Notes of Faith July 30, 2026
Slaves
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Romans 6:16
Paul begins Romans by calling himself a bondservant of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1). He uses the same Greek word, doulos, in chapter 7. But here in chapter 6 it is translated as “slave.” We were at one time slaves to the law and to sin. Now, he says, we are slaves to righteousness. He adds in verse 22: “Having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness.”
Recommended Reading:
Romans 6:15-19
Everyone serves someone. Are you a slave to sin or to righteousness? By birth we are slaves to sin, but by grace and faith we have become slaves of God. There’s no need to be enslaved by shame, addiction, sin, guilt, and death. Christ wants to set you free from all of those things that you might be a slave to God.
Have you become a servant of God? If not, take time today to accept Christ as Savior, and He will set you free.
Obedience to God releases His blessings and joy, here and hereafter…. Humbling acts of service to others, as Jesus modeled when He washed the feet of His disciples, releases joy in our hearts.
Bill Bright
The Greek word pronounced “doo-loss” is often translated servant when it would be better understood as slave. We are born as slaves to sin until we are born again by God’s grace through His gift of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! It is Jesus that brings freedom from sin and death and the victory over those things that enslaved us before we were in Christ.
Rom 6:15-19
Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
Rom 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
The power over being enslaved to the things of this world is in Jesus, not in your best attempts to break free from that which has a strong hold on you. Trust the authority and power of God to release you from slavery to sin and death and be bound to Jesus by choice to righteousness and eternal life!
Pastor Dale