Romans 6:12 – Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
At the conclusion of chapter five, Paul declared that grace was abundant and free. This led to the mistaken conclusion that Christians should continue or increase in sin, because that would glorify God. In chapter six, Paul gives several examples that prove this is not the case. In fact, Paul will show that abundant grace results in holiness.
Paul’s first example was taken from the rite of baptism. His second example was based on the fact that as Christ was once dead but now lives to God (and will never die again), so we being dead to sin are alive to God and therefore we no longer obey sin.
GENERAL SUMMARY: Based on the reasoning of verses 8-11, Paul concludes that sin should not be allowed to reign in our lives. 
DIGGING DEEPER: Let not sin therefore reign: To reign is to have sovereign power or authority. Let’s apply this analogy to the present case. If sin is the king, then his throne is the heart of a sinner. The members of the body are his royal court who always seek to do his bidding. Lust and temptations are its weapons. Spiritual blindness, sensuality and ignorance are its strongholds.
In our own power, we have no ability to break free from the bondages of sin. But, praise God, Jesus came to our rescue. He broke the power/authority of sin in the atonement; therefore, it should NEVER rule over the life of a Christian.
In your mortal body: Jesus did what we could not do – he won the victory over sin and broke its power over us. Now, with the help of Holy Spirit, it is up to each Christian to do their part – to crucify the lusts and desires of our flesh and live lives of holiness to God. This process is called sanctification.
Scholars make much of the fact that Paul uses the term ‘mortal body’ in this verse, as opposed to the term ‘flesh’. They believe he made this word choice for a couple different reasons.
First, to remind us that the delights and pleasures of sin cater to our mortal bodies, which generally only exist for about 100 years or less. Therefore, the term ‘mortal body’ is meant to call attention to the temporary nature of our earthly existence. The point is that we should affirm and uphold the desires of our spirits (which live forever) as opposed to the flesh (which will perish soon enough).
Second, Paul is giving us a word of encouragement by suggesting that our battle with sin won’t last forever. At some point in the near future, we will pass from this life to eternity, where Christians will be free from the influence of our sinful flesh. Paul describes this as the mortal putting on immortality:
1 Corinthians 15:54 - So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
To make you obey its passions: It is true that at the present time sin dwells in us. But there is a difference between being influenced (or even tricked) by sin and allowing it to have ruling power in all we do.
Jesus gave us many great and wonderful gifts through the atonement. One of these is the gift of Holy Spirit, who comes to live within our hearts. He is our constant friend, teacher, guide and strength. The process of sanctification is carried out through a partnership between him and us. The power of sanctification that he gives us is far greater than the ruling power of sin.
As we live lives of holiness, we testify that we belong to God.
Romans 6:13 – Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
GENERAL SUMMARY: Each of us has a free will; God allows us to choose how we will act. Given this choice, Christians should resist the impulse to sin. Instead, we should devote our lives to righteous/holy living.
DIGGING DEEPER: Do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness: Simply stated, don’t yield to temptation and embrace sin. Satan will never stop tempting us to sin. We should not be alarmed by that; it’s Satan’s normal method of operation. Keep in mind that there is no sin in being tempted. As long as the devil is offering us the opportunity to sin, the sin is still his.
But once we accept his offer and seize the temptation, then we cross the line into sin. Essentially, his sin becomes ours. The good news is that because Jesus has broken the reign of sin in our lives and because Holy Spirit is our helper, we can successfully resist temptation. When we do, the devil runs from us:
James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life: We use the ESV translation which says ‘present’ yourselves to God. The King James versions says ‘yield’ yourselves to God. I think I prefer the King James because it reminds us that we must bend our will to the will of God.
John 3:30 – He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.
If we yield to sin, we are serving Satan and the end result will be death. If we yield to righteousness, we are serving God and the end result will be life here on earth and eternal life with Christ in the next age.
And your members to God as instruments for righteousness: Paul uses the word ‘members’ to mean the tangible parts of your body (your mouth, hands, feet, etc.) as well as the intangible parts of your life (things like your will, your understanding and your affections). All of these things are under the control of your heart/mind which means you get to choose how you will use them.
When we were sinners, we dedicated our members to Satan. But when we accepted Christ as our Redeemer, we pledged our hearts/minds to God; we are now devoted to him. It logically follows that our ‘members’ would be dedicated to him and his service.
Colossians 3:5,7-8 - Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry… In which you also once walked, when you lived in them. But now you also put off all these…
Practically speaking, we should think and speak the truth, seeking to edify and build up others. We should be full of praise and worship to God. We should use our feet to walk the paths of righteousness and to seek out the lost. Our hands should be dedicated to kingdom labor like good works and spiritual warfare. This is how we use our members as instruments of righteousness.
Romans 6:14 – For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law but under grace.
GENERAL SUMMARY: This verse is not a command or an exhortation pointing to something we should do. Rather, it is an absolute promise of God. 
