Under Grace
November 9, 2011
Romans 6:15-7:6
I) Slave to Righteousness 6:15-23
II) No Longer Bound to the Law 7:1-6
(Ray Stedman was an evangelical, Christian pastor and author for much of the 20th century. He pastored the Peninsula Bible Church, in Palo Alta, California, for 40 years. A lot of his ministry was centered in the San Francisco area, which during the 60s and 70s was even more, of an eclectically and spiritually, diverse place, than it is today. One year, J. Vernon McGee invited him to preach, in a series of messages, at the Church of the Open Door, in Los Angeles. One evening, during a break, he strolled down Hope Street, which reminded him, of many of the streets, in his San Francisco mission field. He hadn't gone very far, before he encountered one of the area's more colorful residents; an eccentric man with long, tangled hair, a scraggly beard, and filthy clothes, was walking toward him, wearing a sandwich board. And written on the front of it, in bold letters------and from the looks of it, by the man himself-----were the words, "I am a slave for Jesus Christ." Ray said that the scruffy prophet held his eyes in a steady gaze until he had passed by. And then, when Ray turned around to read the back side, of the sign, he realized that it said, "Whose slave or you?" He was pulled up short, by such wonderful illustration of Romans 6, 7 and 8, and by such an unusual source----so he took it, as a gift from the Lord, and used it, as a way to teach his congregation, that we all enslave ourselves to something, its just a matter of what.)
Some of us are slaves to work and or volunteerism. The work we do, may be wonderful things, things that benefit our families and things that are essential to good causes, but we can get so caught up in busyness and achievement that we aren't able to shut our laptops down, for more than a couple of hours at a time and our cell phones and other electronic devices, are all, "but surgically implanted in our hands". (Chuck Swindoll) We tell ourselves, and others, that we're going to start living a balanced life, just as soon, as we get through with the current project, that we're working on.
Some of us are slaves to things: our homes and our cars and our clothes and our furniture---- all of our possessions---- which are nothing, but tangible, temporal, "stuff". We're driven by the mistaken idea, that security and contentment, can be found in having "things"------we often can't stop acquiring things, long enough, to enjoy what we already have. I read somewhere, one time, that in a believer's life, everything we have, can either be considered an idol or a tool----and we want our possessions to be tools, not idols. It prompts the question, "How much is enough?" H. L. Hunt, a Christian, billionaire oil tycoon, is credited with having made the most truthful reply, I think I've ever heard------when he was asked this question, His reply was,"money, is just a way of keeping score." I think, that what he meant was, "what we do for the Lord, in this world, is more important than what we have". Money was just a means to an end for him, not his reason for living.
Ironically,I know one of his great-granddaughters, really well. And I know that he wasn't just "saying" those words, he lived them------because he imparted the legacy of that truth, to all the generations of his family, that have come after him.
Some of us are slaves to relationships. We try to magically transform ourselves, into whatever pleasing shape, will gain us the approval of the person, were trying to garner attention from. We vascilate between self-acceptance and self-loathing, depending on the affirmation and the criticism that we receive. We will sacrifice ourselves and sometimes, even the ones we love, to avoid the most dreadful condition of all: not having a place to belong. (It reminds me of the movie "Run Away Bride", when Richard Geer pointed out to Julia Roberts-----that she changed the way she ate her eggs, depending on the person she was engaged to at the time------cause she wanted to become the person they wanted her to be, not the person she was.)
And last, but certainly not least, some of us are slaves to ourselves. Psychologists call us narcisssists. (The name comes from Roman Mythology-----the story goes, that there was a man named Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection, in a stream. When he tried to kiss the object of his love, his lips disturbed the water and his image ran away, and it left him heartbroken. So, he refused to leave the stream, in case the object of his desire came back, but he, also, refused drink water from the stream, because he was afraid that if he did, he might lose his love, forever. Eventually, Narcissus, a slave to his own self-love, died of thirst.)
When we love ourselves more that we should, we do everything we can, to serve ourselves, even though, we can appear to be selfless. We relentlessly and selfishly, demand the time, attention, admiration, devotion and nurturing of others. But this only leads to an emptiness, in our souls, like every other form of slavery does, that doesn't have Jesus as apart of the equation.
