Romans 6:7 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He that is dead is freed from sin— St. Peter seems to paraphrase this verse, 1 Peter 4:1. He that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin; as if he had said, "The Christian who is so resolute, by the power of the Spirit of God, as to resist all temptation to sin, and chooses rather to suffer any temporal calamities than commit sin, or neglect his duty, is the only man who has done with sin;—who is effectually delivered from the power and condemnation of it." The Greek word δικαιουσθαι, frequently signifies in Scripture to be saved or delivered. See Isaiah 45:25. James 2:25 and on ch. Romans 5:16. Mr. Locke paraphrases this passage thus: "For he that is dead is set free from the vassalage of sin, as a slave is from the vassalage of his master." St. Paul makes it his business, in this chapter, not to tell the Jews what they certainly are; but to exhort them to be what they ought and are engaged to be, by becoming Christians; namely, that they ought by the power of grace to emancipate themselves from the vassalage of sin; not that they were so emancipated without any danger of return: for then he could not have said what he does, Romans 6:1; Romans 6:12-13 which supposes it in their power to continue in their obedience to sin, or return to that vassalage if they would.