Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

LIBERATION FROM THE POWER OF THE OLD SIN NATURE

1) "What shall we say then?" (ti oun eroumen) "What therefore shall we say?" In view of salvation, justification, liberation from the law, and peace with God, thru his grace which is by faith in Jesus Christ, What is to be said? Romans 3:23; Romans 5:1.

2) "Shall we continue in sin," (epiminomen te hamartia) "May we remain, continue, or abide in sin," or shall we go on living in sin, simply because grace the much more abounds, as it does? Romans 3:8; Romans 5:20; Romans 6:15.

3) "That grace may abound," (hina he Charis pleonase) "In Order that grace may abound?" or just in order to receive more grace? The "We" referred to are those saved, Romans 1:16; justified by faith, Romans 3:24-25; Romans 4:4-5; those to whom the righteousness of God has been imputed by faith, by faith in his blood who died for our sins, Romans 4:5-8; Romans 4:16; Romans 4:25; and who have peace with God, Romans 5:1.

Shall the saved, the righteous, the justified who have peace with God, to whom grace abounds, and who are members of the church at Rome and other saints in colleague with them, (other churches) and professors just "live it up" in sin, simply because of eternal life they possess with God’s grace? Romans 3:8; Romans 6:23. It is a rhetoric question implying an exclamatory negative, No! God forbid!

1) "God forbid," (me genoito) "May it not be so"; we as redeemed, saved, justified children of God and members of his church in particular should no longer live in the will or life desires of the old nature, but to Christ, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:8-10.

2) "How shall we that are dead to sin," (pos oitunes apethanomen to hamartiai) "How (shall) the ones who died to sin;" those redeemed, set free from the law of sin and death, and to whom eternal life, the imputed righteousness of God, has been given, to live, as if dead, (barren or unfruitful to the old in nature).

3) "Live any longer therein," (eti zesomen en aute) "Yet (how) shall we live in it?" The life the saved person lives by grace must be unto the glory of God, in producing fruits of the Spirit, Romans 7:4; Colossians 3:3; 1 Peter 2:24.

In the next three chapters Paul shows that those saved should serve God out of gratitude for redemption possessed thru faith in his blood, and manifest their Divine righteousness, justification, and peace with God, by keeping their bodies under subjection and obeying God in worship and service thru his Holy Spirit, given to them in regeneration, John 3:3; John 3:6; John 6:63; 1 John 4:15; Romans 5:5.

1) "Know ye not," (e agnoeite) "Or are you all ignorant," Are you unknowing, not cognizant, or do you not recognize the following: That they had been "baptized into Christ" like Israel was "baptized into (Gk. eis) Moses," 1 Corinthians 10:2; Galatians 3:26-27.

2) "That so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ," (hoti hosoi efaptisthemen eis Christon lesoun) "That as many as were baptized into (with reference to) Jesus Christ." The phrase "baptized into Jesus Christ," means "with reference to Jesus Christ," or "because of Jesus Christ;- to acknowledge his lordship, his leadership. One becomes a child of God by faith, but one becomes a servant of God and Christ by taking up a Voluntary Cross of Service and Worship for him thru baptism, Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-18; Luke 9:23.

3) "Were baptized into his death," (eis ton thanaton autou ebaptisthemen); "We were baptized (immersed) with reference to his death"; In death he shed his blood for our sins. Thru faith in his blood for our sins we are redeemed, have remission of sins, are justified, and have peace with God, Romans 3:24-26; Acts 10:43; Romans 5:1; Romans 10:10; Revelation 5:9.

The term "baptized into his death" means "with reference to his death"; The "us" who were "baptized into Christ" and "baptized into his death" refers to those already saved, children of God, who after salvation, are no longer to live after the Will of the Flesh, the old dominating law of selfishness or self-will. In baptism we say we shall hereafter live in service to Jesus Christ and his church. Scriptural baptism puts children of God into his divine program of service and worship.

1) "Therefore we are buried with him," (sunetaphemen oun auto) "We therefore were buried (in close affinity) with him;" Baptism is the immersion or burial of a child of God into the waters of baptism "with him" (with Christ), not "without him," as baptismal regenerationists teach. The "we" refers to those described as already saved as was Abraham before forms of the Law came, Romans 4:3-5; Romans 16.

