Captivated by Jesus

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The Series on the Book of Romans #12

Romans 6:15-23

Mari Ikeda

Do you all think you are captivated by Jesus? Today we’re going to read the second half of chapter 6 in the Book of Romans, which exhorts us to become slaves of God, but I pondered if there was some better word than “slave,” because “slave” means a forced labor, which is neither what God demands us nor what Paul wanted to say. Then the word “captive” came to my mind. Because to be a captive originally means to be in captivity or be a prisoner, but it also means to lose one’s heart and be fascinated or captivated, I thought this word expresses our relationship with Jesus very well. Therefore, today I’d like to encourage us all to be captivated by Jesus. Let’s read the text bit by bit. Let’s start from verse 15-16.

A. We have one of two choices: Being slaves to sin or slaves of God (15-16)

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey —whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Paul is suggesting here that we have only one of two choices, whether being slaves to sin or slaves of God. English translation doesn’t say “slaves of God” as Japanese translation says, but it says “slaves to obedience,” for that is a more literal translation of the original text. Nonetheless, it is no problem interpreting it as “slaves of God,” because the text as a whole talks about obeying God, and also because the exact word “slaves of God” will appear later in verse 22. Going back to the point, we can learn from here that we have to choose one way of living from two, whether we obey sin or we obey God.

This is because none of us can free ourselves from the power of sin with our own strength. It may appear that we are free at first glance when we think we don’t need any god, because we want to be bound by nothing to live in freedom. However, we are only slaves of our own sin when we think that way. Because we are just making ourselves gods by putting our own wants and desires first. We may say, “No, I won’t become slaves of my own sin. I can control myself and don’t become too selfish.” But can we really say so? To control ourselves, what standard do we apply to judge what to permit and what not to permit? There is no one on earth who can keep such standard and judgment always right and same. We are not reliable to lead our own life to a right direction. It is similarly risky to expect a particular person to take that role for us.

It’s only God, whom we can rely on. And we have only one choice of two choices, yes or no, whether we obey Him or not. If we choose not to obey Him, automatically we rely on something else other than God, which means we obey sin. Therefore, we have no neutral position, but only the choice to choose whether we obey God or we obey sin. Now, let’s move on to verse 17-18.

B. We are no longer slaves to sin (17-18)

17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Here it is said, we are no longer slaves to sin. It says, we used to be slaves to sin, but we are no longer so. Because “(we) have come to obey from (our) heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed (our) allegiance.”The psalmist is commanding his soul to “praise the LORD.” This command is necessary because without it, his soul would neglect to praise the LORD. The psalmist goes on to command: “all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”

1. “The pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance”

“The pattern of teaching that has now claimed our allegiance” points the basic teaching that Jesus died on the cross and rose again from death three days later in order to give us forgiveness of sin and the eternal life. However, it also includes the teaching that we should aspire for a self-giving love by making Jesus our example, because the word translated as “pattern” can be translated as “example” as well. This is “the pattern of teaching” that was first passed on from Jesus to His first disciple, from them to people of their time including people like Paul and the Romans, then passed on through churches for generations, and reached to us.

In the same way, the phrase “that has now claimed your allegiance” has an implication that neither Japanese nor English could translate well enough. The NIV translation is obviously giving too much interpretation. In the original language, this part uses the passive voice of the verb meaning “hand over,” and so the literal translation of the whole phrase will be, “the pattern of teaching that was handed over to you.” But there is one more way to translate, which is, “the pattern of teaching that you were handed over to.” In this second way of translating, what is handed over is ourselves instead of “the teaching,” and who hands over is God Himself rather than people. I believe this way of translating was what was originally meant for. To pass on Jesus love is surely through people, but it is the work of God. We came to believe in Jesus, because God invited us first, before we made our choice to believe. Likewise, we are no longer slaves to sin, because it was God’s desire to free us and it was made possible by His action.

