Romans 6:17 – Which type of teaching?

Now thanks be to God that you were slaves of sin, yet you obey from the heart the type of teaching to which you were given over.

The believers in Rome were slaves to sin. So past tense. Also in 5: 8 Paul speaks about “when we were still sinners.” And that we are now righteous, i.e. acquitted. Such statements are about our identity in Christ. That is Paul’s “type of education”: learning who we are in God’s eyes.

It makes no sense to tell a believer what he should not do. Because what you only do with it is to make sin more attractive. If one were to obey such a command, it would not be from the heart.

In order to know what you have to do, you first need to know who you are. Are you a poor slave or a rich prince? That makes a huge difference! In Paul’s “type of education,” believers have been transferred from slavery to royal status (5:17). Of course, you have to be taught that first. But when you receive this “type of teaching”, you automatically learn how wonderful it is to live in a royal way. Thanks to GOD who placed you in that position.

Delen: