The Imagery of Slavery in Romans 6.15-23

Ant. Galih Arga WA (School of Theology, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta)

Journal of Asian Orientation in Theology
Vol 2, No 01 (2020): Journal of Asian Orientation in Theology

The slavery in the Greco-Roman provides resources to interpret Paul’s idea of slavery as a metaphor for the power of sin in binding human souls in Rom 6.15–23. Paul uses the idea of obedience to explain that, when people believe in Christ, they die to their former life and are given a new life by the new master. Those baptized in Christ die to the old life and receive a new life as slaves of God. The new baptized gets their freedom and so they now surrender all parts of their body as slaves of righteousness.