In order to understand Romans 6, it is necessary to go back to the first chapter and see how Paul goes.
Rom 1:1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God
Slave of Christ Jesus: Paul applies the term slave to himself in order to express his undivided allegiance to the Lord of the church, the Master of all, including slaves and masters. “No one can serve (i.e., be a slave to) two masters,” said Jesus (Matthew 6:24). It is this aspect of the slave-master relationship rather than its degrading implications that Paul emphasizes when he discusses Christian commitment.
Rom 6:17 But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted.
In contrast to humanity, which was handed over to self-indulgence (Romans 1:24-32), believers are now willingly entrusted to God’s pattern of teaching, that is, the new life God aims to develop in Christians through the productivity of the holy Spirit. Throughout this passage Paul uses the slave-master model in order to emphasize the fact that one cannot give allegiance to both God and sin.
Addiction to vice is akin to slavery to the body; to make the choice to cleave to God is obviously not true slavery. Paul is merely using a literary device to make his point.
I fully agree. In fact, the Biblical institution of slavery was not always even a bad thing. Slavery could be either "good" or "bad" depending on the circumstances.
Addiction to vice is akin to slavery to the body; to make the choice to cleave to God is obviously not true slavery. Paul is merely using a literary device to make his point.
Well, it depends on what "true slavery" is. I would agree that being a slave to righteousness is not the "Roots" kind of slavery. However, we are not our own and we were bought at a price, etc.