So, Paul, in this lesson, is pulling us up short. He is making the point, clear---- that we all, do serve something, the question is, what is it?????
Slave to Righteousness: 6:15-23
In this passage, Paul continues to educate his readers, about how to make the heavenly truth of God's righteousness, an earthly reality, in our lives. He wants to make certain sure, that there is no misunderstanding, about the true nature of grace. He reiterates the fact, that grace doesn't give us the chance to do anything that we want, it gives us the opportunity, to live the way, that God wants us to live. He reminds us, that we will become slaves, to whatever or whomever, we choose to obey. And as a slave to something or someone, we become a tool in those hands and have no choice but to serve the interests, of that master. And we need to remember, that any attitude, that welcomes, rationalizes, or excuses sin, is not grace, it is sin, plain an simple. Way too often, we misunderstand the purpose for grace in our lives---we thank God for it and are so grateful to Him, for providing it to us, when we mess up or when go through difficult times-------which is wonderful and is a balm to our spirits-----but, the truth is, God gave us grace, so that we would have the freedom to obey Him, no matter which temptations we face, or what circumstances come our way. Grace doesn't give us an excuse to sin, it gives us the reason to obey.
And because "grace" has freed us, we have the privilege, of being able to choose between those two masters-------the old master, "sin", which is dedicated to the distruction of those who serve it and the new master, "obedience", which is dedicated to creating a righteous relationship between us and God. The ancient Romans, were well-known for their slavery, which took 2 forms, as I told you a few weeks ago. The more familiar kind, involved capturing an enemy, destroying anything, that might tempt him to try and get back home, and then transporting him to Rome, to be sold, on the auction block. The other type, was an older, more heartbreaking slavery, that was known as "voluntary indenture", which was where an impoverished person, would offer themselves, as slaves, in order to have food to eat and a place to live. A person could and would, willingly accept slavery, so that the basic needs, of their family could be met.
Neither of these 2 types of slavery would be someone's choice. Nobody would choose a master whose dedicated purpose is to keep you enslaved and ultimately kill you. Paul said it would be like an emancipated slave, choosing to help his old owner, strengthen his chains and build a gallows to hang the slave and his family------and why would anybody willingly choose to do that.
All people are enslaved; either to sin or to rightousness. That's all there is to it, it's either black or it's white, and there's no in-between. That means that friendships and goals and work and leisure and citizenship and parenting and memberships and education and entertainment and debt and marriage and private thoughts, they all fall under one of those categories. We can't have it both ways. There are only 2 choices and there is no middle ground------Jesus told us in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters, either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." Slavery to sin, ultimately leaves us powerless and the end result will always be death; but obedience to God will always lead us to righteousness and eternal life. The bottom line is, that if we refuse to allow God to be the master over our lives, every aspect of our lives, then we are choosing to be slaves to sin.
( I remember, many years ago, Dale and I were having dinner with some very close friends-----the wife was a believer but the husband wasn't--------after dinner we got into a huge discussion about salvation-------I'll never forget, that after much discussion, Dale just finally, said to the man, "If you don't have Jesus, as your Savior, you will go to hell." Just the starkness of those words, put it all in perspective. There was nothing else to say. I couldn't even be mad at Dale, for being so blunt. It broke my heart, for our friend, because it was the truth and he couldn't argue with it. And I was so sad, because in my youthful wisdom, I thought that our friendship would be over------I can remember going to the altar the next morning, to pray for the friend and for our family's relationship-----but you know, God is so gracious and so faithful------our friend was led to the Lord, by his boss, sometime later, in that year-------and now, his love for the Lord, is a contageous joy, to everyone he meets.
Dale chose to be obedient with the truth and our friend, eventually chose, to be obedient with his heart. They both, chose obedience to the Lord, over slavery to sin. And God honored the obedience of both men, in such a sweet way----our friend gained a relationship with the Lord Jesus, for all eternty, and Dale has gotten to share in the fruit, of that relationship, for almost 30 years, now.)
