20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Founding Fathers knew that there were laws you could never escape. Anarchy is never a good thing. The question isn’t, “If” we will live under laws, but whose?” Christ is a much better master. The Declaration of Independence was not a call to throw off all law. In fact, the Founding Fathers’ biggest problem with King George wasn’t only that his law was bad law, but they didn’t want to be under his authority. The whole point of the Declaration was the king no longer was their king.

Paul knew the question wasn’t,”If they were going to live under laws, but whose and, what would that law be like? Would it be a kind, beneficent law? Or would it be the arbitrary law of sin that inevitably leads to death?” Everyone realized they had to make a choice. Paul explains if they’re in sin, sin is their master. He asks, when you were in sin, what advantage did it gain you? It traps you. It demands total loyalty, and every time you think you’ve paid the price, it demands something more.

To become a follower of Christ was a Declaration of Independence from sin. Sin rejects God’s grace and incites God’s righteous wrath. Sin removes one from mercy and forgiveness and leaves one with condemnation and death. Paul does not want the Christian to doubt his salvation, but he wants believers to take sin seriously. Returning to sin after salvation is especially stupid in the light of where sin always leads. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord”. To leave the path of righteousness and to turn back to the path of sin is to leave the path which leads to life and to return to the path which leads to death. If we accept the premises of the Bible, the consequences of sin are such that sin is stupid and only living in righteousness makes sense.

Verse 23 is often used in evangelism as applied to the unbeliever. Indeed, the cost of living in sin is spiritual death. It is an awesome warning. Ezekiel 18:20 says, “The soul that sins, it shall die.” But let us not overlook the fact that Paul here is applying the principle to the Christian who may be toying with sin, not the unbeliever who is living in sin.

The application of Paul’s teaching in this section is found in verse 19. Just as they had formerly presented their bodies in service to sin, now they were to present themselves as slaves of righteousness, the result of which is sanctification. If you want to obey the laws of sin, go ahead. Just remember you are enslaved. 

During the American Revolution there were as many loyalists to England as there were rebels. The people who fought for the British did so because they thought King George was a better master. Freedom was the motivation of the American soldier because, like most, they believed that “all Men are created equal, that they were endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” American soldiers sacrifice and dies for this purpose. Where is your alliance? Is it to the liberties of the United States? Then there is a cost, not only for the soldiers, but for us who are called to carry it on and sustain it. It is a call to vote, to pay taxes, and pray. It is our call to strive for the betterment of our nation.

What is our alliance to Jesus Christ as a follower? What are you doing to advance and sustain His Kingdom? How are we to live? By obeying His Word, giving of your time to His service, witnessing, tithes and offering to advance and promote His worldwide mission. For some, it is being called into full-time service under His direction and will. You might say full-time workers are drafted into his army. We are ALL called to be full-time workers either at home or abroad - no part timers. Our part is not to offer our bodies to sin but offer our bodies to God. As slaves to sin you were freed from righteousness. As a slave to righteousness, you are freed from sin.       

There is a drastic contrast between the outcome of the two kinds of bondage. Bondage to sin has shame, regrets, hurt, and destructiveness as its by-product. But what does being in bondage to the Son of God have? Eternal results. We get to live a holy life like the Son of God, as holy as He is, positionally and to become more conformed to the image of Christ. That brings life!

Dale