"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."
Romans 6:15-16 NLT
I am so thankful to live in a country where I am free to worship God, free to speak my mind, and free to come and go as I please. As much as I appreciate this freedom, it is easy to take it for granted.
Martin Luther King Jr. fought hard for the freedom of Blacks to taste the same freedoms enjoyed by Whites. But he knew freedom would not come automatically, but would be the fruit of much labor. He said, "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent." *
Freedom should not be expected. Once freedom is secured, it is to be cherished, treasured and guarded at all costs. Freedom isn't free! In the words of Ronald Reagan, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." **
Freedom is the result of struggle against those whose only desire in life is to control others and gain power for themselves. I would like to think that, as a people, we would not easily give up our freedom by handing control over to an abusive, corrupt, power-hungry entity, but in a way, this is already happening.
Sin
Sin can be defined as rebellion against God. Whenever I do things my way instead of God's way, I am rebelling and thus sinning. Sinning comes natural to my fleshly being. It is who I am.
I like how the Apostle Paul described it in Romans 7. "And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it." (v 18-20 NLT)
My sinful nature, in and of itself, makes me feel like a failure. As Paul goes on to say, "I have discovered this principle of life--that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." (v21-25 NLT)
Sin is a problem that I can't control on my own. I am powerless against the influence of sin that is within me. Sin takes away my freedom.
Slave
Jesus said in John 8:34 that, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." By definition, a slave belongs to someone else and is forced to obey his master. No one becomes a slave willingly, but is bound to his master against his will.
Similarly, my sinful nature makes me a slave to sin. I must do what comes naturally, I have no other choice.
It is easy to argue that this is not true. I may think that if I try really, really hard, I can obey God and do things His way. It can't be that hard, right?
I remember when I was younger I decided that I would give up sugar altogether. I found that as soon as I made this resolution, I craved sugar like never before. I dreamed about delectable pastries, chewy candies and mouth-watering cookies. I had to fight against those desires with all my might. My sugar boycott lasted all of one summer.
As a sinner, I can utilize my full capacity of self-control, discipline and restraint, but these will always fall short against the power of sin that is within me.
Thankfully, the story doesn't end here: I am not without hope.
True Freedom
In America we enjoy freedom. But that freedom can be a trap. One of the things that happens in a free society is that the number of choices increases as entrepreneurs find new and innovative ways to make money. With these choices comes more temptation to give myself over to things that please me and may not be bad on their own, but take my attention away from God.
This is the trap I find myself in, not unlike what the Israelites were warned about in Deuteronomy 8. God told them that they would enter the Promised land, build fine homes, settle down and acquire great wealth, like nothing they could have ever imagined. Then, God said, "your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." (v14)
Living in a land of plenty is risky for those who desire true freedom. But God offers a way to shed the shackles that bind us to sin; the desire for more when needs are already met. The thirst for comfort that comes with a great cost. The hunger to follow my natural inclinations. Sin is an abusive, corrupt, power-hungry entity that wants nothing more than to control me.
The great cost of freedom was paid for by Jesus on the cross. When He willingly took on my sin, paying the penalty of death that God requires, He forever broke the bondage of sin in my life.
I now have a choice. I am no longer bound to doing what comes naturally. I don't have to follow my sinful nature. Instead, I can choose to follow God, seeking to please Him.
Jesus continued in John 8:35 to proclaim my freedom. He said, "Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
Thanks to Jesus, I am free from the bondage of sin in my life. I now have the power to choose to obey God, and my life will never be the same!
Living in a free country gives me a false sense of security. Freedom is never free, and Jesus paid the fee God charges for that freedom. Sin enslaves me, but Jesus bought my true freedom!
As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will choose to please God by obeying Him instead of the sin that is within me.
How do I live as if I were still a slave to sin?
When do I willingly place the shackles of sin on my wrists?
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