Our previous study noted the word “God” in the phrase “God forbid” in the King James Version (KJV) in Romans 6:2 and Romans 6:15 is not in the original manuscripts, whereas the Greek actually translate into English as “let it not be.”* Thus, believers are warned: “let it not be” that we live any longer in sin since we are dead to sin having been baptized (identified with) the death of Jesus Christ, Romans 6:2 – 7. And, though we are not under law but under grace, “let it not be” that we sin, Romans 6:14 – 15.
Law vis a vis Grace: when Paul wrote Romans he faced vehement hostility from Jews who followed the Law of Moses and demanded the same from others to the point they beat, persecuted, and ran him out of their towns (Acts 13:45 – 50; Acts 14:19; Acts 17:5; Acts 23:12 – 14; 2 Corinthians 11:24 – 26; 1 Thessalonians 2:14) because he taught that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by the Grace of God and not by following the law, Ephesians 2:8 – 9. The Greek word translated “law” is found 75 times in Romans (the most frequent in any New Testament [NT] book). In Romans, Paul contrasts “the Law” to the “grace of God.” The word translated “grace” is found 25 times in Romans, also the most frequent in any NT book. Sadly, even though Paul’s teaching is clear that believers are not under law but are saved by grace, some believers today still cling to the law. They may acknowledge Christ died for their sins and was raised again for their justification, Romans 4:25, but they believe they must do something about the sins they commit after they trust Christ.
As I understand, they follow teachings like “Lordship salvation,” which adds to God’s Grace the necessity to repent for subsequent sins and they label those who believe salvation is simply and only by faith in the finished work of Christ (by God’s Grace) as “easy-believism.” They recognize their short comings after being saved and so cling to the law, maybe not all 613 commandments, but at least to the 10 Commandments, claiming they must repent each time they violate one. In so doing they fail to recognize Christ’s teaching that to think something against another is a violation of the law, i.e., being angry with a brother without a cause, Matthew 5:22; lusting is adultery, Matthew 5:27b – 28, etc., and anyone breaking one law is guilty of them all, James 2:10. If they truly acknowledged their sinful thoughts and desires and spent time repenting for each infraction they would be on their knees constantly.
They apparently don’t grasp that: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19 – 20. “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:22 – 26. It could not be stated more clearly that God gave the law of Moses to show mankind his/her sin and need for a Savior. And God in His Grace came in the person of Jesus Christ to fulfill the law and die for our sin, delivering us from the curse of the Law, Galatians 3:10 – 13. But just because we are not under the law but under grace, there is no way we should sin, Romans 6:15.
Yielding as slaves to either sin or righteousness: Two forms of the word yield are used a total of 5 times in the 6th chapter of Romans; “paristano” (G3836a) in Romans 6:13a and Romans 6:16, and “paristemi” (G3836b) in Romans 6:13b and twice in Romans 6:19. The Greek Lexicon defines these words: “to cause to stand near, to place nearby; hence, to place or present before, to place at hand, to furnish.” These definitions may not fit what comes to mind when we think in English about “yield or yielding,” i.e., the amount of yield an investment brings; or yielding to an oncoming vehicle; or yielding to another’s will; or yielding our time in a debate to another, etc. The word “servant/s” is found 6 times in this 6th chapter where two forms of a Greek word are used; “doulos,” (G1401), and “douloo” (G1402). Both mean generally: “a slave, bondman, man of servile condition, devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.” (Paul begins Romans identifying himself a “slave” (doulos) of Jesus Christ, Romans 1:1.)
Let’s concentrate on the meaning of the words “yield” and “slaves” as we contemplate the following: “Neither yield (present before, place at hand, furnish) ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield (present before, place at hand, furnish) yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid (let it not be). Know ye not, that to whom ye yield (present before, place at hand, furnish) yourselves servants (slaves) to obey, his servants (slaves) ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants (slaves) of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants (slaves) of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded (present before, place at hand, furnish) your members servants (slaves) to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield (present before, place at hand, furnish) your members servants (slaves) to righteousness unto holiness.” Romans 6:13 – 19.
Paul recaps this teaching by reminding us that before we were saved, when we were the slaves of sin, we were not slaves or bound by obligation to righteousness, Romans 6:20. And being slaves of sin, the fruit of our labor brought death, Romans 6:21. But after we believe and are saved, we are free from sin and are slaves to God, and our fruit or labor is unto or towards holiness (consecration, sanctification, purification), which will finish with eternal life, Romans 6:22. The last verse of this chapter encapsulates the thought: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Thus we conclude that before we came to believe and thus were saved, we were slaves to sin and the end thereof was eternal separation from God, but God gave us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This being true, we must “let it not be” that we serve sin. Our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we should no longer serve sin, Romans 6:6. Realizing that even though this is true, we are apt to sin so we are told “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” Romans 6:12.
The chain of thought doesn’t end with this chapter, it continues into chapter 7, which ends with an explanation of what goes on in our lives as we strive to “let it not be” that we should yield to sin in our mortal bodies to obey the lusts thereof: “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:14 – 25.
*the original Greek translated “God forbid” is from two Greek words, “ginomai” (G1096) found 677 times in the NT primarily translated “be (is, being, been, was, were)” and “me” (G3361) found 675 times in the NT, primarily translated “not.” However, the KJV translates these two words “God forbid” a total of 15 times in the NT, once in Luke, 10 times in Romans, once in 1 Corinthians and three times in Galatians.
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