Romans 6:1
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Romans 6:1
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Paul is posing a provocative question here, almost like a debater raising a potential objection to his own teaching. He's highlighting that a common-sense, yet deeply flawed, conclusion some might draw from the idea that God's grace is immense even in the face of abundant sin.
Having just explained how God's grace overflows even more than sin, Paul anticipates a dangerous misunderstanding. Some might conclude that since more sin leads to more grace, they should keep on sinning to glorify God's mercy. Paul immediately rejects this idea, setting up a discussion on how believers are actually freed from sin's dominion, not empowered to continue in it.
Just heard that God's grace is powerful enough to cover even our biggest sins? That's amazing! But what if that leads to a dangerous thought?
Paul anticipates a serious misunderstanding of the gospel.
The Objection
In the previous chapter, Paul celebrated how God's grace powerfully overcomes sin, even where sin was abundant (Romans 5:20). Someone might hear this and think, 'Wow, if God's grace gets bigger the more I sin, then maybe I should just keep sinning! This way, God's grace looks even more impressive.'
Paul's Strong Rejection
Paul immediately shuts this down with a resounding 'God forbid!' (Romans 6:2). He calls this idea 'madness' and a 'shameful' distortion of God's truth. The grace of God isn't a license to sin; it's the very power that frees us from sin.
Paul says the gospel isn't just about forgiveness; it's about transformation. How does believing in Jesus change our relationship with sin?
Paul’s answer isn't just a logical refutation; it’s rooted in a deep theological reality: our union with Christ.
Dying with Christ
When we put our faith in Jesus, we are united with Him in His death and resurrection. This isn't just a symbolic idea; it fundamentally changes our status and power over sin.
This union means that continuing in sin is like trying to revive someone who has already died to a disease. It’s a contradiction to our new identity in Christ.
Understand the original words
hamartia · Greek Noun
The Greek noun often refers to acts of disobedience or missing the moral mark of God's law. In a theological sense, it describes both the sinful nature inherited from Adam and the resulting acts of rebellion against God's will.
charis · Greek Noun
God’s unmerited favor, kindness, and enabling power toward those who deserve judgment. It is the active, transforming operation of God’s love that saves the believer and sustains their ongoing sanctification.
pleonazō · Greek Verb
The Greek verb refers to the state of increasing or overflowing in abundance. Theologically, it describes the counter-intuitive reality that as human rebellion increases, God’s reach of mercy increases even more.
Paul addresses a crucial misunderstanding arising from the early spread of Christianity, where some new believers, particularly Gentiles, might have wrongly concluded that God's abundant grace meant sin itself was no longer a serious issue.
c. 50-55 AD— this verse
Paul Writes Romans
The Apostle Paul writes his letter to the church in Rome, likely from Corinth or Ephesus, to explain his gospel and prepare for a visit.
c. 30-33 AD
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
The foundational events of Christianity occur in Jerusalem, leading to the birth of the Church.
c. 30-50 AD
Early Spread of Christianity
The gospel spreads rapidly throughout the Roman Empire, reaching diverse populations including Gentiles and Jews in Rome.
c. 40-50 AD
Emergence of Gentile Believers
A significant number of non-Jewish people convert to Christianity, raising questions about the Law and the implications of God's grace.
This passage questions whether the law, which reveals sin, would then be against God's promises. Similarly, Romans 6:1 grapples with the idea that God's grace, which abounds over sin, might be seen as promoting sin itself.
Jude 1:4Jude warns against certain individuals who twist God's grace into an excuse for immorality. This directly parallels the concern Paul addresses in Romans 6:1 about the potential misuse of grace.
1 Peter 2:16Peter urges believers to live as free people, but not to use their freedom as a cloak for evil. This echoes Paul's argument in Romans 6 that freedom from sin's dominion should lead to righteousness, not a return to sin.
Colossians 2:20-23This passage speaks against 'self-made religion' and ascetic rules that falsely claim to control sin. It underscores the theme that true freedom from sin comes through union with Christ, not by trying to manage it or using grace as an excuse.
bengelRomans 6:1: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?"
Romans 6:1 . Ἐπιμενοῦμεν ; shall we continue? ) Hitherto he treated of the past and the present: now he proceeds to treat of the future; and the forms of expression are suited to those, which immediately precede, whilst he speaks respecting the ‘abounding’ of grace. In this passage the continuing in sin is set before us; in the 15th verse, the going back to sin, which had been overcome. The man, who has obtai…
clarkeRomans 6:1: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?"
Shall we continue in sin - It is very likely that these were the words of a believing Gentile, who - having as yet received but little instruction, for he is but just brought out of his heathen state to believe in Christ Jesus - might imagine, from the manner in which God had magnified his mercy, in blotting out his sin on his simply believing on Christ, that, supposing he even gave way to the evil propensiti…
Paul is posing a provocative question here, almost like a debater raising a potential objection to his own teaching. He's highlighting that a common-sense, yet deeply flawed, conclusion some might draw from the idea that God's grace is immense even in the face of abundant sin.
Having just explained how God's grace overflows even more than sin, Paul anticipates a dangerous misunderstanding. Some might conclude that since more sin leads to more grace, they should keep on sinning to glorify God's mercy. Paul immediately rejects this idea, setting up a discussion on how believers are actually freed from sin's dominion, not empowered to continue in it.
Having just explained how God's grace overflows even more than sin, Paul anticipates a dangerous misunderstanding. Some might conclude that since more sin leads to more grace, they should keep on sinning to glorify God's mercy. Paul immediately rejects this idea, setting up a discussion on how believers are actually freed from sin's dominion, not empowered to continue in it.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Romans 6:1 is available in the Sola app.
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" — Paul is posing a provocative question here, almost like a debater raising a potential objection to his own teaching. He's highlighting that a common-sense, yet deeply flawed, conclusion some might dr…