Romans 6:19
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Romans 6:19 (KJV)
Context
Romans 6:19 continues Paul’s explanation that believers, united with Christ in His death and resurrection, are no longer under sin’s dominion. In the preceding verses, Paul insists that those who have died with Christ are freed from sin’s power and are now alive to God. This verse applies that truth practically: because believers have died to sin, they are to live as people who belong to God.
Meaning
Paul begins with a concession: “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh.” He is using a simple, everyday illustration—the master-slave relationship—to make his point clear, not because the truth itself is merely human, but because his readers’ spiritual understanding was still weak. The “infirmity of your flesh” points to their limited grasp of spiritual realities, so Paul condescends to a familiar analogy to help them understand.
The analogy is stark. Before coming to Christ, believers had willingly presented their bodily members—hands, feet, tongue, mind—as slaves to uncleanness and to iniquity, and that service produced escalating sin: “iniquity unto iniquity.” Now Paul calls them to present the same members as slaves to righteousness, and the outcome is holiness: “righteousness unto holiness.” The Greek verb translated “yield” is a present imperative, indicating a deliberate, ongoing act of presenting oneself. This is not a passive state but an active, daily offering of one’s body to God.
The contrast is between two slaveries. The old service to sin led to ever-increasing lawlessness, while the new service to righteousness leads to sanctification—a progressive growth in holiness, not merely a legal standing. Paul’s language is practical and direct: the same members that once served sin are now to serve righteousness. This is a decisive transfer of allegiance, from being under sin’s control to being under the lordship of Christ.
Application
The call is to a complete transformation. Just as believers once willingly offered themselves to sin, they are now to offer themselves wholeheartedly to God and His righteousness. This involves a shift in allegiance, from being under the control of sin to being under the lordship of Christ. By yielding their members to righteousness, believers are to live a life marked by holiness and obedience to God’s commands. It is a call to actively participate in the sanctification process, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within them and conform them to the image of Christ.
Reflection
Paul’s words challenge us to examine what we serve with our bodies. The same hands, feet, and words that once served sin can now serve righteousness. This is not a one-time decision but a continuous, deliberate commitment. The goal is not just moral improvement but a life set apart for God, reflecting His character. As believers, we are to present ourselves daily as instruments of righteousness, trusting that God works in us to produce holiness.
