Today I want to talk about Sin and slavery. What are we doing in our lives that are causing us to be in bondage to sin? It doesn't matter how big or how small the sin is because in John 8:34 it says: Jesus answered them, most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin.
Now this word slaves, what exactly does it mean? It means being legally owned as property by another person (sin or Christ), rendering service to (sin or Christ). So if we are rendering service to sin we are slaves (property) to it. No matter how big or how small it is. Sin is anything from a lie to murder and everything in between.
Romans 6: 15 - 23 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves (rendering service) to obey, you are that one's slave (property) whom you obey, weather of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that formed a Doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for just as you presented your members as slaves (property) of uncleanness, and of lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves (property) of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves (rendering service) of sin you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves (property) of God, you have your fruit to Holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our lord.
No inverse 15 it says: shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? A lot of people take this as a pass to sin and look at it as oh well God will forgive me that's what Grace is for anyways right? Certainly not! When we sin in this frame of mind we open the door for more sin in our lives. We are looking at sin as no big deal because we will be forgiven no matter what we do. This is a trick of the enemy, one of the biggest lies that he has told us, to keep us in slavery (rendering service) and in bondage to him. The more passive we are with sin the more sin we allow in our lives, and become numb to the effects of it in our life. Before we know what hit us we are living a life of Lies, deceit, and wavering in our belief of Christ and his forgiveness. Sin makes it harder and harder to come to Christ and ask for forgiveness.
When we are obedient to righteousness (not perfect) we are striving to be holy (set apart) for his service. We become slaves (rendering service) of righteousness. What is righteousness? Morally good, free from guilt and sin: honest, right minded, upright, virtuous. What is unrighteousness? Bad, dishonest: evil-minded, immoral, sinful, unethical, Wicked and wrong.
It's our choice how we want to live. Righteous or unrighteous lives. God will never force us to live righteously, but he will give us the strength and ability to do so. We have to make up in our minds that we are going to live in obedience to God's word. Every time we sin we need to be quick to ask for forgiveness and not let it marinate in our hearts. When we let it sit in our hearts and marinate that's when the enemy begins to speak to us and say it wasn't that bad, you see God didn't strike you dead, nothing bad happened to you it's all good. But what we don't see is that it's just hardening our hearts towards God and his word and making it easier for us to continue in sin.
In order to live in righteousness we have to put on the mind of Christ (Ephesians 6:10-18), because we cannot be righteous without him (Isaiah 64:6). How can we do this in a fallen World? When sin is so easy and most of the time feels so good if we are being honest with ourselves. We do it by being obedient to Christ and the word of God. When we operate in disobedience (rebellion) we are operating in witchcraft 1 Samuel 15:23. Now how easy is it for us to sin when we are operating under the influence of witchcraft? We are slaves (property) to it. The greatest weapon we have against the enemy and his lies is obedience to God and his word.
Now the enemy may be lying to you right now as you're reading this and telling you, you can't do this. You like what you're doing so why do you need to stop? It's not hurting anyone is it? Nobody knows about it, so are you really sinning ? You don't have the strength to quit so why try? The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We don't have to listen to the lies of the enemy. Go to the word of God and find out what it says about your situation. Talk to someone you trust, a fellow Christian and expose the sin. Seek Godly advice, pray and fast. Remember that it may not happen right away, we have to resist the devil and he will flee. He is not just going to give up the first time you try to stop and he will even bring the sin to you in a different form to trick you and keep you in slavery (property) to him.
I pray that you have been blessed by this blog and that it helped you to decide who you want to be slave (render service) to.
Lord I come to you today asking that you would forgive us of any sin we have committed. I asked that you would expose the enemy and his lies in the lives of your children, and that you would give us the strength that we need to be the Overcomes that you have called and created us to be. I thank you for using me to expose the trickery and lies of the enemy. That your children will live victoriously in you knowing that you have already won and given us the victory. Thank you Lord for everything you have done to ensure that we can live righteously in your site and set apart For Your Glory. In Jesus name amen.
Sincerely your sister in Christ:
Tina
