Romans 6:15-23 Response

yes indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody. –Bob Dylan

Think of the words that come to mind when you hear the word “slave.” Captured. Bondage. Controlled. Chained. As the passage in Romans reminds us this was our life before Christ. All of us were slaves to our sinful and selfish way of life. Each of us controlled by our sinful desires with no hope of breaking free of what our old nature dictated. Then the Cross of Christ comes along in our lives. It not only erases the penalty and guilt of our sin but also sets us free from its power. We often focus so much on the affect the Cross has on our next life that we forget the power it has in this life. The dominion of sin in our lives is broken. Strangely it also sets us free to be a slave again yet this time to righteousness and the lives God wants us to live. We replace chains of death with chains of life. Once free, we are now serving the King as His servants ready to do His will.

Yet sometimes we go back to the chains of sin and darkness. Not the random sinning we do as Christians but being enslaved again to certain besetting sins as Pastor Derek pointed out. Why once we are free do we run back? Is it temptation that overwhelms us? Addiction? A lack of faith? Lies of the devil? In my own life I know it happens when I am short sighted, wordly and believing the lie that I will be “happier.” But sin has its consequences as we heard on Sunday. As we taste the bitter fruit that has deceived us we are reminded of its pain, sadness, and estrangement. Its the same feeling I have when I eat fried food or too much sugar. It sure is tempting and even tastes good but there is always a price to be paid later.

I encourage you to do the cost-benefit analysis that Pastor talked about next time you want to head back to the prison of enslaved sin. Calculate the cost of putting back on those chains and returning to the dungeon. A quick reminder of the results of that sin should drive us to stay within the freedom of the chains of righteousness that Jesus lays out for us.

~Greg Smith