2. “You have come to obey from your heart”

At the same time, it is our response to “obey from our heart,” to respond to God’s action for us. We need to emphasize that it is “from our heart.” This is something that Paul has been stressed for several times so far, for example,

2:29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.
5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

In this way, we need to let our heart moved by knowing Jesus’ love in order to be set free from sin’s slavery. If we are to paraphrase this according to today’s theme, it is to lose our heart to Jesus and be captivated by Him. That is the work of Holy Spirit working in us, but at the same time, it is indeed our rational judgement to decide to believe and follow Jesus according to our heart moved by Him.

Now, what does it mean specifically to be slaves of God, or captivated by Jesus? Let’s read the rest of today’s text, verse 19-23.

C. What it means to be slaves of God (19-23)

19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. “I am using an example from everyday life”

Here Paul is kind of making a disclaimer statement, “I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations.” This is probably because he wanted to excuse for using the word “slave” which may cause a misunderstanding. Although the slavery in the Roman Empire in Paul’s time was not so inhumane as the slave trade started from the 16th century, it was indeed a forced labor and a disgraced status to which no one wanted to fall by his or her own will. However, this does not apply to slaves of God. That’s why Paul made this disclaimer statement.

Yet, slaves of God share in common with slaves in human society that they only have a choice to obey their master, belong to the master’s house, and are considered as their master’s possession. We, as slaves of God, seek and obey what God wants, belong to His house, and we are his people.

However, in reality, we keep repeating the exact opposite. That’s why Paul mentions here “human limitations.” We repeatedly put our desires first rather than what God desires, run out from God’s house, and go on our selfish way by misbelieving that our life is ours. The nature of going back to slaves of sin remains in us persistently. That’s why Paul used the strong word “slave” intentionally in order to teach us to become God’s slave.

2. Reject “impurity and wickedness” and embrace “holiness” (John 13:12-17）

To explain what it means specifically to live as God’s slave, it is said, “Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.” This sounds like an exhortation of ascetic life, similar to what we read in the previous part last time, and indeed this part encourages us to have a moral life. However, I think the word “holiness” causes so much misunderstanding. When we hear a holy life, it sounds like we need to live as a hermit and keep away from this immoral and impure world. It can lead further to a more misunderstanding that we should keep away from immoral people. That is completely opposite to Jesus’ way of living. Jesus came into this world of ours, among us in sin, and willingly went to reach those who were considered as sinful and immoral by people. Therefore, to become holy, or to live a life leading to holiness, does not just mean to keep away from immorality, but rather to discard our prejudice against people and to love anyone like Jesus did.

In conclusion, I’d like to read Jesus own words from John’s Gospel. John 13:12-17 says,

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

We can never become Jesus through our life. Yet, if we follow His example and love each other and serve others like He did for us, we are achieving a life of His slave. It is not a forced labor as a human master forces his or her slaves to work. Jesus is the master who became a servant and loves His servants more than Himself so that He gave His own life for them. He is the master who can make us lose our heart and make us a captive to him by his charm. Let us keep seeking what He rejoices over in each place that we are placed now, and keep walking until he calls us home finally.

(Prayer) Dear our Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into each of us’ life. Each of us has problems and pains in our heart. But we have come to this day because you always supported us with your love. Please continue to lead each step of our life. Give us strength by Your Spirit so that we may not go on our own way or feel lonely by forgetting that you are always with us. Help us keep our love for others just like you love us, although we make many mistakes along the way. Lord Jesus, we pray this in your name, Amen.

Summary

It is impossible to free ourselves from the power of sin. We all want to live in freedom and we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are free by making ourselves our own gods when in reality, we are under the power of sin. True freedom comes from knowing God’s love, trusting in God rather than trusting ourselves, and giving our lives over to him. Please know God’s love through Jesus and be captive to him. Jesus will guide us to where we should go, give us strength for the journey, and walk with us for eternity.

For Discussion

What does it mean that we are no longer slaves to sin?
What does it mean to be “holy”?