Here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:
1What, therefore, will we say? Are we continuing in the sin, in order that the grace may abound? 2May it never be! We who died to the sin, how will we yet live in it?
Pondering on these two verses, what I want to record is probably more than anything a commentary on commentaries. What I mean is that, like so many places in the Bible, literally oceans of ink have been spilt on these verses. Theologically speaking, the discussions all come down to what is called the “Antinomian Controversy.” As nearly all acknowledge, up to the end of chapter 5, what Paul has established is the doctrine of justification by grace through faith alone. That doctrine has been perennially and perpetually impugned as teaching a license for sin. That is “antinomianism” or the teaching that, because we are saved entirely by grace, therefore we are free to sin. The idea is that grace is “against law,” which is where the word “antinomian” comes from, meaning in Greek literally “against law.”
Where do I begin? My first inclination is to dismiss the whole discussion as asinine and utterly unworthy of even acknowledgment. I’m inclined to simply say, “That is so stupid, I refuse to waste one minute talking about it.” Of course, then, I am confronted by the fact that Paul, under the pen of inspiration, does address it. That is exactly the point of verse 1. Okay, I guess I have to admit that, after twenty-one centuries, it’s still getting talked about, so obviously it did and still does need to be addressed.
That would lead to my first lament – that after twenty-one centuries, it’s still being talked about. How can that be, when Paul answers it decisively right here in verse 2? Not only that, but chapters 6-8 here in Romans are very specifically written to address the life of that person justified by the very grace through faith taught in chapters 1-5. In other words, the whole question has already been answered. Why don’t we “get it?” I would sadly suggest it is because so few actually take God’s Word seriously. Men who are supposed to be theologians too often cannot simply let God say what He says. Too often they haven’t studied themselves to even know what He does (and does not) say. Their goal in study obviously is not to truly know the heart of God—and note that is the only study goal that God will bless. Pastors, missionaries, evangelists, Bible college & seminary professors, and all like them are purportedly speaking for God. You’d think the first order of business for them would be to make sure they know what God says! But, alas, we are a generation of spiritual pygmies, too often led by other pygmies. One very good pastor told me one of his biggest fears is to get to Heaven and have God ask him, “Why did you tell them I said that?” With that in mind, he does take his study of the Word and his preaching seriously.
Thank the Lord for those few men who, like my friend, do take God’s Word seriously and teach it accordingly. They’re just too few, and so we go on and on, debating over questions that the Lord answered decisively 2,100 years ago.
My next lament is over the title “Antinomian” itself. I would maintain first of all that it is a straw man. No one who even remotely calls themselves a Christian is ever going to stand up and say, “We’re against all law! We believe grace means we can all run out and sin!” That is what I mean, it is a “straw man.” Such a person doesn’t really exist. Basically, it is a term that guys use as a pejorative against their theological enemies. Interestingly, those enemies may turn around and use the same pejorative against them! Now, there certainly have been cult leaders down through the years who particularly like to dismiss the notion of sexual sin (Jude 4; Rev. 2:20), and that is certainly a very bad thing, but I am guessing, even if you asked them, they would not consider themselves “Antinomians.”
Secondly, I will stick my neck out and say the real problem is that none of these guys have actually repented of their own legalism. Us humans are born incorrigibly legalistic. That is precisely why all “religions” devolve into their own system of “rules.” Even those who do teach grace, turn around and come up with their own system of “do’s and don’ts,” and though they teach grace, they engage in all sorts of mental gymnastics, trying to decide what to do with “law.” I had the same problem for years until I actually took the time to study through the book of Galatians. As I studied, I finally realized it’s not about law at all. Real Biblical Christianity, that wants to live God’s heart, realizes it is all about our relationship with Him. It’s about a love for Him that then turns into love for the people around us. “The law” then becomes for us an expression of God’s heart, part of understanding what is important to Him. We who enjoy grace want to have no interest in sin, not because “it’s the rules,” but because we love Jesus and long to live a life that pleases Him. As Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
The very fact that men have to argue about law exposes the sad fact that they’ve never repented of legalism themselves. They all get all bent out of shape trying to decide which laws are “still binding,” and then the answer is always either certain laws, or more laws, or less laws, or better laws, …laws, laws, laws. God must sit up in Heaven and say, “Hello? Whenever you get done with all of that, I’d love to have a relationship with you!” What if I told my wife to give me all her “rules” and I’ll work hard at keeping them? Even at the human level, how much better to say, “I love you,” then learn the things that please and displease that person, and seek to live accordingly, not because “it’s the rules,” but out of love? Do we really think God is any different?
Someone will no doubt run across my feeble scratchings and proclaim me a complete heretic, but is not what I’m saying exactly an expression of Paul’s heart right here in the passage before us? What is his answer to the objection, “What you’re saying is, because of grace, we should all sin more!!!” What is his answer? “May it never be! We who died to sin, how shall we live any longer in it?” We “died” to sin. Can we all note that “died” is a very serious word? How dead is dead? Those who know God, who enter into this grace relationship do not simply “turn over a new leaf.” We died. The idea that grace leads to sin is abhorrent to Paul and also to us who enjoy it. That is crystal clear from the passage before us and, I would suggest, could be “end of discussion” except for people who are in reality still struggling with the whole concept of law to begin with. Again, I will maintain there must be a point for all of us where we repent of our natural and incorrigible legalism. Only then can we expect to truly begin to know the heart of our Jesus and order our lives accordingly.
Of course, even we who know grace, and of whom it can be said that we have “died to sin,” have this on-going struggle with its power. Though it may be a defeated foe, it is still a foe and a very powerful one at that. We Christians enter into this, “You are, but not yet,” where we died to sin, yet we must continue to die daily, and keep it up until the day when Jesus appears and once for all delivers us from this “body of death.” But then I’m running ahead. That is precisely what Romans 6-8 will address.
Once again, I wish it could be true that we would all read Romans 6:1,2, agree that the statement itself, “Grace leads to sin” is totally absurd, then move on. That hasn’t happened in twenty-six centuries, so it won’t any time soon, but it can in your heart and mine. May we all climb into the lap of our loving heavenly Father, then live looking out through His big, strong arms, singing to ourselves. “This is My Father’s World.”
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