2) "By baptism into death," (dia tou Baptismatos eis ton thanaton) "Through baptism with reference to death;- As Jesus was the Son of God by natural begettal of the Holy Spirit, in the flesh before his baptism, so must a lost person be begotten of the Holy Spirit before he can be Scripturally baptized; As Jesus could not begin his public service ministry before proper baptism, neither can his children before their baptism, Matthew 3:14; Matthew 3:16; Mark 8:34-37; Luke 9:23; Galatians 3:26-27.

3) "That like as Christ was raised up from the dead," (hina hosper egerthe Christos ek nekron) "In order that just as Jesus Christ was raised out from among dead corpses," dead bodies, to live anew, to witness anew, to ascend and intercede for, serve us still, Hebrews 7:25.

4) "By the glory of the Father," (dia tes dokses tou patros) "Through the glory of the Father"; By the Holy Spirit he was raised to the glory of the Father, to serve the Father and the redeemed, Romans 4:25; Romans 8:11.

5) "Even so we also should walk in newness of life," (houtos kai hemeis en kainoteti zoes peripatesomen) "Even so we should walk in newness of life"; As Jesus was the Son of God before either of his two burials 1) In baptism and 2) In the tomb, so must one be a Son or Child of God before 1) his baptism, and 2) his burial, to rise to walk or to serve in newness of life. One is baptized not to get or acquire new life but to say --I shall walk hereafter in the Christ way.

1) "For if we have been planted together," (ei gar sumphutoi gegonamen) "For if we have become planted together," or been baptized in close affinity with him, in symphony or life harmony with Christ, in a manner that says "I am his and he shall be my pattern of life service hereafter"; to accept anything for baptism less than a planting or burial seems to be blasphemy against the burial of Christ, Matthew 27:66; Colossians 2:12.

2) "In the likeness of his death," (to homoiomati tou thanatou autou) "In the likeness, similarity of his death"; This refers to water baptism by immersion, submersion, or a planting that seals the believer beneath the water. All who believe that Jesus Christ was buried (sealed) in the darkness of Joseph’s tomb must accept nothing less for baptism than an absolute burial beneath the water, Matthew 3:15-16; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:4-5; Acts 8:38-39.

3) "We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection," (alla kai tes anastaseos esometha) ’We shall also be or exist in that (likeness) of his resurrection." Tho baptism no more makes one or helps make one a child of God than putting on a uniform makes one a soldier, policeman, or nurse, it does identify one in line of service. Confession with the mouth before baptism honors God, but baptism honors him even more, Romans 10:9-10; Mark 8:34-37; Matthew 28:18-20.

As, therefore, the saved, justified, and redeemed are said to be "baptized into" and "put on" Jesus Christ in baptism, let it be understood that they are children of God by faith, by grace, in and thru his blood, have inner righteousness, as children of God before in and thru baptism they initially picture their (then and thereafter) surrender of their lives and bodies to his will in service and worship, thru his church, Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 3:21. Resurrection in the glorified likeness of Christ in his Church may be dependent on Scriptural baptism, 1 Corinthians 15:41-42.

1) "Knowing this," (touto gioskontes) "Knowing or recognizing this;" knowing this much --that baptism does not give new life, but does witness that a new pattern of life is to be seen in us hereafter, Matthew 10:38-39.

2) "That our old man is crucified with him," (hoti ho palaios hemon anthropos sunestaurothe) "That the old (man) or person of us was crucified with him," and now is to exist as dead (barren, unfruitful, unproductive). We are to feed, exercise, cultivate the old desires and passions no more, but to keep them subdued, bridled, under subjection, 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 1:1-3.

3) "That the body of sin might be destroyed," (hina katargethe to soma tes hamartias) "in order that the body of sin might be destroyed," brought to great loss or ruin, be bridled, kept under control by the Holy Spirit, by the new life of Christ in us, as Paul yearned to do, 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; Galatians 5:25.

