Freedom and Slavery

READ: ROMANS 6:1-23; 8:12-21

At times, the Christian life can feel a bit restrictive. Following God’s good ways means certain things are off limits because sin hurts us and those around us. Yet sometimes, saying no to sin doesn’t make us feel very free. It might feel like we’re missing out.

But Romans 6 in the Bible has something else to chip in. It calls our life in Christ one of freedom, and it tells us to submit no longer to the slavery of sin. Slavery? Sin is bad, you might say, but is it really like slavery? Paul, the person who wrote much of the New Testament, says that yes, it is. When we were under the control of sin, we had no options. Sin was our default impulse, and we defaulted to it often. We could not have willingly obeyed Christ if we’d tried.

But God made the way to save us from our slavery to sin. Jesus Christ, who is God the Son, came and lived among us. He depended completely on God the Father as He walked perfectly in God’s good ways—something we never could have done. Then He died on the cross and rose from the dead, defeating sin and death on our behalf. Now, if we know Jesus, He freely gives us His perfect righteousness (or sinlessness) because He loves us so much.

In Christ, we’re free from slavery to sin. While we will still struggle with sin until He returns, the Holy Spirit helps us obey Christ out of love, not out of force. We can obey Him as we would someone who has our best interests at heart, because that’s exactly who He is. It’s by doing God’s will that we are truly free, and liberty is always better than slavery, if you ask me. • Ethan Terry

• Read Romans 8:12-17. How would you describe our relationship with God because of what Jesus has done for us?

• Read Romans 8:18-21. What else will God set free someday?

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Romans 6:4 (NLT)