Romans 11

Romans 11:1

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead, etc. So the Christian, buried and risen with Christ, must be like Christ in life, dead to sin, but living a godly life through Christ.

Romans 11:2

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. This must not be, and cannot be, if we are really dead to sin. The body must be mortal, and subject to death, but it must not be subject to sin.

Romans 11:3

Neither yield ye your members. The organs and appetites of the body must not be turned over to sin to use as instruments of unrighteousness. These have all been consecrated to God, by our rising to a new life, and we, as alive with the divine life, living to God, should use them all as instruments of righteousness unto God; i.e., as means of glorifying him and doing his will.

Romans 11:4

For sin shall not have dominion over you. Hence, has no right to the use of our bodily members. We are dead to sin. For ye are not under the law, but under grace. Paul has shown that law revealed sin. Where law exists, and the sinful nature remains, sin will continually manifest itself. But we are under grace. Our sins were forgiven on the ground that we have died to sin, been buried and risen with Christ. Hence, unless we trample all this under foot, there is no room for the dominion of sin.

Romans 11:5

Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? This is the old question referred to in Romans 6:1. The caviller in Paul’s time, as well as in our time, objected that grace, forgiveness of sin, was an encouragement to sin. Paul shows, with much emphasis, that this is a false charge, since grace, forgiveness, implied that the sinner had died to sin. It is those who have been freed from the dominion of sin who are delivered from its penalties.

Romans 11:6

Know ye not? This is utterly impossible, as they will see if they will remember one principle. His servants ye are to whom ye obey. If we obey sin, we are sin’s servants, under his reign, and will receive, not grace, but sin’s wages, which is death; or, on the other hand, if we obey Christ, we are his servants, and enjoy his righteousness. None enjoy this blessedness, but those who turn from sin and obey Christ.

Romans 11:7

But God be thanked. Not that they have been sinners, but that, having been sinners, they had become obedient to Christ. Obeyed from the heart. No outward obedience is of the slightest value unless the heart turns to God. That form of doctrine. Macknight paraphrases this: ``I thank God, that although you were formerly the slaves of sin, ye have willingly obeyed the mould of doctrine into which ye were cast at baptism.’’ Others, Chrysostom for example, say it refers “to Christian teaching as a type of holy living”. The nature of Paul’s argument, and the fact that it is founded on the significance of baptism, makes Macknight’s explanation probable.

Romans 11:8

Being then made free from sin. When we died to sin, and were buried into Christ (Romans 6:3). Hence, being no longer sin’s servants, we become “the servants of righteousness”.

Romans 11:9

I speak after the manner of men. Use figures taken from human relations, those of master and slave. At that time slavery existed everywhere. Because of the infirmity of your flesh. Because of infirmity of understanding due to the flesh. For as ye have yielded your members. As they had been servants of sin in its various forms, to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity (working out iniquity), so now being freed from that service, let them serve righteousness to holiness, with the result of showing forth holy lives.

Romans 11:10

Ye were free from righteousness. While servants of sin they did not serve righteousness at all.

Romans 11:11

What fruit had ye then? Men ought to seriously ask this question. What fruit do the shameful practices of sin bring us? Only shame and death. The end of those things [is] death. That is, the inevitable outcome, eternal death.

Romans 11:12

But now being made free from sin. Now being freed from the bondage of sin, sin should not be served at all, because they have become servants of God. He has the right to their full service. The fruit borne should be holiness, holy lives. The end everlasting life. The result of the service of sin is death (Romans 6:21), but that of the service of God is everlasting life.

Romans 11:13

The wages of sin [is] death, one of the saddest, but profoundest truths of the world. Sin is a master of his servant and pays wages. But the gift of God [is] eternal life. God gives to those who turn from sin, life eternal. It is his gracious gift, conditioned on refusing to be the servant of sin longer, and is “through Jesus Christ our Lord”.

Romans 11:15

Deliverance from Bondage SUMMARY OF ROMANS 7: Death Releases from the Power of the Law. This Illustrated by Marriage. But We Are Dead to the Law. It Slew Christ and We Have Died with Him. We Are Also Dead to Sin. While the Law Reveals Sin, It Is Holy. The Struggle of the Carnal Nature Under the Law. The Deliverance Through Jesus Christ. I speak to them that know the law. Not “the law”, but “law”; know the powers of law. How that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth. The argument of the Jews was that the law of Moses was of perpetual obligation, but they knew that death released a man from its power. It reigned only over the living.

Romans 11:16

For the woman which hath an husband is bound, etc. This principle of law is shown from the marriage relation. Death severs it, and after it the marriage covenant is not binding. A woman can marry again without committing adultery.

Romans 11:18

Ye also are become dead to the law. This principle, under the figure of marriage, is applied to those church members who were once under the law of Moses. They were then related to it as a wife to a husband. But in chapter 4 it has been shown that all disciples of Christ had died, been buried, and risen with him (Romans 4:2-5); hence, having died, they had been released from the law. Should be married to another. As new creatures, they could, as those freed from the marriage to law, be espoused to another, even Christ. Christians are so united to Christ, living by vital union with him, being found in him, that whatever was done to him is said to have been done to them in his person, or through his body. The church is spiritually the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Romans 11:19

For when we were in the flesh. When we were in an unconverted condition, under the influence of our carnal nature. The insufficiency of law to deliver us from its power is now shown. Which were by the law. How the law set in motion these sinful passions is set forth in Romans 7:7,8. See notes on them. Did work in our members. Seized the control of our bodily organs, and thus made us so sin as to be subject to the penalty of death. See Romans 6:21 James 1:15.

