Freed from Sin, Slaves to Righteousness

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Romans 6:15-23

 

Romans 6:17-18

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

(ESV)

 

Slavery is an abhorrent practice that diminishes one’s value to a piece of property instead of a creation of God that God loves and sent His Son to die for (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 3:16). The U.S. Declaration of Independence even cites the God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and not the relegation of some individuals to a piece of property based upon the color of their skin. The use of the term slave in Romans 6:15-23 is not presented in a derogatory manner but to illustrate the dramatic transformation in an individual’s life when they choose to renounce their life of sin and replace it with a life dedicated to Christ.

 

Romans 6:15-23 begins with a rhetorical question, asking if one should continue living a life of sin since they live under grace and not the law (Romans 6:15). Paul answers his question with an emphatic no, asking another question regarding whether his readers know that one presenting themselves as obedient slaves is obedient to the one they bond themselves to (Romans 6:15-16). To continue in sin after one has been set free from sin is to become slaves to sin after being set free from its bondage. Paul continues by giving thanks to God for the work of Christ on the cross providing freedom from the bondage of sin and instead, bonding one to righteousness (Romans 6:17-19).

 

One in bondage to sin has no regard for righteousness for they serve their master sin, which bears the fruit of death (Romans 6:20-21). However, those accepting the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ are set free from sin (Romans 6:22) and are adopted into the family of God as children of God (John 1:12; Romans 8:16). The choice before each individual is whether to continue in their born heritage of sin or renouncement of the heritage of sin and bonding to righteousness and eternal life (Romans 6:23).

 

Paul is addressing believers in Rome where slavery was common. Paul uses the human term slavery to explain the process of salvation where one moves from slavery to sin and death to slavery to righteousness and eternal life (Romans 6:16). The choice Paul presents to his readers is whether they will choose the default position of slavery to sin (Romans 3:23) leading to death or the position of slavery to righteousness leading to eternal life. The best choice is obvious, but some still choose to remain in sin, choosing death over life.

 

Like the believers in Rome at the time of Paul’s writing, people today have a choice of continuing to live in sin leading to death or choosing to accept the free gift of salvation by grace, and eternal life (Romans 6:23). Living in sin is the default position (Romans 3:23) and why Jesus came to provide a pathway to salvation through the grace of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). I invite those reading this who have not chosen eternal life through Jesus Christ to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God Challenge and bless those reading this post and may God’s grace abound in your life.

Our Just, Righteous, and Merciful Lord

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Jeremiah 33:14-26

 

Jeremiah 33:25-26

Thus says the Lord: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, 26considered  then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.”

(ESV)

 

A leak regarding a pending Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade has been the topic of the news this week. The truth of the matter is that should this ruling reverse Roe v. Wade, it will not make abortion illegal but allow each state to decide the legality of abortion. The tenth amendment of the constitution reserves decisions on anything not specifically mentioned in the body of the constitution to the states. Since there is no specific mention of abortion in the Constitution or any of its amendments, a reversal of Roe v. Wade places the determination of the legality of abortion with the states where it constitutionally belongs.

 

As a Christian, I believe in choice for God has given everyone a free will to choose for even though Christ died to forgive humanity of their sins, to receive forgiveness one must choose to receive forgiveness, something I will discuss later in this piece. As a Christian, I also believe in the sanctity of life, including the life of the unborn who are formed in their mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who courageously gave birth and work to nurture and raise their children in Godliness.

 

Those living in a protracted period of exile were probably feeling discouraged or even depressed, wondering if the period of exile would ever end. In hindsight, we know the exile did end with the decree of King Cyrus granting and funding the return of the Jews to their land (Ezra 1:1-11). However, the context of Jeremiah 33:14-26 is before the decree of King Cyrus and was designed to bring hope to discouraged people living in exile. However, it also has application to the lives of every individual living in the exile of sin for it speaks of a coming High Priest and King who will rule with righteousness from the lineage of King David (Jeremiah 33:14-16). In addition to restating the promise of one of the lineages of David ruling on the throne for eternity (1 Kings 2:4), God also declares there will also be a high priest offering burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sacrifices unto God. Blessed with hindsight, we know these two individuals are one person, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:11-14).

 

The Lord then gives Jeremiah another word that addresses why God cannot break his covenant with Israel and Judah which includes an eternal priesthood and a descendant of David on the throne. The Lord says that for him to break his promises to Judah and Israel, He would have to break his covenant with day and night causing day and night not to occur at their appointed time (Jeremiah 33:19-21). Jeremiah 33:22 speaks of the number of descendants of David and the number of Levitical priests ministering to the Lord. Since the Descendant of David and High Priest mentioned in Jeremiah 33:14-16 are the same person, Jesus Christ, the great numbers mentioned are a not only a reference to a growing Jewish population after the exile but also a reference to the great number of people coming to accept Jesus as Savior throughout the Church age.

