These people really want to go on sinning, don’t they? Paul’s answer is the same as it was in yesterday’s text. Is it okay? “Of course not!” We will be a slave to something, whether it be sin or righteousness. Paul uses that analogy to help us understand the relationship. We can become a slave to whatever we choose to obey. Our freedom gives us that choice.
What do you picture when you think about being a slave? You are not your own. You belong to someone else. As humans, we have weaknesses. What areas in your life do you feel weak? It is in those moments or areas of our life where sin can infiltrate despite our freedom from it.
Just because we’re Christian doesn’t mean we don’t sin. It just means we have been freed from sin. It’s like a prisoner being released from jail. It was safe and familiar in the jail cell. Now the one freed must face a society, a new unknown reality. As one freed from sin, we still must face the unknown of what it’s like to have the ability not to sin if we choose obedience. Paul says, “Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.”
Given the choice, I would prefer to be God’s slave rather than a slave to sin and destruction. God has a much better plan for me. Verse 23 is a familiar one, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Let’s pray. Lord, this whole idea of being slave to sin or not has been a bit confusing for me. I thought I was a sinful creature simply by being human. Now I see I have a choice by believing and surrendering myself to you. Help me not sin but to make the right choices. Thank you for your forgiveness when I do mess up. I pray those times will lessen as I become better at focusing on you and what you have for me. I don’t want to take you for granted. I love you and what you have done for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
