Focusing on Romans 6 under the theme of “justification, sanctification, and offering ourselves as instruments of righteousness to God,” this text reflects Pastor David Jang’s pastoral emphasis. It is expected to provide a broad view of both the theology of Romans 6 and the practical points of application that Pastor Jang highlights.
1. Dying to Sin and Living in Christ: The Transformative Status of Grace (Justification) and Pastor David Jang’s Understanding of Salvation
Pastor David Jang has often stressed in his sermons and writings that salvation comprises three stages—“justification,” a one-time event; “sanctification,” which is an ongoing transformation; and “glorification,” which will be completed in the future. Yet he emphasizes that these three dimensions form one overarching journey, never to be separated. When discussing Romans 6, he revisits Paul’s declaration that believers have “died to sin and are now offered to God,” prompting reflection on the foundation of our assured salvation. In other words, while justification is a decisive, once-for-all event, this does not imply that the entire sanctification process is automatically completed. Conversely, without justification, there can be no sanctification—an idea Pastor Jang reiterates frequently.
In Romans 6:1–2, Paul responds to those who might misunderstand his preceding declaration (in Romans 5) that “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” He poses the question: “Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?” and firmly replies, “By no means!” Pastor David Jang uses this passage to point out a common pitfall in our faith: Because God is love and rich in mercy, some may presume their salvation is unshakable no matter how they live. Yet as Paul insists, if someone has “died to sin” (i.e., been justified), how can they continue to dwell in their past sins? Pastor Jang explains, “Salvation is an event so powerful that one’s entire life is turned upside down the moment it begins.” The recognition of being “dead to sin” is not just a theoretical or doctrinal statement; it signifies that our “status” has been fundamentally altered.
That our status has changed is evidence of God’s purpose, specifically “that we might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). When Pastor Jang repeatedly says, “Justification is a change of status,” he underscores the truth that sin can no longer dictate our identity. Formerly defined as “sinners,” we are now called “those who have been declared righteous,” a declaration stating that we no longer belong to sin. This parallels Romans 6:7, which notes that “one who has died has been set free from sin”—indicating our deliverance from sin’s dominion.
Pastor Jang describes this change as “an instantly completed spiritual declaration,” yet also “a turning point that demands new responsibilities and decisions.” Through Christ’s atoning work on the cross, our sins have been dealt with once for all, and in that instant, we have been justified. But for this gracious beginning to operate dynamically in our daily lives, we must reject the attitude that “abuses” grace and instead direct our hearts toward thanksgiving and reverence before God.
Romans 6:3–5 speaks of being “baptized into His death,” which Pastor Jang frequently cites in his sermons. He teaches that baptism is not a mere ritual of church membership or denominational tradition, but a symbol of our real union with Christ. While it is a sign and ceremony, its spiritual significance is “dying and rising again with Christ.” Paul says we were buried with Christ through baptism (6:4), indicating that our old, sinful nature—our life in Adam—was nailed to the cross and entombed with Christ. And when Christ rose from the dead, we likewise received new life, a fact proclaimed in the rite of baptism.
At this juncture, Pastor Jang often preaches: “Never dare to doubt the once-for-all settlement of sin.” Indeed, many believers falter in their walk of faith and sometimes question whether they are truly saved. Yet echoing Paul’s teaching, he emphasizes, “Your identity as a saved person does not waver.” Neither our feelings nor momentary failures and sins can revoke our standing in salvation; the matter of original sin has been definitively resolved through the cross of Jesus Christ.
Thus, the declaration that we have “died to sin” simultaneously implies that we are “alive to God.” In Romans 6:8, Paul says, “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.” Pastor David Jang calls this confession of faith the most crucial starting point of the Christian life. Dying to sin means no longer living under its power. Living with Christ means entering a new system of life under His rule. To believe in Jesus is not merely to secure a “ticket to heaven after death,” but actively to dwell in God’s reign here and now—Pastor Jang cautions us never to reduce our faith to a passive perspective.
