Romans_6
Scripture
Romans 6:1-
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Observation-What does it say?
In the chapter before this one, chapter 5, Paul speaks about how faith is the only thing that saves us. We do our works as a byproduct of salvation and the Holy Spirit. We can never work our way to salvation because Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8)
In this current chapter, Paul now speaks about whether we should continue sinning since we’ve been saved by grace through faith alone. The answer is NO! We have died to sin and therefore cannot live in it any longer. We have put to death our old way of living. We are no longer slaves of sin, but slaves to righteousness because of Christ. Just as Christ died and was raised to life again, we have been made new, as our old self was put to death and we are now new creations!
Understanding-What does it mean?
“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:18
When we are no longer slaves to something or someone, we are no longer controlled or mastered by it. We are controlled by our new Master.
Life Application
Have you accepted His invitation for salvation by faith, but still struggling and acting upon a sin that has you in bondage?
If yes, spend time with Jesus everyday through prayer, His Word and worship and allow His love to penetrate Your heart, where being with the Light becomes more attractive than staying in the dark. Allow the Holy Spirit to remind You of Your identity in Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse Your mind of thoughts of the flesh and fill it with thoughts of His Spirit. Allow Christ to remind You that He is stronger than anything the enemy has you in bondage over. Replace thoughts and activities that you once did with new activities that glorify God’s name. Focus on what’s true, lovely and right (Phil. 4:8) and take captive thoughts that are not of Him so You can make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Put up safeguards that allow You to run far away from sin and not even get close to it. Seek out Holy Spirit filled people who can pray for you, give you wise counsel and keep you accountable to your struggles.
Hebrews 12:1-“….throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
We all struggle in life, but we don’t need to be mastered by our struggles. We all get tempted, but we don’t have to act on our temptations. Christ died so that we could live in freedom from bondage. We no longer have to reap the consequences of unwise decisions because we are now free to reap the benefits of sowing a life lived for Christ!