Hopefully, we can't help but be like Paul, in our thanks to God, for what He's done for us. Before we were saved, we were wholehearted sinners, even if it was only in our thoughts and our desires. But, immediately, when we asked Him to be our Savior, we were given a new heart and a new nature, that hates sin and that desires to obey His Word. We've been given such a precious gift-----it's impossible for us to be neutral. We can wholeheartedly choose obedience. Even though we still have a propensity to sin, when we're saved; we are not slaves to sin any more. We belong to God! We are set free from the control of evil desires and selfish habits and satan's influence. We can wholeheartedly serve a righteous God, Who, by His relationship with us, is in the process of transforming us, to be more like Him, so that when the time comes, we will, one day, stroll over the streets of heaven, with Him. It makes me want to shout what Martin Luther King did, in his I Have a Dream Speech in 1963: "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
I know that my children (bless their hearts) when they were growing up, got sick of hearing me caution them, every time they turned around, "that there is so much more freedom in obedience, than their ever could be in disobdience". But it's the truth----and Paul wanted his readers to hear and understand it too. When we're enslaved to sin, we are in bondage to a master, who doesn't care whether we live or die, just so long as it gets its way-------but when we're enslaved to God, its a totally different story. God doesn't keep us in obedience to Him, against our will-----He plants the desire in our hearts, that makes us want to please Him. We want to live in harmony with Him. When Adam and Eve were created, it was in God's image. And they lived in perfect harmony, with their created purpose----- which was to walk and talk with God, in the cool of the day-----and to enjoy uninhibited intimacy, with Him, and with each other, and to rule over the rest of creation, as His vice-regents.
When we obey God and are "slaves" to His rightousness, we don't just please Him, but we do what's best for ourselves too. That's how the Lord created the world to work, before it was corrupted by Adam's disobedience, and before humanity's continued exchange of truth, for lies, which has only perpetuated their sin, and intensified their bondage to it, as generations have passed.
The grace of God gives that harmony back to us. Jesus' sacrificial death created the potential for us to recapture some of the innocence and the freedom of Eden. Just like serving sin, binds us closer to sin; serving righteousness, frees us, to live in harmony with the purpose we were created for---- Positionally, thanks to Jesus, God already sees us as holy-----we are sanctified, in His eyes, but because we are not perfect and because we live in this sin-torn world, we still have to go through the process of sanctification, so that we will be prepared, to live in heaven. As believers, we are on the road to holiness and I truly believe that God regards the direction that we're walking, just as important, as the place we're going. I think He values the journey, as much as He does the destination. The author, Robert Lewis Stevenson, wrote, "To travel hopefully, is a better thing, than to arrive."
For centuries, people have turned to mind-altering drugs and alcohol, for a variety of reasons, but the most basic desire, is ,so that they can feel good and not feel bad. People usuallly find, that with using drugs, that their payoff, is immediate and immensely satisfying…but that payoff, only lasts for a little while. Because, medically speaking, we know that drugs and alcohol have a double inpact, in the long run. Every time they are used, they increase the user's need for the drug, and they decrease the body's response to it, at the same time. In other words, the drug gradually creates a greater need for more, and it takes larger and larger doses, to achieve the same satisfying effect.
Sin is the same way, because it is usually the result of someone trying to fill a legitimate, God-given need, in an illegitimate way. Once we have been freed from sin, we still have needs that have to be filled------so we have to learn to fill them in other ways----with things that are pleasing to the Lord----- and because we've been totally freed from the bondage to sin, we can trust God, in His great faithulness, to make sure, that every single one of our needs and most of our wants, are filled. The cycle of sanctification, draws a believer even closer to the center, of where we're supposed to be, which is in God's gracious will and favor. Increasing dependence on the Lord, will provide for us, meaningful satisfaction, and ironically, greater freedom, in this life. Why in the world, would that not be our greatest desire?
( I heard a story this week from an unexpected source, that has captivated my attention and fits as an example, right here. I was at my sister's, in the latter part of the week. She had someone who apparently, is considered a rock star (Linda Lee) in the sewing world, teaching a seminar of classes, in her sewing machine store. We took the teacher to dinner and were just chatting about our families and our lives. She was telling us about her daughter who had been asked by an ex- pro-basketball player and his wife, to come and live in their home, to help with their children, and with his Christian ministry. She couldn't remember his name, but she remembered, that he used to play for the Kansas University Jayhawks.
