Everyone begins life in bondage to sin. Each person breaks God’s laws, loves the world, and does what is right in his own eyes. Romans 6:20 says, “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.” We were all slaves to our sin nature and naturally did sinful deeds because we had to act according to our sinful nature. We are not sinners because we sin; rather, we sin because we are sinners. The greatest need of sinners is to be released from their slavery to sin. By God’s grace, a sinner can be set free from his bondage to sin.
God sent His Son to earth to redeem people from their bondage to sin. He died to satisfy God’s just demands for perfection and then rose from the dead to prove that God was satisfied with His sacrifice of Himself. Whoever believes in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is free from sin’s dominion. “But now being made free from sin and become slaves to God, you have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.” (Romans 6:22). When God sends the Holy Spirit to regenerate the dead heart of a lost sinner, the Spirit implants a new nature in that person and he begins to love God and he desires to obey His commandments.
Salvation brings freedom from sin’s power over you but you are not free from sin’s influence. If you don’t abide in Christ and His Words and walk close to Jesus every day, sin will overpower you. That’s why the Apostle Paul told the believers, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts.” (Romans 6:12). That old sin nature will try to enslave you again to your old ways of thinking, speaking, and behaving. In Christ, we can have victory over sin since He conquered sin on the cross and gave every believer the desire and power to say “no” to sin and “yes” to righteousness.
The Christian life is a life of learning of Christ and growing to be more like Him (Romans 8:29). The process of maturing spiritually is known as progressive sanctification. It is being set apart from sin and set apart unto God. It is a process that takes place over the entire lifetime of a born again believer. Take an inventory today and evaluate you spiritual progress. Are you growing spiritually? Do you desire the Word of God more and desire to be in fellowship with God more in prayer? Do you hate what God hates more and more? Romans 13:14 says, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and do not make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.” Keep your eyes on Jesus. Flee from everything that displeases your Savior.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dennis
