(Read Romans 6:19-23)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” Yesterday we learned that we can actually become a slave to righteous living if we embrace the fact that Jesus delivered us from the power of sin and if we then also change the way we think, feel and make decisions through the transforming power of God’s Word. Let’s see what Paul says as he continues:
“Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. You can “Give Yourself” over to righteous living. Paul said, “I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.” Notice how the Apostle Paul uses the word “let” when he refers to our decision to live as slaves to impurity and lawlessness. Paul says that we “let” ourselves do it. Meaning that we had the power NOT to do it. The Apostle then uses the words “give yourselves” when he urges us to decide to live righteously and to become holy. Once again, Paul is driving home the fact that living a life pleasing in God’s sight, or living a disobedient lifestyle, are both choices that we are free to make.
2. Being free from The Law does not mean that you are free from the obligation to do right. Paul said, “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.” The Apostle’s point is that now we are NOT slaves to sin and we have an obligation to do right. The obligation does not come in a requirement to live in compliance with external laws, but it does come in the form of the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit now lives IN us and He comes to lead, guide and direct us in the way that we should go. He tells us what to do and what not to do. While we are not under the Law of Moses, we are still under the obligation to hear and obey the Holy Spirit.
3. Payday is coming. Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” The word “wages” means payment. The payment for those who reject Jesus as Lord and who continue in sin will be death and eternal damnation. The payment for those who accepted Jesus as Lord and who receive God’s free gift of eternal life will be heaven. But while we will all face Judgement Day someday, and while Born-Again believers are delivered from the eternal consequences of sin, God still allows us to reap the immediate consequences of poor decisions. So while sin may not unravel your righteousness, it will unravel your life. Born-Again believers who choose to routinely sin will live beneath God’s best for their lives and while they are saved, they will be miserably saved. God saved you from sin, so don’t succumb to it’s tempting any longer. Live the life God wants you to live.
4. You have the Grace to live a life that is pleasing to God. In one sense Grace is a free gift that is unearned and undeserved. In another sense Grace is a supernatural empowerment. You are saved by Grace — that’s the free gift. But God also freely gives you the Grace to do what you could never do on your own — that’s the supernatural empowerment. So while you have embraced the free gift of eternal life, you must also embrace the power God freely gives you to maximize your purpose and potential in life. See, when God reveals to you His will for your life, you will find that it will be too great for you to accomplish without Him. You will need His power and His ability, which come to you in the form of His Grace, in order to do what He has called you to do. When you start pursuing your God-given purpose, with His supernatural Grace, then sin will be the last thing on your mind.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me more and more about Your amazing, unyielding and undeserved Grace. I used to be a slave to sin and I lived a life full of impurity and lawlessness. You saved me by Your amazing and undeserved Grace. You saved me from eternal hell and for that I shall never cease to give You praise. Now that I am saved by Grace, I also realize that Your Kingdom plans and purposes for me are far greater than anything I could ever accomplish without You. I needed Jesus to be saved and I now need Your Grace, which flows to me through Your Spirit who lives in me, in order to do what You are calling me to do. Your purpose for my life exceeds my ability, so I wholly trust and rely on You to Grace me to do what I could never do on my own. In and of myself, I am limited. But in You I am limitless. You are a limitless God. I am IN You and You are IN me. You have called me by Your Grace to do the supernatural in the earth and by faith I declare that I will. Not because I have earned it, not because I deserve it, but only because You planned for me to do it before the foundations of the world. I am not a mistake, I am here for Your purpose, and I shall maximize the purpose and potential You placed IN me, while I am in the land of the living. I shall do this by Your Grace and through Your power. While I am living this way, completely focused on Your purpose for my life, sin is the last thing on my mind. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
