Romans 6  Paul made the comparison between Adam, the man through whom sin entered the world; and Jesus the one Man, through whom grace abounds.  Now, he makes another comparison.. between being a slave to sin and being a slave to righteousness. 

We all start out the same... in slavery.. under the reign of sin and death.  Our "members".. our bodies.. are "instruments of unrighteousness".. given to "impurity and lawlessness".  We are weak.. and headed for destruction. 

But.... when we come to Jesus.. everything changes!  We die to sin..  ".. do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."  (v3-4)   To be baptized "into"  Christ is to be identified with Him.. to be overwhelmed by Him.. taking on His "likeness".   We "become united with Him in the likeness of His death.. also in the likeness of His resurrection." (v5) We are radically and completely changed forever!

Our old selves.. our  "body of sin"  is "done away with".  We are no longer slaves to sin.. we are freed! We are dead to that past life.  It no longer is master over us.   Like Christ, our example, in likeness to Him.. we are to "consider [ourselves] to be dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (v11)  The word "consider" here is the same as "reckon" in chapter 4.. Count.. account.. conclude.. impute.. think!

We no longer present our bodies to do sin.. but we present our bodies "to God as those alive from the dead, and [our] members as instruments of righteousness to God." (v13)  We "present" ourselves to God as His slaves.. "obedient from the heart".. which will result in "sanctification"...  purity.. holiness.. wholeness. And this will bring about the final outcome of "eternal life". 

If we remain slaves to sin.. the outcome.. "the wages"... is death.  If we become slaves to God, by the "free gift" found though Jesus Christ.. we will have eternal life. This is His promise!

Father in heaven,  You are so good to us.. providing us freedom from the mastery of sin and giving us newness of life through Jesus Christ.  And not only that, but making us "like" Him eternally!  Hallelujah! What a Savior!   May we.. help us to.. continually abide in this attitude and relationship of submission, under the authority of our Master!  May we always obey You from our hearts.  Sanctify us through and through .. may our spirits, souls, and bodies be "preserved complete, without blame at the coming the Lord Jesus Christ." You are faithful and You will bring it to pass!  ( I Thes. 5:23) Amen!