us from our slavery in hell's army, for slavery it was. Do we doubt that? A slave is one whose will has been made totally submissive to another's. How often did we - do we - find ourselves (as Paul did) doing precisely the opposite of our wants, our will? But now we serve in a different army, and our wages are greatly superior. Instead of death, we receive life. Oh, we are surely still slaves, but now we are willing slaves, joyfully serving our Master. I find the ideas of 1Co 7:22 most appropriate here. We who were enslaved to sin were called to freedom by Him. As freedmen, He called us back into slavery, but as bondsman in His kingdom. We are both clauses of that verse - the freed slave AND the enslaved freeman.

I'm also impressed to review the list of 'awarenesses' collected up in verse 16. These are assumed knowledge, things we ought to carry as basic understanding in our life as Christians. Look at the list! Be aware of these things! We are temples of God (1Co 3:16) and of the Holy Spirit (1Co 9:13). And we know that God fills His Holy temple. We are the members, the limbs, of Christ's body here (1Co 6:15), destined to judge the world and angels (1Co 6:2-3). As His limbs, surely we serve in His temple and so partake of the temple's food. We are fed with righteousness! (1Co 9:13). With that as our heritage and our present, how can we fail to take the rest of the list most seriously? The smallest sin spreads to the whole, as yeast in a ball of dough (1Co 5:6), and in sexual sins we are joined as one body with those we sin with (1Co 6:16). How can we take upon ourselves the awfulness of being responsible for joining Christ to a prostitute? How can we contemplate defiling the very temple of our God with such acts? Rather, we must flee from temptations - a difficult task in this age. We must run our race so as to win (1Co 9:24).

God, how many small sins have I allowed to spread into this body? Too many, I know. And I've been so quick to excuse myself, knowing Your grace will cover me still. Oh Lord! Forgive me! These awarenesses I need to carry with me daily! God, don't let me forget that I am a house of Yours, that I am part of Your body, that I am Your judge in training. Father, help me to retain the seriousness of the matter, so that when temptation comes, as it surely will, I can stand in remembrance of who You have made me; so that I can stand in remembrance of the freedom You have given me; so that I can stand in Your will, by Your strength, by Your very present Spirit within me, against the treachery of my flesh. Only by Your grace can I hope to succeed. Lord remain ever present in my thoughts today, write Your Word upon my heart that I may live.