Redeemer Modesto | Jim Applegate | Romans 6:15-7:6
Once you had no choice, but now, because of Jesus, you have a choice. And your choices dictate your freedom (not your acceptance).
Paul tells us that we were once slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to righteousness. Our hearts are created like vacuums, needed to be filled – we have no choice but to look at everything around us and search for something to fill us. Before we knew Jesus, the things that we were trying to fill our hearts with only left us in a greater state of emptiness. But, we still had no choice…we were slaves to these things, trying to fill ourselves. As we look at society today and consider that the world is now trying to justify our bad choices by our DNA and upbringing, they are not far from what Paul is saying…they are ‘slaves to sin’…always needing to fill the vacuum that seems to get larger with every poor choice. However, because we have been reconciled through Christ (Romans 5:1) and have peace with God, the vacuum has not disappeared, but rather is now full. Full because we know that we are loved, that he will never leave us nor forsake us, that even in our suffering he promises to use all things for good. Since our hearts are full, we are now free to make different choices. And those choices dictate whether or not we live in freedom. We are free to choose generosity, hospitality, devotion, meditation, prayer, and all that leads to life. Becoming justified by faith in Jesus doesn’t mean that we are free from sin, but rather it means that we have a choice not to sin. Praise be to God!
Questions for community:
What is the definition of slavery? Can you think of a time when you felt enslaved? When you had no choices? What was it like?
Without Jesus, what choices do we have to try and fill our hearts? Do we blame or shame people for trying to fill their hearts with things of this world without Christ? Is it really their behavior that is the problem? Aren’t they ‘slaves to sin’?
With Jesus, what happens in our hearts? How are we changed?
Because of this change, how are we freed as slaves of sin and now become slaves of righteousness?
Now that we have choices as slaves of righteousness, how does our choices effect our freedom?
What choices can we make, because of Jesus, that allows us to continuously live in freedom?
