"For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man" (Romans 7:2-3)

Throughout the New Testament Paul uses the illustration of marriage to show us awesome truths. The intuition of marriage existed before the fall in the perfect state of the garden and continues in every tribe, nation and society no matter how remote. This dates back to early recorded history. Marriage is something that is universal in our understanding.

There are so many parallels between marriage and Christ and the Church in the Bible, so to understand these, gives us insight into Christ. Today, Paul is contrasting our marriage relationship to the Law and how death frees us from that so that we may belong to another without being unfaithful. In Genesis, when Eve was given to Adam, he said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, ' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." ( Genesis 2:23-24 ). Do you see that the result of marriage is a uniting together, no longer two but one flesh. Marriage is holy, even among unbelievers. The same union happens when two become one flesh, God blesses that union.

By law we are bound to our spouse until death because the two has become one flesh. In the same way, by law, we are bound our sin nature because that union came when we were born into this world. It is our default nature and we operate as one with it. The only way to be separated from that nature is to die to it. Paul said in Romans 6 "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" ( Romans 6:6 ). Meaning that when we believed in Jesus as our savior our sin nature was crucified with Christ. He goes on to say in verse seven, that "anyone who has died has been freed from sin" ( Romans 6:7 ) If we died to it, then by law we are no longer bound to it. We are free to be joined to another without being unfaithful.

This is so important, not only did God redeems us legally ( Romans 7:1 ) he did it in a way that allowed us to remain faithful to what we were bound by. Now, by Christ's gift of grace, through association in His death, we are freed from that old nature of sin ( Romans 6:3 ). We were set free in order to be bound to another ( Romans 6:4 ). The law has no legal claim on us because we died to be freed of it ( Romans 7:1 ). Today I pray that you know you are free in Christ, I pray that you understand you are his bride and have become one with him through faith in his blood. May this revelation change your life, amen!

Previous: Romans 7:1  Next: Romans 7:4

Original article published October 28, 2009.

"Do you not know, brothers-for I am speaking to men who know the law-that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?" (Romans 7:1)

This seems like an obvious statement, it makes sense that the law or legal claims only have authority over us while we are living. After all, it would be hard to collect taxes from a deceased person. When a person dies all claims of that life are nullified. Our possession get redistributed, our money gets pass down to our family members and we take nothing with us from this world .

This is a concept that everyone understands, both young and old. That is why Paul uses this example so that we can understand our new state of existence. In the previous chapter, Paul wrote to us that we had died to sin and we were made alive in Christ. He explained why we have no obligations to that previous nature. Now Paul is switching gears slightly and he is going to clarify how this transformation happened legally. This is important to understand that our redemption happened lawfully, which means it will hold up in God's court of Law. God does not operate outside of his established precepts, so he used legal methods to redeem us from the control of the kingdom of Satan.

When we are born into this world, we were born with a sin nature because of what happened in the garden with Adam and Eve. "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" ( Romans 5:12 ). Adam plunged mankind into the kingdom of darkness.

Now it is important to understand that when Satan stole Adam's authority, which God had given him in the beginning ( Genesis 1:28-30 ), he took it legally. Which meant that God could not take it back unless he took it back lawfully, otherwise our redemption would not have worked. That is why he sent Jesus in human form. Because humans were under the control of Satan's Kingdom. So when Jesus came, he came under the control of that kingdom. Because the only way to break free of it was to fulfill the Law which held us in bondage to it. We know that Jesus fulfilled the entire law because he lived a perfect sinless life. So when he died upon the cross he broke the power of darkness and the sin nature that held us hostage to Satan. Then he rose again and since he died once to sin he can never died again. ( Romans 6:9-10 ) Now he lives forever in heaven before God making intercession for us. ( Hebrews 7:24-28, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 10:12-14 ). So Jesus came in human form, fulfilled the law, broke the power of Satan's kingdom over us, rose again, lives forever as our high priest. All legal claims of Satan over him were broken forever.

Jesus offers us the righteousness that the law ascribed to by giving a new spirit when we put our faith in Him. This is called being born again. No longer do we have the spirit or sin nature that we were born with. We have Jesus' nature, what we received when we believed in Jesus as our Savior. Jesus died to die to sin so that we could also be free of it by association with him. Our old nature is gone and we have been freed from it forever ( Romans 6:6-7 ).

Therefore, since we have died to sin, the Law no longer has authority over us either. This happened completely legal in ever sense of the word. All claims that the Law had on us previously where annulled when we died with Christ. Since we were also raised with him we now belong to another. ( Romans 6:11 ). Today may you marvel at how complete and legal your redemption was, then stick around in the next couple of weeks to find out how this association with Jesus and your new nature affects your entire existence.