CARTHAGE DESTRUCTION

It is reported of Cato that he never spake in the senate upon public business, but he ended his speech by inculcating the necessity of destroying Carthage; his well-known maxim was: "Delenda est Carthage." The believers’ motto is, "The old man must be crucified."

--J. Lee

4) "That henceforth we should not serve sin," (tou meketi douleuein hemas te hamartia) "To the end that we should no longer serve the body of sin," the cravings of the old flesh-body and its desires, no longer be in bondage or slavery to the desires of the carnal nature, Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:5-9.

1) "For he that is dead," (ho gar apothanon) "For the one having died;" died to obligations of the dominating sin nature of the old man: The saved have a greater power within than the old inner sin power that once dominated them. It is Christ in them and the Holy Spirit, 1 John 4:15; Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:4.

2) "Is freed from sin," (dedikaiotai apo tes hamartias) "Has been justified or acquitted from the sin"; liberated, released, set free from the eternal penalty of sin. John 8:32; John 8:36; Galatians 5:13. He should not therefore serve the carnal selfish sinful desires any more; let God’s children do no more slave-service to sin, for they are Christ’s, Mark 9:41; 1 Corinthians 6:20.

1) "Now if we be dead with Christ," (ei de apethanomen oun Christou) "Now if we died in close affinity with Christ"; died to obligations, to sin-bondage, by faith in his blood, were redeemed, justified, and received peace with God, then manifested it by being "buried with him in baptism," to rise to walk in the newness (new manifestation) of the new life, 1 Timothy 2:11; Galatians 2:20; Matthew 5:13-16; Acts 1:8.

2) "We believe that we shall also live with him," (pisteuomen hoti kai suzesomen auto) "We believe that we shall also live with him," in close affinity, or in close colleague with him, as his bride. Baptismal identity seems to assure a saved one, (not of Salvation from hell), but of a position of identical glory with Christ in his church or bride forever, John 3:28-29; Romans 6:5; 1 Corinthians 15:41-42; Ephesians 3:21; 1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 11:12; Revelation 19:7-9.

1) "Knowing that Christ," (eidotes hoti Christos), "Knowing, perceiving, or comprehending that Christ," our antecedent in death, the one who died for the penalty of sin in our place, Isaiah 53:5-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24.

2) "Being raised from the dead," (egertheis ek nekron) "Having been raised from (out from among) the dead," dead bodies, with and in victory over the power or domination of sin, Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.

3) "Dieth no more," (ouketi apthneskei) "Dies, no more," not at all or in any manner; He died "once for all," on behalf of all men, all things, and for all times, for the redemption, regeneration, and restitution of the universe, John 3:16; Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Revelation 4:9; Revelation 5:9-14.

4) "Death hath no more dominion over him," (thanatos autou ouketi kurieuei) "Death lords it over him no more at all," or has no more jurisdiction or domination over him; He is alive, to say alive forevermore, Revelation 1:18; nor does death have any more domination over the soul of the believer who has life forevermore to live for Christ, John 5:24; 1 John 5:13.

1) "For in that he died," (ho gar apethanen) "For in (the fact that) he died;" died once for all, 2 Corinthians 5:14.

2) "He died unto sin once;- (te hamartia apethanen ephapaks) "To (atone for or satisfy sin judgment) sin he died once," for all, all sin, and all time, as the previous argument established, John 6:9, Hebrews 9:28; Hebrews 10:10.

3) "But in that he liveth," (ho de ze) "But in (the fact that) he lives;" to make intercession for the saints, Hebrews 7:25.

4) "He liveth unto God," (ze to theo) "He lives to or toward God," to fellowship God, to satisfy God, 1 John 2:1-2, for believers, and to be head of all things to the church, Ephesians 1:22; Philippians 2:10-11.

1) "Likewise reckon ye also," (houtos kai humeis logizesthe) "Even so (in like manner) you all reckon or consider," give logical consideration yourselves, as patterned after him, as dead or unfruitful to the old nature, "to put off" moral and ethical wrong and put on Jesus Christ, Galatians 2:19-21; Ephesians 4:22; Ephesians 4:24-25; Ephesians 4:28-29; Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:8-14.

