The Prophetic Word - Day 33: We are no longer slaves to sin.

“Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The sin nature makes it impossible to say no to sin and yes to righteous living. The requirements of the Law served best to point out our complete failure in terms of being able to do all those things that lead to righteousness.

Additionally, even if we had been able to meet the requirements of the Law, doing so, would not have changed the inner person; the Law would never have been written on the heart of man. Carrying out the Law in our behavior would not have broken the inner draw to do what is not right.

“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭21‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Here Paul poignantly describes the miserable state of the person who cannot rule over the sin nature. In such a predicament, the desire to do what is right is continually trumped by the urge to do what is not right: the dictates of the flesh.

We needed a savior to do what we could not do for ourselves.

“The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God through Jesus Christ, brought a way to escape the irresistible pull of the sin nature.

Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for our sin. He died our death so that we can live His life.

Being declared in right standing before God gives the opportunity for us to reject sin and obey righteousness.

In our opening scripture we find Paul instructing that we no longer have to obey the sin nature. The dominion sin had exerted over us was broken through Jesus’ perfect life and His sacrifice.

I leave you with some of the lyrics of an old gospel hymn:

Praise God I’m free; I’ve been set free by the grace of God.

I’m free; no more the paths of sin I’ll trod.

I’m free; the blood has cleansed every sinful stain.

I’m free; I’m free again

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

#ThePropheticWord