Romans 6:1
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Romans 6:1
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Chapter Context
Romans 6 is a theological epistle chapter in the New Testament that explores themes of grace, love, holiness. Written during Paul's third missionary journey (c. 57 CE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Christians in Rome navigated tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers under imperial watch.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-23: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it illustrates divine judgment and mercy in response to human actions. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Romans and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Romans 6:1
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Analysis
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Paul anticipates the antinomian objection to his doctrine of justification by faith alone (Romans 5:20). The Greek verb epimenōmen (ἐπιμένωμεν) means "to remain, continue, persist"—suggesting habitual, deliberate sin rather than occasional failure. Paul frames this as a diatribē question, the rhetorical style of Greco-Roman philosophical debate, showing he expects this objection from those who misunderstand grace.
The question reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of grace: that God's unmerited favor is a license for moral laxity. This was evidently a real accusation against Paul's gospel (cf. Romans 3:8), suggesting his teaching was so radical that critics thought he promoted sin. The theological issue is whether justification by faith alone necessarily leads to antinomianism—a charge Paul vigorously refutes throughout this chapter by explaining the believer's union with Christ in death and resurrection.
Historical Context
Paul wrote Romans around AD 57 from Corinth to a church he had not founded. The Roman church contained both Jewish and Gentile believers struggling with questions about the Mosaic Law's continuing authority. In Greco-Roman culture, philosophical schools were often accused of promoting immorality—Paul faces a similar charge about his gospel of free grace. Early church baptism was by immersion and symbolized a complete break with the old life.
Reflection
- How does Paul's question expose the difference between presuming on grace and resting in grace?
- What evidence in your life demonstrates that you understand grace not as license but as transforming power?
- How would you respond to someone who claims that salvation by faith alone encourages sinful living?
Word Studies
- Sin: ἁμαρτία (Hamartia) G266 - Sin, missing the mark
Cross-References
- Grace: Romans 6:15, Jude 1:4
- Sin: 1 Peter 2:16
- Parallel theme: Romans 2:4, 3:31, Galatians 5:13