2) "Yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin," (he autous einai nekrous men te hamartia) "Yourselves to be or exist indeed (as) a dead corpse to sin," not responsive to sin, barren to sin, that such is not in harmony with life in Christ; Colossians 3:1-3; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 6:14; James 2:23-24; Imputed faith in Christ calls to fruitbearing in the new nature, while pruning away the old, 2 Peter 1:5-9.

3) "But alive unto God," (zotes de to theo) "But (reckon yourselves as) living actively, continually, to God," in moral behavior and service of Spiritual labors to the Lord, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 13:13-14.

4) "Through Jesus Christ our Lord," (en Christo lesou) "in Christ Jesus," saved, redeemed, Galatians 3:17; Colossians 3:23-24; Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:24-26.

1) "Let not sin therefore reign," (me oun Basileueto he hamartia) "Do not therefore permit sin to reign, have control, jurisdiction, or sit on the throne;" to take over or mar your influence as a Christian; Dethrone the old selfish, carnal disposition, that Christ may be enthroned in your life, Mark 8:34; Mark 8:37; 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; the devil is to be resisted, James 5:8-9.

2) "In your mortal body," (en to thneto humon somati) "In your mortal (deathly) bodies," to influence or control your carnal bodies and carnal desires; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. The mortal body of every believer belongs to God and is to be controlled by the will of the Spirit in the child of God, 1 Corinthians 10:31.

3) "That ye should obey it in the lusts thereof;" (eis to hupakouein tais epithumiais autou) "To cause you all to obey the lusts of it," of sin inclination that exists in your mortal, dying bodies, John 6:16; Do not yield to obey the cravings of carnal lusts or let such rule over, or be king over your lives, Paul admonished. To deny or dethrone self and selfish lusts is God’s call to the believer, Matthew 16:24; Titus 2:11-12; 1 John 2:15-17.

1) "Neither yield ye your members," (mede parisstanete ta mege humon) "Neither present (stand forth) your members"; Members of the mortal bodies, eyes, ears, tongue, feet, hands, etc. Romans 12:1-2.

2) "As instruments of unrighteousness unto sin," (hopla adikias te h a martia) "As weapons of unrighteousness to sin;" The eyes, ears, feet, tongue, hands, and mind are not to surrender to, but resist doing evil, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; James 5:7-9.

3) "But yield yourselves unto God," (alla parastesate heautous to theo) "But present yourselves (wholly) to God;" walking circumspectly, obediently, bearing fruit of the Spirit, the new nature, 2 Peter 1:4-9; Ephesians 5:15-16.

4) "As those that are alive from the dead," (hosei ek nekron zontas) "As those who are living from among the dead;" to do good works by which men may see you are saved, John 13:34-35; James 2:18. Faith is barren without works done by members of the body, Matthew 5:15-16.

5) "And your members," (kai ta mele humon) "And your (body) members," are to obey in symphony, in harmony, the leading of the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:22-25; James 1:22; James 1:27; James 2:26. Salvation before God comes by faith in Jesus, but Justification before men comes by deeds of obedience to God done in the body, Romans 4:3-5; Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:26-27; Matthew 7:15-18.

6) "As instruments of righteousness unto God," (hopla dikaiosunes to theo) "As weapons of righteousness to God;" the eyes are to behold the good, the ears to give heed to truth, the hands are to serve, the mouth is for praise and witnessing, etc., 1 Corinthians 10:31; John 14:15; John 15:14.

1) "For sin shall not have dominion over you," (hamartia gar humon ou kurieusei) "Because sin shall not lord it over you all," or have jurisdiction, dominating ruling power over you all. "He that is in you is greater than he that is the world," trust him, obey him, and follow him and his leading, Romans 8:14; Romans 8:16.

2) "For ye are not under the law," (ou gar este hupo nomon) "For you all are (exist) not under law," Neither the Mosaic law with its entanglements and obligations of ceremonies and rituals nor under the law of sin and death any more, because of eternal life received by his grace, Romans 6:23; Romans 8:2; John 5:24; Galatians 3:19-25; Galatians 5:18.

