7-2-23 Sermon "True Independence" 17 Minutes

Romans 6:12-23

This morning I'll be reading Romans chapter 6 verses 12 through 23. And I'll be reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Romans 6:12-23 Paul is using these verses to help explain the way that we will be free from sin and yet,,, we must depend on God so that we can stay that way! Romans 6:12–23 (HCSB) — 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey —either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to, 18 and having been liberated 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 moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from allegiance to righteousness. 21 So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification —and the end is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The word of God for the people of God,,, thanks be to God! God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this morning. Let us pray: Dear Lord,,, as we begin this morning,,, with everyone here today and all that are listening and watching by video,,, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen. ___________________________________ Last Sunday we looked at Matthew 10:24-39 and we learned from these verses,,, God loves us very much and is very aware of our existence. We can use these words to help us in our day to day activities,,, to help us with our faith,,, and,,, at any time that we are bothered by doubts. When we can truly understand that God knows us so intimately,,, is so very much aware of our presence,,, it should comfort us immensely! If God is aware of the fall of a sparrow,,, that is worth so little,,, and He knows us well enough to know the number of hairs on our head,,, shouldn't that give us the confidence that God is watching over us? If it doesn't,,, we should re-evaluate our relationship with God and be sure that everything is the way that it should be! And if not,,, be sure that we get back to work,,, improving that relationship that is so vital in our day to day activities! We see from these scriptures that God knows us,,, now we must be sure,,, that we know Him,,, as well! And we do that by our time spent in His word,,, prayer,,, church,,, and time spent in fellowship with other believer's that we can learn from. That's the least that we can do to build the relationship with our God,,, that knows,,, and loves us,,, so well,,, and so intimately! This morning we will look at these verses in Romans and see how they will help us in our walk with God this week. ___________________________________ Verses 12-13 said: 2 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.

Paul is saying that we,,, as Christians,,, should not listen to our earthly body because it is dying daily.

Each and every day we get closer and closer to leaving this place.

And our bodies will not go with us,,, at least not until Jesus returns and we receive our glorified body.

So why should we obey our mortal bodies when we,,, those of us that are Christians,,, are alive in Christ,,, and that’s who we should listen to,,, not our earthly bodies,,, or our earthly desires!

___________________________________ Verses 14-18 said: 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey —either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to, 18 and having been liberated from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

God's design or intentions were,,, that we not live under the law,,, but under grace.

The law just shows us how much we need God,,, how far we have fallen away,,, convicting us by our shortcomings.

But then he ask the question,,, What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace?

And he warns us,,, not to make this mistake!

Because if we continue to sin we will continue to be enslaved by sin,,, and that leads to death,,, eternity in hell!

But he continues by saying,,, 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to, 18 and having been liberated from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

We aren't slaves to sin any longer,,, if Christ is our Lord and Savior!

___________________________________ Verses 19-21 said: 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 moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from allegiance to righteousness. 21 So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.

To talk of being “enslaved” to righteousness and to God is not completely correct,,, Paul wrote,,, because God does not hold us,,, Christians,,, in bondage.

But the word “slavery” appropriately describes someone that hasn't accepted Christ as their Savior,,, and that person’s relationship to sin and to Satan.

So Paul used “slavery” for contrasting the relationship of the believer as well.

Before continuing with this idea,,, the Paul apologized for its use — where he says,,, I am using a human anology,,, or,,, really he's saying,,, “I am speaking in human fashion” — because you are weak in your natural selves,,, in other words,,, “your flesh”).

Apparently Paul felt that his readers’ spiritual perception was feeble,,, so he used this terminology from human experience.

Then he basically repeated the ideas of verses 16–17.

Unsaved Romans had offered their bodies to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness,,, or,,, “lawlessness”.

They had voluntarily become enslaved!

But we see the answer in the next two verses!

___________________________________ Verses 22-23 said: 22 But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification —and the end is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But Paul pleaded with believers,,, to offer themselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness (perfect holiness, as the end of the process,,, in contrast with their former impurity.

The sinful life gives no benefit (6:21), but salvation gives the benefit of a holy, clean life (v. 22).

Whereas the “end” (telos) or result of sin is death (v. 21), the “end” of salvation is eternal life.

Paul then summarized these contrasts.

The wages,,, (the Greek word that this is translated from,,, originally meant a soldier’s pay),,, so the "wages" of sin is death,,, (eternal death here,,, in contrast with “eternal life”).

This death is eternal separation from God in hell,,, in which unbelievers suffer,,, forever.

This is the wages they have earned,,, and deserve,,, because of their sin.

By contrast,,, the gift,,, (“grace-gift”),,, of God,,, is eternal life.

And we know that eternal life,,, is a gift that cannot be earned,,, see Ephesians 2:8–9; and Titus 3:5.

Three times in this chapter Paul wrote that sin results in death (Romans 6:16, 21, 23).

But believers have been set free from sin,,, and are no longer slaves to it,,, but are “slaves to righteousness”.

Because they are alive to God,,, and have eternal life,,, they should present themselves to Him,,, and live accordingly,,, not letting sin master them.

And by doing so,,, we obtain,,, eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

___________________________________ So,,, what does this mean for us as Christians today?

We are no longer slaves to sin,,, but instead,,, we are free,,, because of the life,,, death,,, and resurrection,,, of our Lord and Savior,,, Jesus Christ!

We are free,,, from all of the problems that sin can cause,,, as well as the gift of eternal life,,, in heaven with God!

What a great and wonderful gift from Jesus Christ!

Tuesday is our independence day where we can celebrate the freedoms that we have today.

I received an email earlier in the week that I felt led to read this morning.

It began with,,, You have probably heard the words “independence” and “freedom” a lot leading up to our nation’s birthday.

But if you are like me, you might wonder whether the way we use those words today would be the way our Founding Fathers intended them.

Even a basic reading of the Declaration of Independence links “independence” and “freedom” with duty, obligation, and sacred honor.

Phrases like “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” and “self-evident [truths]” indicate these men were driven by a sense of responsibility to God and their fellow man.

This was no freedom for “freedom’s sake” or libertine “self-expression.”

This was a measured, careful, principled, mutual covenant between these men and the thirteen colonies they represented.

Their independence came hand-in-hand with commitment to the common good.

As we think on our freedom and what it means, may we recognize how independence necessitates dependence too.

Without dependence on God Himself, no level of independence is possible.

Perhaps this truth is why the Lord accompanied the Israelites every step of the way on their “freedom” march out of Egypt and their “independent-minded” wanderings in the wilderness.

If nothing else, His visible glory in the pillar of cloud, pillar of fire, and the Tabernacle reminded the people of Israel their independence was fully dependent on their Creator.

We pray you can see the hand of our loving heavenly Father over and with you today—as well as in whatever circumstances you, your family, or your church are facing.

We also pray we will all take care to use the God-given and blood-bought freedom we have in the United States to unashamedly proclaim the gospel to those we encounter.

This is what we need to remember this independence day,,, God has given us this gift,,, we must use it so that we can share the "Good News" with all that we meet,,, and let everyone know,,, what "True Independence",,, really,,, means!

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Hymn: 337 - Oakdale Hymn: 337 - Seminary Benediction -----------------------------------------------------------