Romans 6:15-23

MAIN IDEA: Four truths about my life’s fruit

1. The fruit of my life is planted from a decision of obedience.

Romans 6:15–16 ESV

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Remember toward the end of the last week, we learned that we are continually worshipping something or somebody with our body. We also learned the grace of God is not a license that allows us to sin, repent, repeat, but it’s a privilege to have in our life.

Jot down Galatians 6:7-9. Spring of 2023, we ordered two apple trees, a gala and a granny smith. The company sent a gala and a honey crisp. It appears that we might have apples this tree, so I’m okay with that mistake. What if I was convinced that we were going to pick granny smith apples from our yard? You would call me crazy. There is no way a granny smith apple can be the fruit of a honey crisp tree.

That is what Paul wants us to remember. When we walk in the of unrighteousness and make decisions that agree with unrighteousness, Paul is telling us that we shouldn’t be surprised when the fruit of our life is unrighteousness.

The opposite is also true. When we make decision to obey righteousness, the fruit of our life looks like righteousness. Our decisions will pull us in one direction or the other.

2. The fruit of my life is pollinated by the commitments of my heart.

Romans 6:17–18 ESV

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Back to our apple trees. Honey crisps trees needs a pollinator in order to produce fruit. We could say the apple tree will grow because it is influenced by something else.

Look at verse 17. Paul is telling us that our obedience decisions come from the teaching that we are committed to. All teaching shapes our values and the person that we are continually evolving into. This is a good place to insert that Paul is clear there are only two paths in life. One path leads to unrighteousness and death. One path lead to righteousness and eternal life. Everything around us is attempting to pollinate the fruit of our life. The podcasts you listen to. The authors you read. The people who speak into your life. The influencers you scroll through. The emotions that you allow to make decisions for you. The enemy’s deception for us to make small compromises can pollinate our fruit without our awareness.

3. The fruit of my life produces results that are sometimes harmful.

Romans 6:19–21 ESV

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Remember from last week, members is body parts.

Have you ever been part of something that you wish could last forever? Often, Thursday night chapel is one of those moments. I lead campers through a sin funeral that allows them to do business with God without any awkwardness. Last year, God moved incredibly and that chapel lasted about 3 hours. When God uses the fruit of our life to produce something amazing, we want to stay in the moment.

Have you ever been part of something that knew was going too far, but you didn’t know how to stop it? We’re talking an avalanche is about to happen in your life. Paul continues with verses 19-21. Unrighteous living (impurity and lawlessness) leads to more unrighteous living. If you need an example, read Luke 15:11-32. The prodigal son ran off and wasted his inheritance on reckless living. Chaos of lawlessness blossomed in his life. If we are not wise, discerning followers of Jesus, lawlessness can blossom in our life.

Contrastly, when we surrender to holiness, we experience more freedom than we had known previously.

4. The fruit of my life is beneficial when cultivated by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:22–23 ESV

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Present the path to salvation concisely and clearly!!! Today can be your day to know Jesus personally.