Audio commentary on this verse

Note 8 at Rom. 6:16: This is the second argument that Paul presents in this chapter as to why Christians don't live in sin (see note 2 at Rom. 6:2, p. 776). The legalistic Jews were seeking a life without sin so that they could earn God's favor. Paul had conclusively proven that no one could keep the precepts of the law and that the law was never given for the purpose of justification (see note 4 at Rom. 3:19, p. 757 and note 14 at Rom. 3:31, p. 760). Therefore, he is explaining that Christians still seek to live holy but for different reasons.

This second reason Paul gives for holiness in the life of the believer is that when we obey sin, we yield ourselves to Satan, the author of that sin. Notice the use of the personal pronoun "whom" in this verse. Yielding to sin is yielding to a person, Satan. God doesn't impute the sin to us (see note 2 at Rom. 5:13, p. 771) but the devil does (see note 3 at Rom. 5:14, p. 773). Our actions either release the power of Satan or the power of God in us.

Therefore, although God is not imputing our sins unto us, we cannot afford the luxury of sin because it allows Satan to have access to us. When a Christian does sin and allow the devil opportunity to produce his death in their life, then the way to stop that is to confess the sin and God is faithful and just to take the forgiveness that is already present in our born-again spirit and release it in our flesh, thereby removing Satan and his strongholds (see note 11 at Rom. 4:8, p. 762).

Note 9 at Rom. 6:16: The Greek word that was translated "servants" twice in this verse is "doulos" denoting a slave (see note 1 at Rom. 1:1, p. 740). Therefore, Paul is not speaking of an infrequent error on our part but rather a servile condition where one gives himself up wholly to another's will (Thayer's Gk.-Eng. Lexicon). So, Paul is stating that a person who abandons himself to sin is in actuality becoming a slave of the devil (see note 8 at this verse) while a person who obeys righteousness is actually yielding himself to the Lord. This is the second reason in this chapter as to why a Christian should live holy.