3) "But under grace," (alla hupo Charin) "But (in contrast) you all exist under the lordship of grace," the moral obligations and call of voluntary gratitude to serve him who redeemed to service, John 6:15; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 2:11-13; 2 Peter 3:18.

THAT "DANGEROUS" DOCTRINE

A young Christian had been taught that while a person gets saved through faith in Christ, he must obey the law of Moses in order to keep saved. When she saw that God’s Word teaches that Christians are not under law but under grace, she said, "It’s almost too good to be true!" Then she added, "The Bible does seem to say that, but don’t you think it is a dangerous doctrine to teach? If Christians knew that, they might go out and do just anything." I said, "You see that that is what the Bible teaches; are you going out now to do all the bad things you can think of?" I wish you could have seen the look of horror as she said, "No, of course not." "Why not?" k asked, She answered quickly, "Because I love the Lord Jesus." That is the secret of the Christian life.

--Vivian D. Gunderson,

in The Sunday School Times.

1) "What then?" (ti oun) "What therefore," what course of conduct should we pursue in the light of this revelation of free grace and its eternal benefits to every believer?

2) "Shall we sin," (hamartesamen) "May we sin"; Are we permitted to sin, yield to sin without any consequence? Do we approve or sanction sins of the flesh? As some in derision falsely charge those believing in eternal life as a fact, not a farce, for every believer, Romans 3:8; Romans 6:1-2; John 5:24.

3) "Because we are not under the law," (hoti ouk esmen hupo nomon) "Because we do not exist under law," or the jurisdiction of Moses law with its harsh penalties. Certainly not, for the Eternal Moral principal of sowing and reaping was not terminated in Moses Law, Galatians 6:7-8.

4) "But under grace," (alla hupo Charin) "But (in contrast) under the rule of grace? With its superabounding benefits, beyond one’s sinning needs, Romans 5:15; Romans 5:20-21; Galatians 5:18; Ephesians 2:8-10.

5) "God forbid," (me genoito) "May it not (ever) be so;" God’s Word condemns sin in the lives of the saved and calls for confession of such sin, day by day, Matthew 6:12; 1 John 1:8-9. Yet Abraham, David, Jonah, and Peter were great men of God who deliberately sinned as children of God, were chastened for their sins, confessed and turned from them. They did not lose their eternal life. God chastens his children for their sins to call them back to service, Hebrews 12:5-9.

1) "Know ye not," (ouk oidate) "Do you all not comprehend (realize)," or perceive; The Master of one is recognized by the service he renders to Satan or to Christ, Matthew 6:24

2) "That to whom ye yield yourselves," (hoti ho paristanete heautous) "That to whom you present yourselves," offer yourselves, to serve or follow; Two Masters, Satan and Christ, call for allegiance of every child of God, Satan to destroy and Christ to build up and honor the Father, 1 Corinthians 7:23; James 5:5-10.

3) "Servants to obedience," (doulous eis hupakoen) "Servants or slaves for obedience," to give heed, obey or slavishly follow; None can "serve two Masters," at the same time, any more than one can travel in opposite directions at the same time, Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13.

4) "His servants ye are to whom ye obey," (douli este ho hupakouete);’You all are slaves to those ye obey"; It is a solemn truth that a child of God may become a servant of the devil, a distorted use of his talents, 1 Corinthians 6:20; but a child of God never becomes a child of the devil.

5) "Whether of sin unto death," (etoi hamartias eis thanaton) "Whether of sin to or toward death," the kind of disobedience to God that would lead to his chastening them, even to the point of death, 1 Corinthians 11:30-32; Hebrews 12:5-11; Hebrews 10:25-31.

6) "Or of obedience unto righteousness," (e hupakoes eis dikaiosunen) "Or of obedience unto (the doing of) righteousness?" Obedience in right living and right service helps one as a good steward to save some, 1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:27.

THE WAGES OF SIN

The tale of the goblet, which the genius of a heathen fashioned, taught a moral of which many a death-bed furnishes the melancholy illustration. Having made the model of a serpent, he fixed it in the bottom of the cup. Coiled for the spring, a pair of gleaming eyes in its head, and in its open mouth fangs raised to strike, it lay beneath the ruby wine. Nor did he who raised that golden cup to quench his thirst and quaff the delicious draught suspect what lay below, till, as he reached the dregs, that dreadful head rose up and glistened before his eyes. So, when life’s cup is nearly emptied, and sin’s last pleasure quaffed, and unwilling lips are draining the. bitter dregs, shall rise the ghastly terrors of remorse, and death, and judgment upon the despairing soul. Be assured, a serpent lurks at the bottom of guilt’s sweetest pleasure.

--Guthrie

1) "But God be thanked," (Charis de to theo) "But thanks to or toward God," Let thanks, gratitude, or gratefulness be directed or offered to God, because you and I are not what we one time were, Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:6.

2) "That ye were the servants of sin," (hoti ete douloi tes hamartias) "That you all were (once) slaves of sin," Working for Satan alone, although that was your state of sinful allegiance in times past, Ephesians 2:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10.

3) "But ye have obeyed from the heart," (hupekousate de ek kardias) "But you all obeyed from (out of) the heart" The heart "believes unto righteousness," Romans 10:10; "obeying the gospel" is declared to be "believing the report" that Christ died for all, Isaiah 53:1-11; Romans 10:16.

4) "That form of doctrine which was delivered you," (eis hon paredothete tupon didaches) "That type of teaching unto which ye were delivered;" "Believing the gospel" is called obeying or giving heed to the gospel call --Baptism is never referred to as obeying the gospel, or as being any part of the gospel, Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3. Believing the gospel, with the heart, is said to be unto (eis) believing into righteousness and obeying the gospel, Romans 10:10; Romans 10:16.

1 ) "Being then made free from sin," (eleutherothentes de apo tes hamartias) "And having been freed (set free or liberated) from sin;" When, at what point of obedience to God is one said to be made free, liberated. Emancipated from sin-shackles? The answer is when he believes with the heart into (eis) righteousness --not when he is baptized, etc., Romans 10:10; Acts 10:43.

2) "Ye became the servants of righteousness," (edoulothete te dikaiosune) "Ye became (were) enslaved to righteousness"; or by right of redemption, the ransom purchase of Christ from sin, ye became his property, belonging to him, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Mark 9:41 b; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.

1) “I speak after the manner of men," (anthropinon lego) "Humanly I speak," using familiar language and illustrations of men, like slaver , and emancipation as in Galatians 3:15; Galatians 5:13.

2) "Because of the infirmity of your flesh," (dia ten astheneian tes sarkos humon) "Because of the weakness (sickness or infirmity) of your flesh;- Weakness of their comprehension of Divine truth, 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Hebrews 5:12-14.

3) "For as ye have yielded your members," (hosper gar parestesate ta mege humon) "For just as you all presented (yielded or surrendered) your members," in times past, while unsaved, 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

4) "Servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity," (doula te akatharsia kai te anomia eis ten anomian) "As slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness unto lawlessness," to do one lawless deed after another, to repeated violations of law, Romans 13:11-14.

5) "Even so now yield your members," (houtos nun parastesate ta mele humon) "Even so, now and hereafter continually, you all present your members," offer or surrender your members, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:22-32.

6) "Servants to righteousness unto holiness," (doula te dikaioune eis hagiasmon) "As servants to (do) righteousness (and) unto holiness, as a state of behavior, Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:1-5.

1) "For when ye were the servants of sin," (hote gar douloi ete tes hamartias) "For when you all were slaves of sin," doing what came naturally, each what seemed right in his own covetous eyes, Judges 21:25; When they were in bondage to sin and the devil, John 8:44; Ephesians 2:1-3.

2) "Ye were free from righteousness;" (eleutheroi ete te dikaiosune) "You all were (or existed) as free, severed from, unattached to righteousness; "Righteousness held no moral or ethical obligation over them then. They had no righteous nature, ’could not produce righteous fruit, Matthew 7:18. One becomes under an obligation of gratitude to do righteousness, and his faith or belief is imputed to him for the Righteousness of God, Romans 4:5-8; Galatians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Titus 2:11-13.