Romans 11:20

But now we are delivered from the law. By death. Having died in Christ (Romans 6:2-4), we are released from the dominion of the law. See Romans 7:1. That we should serve in newness of spirit. This service of Christ is the new service of those living new lives. It is a spiritual service: “God must be worshiped in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). God’s law under the new covenant is “written in the hearts” (Hebrews 8:10); hence it is not a bondage, but a free, willing service.

Romans 11:21

[Is] the law sin? Paul intimates that the law was the occasion of sin (Romans 7:5). Does he mean that the law in itself sinful? This thought he indignantly repels. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law. The restraints of the law brought to his knowledge his own sinful nature. Paul describes his own experiences when seeking the righteousness of the law, and thus describes those of human nature. The experiences here given are his own, but what he says is applicable to all men. The experiences are those of Saul of Tarsus, not those of Paul the apostle. For I had not known lust. Greedy desire for the possessions of others. All evil desire is embraced.

Romans 11:22

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment. Strange a psychological fact as it is, it is nevertheless true that to the carnal nature what is forbidden seems especially desirable. Adam and Eve would hardly have desired the forbidden fruit had it not been forbidden. When sinful men’s freedom is limited, he rages against the limitation. One of the agnostic Ingersoll’s pleas against the Divine government is that it is a limitation of freedom. Concupisence. Evil desire. For without the law sin [was] dead. “Apart from law”. There is no article before “law”. If there was no law to be broken, sin would be quiescent, and would be lifeless. The restraint of law makes it spring into vigorous life. Our carnal nature rebels whenever it is restrained.

Romans 11:23

For I was alive without the law once. “Without law”. It would be much better if the translators would omit the article where Paul did not use it. Paul was alive, that is, was unconscious of condemnation, once. His conscience did not trouble him. He was like the young Ruler who said of the commandments: “All these have I kept from my youth up” (Matthew 19:20 Mr 10:20 Lu 18:21). “As touching the righteousness which is of the law”, he was “blameless” (Philippians 3:6). But when the commandment came, when he realized that it required a heart service as well as an outward service, then sin revived. The dormant sin was brought to light when restraints came. I died. Realized that I was a sinner; was convicted of sin. It is possible that reference is made to some supreme struggle. Perhaps in the stern persecution of the saints he was struggling for the righteousness of the law. Perhaps it was when Christ said, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest” (Acts 22:8), that he first realized that “Christ was the end of the law” (Romans 10:4), and he died.

Romans 11:24

And the commandment, which [was ordained] to life. The commandments had a promise of Life. See Romans 10:5. I found [to be] unto death. When he found that, instead of keeping the commandments, he had broken them, he realized he was under condemnation.

Romans 11:25

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me. Sin is always a deceiver, however. I cannot explain this save by referring it to a period of life when he was self-deceived, and sinned, thinking he was doing God service. It exactly describes the persecuting Saul of Tarsus. Sin deceived him. When he found he was deceived, it slew him. He was convicted before God.

Romans 11:26

The law [is] holy. It occasions sin only because our carnal nature rebels against its holy restraints.

Romans 11:27

Was that then which is good made death to me? He has just shown that the law, even though it occasions sin, is just and good. He also showed that through it sin slew him. Is the law death? Nay, far from it. It is sin, not the law, that is the source of death. Sin is so exceedingly sinful, that it seizes upon the law, that which is holy, and just, and good, to work death. It stirs up the carnal nature to rebel against the law, to break it, and hence, to pass under the condemnation of death. Thus the commandment shows forth sin as “exceeding sinful”.

Romans 11:28

For we know that the law is spiritual. The apostle continues still further to show that, not the law, but sin is the source of death. The law is “spiritual”, that is, is divine and adapted to our spiritual nature. While there were “carnal ordinances”, its essential principles were spiritual. But I am carnal. Paul describes his condition while under the law. It was spiritual; but he was carnal, and hence, there was a conflict. Sold under sin. Hence, in a state of slavery. Though Paul uses the present tense, in order to make the description more vivid, he describes his condition before he became a Christian.

Romans 11:30

If then I do. Rather, “But if I do”. If he sins, against his purpose and inclination, he condemns his sin, and thus acknowledges the law, which he disobeyed, to be just and good.

Romans 11:31

Now then it is no more I that do it. Not Paul as a freeman who sins, but Paul as the bond-servant of sin (see Romans 7:15), and hence it is sin who reigns over him, who sins in him, as the instrument. He describes the sinful state as one of bondage. How often a man does what he “would not”!

Romans 11:32

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh). In his unregenerated human nature. In this dwelleth no good thing. The tendency of the carnal nature of man is evil. Its conflict with the will and conscience is now described. To will is present with me. Who has not had the same experience? How often we resolve to do better, and break out resolves as soon as temptation comes!

Romans 11:33

The good that I would I do not. This verse proves the statement of Ro 7:18. It is the strongest expression of sinfulness yet made. What could better demonstrate the bondage to sin? Yet how true to human experience!

Romans 11:34

Now if I do that which I would not, etc. This experience sustains Romans 7:17 and shows that sin had predominated over human nature and rules it. Sin controls, rather than good intentions. A man wills one thing and does another.

Romans 11:35

I find then a law. It is then the law of our unregenerate state that, even if we would do good, and purpose to be better, evil will be present, and will be practiced.

Romans 11:36

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. The inner man, the better nature, our spiritual being, approves of and delights in the law of God. This is the part of our being that “wills to do good”, spoken of in Romans 7:21, but is overcome by evil.