What does being "slaves to sin" mean in Romans 6:20? Setting the Scene “ For when you were slaves to sin, you were free of obligation to righteousness.” (Romans 6:20) Paul is looking back to the believer’s pre-conversion life, describing an unbreakable bondage that dominated every thought, desire, and action. What “Slaves” Signifies • In Paul’s day, slavery meant total ownership. The master’s will was absolute; the slave had no power to choose otherwise. • By calling us “slaves to sin,” Paul says sin was not just something we did—it was a master we served. • This is a literal, spiritual condition, not a figure of speech; the unregenerate heart is truly under sin’s authority. The Nature of Sin’s Bondage • Moral inability: “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34) • Deadness to God: “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) • Darkness of understanding: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) • Producing only corrupt fruit: “What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.” (Romans 6:21) Evidence of Slavery in Daily Life • Habitual patterns we could not break • Consciences that grew dull • Self-centered motives even in outwardly “good” deeds • An inner hostility toward God’s law (Romans 8:7) The False Sense of Freedom “ You were free of obligation to righteousness.” • Sin’s slavery feels like freedom because righteousness makes no demands on the sinner’s heart. • Yet that “freedom” is illusion; it leads to greater bondage and, ultimately, “wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) The Contrast Paul Draws • Slaves to sin vs. slaves to God (Romans 6:22) • Fruit of shame vs. fruit of holiness • End of death vs. end of eternal life From Slavery to Freedom in Christ • Redemption price paid: “You were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:20) • New ownership transfers authority: “Having been set free from sin, you have become slaves to righteousness.” (Romans 6:18) • Ongoing choice: We now present our bodies as instruments of righteousness, no longer yielding to sin’s commands (Romans 6:12-13). Key Takeaways • “Slaves to sin” describes absolute domination by sin’s power, rendering us incapable of true righteousness. • This slavery is universal outside Christ (Romans 3:9-12). • The bondage feels like freedom only because the demand for holiness is absent. • Christ’s death and resurrection break sin’s mastery, transferring believers into joyful, willing service to God that results in holiness and eternal life. |
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