Ultimately, the key to this first subsection lies in the tangible consequences of the statement “we have died to sin.” By explaining that salvation is both a one-time declaration and a spiritual calling toward the future, Pastor Jang urges us to reaffirm this identity day by day. We have shifted from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ,” and we stand on the fact that we have been declared righteous before God. This salvation event should not remain as mere theological or doctrinal knowledge; it should instead lead us to practice Christ’s death and resurrection in our daily lives. Here begins the second topic: the ongoing process of sanctification, involving our bodily struggle, self-denial, and the practical journey of becoming instruments of righteousness.
2. The Fierce Process of Sanctification in the Body and Pastor David Jang’s Perspective on Spiritual Warfare
Starting from Romans 6:12, Paul’s main concern is why those who have “already died to sin” still must fight sin’s temptations, and how they can prevail. Pastor Jang explains that even though our status has changed, our “mortal body” retains vestiges of weakness and sin. To echo Paul’s phrase, “Sin is trying to reign in your mortal body” (Rom. 6:12). Although our status is now under God’s ownership, our state still requires an ongoing transformation.
Pastor Jang stresses, “We are not taken straight to heaven the moment we believe; rather, we remain here to undergo ‘sanctification’—the personal and spiritual process of change.” Coming to faith does not eradicate every sinful habit or temptation in a single stroke. In fact, once we are saved, we become more sensitive to “the sly lure of sin,” which Satan uses to draw us back into old ways. Paul’s focus on the body reflects this reality. Our thoughts, emotions, words, and actions all manifest through this “mortal body.” Satan seeks to exploit it as a base of operations, provoking the desires of the flesh and pulling us toward our past sinful patterns.
To engage in this fierce spiritual battle, Pastor Jang offers several practical strategies in his sermons and writings. First, he urges believers to “abide in the truth.” Only the Word of God—the truth—can grant us spiritual power sufficient to subdue the body’s urges. Second, he emphasizes “controlling the body through repeated discipline.” This is not mere asceticism or legalism. Rather, by relying on the indwelling Holy Spirit, we learn to restrain our eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and feet, deliberately training ourselves so that sin’s dominion is weakened.
When Paul writes, “Do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as instruments of righteousness” (Rom. 6:13), he clarifies that our bodies are not neutral channels; they become someone’s “instruments” (or weapons). If sin reigns, our bodies become instruments of sin. If righteousness reigns, our bodies become instruments of God’s righteousness. Pastor Jang notes how concrete this image is. When our hands and feet are used in worship or service for the Lord, they are instruments of righteousness. Yet those same hands and feet can become instruments of sin if we yield them to wrongdoing. Thus, the deciding factor is not the tool itself but whose hand wields it.
Romans 6:14 declares, “For sin will not have dominion over you, because you are not under law but under grace”—a favorite text of Pastor Jang. “When we realize we are under grace,” he says, “we recognize that we have been lifted out of any subjection to sin.” Under the law, people fear condemnation for their sins, and sin might appear to offer a kind of “freedom.” In reality, however, sin enslaves and leads us to death, a fact that remains hidden. But for those under grace—those in Christ—sin has no legal claim over them. The master has changed; Satan has become a trespasser with no rightful ownership over us.
Hence, Pastor Jang encourages believers, “Remember that Satan is a blatant intruder.” Because the blood of Jesus has redeemed us, ownership has transferred entirely to God. Even if Satan exploits moments of weakness to whisper, “Aren’t you still a slave to sin?” it’s a lie. The pastor advises, “In such moments, declare, ‘I am under grace. My Lord is Jesus Christ.’” In other words, when sin tries to condemn us, we must confidently assert our standing as “those who have been declared righteous,” all the while firmly resisting sin in practice.
In Romans 6:15, Paul repeats the question, “Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” and again concludes, “By no means!” Pastor Jang explains that this repeated instruction warns us against our own contradictory desires. In our weak flesh, after hearing the wonderful news of “grace,” some might ask, “Then can’t I freely indulge in sin?” The human heart—still tainted by pride and laziness, always resisting the Spirit’s guidance—might twist divine compassion to personal advantage. Yet Paul’s conclusion is definitive: Since we have already been liberated from sin, returning to it is a “foolish choice to become slaves of sin again.”
