Romans 6:15-23

Slavery has always had somewhat of a negative connotation within our society. A simple word describes slavery: bondage. Slaves were driven, sometimes beaten and abused by their masters. However, there were times when slaves were not. After slavery was abolished, some stayed with their previous masters. Slavery caused wars and blood was shed to achieve freedom for slaves. So it is in the spiritual world. At one point or another, we are all slaves to sin. Sin is the master that abuses, bruises, and beats. Sin is the master that causes pain physically, mentally, and spiritually. Sin is the master that holds us captive, in bondage to death, and fights to keep us from being free.

A war has been fought and blood has been shed. Pure, precious, perfect blood was shed so that we might achieve freedom. Good news: Jesus has already won that battle!!! Only the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God could conquer such evil. Jesus' blood was shed so that we might know freedom by being "slaves" of righteousness. (Honestly, after thinking about that I'd rather say that I'm OWNED by righteousness... there is a sense of love, that somebody wants me enough to shed blood... paid a life sacrifice for me to be free).

Righteousness is the master that treats us so well we do not want to leave. Yes, there is still work to do, but remember that our Savior has already won the battle. We no longer have to EARN our freedom and eternal life is the gift given through the victory already won. We earn death through sin. We are given eternal life as a gift from God. The question is, will we accept that precious gift?
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"Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

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."

~*Romans 6:15-23 (NLT)*~