Since we have placed our faith in Christ, we are under grace as defined and outlined in the gospel. We are forever free from the bondage and dictates of the law which result in death.
DIGGING DEEPER: For sin will have no dominion over you: Here is something we need to understand: Sin is defeated, but it isn’t dead yet.
Christ has broken the ruling power of sin in our hearts/minds, which means it no longer has the ability to force us to do its bidding. Its hold over us is no longer absolute.
Nevertheless, even after we receive Christ as Lord, sin is still within us because of the fallen nature we received from our forefather Adam. As you well know, sin still tempts us. Sin still does everything within its power to hinder us from doing what is right. Sin still seeks to master and ensnare us by tricking us into voluntarily submitting to it. Sin will never stop trying to regain complete control of us.
Now here is the good news: Paul assures us that as Christians, sin will never again rule over us. It’s like a coup has taken place in our lives. Sin has been dethroned in our hearts; Christ is now the Lord of our life. Even though sin fights to regain control over us, its efforts are futile - it WILL lose. We are no longer citizens of the kingdom of darkness. We are now citizens of the kingdom of grace/heaven and though we may occasionally stumble and fall, our King is and will forever be Jesus Christ.
In other words, this verse is an absolute promise from God – sin no longer has the power to enslave and rule over us.
This promise provides a major reason for us to forsake sin and live lives of holiness to God. It shows how free grace results in increased holiness, not increased sin.
Since you are not under the law: Paul is not referring to the law of nature or the law of Moses (the Jewish Law). He is referring to the law of sin. Those who are apart from Christ are ruled by the law of sin which terrorizes and condemns all those under its power. Those who are subjects of sin are under a curse which leads to death.
But since we have placed our faith in Christ, we have dethroned the law of sin within our hearts. It no longer controls us or determines our destiny.
But under grace: As Christians, we have seated Christ on the throne of our lives. We live under the covenant of grace as outlined in the gospel. We enjoy justification, peace with God, fellowship with Holy Spirit, strength and joy in the midst of the trials and the hope of a future in heaven.
Through grace, Holy Spirit teaches us to deny worldly lusts and sins while simultaneously encouraging and strengthening us to live lives of holiness and righteousness which are pleasing to God.
Romans 6:15 – What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
GENERAL SUMMARY: Paul asks the rhetorical question, ‘Should we go on sinning because we are now free from the law and we live under grace?’ Obviously, the answer is ‘no’.
DIGGING DEEPER: What then: The apostle now anticipates and addresses a possible objection from his readers. 
Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace: Some people might argue that if we are no longer under subjection to the law (which condemns sin), and we are now under the covenant of grace (which provides free pardon and forgiveness), why wouldn’t we just continue in sin?
To some, that seems like the most reasonable course of action.
By no means: Of course, Paul instantly rejects this line of reasoning. Here’s why: Grace frees us from the penalty of falling short of the commands of God. However, it does not remove or nullify the commands themselves; grace does not eliminate the difference between good and evil.
For example, God’s law says that we should not commit adultery. If we should happen to stumble and fall into that sin, we can rest assured that we will receive forgiveness if we truly repent and change our ways.
Nevertheless, the certainty of forgiveness does not make the command against sin (in this case adultery) null and void. The only thing removed by grace is the curse of sin; the commands of God which define sin still remain. We are still under an obligation to keep his commands to the best of our ability.
Blatantly sinning in anticipation of guaranteed forgiveness is a flippant abuse of the grace which Christ bought with his blood. No true child of God would show such disrespect to the priceless sacrifice of our Lord and King.
Freedom from sin implies service and dedication to God just as freedom from God implies service and dedication to sin. You can either serve God or sin, but not both.
Romans 6:16 – Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
GENERAL SUMMARY: Paul is still discoursing about whether or not free grace produces an increase in sin. He has given several examples to show that the opposite is true – free grace produces increased holiness.
This time he proves his point using the example of slaves and masters, which was a very common situation back in that day. He will show that you can either serve God with willing obedience which leads to righteousness or you can serve Satan by sinning which leads to death.
DIGGING DEEPER: You are slaves of the one whom you obey: Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, slaves were considered the property of their master and he could do with them as he pleased. A slave might be kept for life, sold to another or even set free.
Under a bad master, the slave was oppressed and even abused; the comfort and well-being of the slave was never considered. Beasts were often treated better. The slave’s very life may well have depended on the whims of his owner.
Under a good master, the slave was treated with dignity. His or her well-being was always considered when the master made decisions. These slaves did not live in fear of losing their lives. Many of them did not wish to be free; they wanted to stay in the service of their master.
In Paul’s example, each one of us is a slave who can choose their master.
Either of sin, which leads to death: There are people who choose to serve sin. They are not unwilling servants; they eagerly embrace and seek out sin with delight. But eventually they are brought into a true state of slavery/bondage to Satan. They find themselves incapable of serving the true God, because no one can serve two masters.
