Rom 6: 15-23 Freedom to Choose

last week, we read Paul telling the Romans about the concept 

Christ’s death and resurrection opened the door for us to become holy separated from sin

He is answering the judaizers who would say that freedom from the law is lawlessness 

Take away the rules and you get chaos

Kids in a house who are told no rules today will likely destroy everything in the house and enjoy it

Adults in the same house will likely not because they understand the price paid for those things and the piece to replace 

A financial morality is in place …

A sense of:

I ought to do this and ought not do that

Has replace the morality of what can I get away with 

Paul is communicating a similar idea

Paul is illustrating the idea that not being under the law does not mean living in a lawless state (which in this context means becoming a worse sinner)

Because a mature spiritual morality comes with the new nature 

(And the old carnal idea of what can I get away with died with the old nature)

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

when you present yourselves

present 

4225   [3936]   παρίστημι, paristēmi, v.  [4123 + 2705]. to place beside, put at disposal; to present, make an offering; (intr.) to stand before, provide, come to aid

“at the service of”   “whatever I have… is yours”

Do you not know=you do or should already know this…  whomever you serve is your master

Also means “you can see who is master of someone by observing who they serve”

we can focus on the idea of doulas/slave/servant 

we can focus on the purpose of the law

let’s focus on the idea that is too simple to often mention…

he says “shall we sin”

shall = willful choice.

if/when we sin, it’s not because we had to 

it’s because we choose to.

We chose to serve the previous master called sin

17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

freed from sin ?

John 8:34. Whoever sins is a slave to sin

Gal. 5:1 ¶ It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

Paul just insulted us 🙂   

“I’m dumbing this down for you so you can get it”

follow this carefully now

“you know how you used to submit yourselves to sin, resulting in more sin ?

now submit yourselves to God’s righteousness, resulting in more righteousness.”

how’s this?

“you remember how you used to do whatever your flesh wanted to do, path of more flesh and death.

Now do what God leads you to do, a path of Spiritual satisfaction and life.”

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.

message

Rom. 6:20 ¶ As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter.

Rom. 6:21 But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.

22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

the entire point of this passage is proper use of freedom.

understand the freedom.

does a slave go back to being a slave once free ?

If we go back to sin what does that say about our relationship with God ?

Gal. 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Gal. 5:13 ¶ For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Gal. 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

Gal. 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

Gal. 5:16 ¶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Gal. 5:17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Gal. 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Gal. 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

Gal. 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

Gal. 5:21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal. 5:23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Gal. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Gal. 5:25 ¶ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Gal. 5:26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

What is a useful method to catch ourselves ?

A (admit temptation)

C (crucify the flesh)

T (Turn to Holy Spirit for strength)