-
The Choice Is Yours Either To Be Servant Of Sin Or Servant Of Obedience Series
Contributed by Shaila Touchton on Jan 20, 2024 (message contributor)
Summary: We are commanded by God to not let sin reign in our bodies, obeying its lusts, but instead we are to present ourselves to Him as instruments of righteousness..
Verse: Romans 6:12-23, John 8:34, 1 Peter 2:16.
In John 8:34 Jesus tells the unbelieving Pharisees, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” Once we come to Christ in repentance and receive forgiveness for sin, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit who comes to live within us. It is by His power that we are able to resist sinning and become slaves of righteousness.
Today, we confront a stark reality. we are either servants of sin or servants of obedience. The Bible reminds us that sin leads to death, but obedience leads to life. Let's explore this critical choice.
In Romans 6, Paul asks, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" His response: "By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:1-2). We must choose to:
• Die to sin and live for God (Romans 6:11)
• Walk in newness of life, not under the yoke of sin (Romans 6:4, 14)
• Obey God, not the desires of the flesh (1 Peter 2:16)
As Jesus said, "Whoever sins is a slave to sin...But if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:34, 36). And the only way we can be free from the power of sin is by the power of the Holy Spirit who is given to believers at the moment we come in faith to Christ , and this seals us in Christ as a pledge of our inheritance as God’s children.
We will find that we are increasingly able to stand in the power of the Holy Spirit and resist sin when we make it our goal as Christ's disciples to develop and mature in our faith by daily study of God's Word and prayer.
May we choose to serve obedience, not sin, and find true freedom in Christ. Amen.