In verse 16, Paul states, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey?” Pastor Jang refers to this as a matter of “daily choice.” Each day, we must decide whom or what we will acknowledge as master. Though ownership has changed, how we “present” our body and mind determines the rule we experience. By voluntarily choosing obedience, we become God’s slaves, walking in the way of righteousness and ultimately arriving at life (Rom. 6:17–18). But if we reopen the door to old desires, enslaving ourselves again to sin, its end is death—a stark warning from both Paul and Pastor Jang.
Particularly, Pastor Jang focuses on verse 19: “I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations.” Paul uses slavery as an analogy partly due to the widespread practice in Roman society, but also to help people grasp spiritual reality. Pastor Jang calls it “an easy analogy with a serious point.” When we were slaves to sin, we yielded ourselves to wrongdoing and faced a miserable end. Now, as God’s slaves, we must choose the path leading to holiness.
In verses 20–21, Paul urges believers to recall the fruit they bore when they were slaves to sin—shameful fruit that leads to death. Pastor Jang likens this to “the devastation that follows when we live according to our fleshly desires.” Sin begets more sin, undermining our spiritual and mental well-being and often wrecking our social relationships. Thus, a life dominated by sin can offer neither lasting peace nor genuine freedom. Yet in verse 22, Paul declares that we have been freed from sin, become slaves to God, and now bear fruit that leads to holiness. This is the heart of Pastor Jang’s message: The path of righteousness is not dreary affliction alone; it is a road of growing joy, gratitude, and ultimately, true life.
Finally, Romans 6:23 concludes: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Pastor Jang frequently explains that the term “wages” (ὀψώνια, opsōnia) was used for the daily pay of soldiers. Those who labor in sin’s army receive death as their grim compensation. Yet those who serve God receive a charisma(χάρισμα)—a gracious gift—of life. Confronted by these two diverging roads, Pastor Jang asks, “Should we not joyfully choose to be slaves of the Lord?”
Hence, the second section’s main point is that even those justified by faith must continue battling sin and the flesh in the process of sanctification. Pastor Jang, reflecting on Paul’s teaching, applies this to modern believers, reiterating that “every day we must consciously offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness.” This is not a legalistic burden but “a loving, voluntary obedience in the Holy Spirit,” by which we gradually “conform to the image of Christ.”
3. Offering Ourselves to God as Instruments of Righteousness and Pastor David Jang’s Emphasis on Communal Mission
Pastor David Jang consistently teaches that Paul’s argument in Romans 6 extends beyond individual, internal sanctification to our responsibilities in the church community and in the world. The instruction to “present your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom. 6:13) is aimed at each believer—do not give your body to sin, but to God—yet it ultimately calls us to be “witnesses of God’s righteousness” in the world.
Pastor Jang often refers to Jesus’s farewell discourse in John 15, which highlights that we bear fruit only when we abide in Him and He in us. But this fruit is not borne in isolation; it flourishes within the church, and extends as a light and salt in the unbelieving world. Consequently, being “instruments of righteousness” is not merely about overcoming our own sin through the Holy Spirit’s power. Rather, our holiness must spread to our families, workplaces, churches, and societies, leaving the fragrance of Christ wherever we go.
Within this same context, Pastor Jang frequently laments that some churches—and believers—focus solely on individual salvation, forgetting their “calling to be instruments of righteousness.” He offers specific examples of how “God’s people” should serve in the church and the wider community: in ministries of service, missions, charitable outreach, and sharing resources—acts that expand God’s kingdom through our “hands and feet.” This might entail practical help for those in need, support for the marginalized, or evangelism to those who do not know the truth.
Pastor Jang underscores an essential principle: “Though we are made righteous entirely by grace, merely enjoying that grace is not the end. We must bear the fruit of a changed life reflecting God’s character.” When Paul speaks of “fruit that leads to sanctification” (Rom. 6:22), Pastor Jang insists he is not speaking only of moral purity or religious devotion on a personal level, but also of actively extending God’s justice and love in the larger community. Through these fruits—nurtured and shared in the body of Christ—we train ourselves to present our bodies as instruments of righteousness continuously and expansively.
