Rom. 6:15-23 - Slaves of righteousness

¹⁵ The question here presents itself (Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?) because Paul has stated in verse 14 that because the believers are not under Law but under grace, sin will have no dominion over them. Does that mean that they may therefore sin with impunity - because as a consequence of the grace that abounded in Jesus Christ (cf. 5:15-21) sin will not in the future have power or authority over them? Are they now free from the (eschatological) consequences of sin?

¹⁶ No, because although they will not be subject to the condemnation of Israel that is prescribed by the Law because of sin, the fact remains that by sinning now they would make themselves slaves of sin.

^17-18 The slavery metaphor is consistently worked out: they were slaves of sin, they were handed over to a new master, righteousness, and became obedient to a pattern of teaching appropriate to their changed obligations. This pattern of teaching may have a catechetical ring to it, but Paul’s use of tupos generally (eg. Rom. 5:14; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:7; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7; note also 4 Macc. 6:19) suggests that he has in mind a more personal model or example.

¹⁹ Dunn draws attention to the strongly Jewish character of Paul’s language (impurity, lawlessness, and sanctification) and the particular relation to Ezra 9:6-15 (Romans, 346-347). This helps to keep in view the eschatological-historical dimension to the argument: enslavement either to sin or to righteousness is not a purely existential or personal matter; it has to do with the fate of Israel. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 is also relevant, not least because of its strong eschatological setting:

For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should keep away from fornication, that each of you know how to gain control over his own vessel in holiness and honour, not in passion of desire as also the Gentiles not knowing God, in order not to transgress and take advantage of his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an executor of justice in all these things, as indeed we forewarned you and testified solemnly. For God did not call us for uncleanness but in holiness. (My translation)

^20-23 Slavery to sin led to types of behaviour of which the Roman believers are now ashamed; and the consequence of that behaviour will be death. The mention of ’shame’ will recall the Jewish critique of Gentile religion and concomitant behaviour that Paul expounds in 1:23-27. Slavery to righteousness, on the other hand, will produce a different type of behaviour, which Paul calls sanctification, the consequence of which will be the life of the age that will follow the coming eschatological transition.

Again, we remind ourselves that in Paul’s argument the personal dilemma, the choice between sin and righteousness, always presupposes the story about Israel: the fruitfulness of righteous Israel is a prominent eschatological motif (Is. 32:15-17; 60:21; Hos. 10:12; Amos 6:12; Jub. 1:16); the free gift of God is the act of obedience after Israel’s ’many trespasses’ that has reconciled part of Israel to God and saved it from the wrath of God (5:9-10).