For further reading please visit these articles:
Romans 5:12 - The Law of Substitution
Romans 5:13 - Absent of the Law, Sin is Not Imputed
Romans 5:15 - The Gift of Righteousness Far Surpasses the Trespass
Romans 5:16-19 - The Sin Nature, The Source of All Grief, is Defeated in the Born Again Believer
Romans 5:20-21 - Trespasses Brought the Law, the Law Brought Death

Previous: Romans 6:23  Next: Romans 7:2-3

Original article published October 27, 2009.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23)

Do you ever notice how the good news comes last? Even in conversations we always start with the bad news so that we can end on a good note. We like to have the good news last so that we can focus on that and not worry about the bad new. With Christ, there is always a good news!

In today's passage, Paul mentions the problem so he could introduce the solution. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ( Romans 6:23 ) This verse is a well know verse. I remember memorizing it as a child. I also remember hearing mention of it every time I heard someone share the gospel. As a child, this is what I heard... 'the wages of sin is death.' But that is simply the bad news. Thankfully Paul did not end the sentence there.

Neither did Jesus. The good news is that there is a gift. The good news or gospel literally means, 'the almost too good to be true news', meaning that this gift is so good, we always look for a catch. But there isn't one. Paul said the 'gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord'. If we focus on what we can earn, then our wages result in death. However if we accept this free gift then the gift brings eternal life instead of death. Isn't that amazing!

I am so glad that Paul ended this chapter with the good news. No longer are we bound under sin or our old nature. But we have been freed of it and introduced to our new nature which was obtained through Christ Jesus as a gift from God. Today, celebrate this free gift and the good news! Amen!

For further information about becoming born again or eternal life, please visit these article:
The Gospel: How To Know Without a Shadow of a Doubt that You Have Eternal Life
Born of Water and of Spirit

Previous: Romans 6:22  Next: Romans 7:1

Original article published October 26, 2009.

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life" (Romans 6:22)

Did you know that we were called to be holy? Peter talks about this I Peter, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." ( I Peter 1:15-16 ). Peter is quoting from the Old Testament Law in Leviticus. God had instructed the Israelites to be holy patterned after God and His holiness. Although throughout the scriptures we see how desperately the Israelites failed continuously at this. They could not live holy because it was impossible.

In the same way we are called to be holy. But as New Testament Believers our holiness depends upon Christ not the law. It is not impossible for us, as was the case with the Israelites, because our holiness is not a byproduct of our actions. Our holiness is a side-effect of our new born again spirit. We are holy because God is holy. We are presently holy because we have the Spirit of Christ living inside of us. This might be a new concept but that is what Paul is saying in today's passage. Holiness comes out of your new nature and it exists presently in your born again spirit.

Lets looks further at what Paul said, "But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life." ( Romans 6:22 Amp ). So the reward of holiness is eternal life. Now we know, as born again believers we currently possess eternal life. Jesus said in John 3:36, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life...." Jesus used the present tense form of the word so that we would know, we experience eternal life right here and now by believing in the Son. He also tells us what eternal life is, "... Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." ( John 17:3 ). So eternal life is knowing God the father and Jesus Christ the son and we currently possess this now by believing in the Son. So if we already have the result of holiness, which is eternal life, the we also have to possess holiness. Remember, holiness is not based on actions or work which would be self-righteousness, but it is based upon what was provide for us in our born again spirits. Which we received by believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior.

Jesus has set us free from the sin nature and has given us the holiness that the law ascribed to. We are holy because Christ is Holy. When God looks at us, he sees Christ. Jesus' blood is the filter and cleansing agent that God used to make us right with him. Today may this revelation of your holiness in Christ overtake you. May you see it's results manifest into your live from now on. God bless you!

For further information about becoming born again or eternal life, please visit these article:
The Gospel: How To Know Without a Shadow of a Doubt that You Have Eternal Life
Born of Water and of Spirit

Previous: Romans 6:20-21  Next: Romans 6:23

Original article published October 25, 2009.

Speak Forth the Word, Watch the Lord Perform It

One Sunday morning I was getting ready to teach and I was struggling because I knew that mornings sermon was intense. I was nervous not knowing how it would be received by the congregation. I knew that it was what the Lord place on my heart to teach them but I also knew that it would be hard for people to hear.

All through worship I pleaded with the Lord for grace and favor with his people and the Lord spoke Jeremiah chapter one into my heart. I quickly found it in my Bible and read it. I set my face towards the message the Lord spoke to me that day and preached without fear or reservation. I know I found freedom to teach the Word inhibited as a result of this lesson from Jeremiah. Those in the congregation who chose to plant the seed that was spoken and sown, difficult as it was, also experienced freedom through that message. That sermon, yielded fruit among those who heard it because of obedience to what the Lord told me to do.

"When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!" (Romans 6:20-21)

I remember carrying around guilt for a long time. I would constantly remind myself of things I had done. The events would play over and over in my mind and I was ashamed. Whenever, I read this verse I would bring further condemnation upon myself. That is because I did not understand what Paul was really saying. Instead Paul wrote this to encourage us. He is using this as a comparison to help us understand our new nature fashioned after Jesus Christ.

