Romans 6:13 Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God… I. THE STATE OF THOSE HERE ADDRESSED. 1. As the apostle did not speak to disembodied spirits, or to persons literally raised he must refer to a spiritual resurrection. Nor does he speak of such as have escaped great dangers, or been recovered from great afflictions, although these may, in a sense, be said to be "alive from the dead." But he speaks of a resurrection from a death of sin to a life of righteousness. This death is alluded to in Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 2:1. 2. To be alive from this death includes repentance unto life (Acts 11:18); living faith, whereby the just live (Hebrews 10:38); justification of life (Romans 5:18); regeneration; the being "risen with Christ," even from temporal death, and to eternal life, as it respects a title to, meetness for, expectation, prospect, and anticipation of it. II. THE EXHORTATION GIVEN TO THEM. 1. "Yield yourselves," exhibit, present, place as a sacrifice at the altar. That which we are to present is not merely our prayers, praises, alms, duties, but "ourselves," our persons, souls and bodies, to God, who does not want "ours but us," that we may belong to Him, may be appropriated to Him only. Thus St. Paul (Acts 27:23). 2. But how are we to present ourselves to God? As subjects to a king; as servants to a master (ver. 16); as soldiers to their general — hence the word used for "instruments" denotes, properly, military weapons; as children to a father; as a wife to a husband; as a man's field or house may be said to be at his disposal, to be cultivated or employed as he pleases. 3. Thus we are to yield or present, to God all our members, faculties, talents, time: we should consider they may be "instruments" and weapons "of unrighteousness," employed in the service of sin, fighting for it, and for its master, Satan, against God; or they may be "instruments and weapons of righteousness," employed in the promotion of piety and virtue for God's service and glory, fighting His battles, and opposing the designs of our spiritual enemies. III. MOTIVES ENFORCING THE EXHORTATION. 1. Justice and reason; we are God's by creation, preservation, redemption. 2. Gratitude to God for His inestimable mercies. 3. Love to man. 4. And even self-interest requires it. (J. Benson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. |
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