No Longer Slaves to Sin

In Bible times many people were slaves. A slave belonged to a master and had to do what the master said. Paul used this picture to teach us about sin.

Two masters. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).

Jesus said it too. “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). Sin does not just happen once. It grabs hold and does not want to let go.

Only one master. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). You cannot belong to sin and to God at the same time.

A cruel master. Sin promises fun, but it pays with shame and death (Romans 6:21). Sin is a master who never keeps its promises.

False freedom. “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness” (Romans 6:20). Sin's kind of freedom means being free from doing good. That is no freedom at all.

Sin as a king. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body” (Romans 6:12). Sin wants to sit on the throne of your heart and give the orders.

Bought back. Long ago a slave could be set free if someone paid a price. “For you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Jesus paid that price.

The price. We were not bought with silver or gold, “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).

Rescued. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13). Conveyed means carried across to a new place.

Free indeed. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Rescue came first. God brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt before He gave them His law. In the same way, Jesus sets us free first, and then we learn to live His way.

A good Master. Jesus is not cruel like sin. He “gave Himself for us” (Titus 2:14). Serving Him brings holiness and everlasting life (Romans 6:22).

What we learn. Everyone serves a master. Sin pays death, but Jesus bought us with His own blood to set us free.

What to do. Think about something that has a strong pull on you. Tell Jesus about it, and ask Him to be the Master of that part of your life.

Jesus sets us free from sin. But how do we live free every day? The Bible gives us real help.

Stand firm. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). A yoke is a heavy wooden bar for work animals. Do not let sin put it back on you.

Free to love. “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). Freedom is not doing whatever we want. It is being free to love.

The Holy Spirit helps. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). The Holy Spirit lives in every believer and gives power to say no to sin.

Led by Him. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). God's children follow where the Spirit leads.

A way out. “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13). God always gives a way out.

Good fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Free people grow this fruit.

When we fall. Christians still sometimes sin, and Romans 7 tells about that struggle. “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).

Made for good works. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Freedom gives you good things to do.

More than conquerors. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

One step at a time. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). Walking happens one step at a time. Each choice to obey is one more step with the Holy Spirit.

Help from friends. “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). God never meant for you to fight sin alone. Tell a parent or a Christian friend when something is hard.

Jesus understands. Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). So we can “come boldly to the throne of grace” for help (Hebrews 4:16).

What we learn. Jesus sets us free, and the Holy Spirit helps us live free each day.

What to do. When you are tempted, pray right away and look for God's way out. If you sin, tell God and know that He forgives. Then do one kind thing for someone else.