ACC ~ Romans 6 v12

THE SAME MEMBERS. IRENAEUS: In these same members in which we used to serve sin and bring forth fruit unto death, God wants us to be obedient unto righteousness, that we may bring forth fruit unto life. AGAINST HERESIES 5.14.4.

LET NOT SIN REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODIES. ORIGEN: The apostle declares that all sins are works of the flesh. … Now if it were not in our power that sin should not reign in us, he would not have given us this command. How then is it possible that sin should not reign in our flesh? It is possible if we do what the apostle says—“Put to death what is earthly in you”—and if we always carry around in our body the death of Christ.For it is certain that where the death of Christ is carried around sin cannot reign. For the power of the cross of Christ is such that if it is placed before our eyes and kept faithfully in mind in such a way that the eye of the mind may keep its gaze fixed on the death of Christ, no lust, no desire, no passion and no envy will be able to overcome it. At its presence the whole host of sin and the flesh will always flee.

Why does Paul add that the body is “mortal,” when this seems to be obvious? Perhaps, but I think there is a reason for this addition. For Paul was showing by this how it is possible for sin not to reign in our bodies. … If we realize that our body can be put to death and be dead to sin, it may happen that sin will not reign in it. Insofar as it is dead, it is said to be justified from sin. Nor does a dead man lust or get angry or have passions or steal what is not his. Therefore, if we suppress all these desires in our bodies they may be said to be dead to sin. This is what the apostle appears to be telling us by adding the adjective mortal in this context. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

DIODORE: What sin is this? The sin committed before baptism, of course. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

NO ONE IS JUDGED APART FROM HIS BODY. AMBROSIASTER: The body is mortal because of the sin of Adam, but by faith in Christ we believe that it will be immortal. But in order for it to inherit the promise, Paul says that it must not listen to the voice of sin, so that sin may not reign in our mortal body. For it reigns as long as it is in control. But if it does not reign, the body will no longer appear to be mortal, because it dwells in the hope of eternal life. Paul did not say that the body is mortal because it will disintegrate but because of the pain of hell, so that the man who is sent to hell is said to be mortal because whoever hearkens to sin will not escape the second death, from which the Savior has delivered those who believe in him. Therefore, the mortal body refers to the entire human being because those who hearken to sin are said to be mortal. For Scripture says: “The soul which sins shall surely die,” which means the whole human being. For nobody will be judged apart from his body. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THE ABSURDITY OF REMAINING CAPTIVE. CHRYSOSTOM: It is absurd for those who are being led toward the kingdom of God to have sin ruling over them or for those who are called to reign with Christ to choose to be captives to sin, as if one should throw down the crown from off his head and choose to be the slave of a hysterical woman who comes begging and covered in rags. … How is it that sin can reign in you? It is not from any power of its own but only from your laziness. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 11.

JEROME: Because men are not my masters, because sin is not my lord—for sin does not reign in my mortal body—I am your servant. HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 40.

SIN’S REIGN OVERTHROWN. AUGUSTINE: The reign of sin is overthrown and destroyed, partly by such an amendment on the part of men that the flesh is made subject to the spirit and partly by the condemnation of those who are persevering in sin, in order that they might be so justly restrained that they cannot be troublesome to the righteous, who reign with Christ. COMMENTARY ON THE LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT 1.22.77.

ALLOWING THE EYE TO BE TURNED. AUGUS-TINE: We must engage in a constant, daily struggle not to obey those desires which are forbidden or improper. For from this sort of fault it comes about that the eye is turned to where it ought not to look, and if this fault grows strong and prevails, even bodily adultery is carried out, which is committed in the heart as much more quickly as thought is quicker than action and has nothing to hinder or delay it. ON NATURE AND GRACE 38.45.

LIVING AS IF IMMORTAL. PELAGIUS: You should live in your mortal body as if you were immortal. Paul also explains how sin reigns in the body—by obedience and consent. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

WITHHOLDING CONSENT TO THE REIGN OF SIN. THEODORET OF CYR: A reign is different from a tyranny in that a tyrant rules without the consent of his subjects, whereas a reign applies in those cases where the subjects have assented to it. Therefore Paul is urging his hearers not to assent any longer to the reign of sin, for the Lord destroyed sin’s reign when he took on human flesh. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

CAESARIUS OF ARLES: Paul did not say: “Let sin not exist,” but “Let it not reign.” Sin is within you if you take delight in it; it reigns if you consent to it. SERMON 134.3.

GENNADIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE: Here Paul shows that the reason we no longer sin is not that after baptism we are no longer made of flesh. Up to this point, we claim Christ’s perfection by faith only and not by experience. For we have not yet become impassible or immortal. … Therefore Paul does not say: “Do not sin,” but rather: “Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies.” PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

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