Freedom to live for Christ.

There’s an unwritten rule that people in this culture are required to abide by.

The cardinal sin of the modern world has become offending someone.

I read a story about a fourth grader, having been duly warned by his teacher that the class was to write on the origins of Thanksgiving.

However the students had to be careful to not offend anyone with their essay.

The boy wrote, ”The pilgrims came here seeking freedom of you know what. When they landed, they gave thanks to you know Who. Because of them, we can worship each Sunday, you know where.”

People who reject Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation believe, in part, that to submit to Him means they have to give up their freedom and their life.

The unbeliever imagines that the meaning and purpose of life is the freedom to sin.

God however, offers a very different take on sin and it’s not the great joy that it’s presented as.

<Romans 6:15-23>

Christians are free from the power of sin; therefore, we are free to live for Christ.

A. Christians don’t go on living in sin. (15)

The question of (15) is in response to (14).

a) (14) Having been set free from the power and bondage of sin, it is no longer “master over you.”

i. Before Adam disobeyed God he was able to not sin.

Adam’s rebellion against God broke something inside him and all his children after him and we are not able not to sin.

ii. This doesn’t mean that people are as bad as they could be or that no one does anything good.

God’s common grace restrains us from being as bad as we could be but that doesn’t change our fundamental problem.

Jeremiah 17:9 NASB95

“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

iii. However, in Christ, the power and bondage of sin has been broken.

<Romans 6:5-7>

Christians have been given a new heart and new desires and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we truly are able to not sin.

This is not to say we do this perfectly, but in Christ we do have the ability.

Question: Do we not sin because we fear God’s wrath?

No, we obey in response to and empowered by God’s grace.

The process of sanctification involves Christians increasingly exercising their ability to not sin.

The gospel teaches us that obedience is motivated not be fear of God’s wrath for disobedience but rather joyful obedience in response to God’s grace.

b) Therefore, the question in (15) is, “Since, by God’s grace Christians have been freed from the power and bondage of sin, is it ok to sin?”

NO!

2. God in His grace has been kind to us, we must not respond to His kindness with rebellion.

a) Christians are saved and sustained by God’s grace through faith in Jesus.

<Romans 8:3-4>

God’s grace, rightly understood, motivates us to obey God.

The rest of this chapter explains “May it never be” (15) further.

B. Why Christians don’t go on living in sin. (16-19a)

Your actions show what’s most important to you.

Don’t imagine that it’s a small thing to choose to sin, your actions and thoughts are shaping your beliefs.

What you repeatedly do and think about demonstrates who your master is. (16)

a) Paul’s use of the word “slavery” is an analogy of what happened as a result of the fall. (16a)

i. Slavery describes what we talked about in (15).

Before Adam’s disobedience he is able to not sin.

After his disobedience he and all people are not able to not sin.

Our hearts are corrupted to the point that it’s like we’re slaves to sin.

ii. This is what Paul’s talking about in (19a).

He’s trying to help the reader understand his point with this analogy.

Our “flesh” (ability to say no to sin) is weakened (so much that it’s as if we’re slaves to sin).

The only way to be freed from this is in Christ.

In c.6-8 the Bible talks about sanctification.

Growing to be more like Jesus according to what the Bible teaches.

Your actions are part of your sanctification.

b) If sin is your master, the result is death. (16b)

c) If God is your master, the result is righteousness. (16c)

POINT: You’re the slave of who or what you obey.

Matthew 6:24 NASB95

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Prior to salvation, you are only able to serve the powerful master of sin.

2. By God’s grace, you obeyed the gospel. (17)

The “form of teaching” is the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 NASB95

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

<Romans 10:9-10>

a) In Christ, you were freed from the bondage of sin. (18a)

i. Christians were in bondage to the desires of the flesh.

However, in Christ you have been set free and don’t have to live enslaves to satisfying sinful desires.

Galatians 5:24 NASB95

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

b) You were made a slave of righteousness. (18b)

i. This doesn’t mean Christians are perfect and never sin.

Sometimes Christians speak rudely or harshly to their spouse.

There are times when Believers lust, give in to addiction, or are envious of others.

ii. In Christ, when you sin- Repent.

1 John 1:9 NASB95

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

POINT: Christians don’t keep living in sin.

Christians live righteously. (19b-23)

In the way you once obeyed lust and lawlessness, now obey God. (19bc)

Take your commitment to obeying God as seriously as you took your commitment to sin.

a) Paul frames his command to “present your members as slaves of righteousness” around his reminder of our identity in Christ.

We were “slaves to impurity and lawlessness” but now you have been set free.

The Bible then elaborates on our new status in Christ in (20-22)

2. Participating in sin brought only shame and death. (20-21)

a) Before Christ, you were a slave and had no righteousness. (20)

i. Unbelievers often mock Christians as not having the freedom to live.

However, what the lost person is blind to is that the sin they call freedom is actually slavery.

ii. The one thing the unbelievers needs is righteousness.

However, there is nothing you can do to get righteousness on your own.

b) In Christ you now see your old life in a new way.

2 Corinthians 7:10–11 NASB95

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

i. Repentance means godly sorrow for the sin that brought shame and death.

3. Uniting with Christ brought sanctification and eternal life. (22)

The question that we began with in (15), “Since, by God’s grace Christians have been freed from the power and bondage of sin, is it ok to sin?”

a) The answer of (22) is, “Why would a Christian want to sin.”

i. Think of the blessings in (22)

Christians are free from the power of sin; therefore, we are free to live for Christ.

ii. You have the freedom to live for Jesus.

You can worship the true and living God.

You can know that your prayers are heard.

Using your gifts and opportunities, know that God is doing eternal things through you.

You don’t have to wonder about whether you’re accepted by God.

You can rest knowing that your times are in God’s hands.

Paul closes with a statement that summarizes all he has been saying in a way that’s easy to remember. (23)

a) Sin always ends in death. (23a)

b) Grace always means life. (23b)

You have freedom to live for Christ. How will you live in that freedom this week?