I was intriqued, so I googled what little I knew, and I came up with a remarkable story.
The young man's name is Wayne Simien. He's 28 years old and he lives and ministers in Lawrence, Kansas. He is married to his wife, Katie and they have 3 children. He serves as a lay-pastor, in the Morningstar Church. He works, as the "Called to Greatness" campus minister, for no salary, at Kansas University, which is an organization, kind of like FCA, that tries to reach young people, for the Lord, through the world of sports. He is also the chaplain for the Kansas University Basketball team. But that hasn't always been his story.
Wayne had always wanted to play college and professional basketball. He was 6'9" and very talented. Was an All-American and played for Roy Williams. Went to church with his parents, but only because they made him. His nickname was Big-Dub and he was wild-----with the alcohol and with the women. His teammates said he got more phone numbers after a game on a road trip than he did rebounds, and he took some of the women up on their offers. He was the heart and soul of the team, not just because of his size, but because of his aura. On the outside, from the world's perspective, everything seemed to be perfect--on the inside, he was miserable.
In his Junior year, Wayne dislocated his shoulder------his team left for the Sweet Sixteen and he left for NYC for surgery. They came in 2nd in the Final Four championship game and he had contributed nothing cause he had to sit, injured, on the bench. His mother said that he had always been a moody boy----hard on himself, athletically academically------so, without basketball--he couldn't handle the feelings of depression that came over him. Dan Coke, a KU football player invited him to a bible study------it wasn't the first time he had invited him, but it was the first time that Simien had seen him as someone who could help, not someone who wanted to kill his fun. So he went, and he met the Lord, for real, though that experience. He was baptized and joined his church and began to serve right away.
He was a 1st round draft pick for the Miami Heat. He went, and was ridiculed, for his Christian standards, but he never gave into the temptations, that a lot of his teammates did, while he was there. He met his wife and married her within 7 months. He earned his teammates respect when he chose not to kiss her, until after their wedding. In front to everybody there, he explained that he had not been a virgin when they met and she had been----- and that he didn't kiss her, because he wanted to honor her, by making sure, that in their relationship, they were virgins, with each other.
He retired from his basketball career, because illness and injury just kept keeping him out of the game, but he would say that the Lord just used those things, to steer him toward the real work, that He had for him, to do. According to Wayne Simien, he gave up everything that he thought he wanted, and has found real joy, in his obedience to the Lord.)
Romans 6:23 says "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." In this verse, Paul used two Greek military words: the word for "pay" is "opsonia" and it is what a soldier, earned, at great risk, to his life and limb. It was what was due to him, and it couldn't be taken away from him. It was his, he had earned it. The word for "gift" is "charisma" , which is a totally unearned gift, that the army would sometimes receive. On special occcasions, like the Emperor's birthday or his accession to the throne, or for an anniversary, of some kind, he would many times hand out free gifts of money to the army. It was a gift of the emperor's kindness and grace.
We are free to choose netween 2 masters, but we aren't free to adjust the consequences of our choice Each of the 2 masters pay with their own kind of currency. The currency of sin is death. That's all we can hope for, in a life without the Lord. Jesus' currency is eternal life ----new life with God that begins on earth and continues forever with God. If we got the pay that we've earned, it would be death; but out of His grace, the Lord has given us life.
Someimes, I think, that just, not doing something wrong, when we're tempted, isn't enough------I think we need to purposefully redirect ourselves. So, here is 4 step process that we can follow---it's not a formula, just an intentional plan:
1.) flee temptation: change your circumstances. Physically move from where you are and quickly go somewhere different, even if it's just for a few minutes.
2.) do something that brings honor to God, as an alternative: prayer is always a necessity-----but we need to do something that is more tangible---we need to substitute the urge to sin with and Godly activity----turn on praise music---start to sing every hymn you know----read scripture-----call a friend that you know is struggling------volunteer in a ministry to the community, etc. etc. etc.
