2. Freedom from sin, slavery to righteousness (6:15-23)

The preceding section concludes with the statement, You are not under law, but under grace (6:14). This naturally raises the question, Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? (v.15). This question is different from that in 6:1. The former question is “Shall we go on sinning?” (or lit., “Shall we remain in sin?”). Now the question is, “Shall we sin [in any given circumstance, or sin at all]?”

Paul answers from the perspective of slavery. A human being is enslaved either to sin or to righteousness. There is no third alternative. Formerly, you were enslaved to sin. But you became Christians and wholeheartedly obeyed the moral teachings of the Christian life. In the early church there was a standard teaching regarding the Christian life (cf. Ac 2:42). The form of teaching to which you were entrusted (v.17) refers to this. You were entrusted to that teaching like slaves were transferred from one master to another. By obeying this teaching, you have been set free from sin. This means you have become slaves to righteousness. Freedom from sin and slavery to righteousness are two sides of the same event. Christian freedom is not autonomy but change of lordship. If you commit sin, you offer yourselves to obey sin and will become enslaved to sin again (Greathouse, 143).

Then Paul writes, When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness (v.20). There are only two masters; one is sin, the other righteousness. No one can serve two masters. He has to choose one or the other. The same idea is expressed in v.22, But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God.

Vv.19-23 compare the consequences of serving one or the other. Serving sin leads to wickedness (v.19), and the result is death (vv.21, 23). Serving righteousness leads to holiness (hagiasmos), and the result is eternal life (vv.19, 22). Therefore, Paul calls upon Christians to present themselves to God, to righteousness (v.19).

Some people think that hagiasmos (niv “holiness,” rsv “sanctification”) is a process, not a state. However, hagiasmos here refers to a religious and moral state. V.19 sets serving sin and serving righteousness in contrast. A literal translation of v.19 reads, Just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness unto lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness unto holiness [hagiasmos]. Holiness structurally parallels and is the opposite of lawlessness. Since lawlessness is not a process but a state, so is holiness. Paul is not talking about gradually being separated from sin, but a decisive separation from sin once for all. In 1Th 4:3-4 “holiness” (hagiasmos) is joined with “honor” and refers to a state of moral purity. In 1Th 4:7 holiness (hagiasmos) is the opposite of uncleanness. Evidently it is a state of moral purity. 1Ti 2:15 declares, “Women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue [meno, lit. ‘remain’] in faith, love and holiness [hagiasmos] with propriety.” Like faith, love, and propriety, holiness (hagiasmos) is a state one can remain in.

Christian holiness is not merely a process. It is a religious and moral state that Christians can attain in this life by the grace of God. This is a result of presenting ourselves to God to serve him. It is our part to present ourselves to God and God’s part to sanctify us and make us holy (Greathouse, 139). Holiness is a fruit of enslavement to God and will issue in eternal life (v.22).