How do you answer people, according to this section, who may ask
"If
Christians are freely forgiven and if their salvation status is
not
dependent
upon their performance, then why should they worry about not
sinning?
If
salvation is secure, then why not do whatever you feel like doing?
What
incentive is there for not sinning?"
Comments
Freed
from
Sin, but not Freed to Sin
Rom
6:16-18 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?
But
God be thanked that though
you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that
form of
doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from
sin, you
became slaves of righteousness.
It is an oxymoron to say we are free to sin, seeing as sinning
is a
form of slavery. But even back in New Testament times
there were
those
who claimed to be Christians but preached that Christians should
feel
free to continue in sin. "For
they
mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful
desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are
just
escaping from those who live in error. They promise them
freedom, while
they themselves are slaves of depravity— for a man is a slave
to
whatever has mastered him." 2Peter
2:18,19
Deception is the sinful nature's most effective weapon,
convincing the
regenerate that it's sinful desires are our desires. They're
not. Paul
will elaborate upon this distinction later in chapter 7 and
chapter 8.
Obedience to God is characteristic of those born of God, as
Jesus said,
"My sheep listen to my
voice; I
know them, and they follow me." John
10:27 Thus "We
know that
we have come to know him if we obey his commands." 1John 2:3 Obedience
accompanies saving faith. And while there is a struggle against
the
flesh in the process of obedience, it is not begruding,
legalistic
obedience, but rather from the heart. In fact to avoid a
legalistic
sense of obedience, God has given very few regulations with
regards to
Christian living. Rather most commands given to the Christians
found in
the epistles are about attitude, commands which cannot be
followed if
one weren't doing so with one's heart.
Let not people have the misconception that being set free from
sin we
are free to do whatever we want. For "he died for all, that those who live
should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for
them and
was raised again." 2Cor
5:15 And
the
regenerate nature in a sense enslaves us to do what is right.
Thus "No one who is born
of God will (characteristically) continue to sin, because God’s
seed
remains in him; he cannot
(characteristically) go on
sinning, because he has been born of God." 1John 3:9
What
Fruit Would You Prefer?
Rom 6:19-21 I
speak
in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just
as
you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of
lawlessness
leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as
slaves of
righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin,
you were
free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then
in the
things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those
things is
death.
I reckon one thing that motivates behavior is considering the
end
product. Sin begats sin. Compromises can lead to greater sins
and
addictions in which one can become entrenched. Paul described
the
general process of depravity in chapter 1. There he also spoke
of
shameful lusts (Rom 1:26)
But
while the unregenerate may not feel ashamed, when a person comes
to
Christ, shame for sinful deeds follows. Shame for sinful deeds
is
indicative of a healthy conscience. And consequently the
conscience can
motivate one to right behavior, as also one's perception of the
outcome
of sin. Sin brings shame and while it doesn't bring condemnation
for
those born of God, it does bring depravity and unfruitfulness,
so why
sin? Sinning is unproductive. Notice how this kind of motivation
differs from the law of sin and death. This is walking by the
Spirit.
It's motivated by perspectives and attitudes which are a product
of
faith in Christ.
The believer has the potential
of living a fruitful life. In fact with regards to his own life
Paul
didn't even consider it possible that his life would be
unfruitful. For
he says, "If I am to go on
living
in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me." Php 1:22a For Jesus said, "If a man remains in me and I
in him,
he will bear much fruit" John
15:5b
The
Wage vs. The Gift
Rom 6:22,23 But now having been set free
from sin,
and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to
holiness, and
the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
While slavery has a negative connotation, in fact we are all
slaves.
Among other things, we are either slaves to God or slaves to
sin. But
realize also that being a slave is not the same as being a
puppet.
Slaves have a free will to obey or disobey their master, but
those who
are slaves to sin are coerced by the sinful nature to sin, while
those
who are slave to God have pledged allegiance to Jesus as Lord
and are
given such a nature such as obedience to God becomes natural. "For we are God’s workmanship,
created
in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us
to do." Eph 2:10
Death with respect to our relationship with God is the wage of
sin. But
eternal life is not the wage of God but the gift of God.
Remember back
in chapter 4 he made a contrast between a wage and a gift. "Now when a man works, his
wages are
not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However,
to the
man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked,
his
faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:4,5 People work to be
condemned. They deserve condemnation because they worked for it.
But we
don't earn eternal life. Eternal life is God's gift.
Consequently the
believer does not produce fruit to holiness in order to be
saved.
Rather we are first saved, guaranteed eternal life, and then
work to be
holy - a process known as sanctification.