1) "What fruit had ye then," (tina oun karpon eichipte tote); "What fruit therefore did you then have, hold, or possess;" What advantage, real advantage was sin to you? of what value, real value was it? the answer is it was as fool’s gold, clouds and wind without rain, like a mirage in a burning desert, Proverbs 14:12; Romans 7:5.

2) "In those things whereof ye are now ashamed?" (eph ois nun epaischunesthe) "Over (as a result of) things (about) which you are now and hereafter ashamed?" Solomon tried them, pleasures, treasures, wine, women, and song (false merriment) and cried in the testing hour vanity. Vanity --The rich man in hell tried these things and cried and prayed, and testified too late; they are no better now, Luke 16:24; Ecclesiastes 4:4-8.

3) "For the end of those things are death"; (to gar telos ekeinon thanatos) "For the end (termination) of those (kind of) things is death;" 1 John 2:15-17. The things of the flesh and of the World are temporal, Iimited to time and death, but Spiritual things are eternal, enduring. These are the things we are to seek in Service to Christ, till we are called to meet him, Colossians 3:1-4; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 4:18.

1) "But now being made free from sin," (nuni de eleutherothentes apo tes hamartias) "But now and hereafter having been freed (liberated from) the sin"; The term "being made free" refers to a "completed state or condition of being," not an incomplete process of freedom. The idea is that when one has been saved, justified, or redeemed, he has no more bondage obligations to sin, John 8:32; John 8:36; Romans 6:18; Romans 6:20.

2) "And become servants to God," (doulothentes de to theo) "And having been (for now and hereafter) enslaved to or toward God," Morally obligated by redemption to serve the one who redeemed you; for "ye belong to Christ," Mark 9:41; and are his, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

3) "Ye have your fruit unto holiness," (echete ton karpon humon eis hagiasmon) "You all have, hold, or possess your fruit with reference or relation to sanctification," holiness of being and conduct; The fruit, of proper and becoming by product, of the new nature, the Divine Nature is a life service of holiness, Matthew 7:15-18; 2 Peter 1:4-11.

4) "And the end everlasting life," (to de telos zoen aionion) "And the end of the (fruit) eternal life," of the body, in resurrection glory;" The end purpose of Salvation or redemption of soul, life service, and body is unto everlasting glory to God, consummated in the resurrection of the body in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Wherever eternal life is promised or said to be is the future, for the believer, it refers to resurrection of the body, Galatians 6:9; Mark 10:30; Titus 1:2; Titus 3:7; Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:13.

1) "For the wages of sin is death," (ta gar Opsonia tes hamartias thanatos) "For the wages (full, fair pay) of sin (is, exists in) death;" the final pay-off of inherent sin from Adam exists in death, Romans 5:12; Romans 5:14; Romans 5:17; as declared by James sin finished or mature brings death, even in infants, James 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:55-56; Hebrews 9:27.

2) "But the gift of God," (to, de Charisma tou theou) "but the Grace-gift (unmerited Charisma) of God;” Without moral or ethical obligation the Holy, sinless, loving, merciful, compassionate God Voluntarily, freely, gave his holy Son as a Grace-Gift for redemption, John 3:16; Galatians 4:4-5.

3) "Is eternal life," (zoe aionios) "(Is) or exists as or in eternal life;" John 17:2-3; John 10:27-29; This kind of life, without cessation or end, is freely given to the one Who believes or trusts (once for all, wholly) in Jesus Christ, John 3:15; 1 John 5:11; 1 John 5:13; 1 John 5:20.

4) "Through Jesus Christ our Lord," (en Christo lesou to kurio hemon) "in Christ Jesus, our Lord," or Master. This eternal life exists in his Son, Jesus Christ, 1 John 5:11; John 17:21; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 16:7; Galatians 1:22.

ABSOLUTELY FREE

In Mexico those who sell bread often carry it in a large basket on their heads. As a Christian man left his bakery one day, he tucked his Bible under the white cloth, which covered the basket. As he walked along the street, he shouted, "Bread, bread." "What kind of bread do you have?" asked a woman standing in a door. The baker replied, "I have bread that costs money and bread that is free!" ’What! You have bread that you give away?" Without replying, the baker opened his basket, took the Bible from it and read this verse, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger."

-W.B.K.