THE WAGES AND THE GIFT.
Romans 6:19-23.
Upon conversion Christians, 'having been set free' from sin, 'became bondmen' to righteousness (cf. Romans 6:18).
Paul apologises for thus speaking in such stark human terms: but it is “because of the weakness of your flesh,” he argues. Just as, before, iniquity led to ever-worsening iniquity: so now, as we yield our whole selves to righteousness, the result is an ever-increasing conformity to the likeness of Christ: the process we call sanctification, leading to holiness (ROMANS 6:19).
Paul will not give up on his slave metaphor. When we were slaves of sin, he says, we were free from righteousness (ROMANS 6:20).
It makes us blush to remember such times: and had we continued on that course, the end would have been death (ROMANS 6:21).
Now, as bondmen to God we have the fruit of holiness in this life, and eternal life hereafter (ROMANS 6:22).
In this passage so far, we have seen two ways of life: two servitudes. We have seen two different masters. We have seen two different pathways: one leading to death, and one leading to life.
All this leads up to two different paydays. One pays a wage, and that wage is death. The other does not presume that we can earn anything, and pays us the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (ROMANS 6:23).
‘Choose you this day whom you will serve…’ (cf. Joshua 24:15).
