Is it worth it?

When I gave my life over to Jesus Christ, deciding to die to self and live for God, I was convinced that I would never sin again.

And I didn't...for a few hours or days that is.

Our passage for this morning can be kind of troubling for some.

It can almost give off the impression that Christians don't sin, and if Christians don't sin: wow!!!

I guess I'm not a Christian!!!

But that is not what Paul is getting at in our passage for this morning.

If we were to go back a few verses to Romans Chapter 5 Paul is describing how the Law is in place in order to show us that we are, indeed, sinners.

It's there to show us that we can't save ourselves, we must rely completely on Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, "because while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

And the more we study the Law of God, the more we realize how far we fall short.

Paul explains that through the disobedience of Adam in the Garden of Eden, sin and death entered the world.

But then he goes on to say that through the obedience of One Person--Jesus Christ--LIFE and GRACE--has entered the world.

"So now the righteous requirements necessary for life are met for everyone through the righteous act of [Jesus Christ]," Paul explains in .

As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.

Then he goes on to say that the Old Testament Law "stepped in to amplify" just how sinful and lost we are, and then he writes: "but where sin increased, grace multiplied even more."

In other words, the more we see just how sinful and fallen we are--the more we understand just how much God's grace has saved us through God's love for us!!!!!!

Remember last week?

"While you were at your darkest, I loved you."

That's what God says to us.

That's how much God loves us!!!

Long before we even thought of God--God loved us and died for us!!!

God loves us even in our darkest most sordid moments.

And because God loves us--even at our worst, we can love ourselves; we can love God; we can love others!!!

And, and...we are transformed by accepting this love, believing in this love--Big Time!!!!

If someone knows they are loved, they act, feel and are a lot different than if they believe that they are condemned, hated, worthless, you name it. But no one is worthless.

No matter who we are and no matter what we have done--God loves us just the way we are!!!

Praise God!!!

That is what Paul is explaining.

But it's easy to misunderstand this.

So Paul says in , "So what are we going to say?

Should we continue sinning so grace will multiply?

Absolutely not!" We have made a choice not to live in sin.

Look at Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

"We are saved by grace. but does not mean we can do anything we want."

They got along very well, and talked about God and faith the entire flight.

As the plane descended toward their destination, the man turned to my aunt and asked her if she would like to get a hotel room when they land.

My aunt was floored.

"After all this talk about Christianity and Jesus?"

The man's reply, "We are saved by grace. That means we can do anything we want."

He was kinda missing the point a bit.

And we all do that at times.

Paul writes: "all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death...Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life."

We "CAN walk in newness of life."

Just as Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, we, who are dead in our sins can be raised to new life in Christ.

Sin is a glorified lie of the devil.

It may look good and right.

It may smell appealing.

It may seem to make sense.

But all it does is leave us unfulfilled and unhappy.

Sin leaves us dead inside.

And so we continue on the never-ending trek in search of something that will make us happy.

Have you ever bought a new car, thinking, "Oh boy. Now that I have this new car, every time I get behind the wheel and take it for a drive--my life will be better"?

That wears off pretty quick, does it not?

It's the same thing with sin.

We might think it will fill the void, but it's just empty calories.

Jesus came to give us life and give it to us in the full!!!

Jesus came so that we can live the lives we were created to live. Jesus came so that we can be fulfilled, and make a positive difference during our short stay on this earth.

That's what life is all about!!!

That's what gives us a skip in our step!!!

Notice, in verse 4 Paul says that we were "buried together" with Jesus Christ, "so that just as Christ was raised from the dead...we too can WALK in newness of life."

Paul says we "can WALK in newness of life."

To "walk in newness of life" means to put our faith into action.

It means, journeying with Jesus.

It means doing what Jesus did, and doing what Jesus is calling us to do.

It means putting love into action...

..."the love of God [that] has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."

Faith in the love God has for us, brings about a radical change in our identity.

And it's a change that has implications for every aspect of our lives.

It's not a demand that we accept this change--this love--but it's a glorious possibility--to be alive in God!!!

And when we are "alive in God," we are free to love ourselves, love others, and love God.

We are free to be the people we were created to be.

We are free to be happy and alive at last!!! To be a slave, as Paul understands it, is to surrender our lives to the control of another.

And when slavery is defined this way, we got to face it: we are all slaves of one kind or another.

What are you a slave to?

Who or what is your master? When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.

What consequences did you get from doing things that you are now ashamed of?

The outcome of those things is death.

But now that you have been set free from sin and become slaves to God, you have the consequence of a holy life, and the outcome is eternal.

As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.

22–23  But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.