We are All Slaves?

Contribution by Deacon Jimmy Young

Scripture makes it very clear that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, ESV). Saved from what, you might ask? Saved from God’s wrath. I’ll admit, the word “wrath” is a scary term. Webster’s Dictionary defines wrath as “strong vengeful anger or indignation”, and no one wants to admit that they’re deserving of such punishment. However, the Bible makes it clear that without faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His resurrection, we remain at war with God.

Barrel of Bad Apples

“But why would God be angry with me?”, you might ask. “I’m not perfect, but I don’t do bad things to other people. I’m a good person.” No – you’re not. None of us are. According to the Word of God, “No one is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks after God” (Romans 3:10-11, ESV). That makes us enemies of God, and subject to His eternal judgment and punishment. The good news – well, the greatest news, actually – is that Jesus gave His life in exchange for yours, willingly paying the price for your sins, which was the death penalty. And He did not die for “some” of your sins, but for ALL of your sins – past, present, and future. You read that correctly – present and future sins. Giving your life to the Lord Jesus Christ will not make you perfect in this life, but it does mean that you are saved from the wrath to come.

Reborn

But let’s be clear: being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ does not give you a license to sin because you’ve been saved by His grace. God did not send His only begotten Son to the cross so that you can receive a free pass to do whatever you want to do and get away with it Scott-free. Think about it: If you were found guilty of a crime, but the Judge decided to release you, would you believe that He set you free so that you can go back out into the world and continue to commit crimes? Absolutely not! Through faith in the finished works of the Messiah – and by the saving power and continual grace of Almighty God – you are no longer a slave to sin (which is what you were before you asked Christ into your heart), but a slave to righteousness. You are now a new creation in Christ Jesus and are no longer bound by the sins that kept you at war with God. Through the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Lord is conforming you into the image of His Son, and that process will not be completed until God calls you Home – your new home in Heaven.

It's in Our Nature

Unfortunately, we will still have a tendency to sin while we’re here. Although our Spirits become new, our flesh does not, and the flesh cannot please God, nor does it have any desire to do so. Therefore, the battle to resist sin and to do the will of God is a constant fight. This is literally spiritual warfare. In your flesh, you will fall short; we all do. However, by His grace, God allows us to repent: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV).

Repent + Confess = Forgiven

If you have given your life to the Lord Jesus, and yet still find yourself habitually sinning, repent. Repentance means “to turn away from”. Turn away from your sin, and turn towards Jesus. Confess your sins to Him. Ask Him for forgiveness. Ask Him for the strength to obey His Word and to surrender to His will. Through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, Christ Jesus will give you the strength to sin no more. God's Peace!