Romans 6:1-23
In verse 16b Paul contrasts sin and obedience, …you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness, making them almost opposites. Since the clear opposite of obedience is disobedience, by extension we see that sin equals disobedience. That is, when we sin we are disobeying God. That brings it closer to home!
Paul uses the word “slaves” eight times in seven verses (16-2, 17, 18, 19-2, 20, 22). I suggested in my second set of comments from last year (in the second link below) that we play around by substituting “willing servants” for “slaves”. If we play that game a bit we find that we are willing servants to sin (17, 20); willing servants to impurity (19); willing servants of/to righteousness (18, 19); and willing servants of God (22). I like the thought of being a willing servant of righteousness and of God, but the thought that I am a willing servant to sin and impurity cuts deeply. But that’s exactly what it is when we give in to sin. We simply nod to sin and say, “OK, sin, you’ve got me.” What a sad state that is…!!
See also: June 19 / Romans 6:1-14; June 20 / Romans 6:15-23