And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God‘s love. Neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, Neither our fears for today or our worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God‘s love. Romans 8:38
How many of you celebrate our countries freedom? Americans celebrate by camping, bbq, community activities, water event, and fireworks. We end the day with a huge firework display. We celebrate the birthday of our freedom. We celebrate our countries freedom because we have freedom to worship, work, and live.
Read Romans 6:1-23. Let’s do a little review of what we read. You have died to sin. We were raised with Christ, we can live new lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. We have been set free from the power of sin. You can consider yourself dead to sin and alive in God. How does this settle within you? Is true for you or do you struggle with these truths in your daily walk?
Do you see the profound statements from these verses? God has made a way for us to not be dominated by sin anymore! Sin no longer has the power to rule in our lives. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection brought our freedom from the tyranny of sin.
We as individuals get to choose how we will use our freedom. We can choose how to serve, work, or contribute to society or how we use our freedom in a less productive way. In this world, we are free from the dominion of sin, yet we have to live in a world still under sin’s curse. We must not live as if we are under its control but under God’s grace.
Paul gave us instruction in verses 12-14 of chapter 6.
1. Don’t let sin control you
2. Do not give into sinful desires
3. Do not use your body as an instrument of evil
4. Give yourselves completely to God
5. Use your body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
6. Don’t live with sin as your master but live instead under the freedom of God’s grace
These truths can help us in battling in our minds, words, attitudes, and actions. What are some other ideas we could do??
God helps us in any different ways. You and I may do things differently as God tells us how he wants us to do things and that is perfectly fine!!! What we do have that is the same is our victory over sin through Jesus Christ and that we have freedom in that!!!! As we grow daily in God (sanctification) we will have growth spurts and seasons were we lose ground. Sanctification has highs and lows. Then we also have plateaus. Yes it is a daily battle, but we have freedom from sin!
How are you going to remember and celebrate your freedom in Christ?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your plan of salvation. Thank you for showing us the way. Thank you for our new freedom in Christ! Holy Spirit, helps us to stand firm in you and resist sin, if we fall nudge us to repent!
In Jesus Name
Amen
