Which Master do you serve?

Open: American emphasis on individual freedom and the demand for multiple options. We expect to choose from 31 flavors of ice cream, the grocery stores have a minimum of 10 different types of cheese, and no one has to drive a car that is exactly like the neighbor’s car. This is America, and we have the RIGHT to choose!

Transition: We run into serious problems when we try to take the Burger King mentality (have it your way) into the biblical arena of Christianity. The problem we encounter is that the Christian Bible does not recognize human autonomy (personal freedom to do whatever we want). The NT clearly presents the idea that individuals are servants of one of only 2 Kingdoms: we are in bondage to Sin, or we are in bondage to God Himself. There are no autonomous individuals roaming the planet.

Today’s text presents this clearly, and as we read and think about the passage, ask yourself this question: Which Master am I serving?

READ the TEXT; Romans 6:15-23.

Our actions reveal our Master (Romans 6:15-16)

Explanation: Paul begins this section with a rhetorical question when he asks, “what then, shall we sin, because we are not under the law but under grace?” (v. 15). Looking back at Rom 6.1, the reader will notice a very similar rhetorical question was asked. The difference is that in 6.1 Paul is dealing with those who mistakenly thought that more sin in their lives would thereby increase God’s grace to cover. In today’s passage, the question in 6.15 deals with those who are equally mistaken in thinking that being placed in the arena of Grace freed them to live in whatever sinful manner they chose.

Paul is declaring that a person who asks this question does not have a proper understanding of grace. To assist his audience in understanding the concepts involved, Paul makes use of an analogy that they would understand - that of slavery.

The English word servant is used 8 times in this passage [v. 16 (2X), v. 17 (1X), v. 18(1X), v. 19 (2X), v. 21(1X), and v. 22(1X)] The Greek word is the word for slave or bond servant. Paul’s original audience was very familiar with the system of slavery, and many of these first century believers were from the slave class.

Argument: The focus here is not a debate about the moral ills of slavery, of which there are many; rather Paul’s focus is to explain in graphic detail that each person is going to be a slave to one of two masters. He lays out the options in v. 16. One will either be the slave of sin or one will be the slave of righteousness.

Paul is declaring that their lifestyle choices reveal their real master. The Master who is followed (or obeyed) indicates the relationship. What we do and how we live our life matters. Actions speak louder than words!

Illustrate: A guy says he is a deer hunter. He has never killed a deer, he has never even shot at a deer, he doesn’t have a license, he doesn’t like being in the woods, and he doesn’t even own a gun. Is he a hunter?

Application: Do not allow yourself the believe the lie that you have complete autonomous freedom in this life. No one is free to live free of the consequences of their choices. There is no neutral ground when it comes to the choices we make in this life and the life to come.

There is good news - it is possible to change masters (Romans 6:17-18)

Explanation: Paul makes reference to the change in some of the members of his audience. He speaks to those who had been slaves of sin (v. 17), but had been made free from sin (v. 18).

Note that Paul thanks God for the change of ownership. Only God has the power to free people from the slave pens of sin, and He does it through the redeeming power of Jesus’ death on our behalf!

Argument: Paul points out that once a person has been set free from slavery to the Sin Master, that person becomes a slave of righteousness. There is a change of Masters; a new believer changes allegiance, he or she is not released to Mastery of ones self.

“ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Cor 6:19-20). Note how even the body of the believer is declared to be a possession of God.

Application: Christ-followers have been given their freedom so they can please God. What a privilege we have been given in Christ. We have not only been redeemed from eternal death, we have been empowered to live in such a way as to actually please the One who redeemed us!

Those who have become Slaves of Righteousness pursue Holiness (Rom 6:19-22)

Explanation: Paul stresses the expectation of personal holiness for all those who would follow Christ. He reminds them of their past in rather bleak terms: when they were still slaves to sin they lived in iniquity that led to more iniquity. Their sinful choices compounded the debt and led to even greater condemnation. He also reminds them that their former way of life was empty and only yielded results that now brought them shame upon reflection (vv. 20-21)

He gives them the positive expectation for holiness at end of v. 19 when he notes that as people freed from sin, they are to “yield your members slaves of righteousness unto holiness” (Rom 6:19). He repeats this expectation again in v. 22. It is natural for people who have been redeemed from serve to serve God in holiness.

Illustrate: A slave who had been beaten and abused by his owner on a plantation in Mississippi. He received his freedom in 1865 along with all the other slaves in the Confederacy. Consider this same former slave in 1867 who has gone back to his former master and has allowed himself to be beaten and abused again and to be made to work for nothing in the cotton fields. What would you say to this man?

Argument: We would be shocked at such behavior. We would be confused by his choices - we would legitimately wonder if he really understood his condition as a freed man.

Some how, we are not as shocked when we encounter those who name the Name of Christ but continue to live in the slave pens of sin. This issue can be complex, and there aren’t always easy answers. We are not God and we cannot know another’s heart. And we are clearly commanded not to judge another with a harsh or critical spirit.

We can, however, observe a person’s lifestyle and note whether any pursuit of holiness is taking place. We certainly shouldn’t encourage people with the hope of eternal life if there is absolutely no change in their lives. A profession of faith is in and of itself just that - a profession in the form of words. Paul uses the words obedience and holiness as indicators of the true change of ownership. Lifestyle choices reveal relationship.

Conclusion:

Paul makes the contrast clear in v. 23. Those who serve the Master of Sin will receive their payment in the form of Eternal Death. Those who receive the free gift of God through Jesus will receive grace in the form of Eternal Life.

Those of us in Christ should focus on the expectation of growing in holiness - not in perfection. It is impossible for us as humans to live without sinning. We have been saved from the penalty of sin, and by the power of the Holy Spirit we are being saved from the power of sin, and thank God, one day we will be saved from even the presence of sin. Until that day arrives we will struggle with sin. Sin will not, however, mark the life of a genuine believer, and we will have the desire to please God with our lives.

What we don’t have the right to do is attempt to split Salvation into aspects that the Bible doesn’t recognize. Some have the mistaken idea that a person can receive Jesus as Savior, but not as Lord. The Salvation piece that involves forgiveness and grants a pass from Hell comes first, and then maybe, at a later point in life, that person can decide to make Jesus Lord of his or her life and start living as a Christ-follower. That idea is biblically false and is not possible.