Paul has said that if self-forfeiture abounds, the divine gift super-abounds. He then anticipates a couple of potential objections and I looked at the first objection in the previous two posts. He concluded that Christians ‘are absolutely not under law, but under favour’, (Romans 6 v 14). As a result of this statement Paul then anticipates the second objection. ‘What then? Are we to self-forfeit because we are not under law but under free favour?’ Once again Paul responds immediately, ‘May it never be!’, (Romans 6 v 15). Once again I want to point out that this objection is about divine approval in the Christian’s day-to-day life. The question is framed like this –
If Christians are not under law
Then HOW SHOULD WE LIVE OUR LIVES AS CHRISTIANS?
Are we free to carry on self-forfeiting?
This is the typical objection of the Christian legalist – IF we are not under law THEN surely we are free to carry on in self-forfeiture – we are being led to permissiveness – to lawlessness.
Paul dismisses this objection and says, ‘May it never be!’ He then uses the illustration of slavery to make his point. ‘Don’t you appreciate that who you stand enslaving yourselves beside, penetrating into obedience, you are enslaved to whom you obey, whether self-forfeiture penetrating into death, or obedience penetrating into divine approval? But - gift of God - since you used to exist slaves of self-forfeiture, but you listened attentively to the point of obedience from out of your deep inner core, penetrating into that form of teaching given from close beside. But having been set free, away from self-forfeiture and loss, you are enslaved to divine approval’, (Romans 6 v 16 – 18).
Paul says that he speaks in human terms because of the weakness of their flesh. Then he states it again in a slightly different and fuller way. ‘Because just as you stood beside your members enslaved to uncleanness and lawlessness penetrating into lawlessness, now, at this present time, in the same way, stand beside your members enslaved to divine approval penetrating into being set apart in the likeness of God’, (Romans 6 v 19b). The metaphorical image he presents is of a loyal servant always at a point of readiness to serve his master. Before being enlisted to serve his present master he did what he liked, when he liked. But he was enslaved to seeking pleasure, personal gain and so on, and he used his hands, feet and head to obtain and secure what he desired, penetrating into lawlessness. But now he is exhorted to have his hands, feet and head standing at attentive readiness to serve his master. That is the dynamic. The Apostle does not direct Christians to Covenant Law. He tells them to act in a way that is consistent with their calling and redemption. To be like faithful servants ready to serve their new master/owner. He exhorts them to have their hands, feet and head standing at attentive readiness to serve their Lord who has paid the price to purchase them and rescue them from condemnation.
Paul continues to compare the Christian’s previous natural state – their old human form inherited away from their ancestors, with their new position and new formation. ‘Because when you existed slaves of self-forfeiture and loss you existed free from, or not a slave of, divine approval. Therefore what fruit did you possess at that time on the basis of that which at this present time you are ashamed of? Because the end and completion of those things is death. But now, having been liberated away from self-forfeiture and loss, and having become enslaved to God, you possess your fruit penetrating into purification in the likeness of God and the end and completion is perpetual Life. Because the payments of self-forfeiture - death, but the extended free gift of God - perpetual Life within our Lord Jesus, the Messiah’, (Romans 6 v 20 – 23). In their previous form, as they were by nature, they were not enslaved to divine approval. They were insensitive to and ignorant of God and divine law, but enslaved to the desires and the impetus of passions arising within their fleshly constitution. But what did they gain as a result? The end result of their enslavement is death –divine disapproval and loss of a share in the divine inheritance. But now, as Christians, they are free from self-forfeiture and no share or portion of the divine inheritance, and they are enslaved to God, possessing fruit that penetrates into them being purified in the likeness of God and His Messiah. They are being changed, the end result being perpetual Life within the Messiah.
