What Does Romans 6:20 Mean?
Romans 6:20 explains that when we were controlled by sin, we were not serving righteousness at all. It looks back to our life before knowing Christ, when sin was our master and doing right was not even an option. As Paul says, 'When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness' (Romans 6:20).
Romans 6:20
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Paul
Genre
Epistle
Date
Approximately 57 AD
Key People
- Paul
- The Roman Christians
Key Themes
- Slavery to sin versus freedom in Christ
- The impossibility of righteousness apart from God
- Transformation through union with Christ
Key Takeaways
- Sin once ruled us completely, making righteousness impossible.
- True freedom is serving God, not doing whatever we want.
- Christ transfers us from sin’s power to God’s righteousness.
Slaves to Sin, Free from Righteousness
This verse fits into Paul’s teaching in Romans 6 about how believers should no longer live under sin’s control now that they belong to Christ.
Paul tells the Roman Christians - both Jewish and Gentile - that before they trusted in Jesus, sin ruled them. They were enslaved to sin, and could not live in a way that pleased God. He uses the powerful image of slavery to show how total sin’s rule was: when you’re a slave, you don’t have the freedom to choose another master. So, as slaves to sin, they were completely disconnected from righteousness - free from it, not in a good way, but in the sense that righteousness had no claim on them at all.
Now that they’ve been set free by Christ, Paul urges them to offer themselves to God instead, because the old life of sin no longer defines them.
The Paradox of Sin's Slavery and Righteousness' Absence
Romans 6:20 shows that when sin ruled us, we were not merely occasionally disobedient; we were completely cut off from God’s righteousness, like slaves unable to choose a different master.
The Greek word Paul uses for 'slaves' is *douloi* - a term for bonded servants with no personal freedom - showing that sin was not merely a habit but total domination over our lives. At the same time, he says we were 'free in regard to righteousness,' using the Greek *eleutheroi*, which ironically means 'free' - but not in a good way. This 'freedom' was not liberation. It meant righteousness had no claim, no influence, and no access to us. It’s like saying someone addicted to a destructive lifestyle is 'free' from health - technically true, but only because they’re fully under the control of something worse.
This lines up with what Paul says just before in Romans 6:17-22: 'But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you receive leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.' Back then, you couldn’t serve God because sin owned you. Now, in Christ, the master has changed. The old slavery led to shame and death, but serving God leads to a new life shaped by His goodness - a process the Bible calls sanctification, or growing more like God over time.
Paul’s point is not merely theological; it is personal. He shows that without Christ, we were not free agents choosing between good and evil. We were captives. That’s why salvation is not merely about forgiveness. It is about moving from one kingdom to another - from sin’s slavery to God’s service.
What It Means to Be Free from Righteousness
When Paul says we were 'free in regard to righteousness,' he’s not celebrating freedom but describing a tragic separation from God’s goodness.
Righteousness, as Paul explains in Romans 1:17 and 3:21-26, is God’s own standard of right living - His way of being just and holy - and it’s something we can’t achieve on our own. Instead, it’s given as a gift through faith in Jesus, who paid the price for our sin. So to be 'free from righteousness' means we once lived completely apart from God’s moral order, not under any obligation to follow Him and with no desire to do so.
This shows that salvation is not merely about going to heaven one day. It is about being restored to a relationship with God, no longer slaves to sin, and now able to live in step with His righteousness through Christ.
Freedom in Christ: From Slavery to True Liberty
This verse fits within the broader biblical theme of slavery and freedom, seen in passages like John 8:34, where Jesus says, 'Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin,' and James 1:25, which speaks of 'the law of liberty' - a freedom that isn't lawless, but shaped by love and truth.
Paul’s teaching in Romans 6:20 lines up with Galatians 5:1, where he writes, 'For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.' This means our freedom in Christ isn’t for doing whatever we want, but for living in step with God’s will - serving one another in love, not ruled by selfish desires.
So instead of living for ourselves, we’re called to live for Christ and one another, which changes everything - how we handle conflict, how we show grace, and how we build each other up in faith, making our church communities living proof of true freedom.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
Imagine realizing you’ve been living in a prison you didn’t even know had walls. That’s what Paul is describing in Romans 6:20. I used to think I was free because I could make my own choices - say what I wanted, do what felt right, ignore God when it was convenient. Looking back, I was not free. I was chained to patterns of selfishness, anger, and isolation, and living rightly with God was not even on my radar. When I finally understood that sin had been my master, and that I was completely disconnected from righteousness, it wasn’t a condemnation - it was a relief. Because my struggle was not merely about willpower; it was about needing a new master. And that’s exactly what Jesus became. Now, when I fail, I don’t spiral into guilt like before, because I know my identity isn’t in my performance - it’s in Christ, who set me free to actually live like I’m meant to.
Personal Reflection
- When I look at my life before Christ, what areas showed that I was truly 'free from righteousness' - not in a good way, but completely disconnected from God’s ways?
- In what ways am I still tempted to act like sin is my master, even though I claim Jesus is?
- What would it look like today to consciously offer myself to God as someone no longer enslaved to sin but alive to righteousness?
A Challenge For You
This week, pause at least once a day and ask: 'Who is really in charge right now - sin or Christ?' Then, take one practical step to surrender that moment to God, whether it’s confessing a thought, choosing kindness over irritation, or thanking Him for your freedom. Also, share your story of change with someone - briefly tell them how life looks different now that you’re no longer ruled by sin.
A Prayer of Response
God, thank you for showing me that I was once a slave to sin and completely separated from living right with You. I see now that what felt like freedom was actually chains. Thank you for setting me free through Jesus, not so I could live however I want, but so I could finally live for You. Help me walk in that truth today, moment by moment. Make my life a reflection of the new master I serve - Jesus, my Lord and Savior.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Romans 6:19
Paul uses human analogy of slavery to explain how sin once controlled us completely.
Romans 6:21
Shows the shameful outcome of sin’s slavery, contrasting it with eternal life in Christ.
Connections Across Scripture
John 8:34
Jesus affirms that everyone who sins is a slave to sin, reinforcing Paul’s teaching.
James 1:25
Speaks of the 'law of liberty,' showing true freedom is found in obedience to God.