“17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.”
Paul uses verses 17-18 to remind Christians where they came from. He reminds the Roman church, and us, that we used to be enslaved to sin, and that we were on the road to death had it not been for Christ who stepped in. Paul is thankful that rather than being allowed to continue in sin, God has saved His elect and has “handed them over” (v. 17b) to this new way of life, living out the gospel of Jesus Christ. The phrase “handed over” is translated many different ways among the different Bible translations: “to which you were committed” (ESV), “which was delivered to you” (KJV), “you were transferred to” (HCSB), “that has now claimed your allegiance” (NIV). Regardless of the interpretation you favor, the message remains the same: We have been transferred over from being slaves to unrighteousness, sin, and serving the evil one, to being slaves of God, who is righteous and deserving of praise and glory, and who has saved us from our sin! We are now slaves to God, and He calls us to imitate His son Jesus Christ, by living a life of righteous obedience.
In verse 19, Paul paints a picture of only two distinct options: You are either a slave to impurity, heaping transgression upon yourself, or you are a slave to righteousness, resulting in sanctification (spiritual growth). Notice that there is no middle ground. You are either worshipping God with your time, talents, and resources, or you are worshipping something else. You are either a slave to impurity or a slave to righteousness. There is no neutral option. Read below Jesus’ parable of the foundations. This story likewise exhibits only two options: either you follow Jesus and live in a house whose foundation is secured on the rock, or you ignore Jesus and live in the house whose foundation is fixed on the sand and is sure to crumble away.
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.” — Matthew 7:24-27