Romans Chapter 6 Vs. 21

 

Slaves to Righteousness

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. Rom 6:21

What fruit had... Question 39. Next, Rom. 7:1.

fruit had ye... Paul uses fruit to refer to good and evil results (Rom. 6:21-22; 7:4-5; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:9; Phlp. 1:11, 1:22; 4:17; Heb. 12:11).

things whereof ye... Sin has two main results:

1. Present shame and emptiness (Rom. 6:21)

2. Future, eternal death and hell, the end of a life of sowing to the flesh (Rom. 6:21-23; 8:13; Gal. 6:7-8; Rev. 20:6, 20:10-15).

We read in James:

Jas. 1:15 “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

We read specifically in Corinthians, some of the fruit of unrighteousness that will keep a person from inheriting the kingdom of God.

1Cor. 6:9-10 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,” “Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Three times in this chapter Paul wrote that sin results in death.

So here the sinful life gives no benefit, whereas the “end” (telos) or result of sin is death.