John 8:34 – Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”
At this point, they are hopelessly stuck in a cycle of evil, oppression and wickedness. Only grace can deliver them. If they don’t turn to Christ, they will eventually reap the wages for the work they have done – eternal death (Romans 6:23).
Or of obedience which leads to righteousness: There are also people who willingly choose to serve God; they diligently embrace and pursue a life of obedience to his ways. They desire to be holy as God is holy. Through the ministry of Holy Spirit they strive to conform themselves to the image of Christ:
II Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
That kind of obedience leads one to a life of righteousness. Thus, the Christian finds himself or herself incapable of serving sin or increasing in sin, because no one can serve two masters.
Thus, Paul proves once again that abundant free grace results in increased holiness, not increased sin.
Romans 6:17 – But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
GENERAL SUMMARY: But thanks be to God, that although you were at one time a servant of sin, you have now heard and embraced the gospel message from the heart and become servants of God.
DIGGING DEEPER: But thanks be to God you who were once slaves of sin: Paul is addressing the Roman Christians in his original letter. He expresses heartfelt thanksgiving to the Lord for the salvation (spiritual freedom from sin) they have experienced.
As modern-day Christians, we too have reason to offer praise and worship to God. Just like those in the Roman church, we too were once slaves to sin, but now we saved. We are free to offer our willing obedience to God. 
Have become obedient from the heart: The key phrase in this verse is ‘from the heart’. God is not interested in empty conformity to his commands.
For instance, the Jews could (and often did) perform external religious rites (such as fasting, giving alms, etc.) that seemed to be righteous acts, but they were vain and unacceptable in God’s sight because their hearts were far from God.
Mark 7:6 – And he [Jesus] said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me…’”
(See also Isaiah 58.) God is looking for willing obedience to his commands, which results from a true spiritual change in the heart.
Jeremiah 17:10 – “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Once our hearts and minds are renewed in Christ, that change manifests in our choices, actions and words. Only then do our outward actions please the Father.
To the standard of teaching to which you were committed: Our translation says ‘standard of teaching’. Your translation may say ‘form of doctrine’. In the original Greek, this phrase refers to metal which has been cast into a specific shape with a die or mold, like a coin.
In Paul’s analogy, the gospel message has stamped the image of God on the souls of all who believe in him. We might also say that the gospel has melted the heart of the believer and molded him into the image of God. Paul is referring to the initial salvation experience of every believer. When we trust in Christ, our hearts are recast in his image, which is one of holiness and righteousness.
From that moment on, it is the duty of each Christian to adhere to this model; we must allow the full manifestation of God’s righteousness and holiness to become imprinted on our hearts.
Ephesians 4:24 - …and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
The overall idea is that every Christian should make their life the truest possible representation of God’s image. We are to reflect his love, righteousness, holiness and other traits in every aspect of our lives. We do this through willing obedience.
Romans 6:18 - …and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
GENERAL SUMMARY: As Christians, we are no longer slaves to sin. We have been set free through the atonement of Christ and are now willing servants of righteousness.
DIGGING DEEPER: Having been set free from sin and having become slaves of righteousness: Those who put their faith in Jesus experience total emancipation from sin which in turn results in complete dedication to righteousness.
In other words, through faith in Christ, we have been liberated from the bondage of sin. Having been liberated, we have passed into the kingdom of righteousness. Therefore, it is fitting that we should completely turn away from sin and eagerly pursue righteousness, in keeping with our service to God.
Since this is the case, grace results in increased holiness, not increased sin.
Let me offer you some encouragement:
As we noted in today’s post, God is interested in the condition of our heart, because it determines the course of our lives. A heart full of righteousness produces fruit that is pleasing to God. A heart full of sin produces fruit that glorifies Satan.
For this reason, we should occasionally examine what is within our hearts even though that can be a difficult process. King David had the courage to pray this prayer:
Psalms 139:23-24 – Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: ee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Make no mistake - this is a bold prayer! Nevertheless, I encourage each one of us to consider doing the same thing. Let’s allow God to have full lordship of our lives.
Let me offer you some relief and strength:
Today’s post talks about temptation and sin. If you are alarmed by the amount of temptation you face, let me offer you some relief and strength by changing your perspective.
There are over 8 billion people in the world right now, and the number is growing. Although it may not seem like it, Satan’s power and resources are limited. There is no point in him wasting time and resources on people who are already deeply entrenched in his kingdom. Those people are already slaves to sin they will find wicked things to do without any temptation at all.
Satan is smart enough to save temptation for people like you – Christians who have committed their lives to God. Satan wants to side track you or destroy you because you have the ability to introduce people to Christ. Holy Spirit can work through you to bring deliverance and freedom to his slaves. Satan’s worst nightmare is for those under his control to be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven; he will do everything in his power to stop that.
With that in mind, please understand that your temptation is not a sign that you are a failure – it’s an indication that you are on the right track! Stand strong! Continue to resist temptation and be a witness for Christ!