1. _Fellowship in the Death of Christ involves a New Life._ The objection with which the discussion opens, which has been repeatedly urged against the doctrine of justification by faith, shows conclusively what Paul meant by that doctrine, namely, that God accounts men righteous when they believe in... [ Continue Reading ]
3. MORAL RESULTS OF JUSTIFICATION; THOSE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH LIVE A NEW LIFE IN THE SPIRIT. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation; through it the will is affected, and thus is accomplished _morally_ what the law could not do, namely, the sanctification of those born sinners. But just here th... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:1. WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? ‘Then,' in view of chap. Romans 5:20-21. Comp. the similar phrase in chap. Romans 4:1. SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN? The form of the question in the original indicates that this is the statement of a point to be discussed, or rather of a wrong inference that might b... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:2. LET IT NEVER BE. Comp. note in chap. Romans 3:4. Here, as there, an indignant denial: ‘let it not be that we continue in sin.' HOW SHALL WE WHO. ‘We who are of such a kind as.' DIED TO SIN. Not, ‘are dead.' When this death ‘with respect to sin' took place is shown in Romans 6:3-4. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:3. OR ARE YE IGNORANT. ‘If this is doubtful, then I appeal directly to your experimental knowledge.' ALL WE WHO, referring to the same persons as in Romans 6:2; all without exception. WERE BAPTISED INTO CHRIST JESUS. ‘Into,' in such expressions, does not point to the external element (al... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:4. THEREFORE WE WERE BURIED WITH HIM THROUGH BAPTISM. A stronger expression than that of the last verse. That the custom of baptism by immersion is alluded to is generally admitted, but the _emersion_ is as significant as the immersion. The death of the old man is at the same time the birth... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:5. FOR IF. A confirmatory explanation of Romans 6:4; ‘if' being almost equivalent to ‘since.' HAVE GROWN TOGETHER, or, ‘been united.' The E. V., ‘planted together,' is incorrect; the figure is that of vital connection; ‘with _Him'_ is implied in the original. Some suggest ‘grafted into';... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:6. KNOWING THIS, or, ‘since we know this.' ‘This' refers to what follows, the whole defining the last clause of Romans 6:5. THAT OUR OLD MAN. Our sinful nature is here personified (comp. Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9); almost equivalent to ‘flesh,' in the ethical sense, as used in chaps.... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:7. FOR HE THAT HATH DIED. ‘He that died' is more literal, but ‘hath died' better expresses the relation to what follows. IS ACQUITTED (lit., ‘justified') FROM SIN. This is the permanent result. The word ‘justified' is to be taken here in its strictly legal sense, absolved, acquitted, freed... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:8. VOW IF WE DIED WITH CHRIST. That this is the fact has been already stated, forming the underlying thought of Romans 6:3-6. WE BELIEVE, etc. The argument is plain, but the exact force of LIVE WITH HIM is doubtful. It seems best to accept a primary reference to sanctification, to ethical... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:9. KNOWING; ‘since we know.' The ground of our belief is the knowledge of His enduring life, after His triumphant resurrection. BEING RAISED FROM THE DEAD. The resurrection is the pledge of His enduring life. HATH DOMINION OVER HIM NO MORE. It had dominion over Him, as God decreed (chap... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:10. FOR THE DEATH THAT HE DIED. Lit., ‘that which he died,' which is best paraphrased as we give it. HE DIED ONTO SIN ONCE FOR ALL; no repetition was necessary. This is the proof that death has dominion over Him no more: His death was ‘unto sin,' it could have nothing more to do with Him,... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:11. THUS, or, ‘so.' This is an inference and the application to the readers. RECKON. The word may be either imperative, or indicative; the former suits the context best. ALSO; like Christ (Romans 6:10). DEAD INDEED UNTO SIN. The notion of reckoning that they died _for_ sin, in and wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:12. LET NOT SIN THEREFORE. ‘Therefore' _i.e._, because you reckon yourselves dead unto sin, etc. (Romans 6:11). REIGN. ‘It is no matter of comparison between _reigning_ and _indwelling merely,_ out between _reigning_ and _being deposed'_ (Alford). IN YEAR MORTAL body. This is to be taken... [ Continue Reading ]
2. _Christians are Dead to Sin_, _and Dedicated to God._ The exhortation of Romans 6:11 is expanded in Romans 6:12-14; the negative part (‘dead unto sin') in Romans 6:12-13 a; the positive part (‘alive unto God') in Romans 6:13-14. But the concluding motive: ‘for ye are not under the law, but under... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:13. NOR RENDER. ‘Nor' = ‘and especially not.' ‘Render' (in chap. Romans 12:1, ‘present') is preferable to ‘yield,' since the latter conveys the idea of previous resistance; the thought is of placing at the disposal of another; probably the figure of military service is suggested. YOUR MEM... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:14. FOR SIN, etc. The future tense is that of confident assertion, and hence of consolation. It is not a new exhortation. FOR YE ARE NOT UNDER LAW, etc. This is the reason sin shall not have dominion. ‘Freedom from the law gives you so little freedom to sin, that it is only by the exercis... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:15. WHAT THEN? SHALL WE SIN, etc. This objection has been raised ever since. It is not precisely the same as that suggested in Romans 6:1: there the objection was that free pardon would encourage us to continue in sin; here the objection is that freedom from the law leads to freedom in sinn... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:16. KNOW YE NOT ‘I take it for granted that ye know and believe' (Stuart). TO WHOM YE RENDER YOURSELVES, etc. This principle is obvious: To present yourselves as servants to any one implies service to that one: in this matter the masters are opposed, hence EITHER,.... or, there is no thir... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:17. BUT THANKS TO GOD. In reminding them which of these masters they served (Romans 6:16), his heart speaks. THAT YE WERE THE SERVANTS OF SIN. ‘Were' is emphatic; this state is past, and for this the Apostle is thankful, although this negative side of salvation cannot be separated from th... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:18. AND BEING MADE FREE, etc. This is not the conclusion from what precedes, but a continuation of Romans 6:17. The single act of deliverance and transformation is referred to. BECAME SERVANTS, _i.e._, ‘bondmen,' personally and wholly belonging to this service. This bondage is real freedo... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:19. I SPEAK AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN. ‘I take a figure from human relations, in thus representing Christian freedom as a bond service.' (The phrase differs from that used in Romans 3:5, but there seems to be no marked difference of thought) BECAUSE OF THE WEAKNESS OF YOUR FLESH. Because of... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:20. FOR. This verse ‘restates the view given of their former condition in respect to sin and righteousness, in preparation for the final and most accurate statement of their present spiritual condition, Romans 6:22 ' (Webster and Wilkinson). Meyer here properly calls attention to the tragic... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:21. WHAT FRUIT THEREFORE HAD YE THEN. ‘Then' refers to their condition before conversion (Romans 6:20). Many editors and commentators punctuate the verse so as to read: ‘What fruit therefore had ye then? Things whereof ye are now ashamed.' It is urged against this view that ‘the question in... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:22. BUT NOW, as opposed to ‘then' (Romans 6:21), BEING MADE FREE; comp. Romans 6:18. SERVANTS TO GOD. ‘God Himself here takes the place of “righteousness,” for their relation is now one of personal love' (Lange). TOUR FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS, or, ‘sanctification,' as in Romans 6:19; but the... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 6:23. FOR. The reason for the results stated in Romans 6:21-22, contrasting the ends of the two courses and the inherent difference. THE WAGES OF SIN, that is paid by sin. Possibly a continuation of the figure of military service. DEATH, as in Romans 6:21. BUT THE GIFT OF GOD. The same w... [ Continue Reading ]