Slaves to Sin No Longer

Romans 6:1-4 ESV

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

The whole purpose of Jesus’ death for us on that cross was so that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness for the glory and praise of God. He died in order that we might be crucified with him in death to sin so that we would live in sin NO LONGER!

So, “NO!” is the answer to the question of whether we should continue living in sin. Absolutely not! It doesn’t mean we will never sin again (1 Jn 2:1-2), but that sin is to no longer have dominion over our lives. It is not to be our master, and we are to be its slaves NO LONGER.

Romans 6:5-7 ESV

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.”

If we are believing in Jesus Christ with genuine God-given and God-persuaded faith in Christ (Eph 2:8-9; Jn 6:44), our old lives of living for sin and self were put to death with Christ by faith in him. This was so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin but to God.

So, this means that we should no longer be addicted to sin. Sin should not be what we practice. We should not be plotting evil against others and carrying it out as a matter of habit and then lying about it, hoping that no one will know. But God knows. And wise spouses know, too.

Romans 6:12-14 ESV

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

Too many people are teaching that God’s grace frees us from the punishment of sin so that we can continue in sin now without guilt. If they do teach faithfulness and obedience to the Lord, it is taught more as though it is desired, but as though it is optional.

But, again, Jesus died on that cross so that sin would no longer reign in our bodies, but so that he would now be Lord (owner-master) of our lives. So, we are not to continue in sin deliberately and habitually and especially not premeditatedly plotting evil and then carrying it out.

Instead, we are to present our lives to our Lord as those who have truly been bought back for God with the blood of Christ. And we are to present the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness, not wickedness. Thus, we are not free to live in immorality and in sensual indulgence.

Romans 6:15-16, 22-23 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?”

“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.”

Romans 6:23 is often quoted out of context. In context, it is saying that if we present ourselves to anyone as obedient slaves that we are enslaved to the ones whom we obey, either of sin, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (v. 16).

But if, by genuine faith in Jesus Christ, we died (and are dying) with Christ to sin, and if we are walking in newness of life in him, by his grace, in his power, so that we are no longer slaves of sin, but we are slaves of God and of righteousness, its end is eternal life (cf. Rom 8:1-17).

But, if we continued living in sin, and if we have continued to be slaves of sin, because sin is what we obey, not God, and not his righteousness, then the wages (payment) for that slavery to sin is death, because God’s grace frees us from our slavery to sin. It doesn’t leave us still in bondage. 

Shine Jesus Shine  

By Graham Kendrick

Lord the light of Your love is shining 

In the midst of the darkness, shining

Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us

Set us free by the truth You now bring us

Shine on me

Shine on me

Shine, Jesus, shine 

Fill this land with the Father's glory

Blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire

Flow, river, flow

Flood the nations with grace and mercy

Send forth Your Word, Lord and let there be light…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3iB30gCqAc

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