Obedience of the Heart

Romans 6:15-18

By Pastor Craig Phelps, February 12, 2022

Introduction: Here Paul will again entertain another question that stems from a misunderstanding about being under grace and not under law.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

• In 6:1 he talks about a of sin like we had before.

• In 6:15 he talks about single acts of sin.
• Like a husband who is 99% faithful. It's still not .

16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

• He is talking about not .

• Your master is the one you regularly practice to .


Is Paul saying we are somehow made righteous by obedience or good works?

does not involve our works but does involve our works but it is still by grace through faith.

• In Phil 2:12-13 God is working in you and it should be seen in the He is empowering you to do.
• In James 2:18 genuine saving faith is evidenced by good works. Good works are the of our faith/salvation.
• In Gal 5:1-6 our works are an expression of our faith and done in .


***17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ***

• This is not a one-time act of obedience but a one-time act of where they became obedient from the heart.

• The freedom you have from sin, the forgiveness you have in Christ, the great love that has been poured out on you (an undeserving sinner), how has that love transformed you and what does it now compel you to do in response?
CHALLENGE: Share the answer to the last question with a family member, then a friend and finally someone who does not know the Lord yet.