At this point, Pastor Jang urges believers “never to remain shackled by past failures or guilt.” We have already died to sin and become alive in Christ, so wallowing in regrets or burdensome shame no longer defines the believer’s path. Paul insists (Rom. 6:4) that we “walk in newness of life,” boldly stepping forward in the ongoing process of salvation called sanctification. Here, Pastor Jang advocates for mutual intercession, confronting old sinful habits, cultivating godly character through discipleship, supporting each other in the church, and practical acts of service and compassion in society.
Thus, Romans 6 as a whole challenges believers with a central question: “Having been transferred from death to life, and from slavery to sin to slavery to righteousness, united with Christ through baptism and raised to newness of life—how then shall we live?” David Jang’s teaching aligns with Paul’s, calling us to clearly distinguish justification from sanctification without ever separating them. We have been given a new status through the once-for-all event of justification. Emboldened by that grace, we engage in a daily struggle against the flesh, rely on the Holy Spirit, and walk step by step in sanctification, joining with fellow believers to serve as instruments of righteousness for God’s kingdom.
Paul’s concluding statement in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life,” seals this decisive contrast. Pastor Jang affirms: “Ultimately, our hope is eternal life, a free gift we receive through Christ Jesus.” That eternal life is the driving force enabling us to live boldly, offering our lives as instruments of righteousness with perpetual gratitude and joy.
In the above three sections, we have combined Paul’s exposition in Romans 6 with Pastor David Jang’s central teachings and perspectives. In summary:
- Dying to Sin, Living in Christ: A New Status of Grace (Justification)
- Formerly under the law of sin and death, we receive “justification” by grace, entering an utterly new status as those united with Christ through His death and resurrection, symbolized in baptism.
- Pastor Jang describes justification as “a change of status,” highlighting the complete resolution of past sin and the end of sin’s dominion over our destiny.
- The Fierce Process of Sanctification (Spiritual Warfare) and Awareness of Living Under Grace
- Even those who are saved still face temptation through their mortal bodies, while Satan attempts an illegal takeover.
- Pastor Jang encourages believers to abide in the truth and practice self-discipline empowered by the Holy Spirit to subdue sinful desires. Assurance that we stand under grace means sin can no longer claim us, opening the way for us to reject sin and become instruments of righteousness.
- Offering Ourselves as Instruments of Righteousness and the Communal Mandate
- Sanctification does not stop at personal piety or ethical purity but expands into the local church and global mission, revealing God’s righteousness and love.
- Pastor Jang emphasizes our calling as “slaves of righteousness,” wholly belonging to God and realizing His purposes on earth. Ultimately, “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life,” determining both our direction in godly living and our ultimate hope.
Pastor David Jang calls this whole progression “the grand narrative of salvation,” beginning at the cross of Jesus Christ and extending into eternity. From start to finish, we are upheld by God’s grace and love, but human responsibility—our decisions and obedience—must also be genuinely operative. Romans 6 stands at the center of this extended journey, declaring the “mystery” of how we are transferred from death to life, from slaves of sin to slaves of righteousness.
In conclusion, Romans 6 emphasizes that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has liberated believers from sin’s dominion. He calls us not to turn back to our old enslavement but to offer our bodies and lives fully to Him, bearing holy, good fruit in the process. Pastor David Jang refers to this as “both the privilege and the calling of those who have been saved,” reminding us that our raison d’être is “to become instruments of righteousness and transform the world.” And as Paul concludes in Romans 6:23, sin leads to death, but God’s gift is eternal life in Christ—an unchanging truth that secures our ultimate hope and compels us to live as instruments of His righteousness even now.
Thus, Pastor Jang’s exposition of Romans 6 illuminates how justification and sanctification interlock organically, and how believers, united with Christ’s death and resurrection, bear tangible fruit by offering their bodies in service to God. Romans 6 has often been termed a “summation of the gospel” within Paul’s writings, and Pastor David Jang’s interpretation serves as a pastoral and practical guide, enriching our understanding of this pivotal chapter.