Whose Slave…
By Dawn Whitmore
Thursday, February 9, 2017
“We know that our old life died with Christ on the cross, so that our sinful selves would have no power over us and we would not be slaves for sin.” Romans 6:6 (NIV)
“No longer a slave to sin”, that part took me quite some time to understand in my spiritual walk. I knew that my ‘old life died with Christ on the cross’ what a relief! Parts of my old life were, as they say, “Nothing to write home about.” Yet, as I continued my spiritual walk, I still felt a ‘slave to sin’. It would be many years, before I would freely comprehend that living a free and full life in Jesus does not mean I will never sin.
However, God knew this and when Jesus died on the cross it was once and for all. A dear friend of mine always says, “ALL means ALL and that is what ALL means.” This in no way means I am going to go out on a ‘sin spree’. My Pastor in a recent sermon asked, “Did Jesus’ death on the cross forgive all your sins? What about something you do next week, next year? Is it forgiven?”
Does his questions make you feel he is giving permission for sin because it is has already been forgiven on the cross? My response would be the same as Paul’s in verses 2 & 15 of Romans 6, “No!”
“So what should we do? Should we sin because we are under grace and not under law? No!” Romans 6:15
“In the past you were slaves to sin---sin controlled you,” Romans 6:16
“You were made free from sin, and now you are slaves to goodness,” Romans 6:18
Sin is no longer our master. In the past, sin controlled us. This is no longer the truth; we are now under a different master. Isn’t that so simple? But, as one of my favorite lines in the movie, “What If” states, “Just because it is simple, doesn’t mean it is easy.”
When we live a full life in Christ, we must have the mindset, ‘Jesus is with us no matter where we go’. This simple fact has the power to change our decisions. In my own personal walk it has. Does this mean I never sin? 1 John 1:10 states, “If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and we do not accept God’s teaching.” My answer, I don’t live with the mindset of “What sin can I commit today since I know I am already forgiven?” Instead, I say, “Lord, I want to be your vessel today. Help me to live in the freedom Christ died to give me.”
Lord, as I walk each day, help me to remember that I am no longer a slave to sin. Because of Your sacrifice, I am FREE. Be a constant reminder You died for ALL of my sin. NO, this does not grant permission for a sinning spree but it does give me a freedom to walk in Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2017 Dawn Whitmore. All rights reserved.
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