 

Jeremiah receives another Word from the Lord regarding people who are saying that the Lord has rejected the clans of Israel and Judah that despises the people into no longer being considered a nation (Jeremiah 33:23-24). The Lord addresses this belief by once again stating that rejecting his covenant with Israel and Judah would require rejection of His covenant with day and night and the fixed order of the earth. This fixed order is vital to the survival of all living things on the earth for it determines the seasons and the time of planting and harvesting crops (Genesis 8:22; Psalm 104:19). Rejection of God’s promises of an eternal priesthood and a descendant of David on the throne would devastate the integrity of God since the promises of God to Israel can be broken by God, making God untrustworthy. Fortunately, God has mercy on His people, promising to restore their fortunes (Jeremiah 33:26)

 

In Jeremiah 33:17-18 God restates His promise that Israel and Judah will always have a descendant of David on the throne and a priest offering burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sacrifices to God on their behalf. Jesus fulfills both roles in our lives. Jesus is our great high priest who once and for all offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sin (Hebrews 4:14-16). Jesus is also our king, the King of Kings who will rule with a rod of iron when He returns (Revelation 19:11-16). However, even though Jesus will return to rule the nations with a rod of iron, the priestly sacrifice of Himself on the cross gives individuals a choice of eternal life with God (John 3:16) or eternal separation from God (John 3:17-18).

 

The default position for humanity is eternal separation from God for we are all born in sin and are under the death penalty for sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23). However, Jesus has given humanity another option, eternal life with Him through His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) by dying on the cross for humanity’s sin even though he never sinned (2 Corinthians 5:21). Romans 10:9-10 tells us that we are saved by professing our belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ forgiving our sins. If you have never done so, I urge you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.

Death and Resurrection

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Romans 6:1-14

 

Romans 6:4

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

(ESV)

 

In the previous posting on the book of Romans, we observed a picture of baptism in the text of Romans 5:12-21. The passage in Romans 6:1-14 continues this discussion by describing our death to sin through the death of Jesus on the cross and our resurrection into newness of life through the resurrection of Jesus. The question we must ask as we study this passage is why we would continue in sin if we are indeed dead to sin and what must we do to truly live in newness of life.

 

The passage begins with the Apostle Paul asking the question of whether we are to continue in sin so grace may abound (Romans 6:1). Based on Paul’s quick and direct answer, we know the question is rhetorical for can one that has died to sin through acceptance of Jesus as savior still live in it (Romans 6:2). Paul then challenges readers to consider that when one is baptized into Christ Jesus, they are baptized into His death (Romans 6:3). However, Jesus did not remain dead but arose from the dead by the glory of God the father symbolized in baptism by one coming up out of the water (Romans 6:4).

 

A believer’s unification with Christ is unity with both the death of Christ in judgment for sin and His resurrection demonstrating victory over sin and death (Romans 6:5). A believer’s old sinful self was crucified with Christ on the cross bringing the value of sin to nothing, freeing one from enslavement to sin (Romans 6:6-7). Those dying with Christ believe they will also live with Him for death no longer has dominion with Jesus or those believing in Him (Romans 6:8-9). This does not mean believers in Christ will not die for all humanity will experience physical death (Hebrews 9:27) except for those caught up to meet Jesus in the air (1 Corinthians 15:50-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Instead, the dominion of death as separation from God for eternity is gone (Isaiah 59:2, 20; John 3:16). Therefore, just as the death and sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, brought eternal salvation from sin, we are to live without the dominion of sin in our lives for we are dead to sin but alive in Christ (Romans 6:10-11).

 

Sin should not reign in the mortal body of a believer in Christ, causing us to obey its passions (Romans 6:12), but when a believer sins, they can still rely on the grace and love of God to provide forgiveness from sin (1 John 1:9). Paul concludes this teaching by reminding his readers not to present themselves as instruments of sin or having an attitude of sin and instead to present themselves as instruments of righteousness with an attitude of serving God (Romans 6:13). As believers, we live under grace and not the law and therefore need not live under the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14).

 

The picture of baptism illustrates the transformation that occurs in the life of one accepting Jesus as their Savior. No longer do they live under the control of sin in their lives for just as Jesus died, carrying all the sins of humanity, we have spiritually died to sin’s control in our lives (Romans 6:6). Unfortunately, we do not have our glorified bodies as yet and still, like Paul, struggle with sin in our lives (Romans 7:21-25). Fortunately, the grace of God is still available to forgive sin (1 John 1:9).  

 

The message of the Gospel is one of death and resurrection, initiated with the death burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus, who knew no sin yet took our sin to the cross so we can become the righteousness of God through His resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:21). One becomes a believer and inherits eternal life with God by confessing they are a sinner (Romans 3:23) and professing their belief in the substitutionary death of Jesus for their sins (Romans 10:9-10). If you have never made this profession of faith, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

Congratulations to those that just prayed to accept Jesus as their savior for you have died to your sinful life and are now entering into newness of life as a follower of Jesus Christ. Romans 12:1-2 instructs us not to live in conformity to the world but to be transformed through the renewing of our minds. We do this through exposure to the Bible through personal study by becoming part of a Church or Bible study teaching the Bible. May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.