3.) Spiritual warfare is exhusting. Thank God and praise Him verbally, for providing us wth the freedom to choose Him over wrongdoing and ask Him for encouragement.
4.) Call a godly friend, and try to discern together, what triggered the temptation and take practical steps to steer clear of the same situation.
II. No Longer Bound to the Law: 7:1-6
The basic thought of this passage, is founded on the legal principal, that death cancels out all other contracts. Paul uses marriage, to illustrate our relationship to the Law. When a spouse dies, the law of marriage doesn't apply anymore. And because we died with Jesus, the Law can't condemn us any more, either. We rose again, right along with Jesus, when He was resurrected and now we belong to Him. His Spirit, enables us to produce the good fruit for God, that He created for us to. The result is, that we can now serve God, not by trying hard, to obey a set of rules---- and then failing, more often, than not, but by having renewed hearts and minds, that overflow with love for Him, and obey out of gratitude, for His great faithfulness to us.
When a person dies to his old life and belongs to Jesus, his new life begins. The unbeliever's mind, is centered on how he can gratify his own selfish desires. Anybody who doesn't choose to follow Jesus, has only their own self-determination, as their power-source.
But, by contrast to that, God is at the center of a believer's life and He supplies the power for our daily living. When we belong to the Lord, our whole way of looking at the world changes-------our whole way of interacting, with believers and nonbelievers, doesn't revolve around "what's in it for us anymore" It becomes more of a lesson, of teaching us to discover, "what would Jesus do" and then doing it as best we can, in His strength. Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." We can claim that verse, to be the truth, with absolute assurance.
The "flesh", is the word, that Paul used to describe, the human tendancy to be dominated by sin. It is under the Law and the only fruit that can be produced by a life that is under the Law, is sin and death.The "flesh" sees the Law, as a "to do" list, either to, legalistically adhere to, or to arbitrarily ignore, instead of seeing it as God's perfect standard, that He helps us to obey.
But Believers have been released from the Law; our obedience is to God Himself. The Law hasn't been erased, but we don't have to obey it, in the same way anymore. God still desires our moral obedience to His Law, but we are to serve the HIm, out of love, now, not because we're afraid of punishment ,if we don't measure up. Our focus, should be on the Lord's desires, not on a list of commands. We've been released so that we can serve in the new way of the Spirit, who is living inside of us, guiding us and showing us how to please God.
There is a clear contrast between Slavery, under the Law and the spiritual freedom that we receive, when we yield ourselves to the Lord, as His bondservants: Slavery under the Law makes us dull and ritualistic and lifeless. It stunts our spiritual growth and it eventually leads us to be separated from the Lord, here on earth and ultimately, for eternity.
But being in bondservice to the Lord makes us vibrant and expectant of God showing up, unexpectantly, and it makes us alive and creative and joyful. It steadily grows us spiritually, and it develops the "fruit of the spirit" in us, that is part of the process of sanctification that fits us for heaven, and allows for sweet fellowship, with the Lord, now, that will just grow deeper and deeper, as we step into eternity.
Slavery Under the Law Spiritual Freedom
Guilt Love
Restraint Joy
Sacrifices Peace
Ceremonies Patience
Emphasis on sin Kindness
Rule Keeping Goodness
External Pressures Faithfulness
Failure Gentleness
Hopelessness Self-Control
We have been released from the penalty of sin; we have been released from the power of sin; someday we will be released from the presence of sin.
We are cleansed from sin and we are counted as righteous.
We are free from the external regulations that have be fulfilled in order to be right with God.
We are free from the ceremonial regulations that pointed to Christ, before He came to die for us. Because he has fulfilled them every one.
We are free to trust the Holy Spirit to turn our eyes away from our own performance and toward the Lord, because He will free us to serve him out of love and gratitude.
The Lord Jesus has freed us, so that we can live, victoriously, in the way of the Spirit.
A.W. Tozer, pastor and author, wrote this beautiful prayer in his book, The Pursuit of God, and its a prayer for us, today, "Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come, Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without rival. Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine in it, for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus name, amen."
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