A Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 41 Chapter 6:19 – 23

1. Verse 19 "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness."
1. Paul had just spoken as a Christian in verses 17 - 18 "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (18.) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Christians are the only ones to understand spiritual things.

a. Now Paul is saying “I speak after the manner of men…” in other words I am going to speak in terms that the natural man can understand.

b. Remember, most of what we teach here and believe here is foolishness to the lost. 1 Corinthians 1:23 “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;” - 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

2. And now Paul explains why it is foolishness to the lost. “…because of the infirmity of your flesh…”

a. The key word here is “infirmity” which means – feebleness of the natural mind or the weakness of the natural mind.

b. But we must also be reminded the word flesh in the bible often refers to the corruptness of men; but it may refer here to their intellect or understanding because Paul is referring to their minds here.

3. “…for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity;”

a. Paul says “yielded” putting this in the past i.e. before salvation; however now (since salvation) you can now “…became the servants of righteousness.” Verse 19.

b. The same members of your body that you served sin with now since God has saved you by grace, use those same members (that used to serve sin) now serve God “to righteousness unto holiness”

c. Barnes' Notes on the New Testament; “Let the surrender of your members to holiness be as sincere and as unqualified as the surrender was to sin. This is all that is required of Christians. Before conversion they were wholly given to sin; after conversion they should be wholly given to God. If all Christians would employ the same energies in advancing the kingdom of God that they have in promoting the kingdom of Satan, the church would rise with dignity.”

d. John Gill said; “let the same members that have been employed in the service of sin, be made use of in the service of righteousness: let your eyes be employed in looking and diligently searching into the Scriptures of truth; your ears in hearing the Gospel preached; your lips, mouth, and tongue, in expressing the praises of God, for what he has done for you”

e. What has God done for us? He saved our unworthy souls. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” - 1 Peter 1:2 "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."

2. Paul continues in verse 20 “For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.”
1. Again notice the word “were” again past tense.
2. Since a man cannot serve two masters then when you were lost you were free from serving God, but now that you are saved you must also serve one Master and that Master is God and His righteousness.
3. Lost people have no responsibility to serve God; they are free from righteousness and holiness because they are spiritually dead to God.
4. Even in their attempt to serve God they are serving in sin, all of their religious acts are sin. Paul explains in verse 21 “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.”
5. Their salvation is wrong, their doctrine is wrong, their form of worship is wrong, and etc. Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”
6. It is not our job to fight them but rather focus on serving God.
3. Verse 22 “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
1. Just as they are free from righteousness we are free from sin, let’s act like it.
2. Just as their end is eternity in the lake of fire our end is everlasting life; let us all thank God for that life and serve Him. People (Christians) must understand proper worship starts in church, if you are not in church regularly then how can you properly serve God?
3. “…become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness…”
4. Verse 23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1. What is the gift of God? “…eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Remember it is a gift!
2. Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
3. But because of God’s gift you will not die!! - John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”