The subject and the good news of this passage is that we are now under the control of righteousness as born again believers. No longer subjected to our old nature. The things of the old nature were obvious, those things brought death, shame and denunciation. Paul is simply reminding us of how it used to be so that we could understand on how it is now.

Galatians 5 paints a pretty good picture of what Paul is talking about here, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." ( Galatians 5:19-25 ) Paul's conclusion is that the difference between the two natures are so obvious. We are able to see the fruits of each nature operating in people. Those who live according to the sin nature exhibit that natures characteristics. Those who live according to the Spirit demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit. We are those who live by the Spirit.

So this verse in Romans 6, is not a verse of condemnation Paul wanted to make sure we understood the difference between the two natures so that we would know how to live according to our new nature. If you are struggling with thoughts of condemnation, than know that it is not the Lord who is accusing you. He has already forgiven you and freed you from sin's grasp. Paul confirmed this in I Corinthians 6, "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." ( I Corinthians 6:11 ) and if we were washed clean by God... if we were sanctified, which means set apart, by God...and if we were justified, which means, just as if I'd never sinned, by God...then you are free of accusation by God as well.

When I understood this, the all feelings of condemnation disappeared. Since then, the Lord has worked a miracle in my life, because memories of those things are so distant that now when I read this verse, my heart soars knowing what Paul was saying. Those things have passed. Everything that brought shame is gone. Those things resulted in death and benefited you not. "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." ( Romans 6:17-18 ) Amen!

Today may you free your mind from any guilt and condemnation that continues to hold you in chains. It is not on account of God. He loves you. He has forgiven you. He wants you to be free. Today, may you experience this freedom in Christ Jesus. Amen!

For further information about becoming born again, please visit these article:
The Gospel: How To Know Without a Shadow of a Doubt that You Have Eternal Life
Born of Water and of Spirit

Previous: Romans 6:19  Next: Romans 6:22

Original article published October 24, 2009.

"I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness" (Romans 6:19)

It is amazing to me that God gives us a choice. We have a choice in everything. He does not dictate our every move. We are not His robots. We are however the recipients of everything he appropriated in Christ Jesus. He provided everything that we need to live free in Him on the cross over two thousand years ago. However, it is our choice whether or not we utilize what he has done.

In the previous verse, Paul tells us that "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." ( Romans 6:18 ). Meaning that this was an accomplished fact. However, Romans 6:16 says, "you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" ( Romans 6:16 ) Meaning that how we act dictates whether or not we truly experience this freedom from sin in our lives. It is a choice.

What Jesus did, was provide this freedom from your old sin nature in your born again spirit. So the natural side will still see some effects of the previous nature. However, It is important to know we have been freed as the starting point. So in today's passage Paul explains to us how to replicate this freedom into the natural realm of what we see and experience. The solution is to offer your body in slavery to righteousness which leads to holiness. The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "I am speaking in familiar human terms because of your natural limitations. For as you yielded your bodily members [and faculties] as servants to impurity and ever increasing lawlessness, so now yield your bodily members [and faculties] once for all as servants to righteousness (right being and doing) [which leads] to sanctification." ( Romans 6:19 Amp ).

In today's verse, Paul makes a switch and talks about the natural realm so that we will see the fruit of what is currently in our spirit overflow into it. Remember It is a choice. The truth is that you have been freed from sin. The application is that you should no longer yield to the old sin nature that is foreign to your new nature. Instead you should yield to the new nature and become slave to that. Your new nature is a nature of righteousness through Christ Jesus. When we yield to him we see the leftover effects of the old nature disappear. The result of yielding to the new nature is holiness. Not obtained through works of the Law but obtain as an effortless byproduct of our new spirit.

Today, I pray that you yield completely to your new born again spirit and become a slave to that. May you experience true holiness branching out from this. God Bless you as you take His word into your heart and watch it grow.

Previous: Romans 6:17-18  Next: Romans 6:20-21

Original article published October 23, 2009.

"But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness" (Romans 6:17-18)

Every thing that Jesus Christ offers us, was provided over two thousand years ago. Forgiveness of sins, eternal life, freedom from death, healing for our bodies... the list goes on and on... all of it was provided when he redeemed mankind from the power of darkness. This is not something we are waiting for, it is something we have in our spirits as born again believers. In today's passage, Paul gives us the key to how we receive this. He wrote that all of these things became present tense realities when we wholeheartedly obeyed what we heard. It happened by faith when we committed ourselves to Jesus.

It took faith. Jesus is what set us free from being a slave to sin, but it was our faith that activated this change in our own hearts and made it a present tense reality. The writer of Hebrews said that "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" ( Hebrews 11:1 KJV ) Which means that when you entrusted the Word of God into your heart, it took root and grew. When ready, by faith you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior. It was faith in what Jesus Christ did, two thousand years ago that saved you. God provided the means, but it took faith or action upon our part to become a reality. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say in verse 6 of the same chapter, that "without faith it is impossible to please God" ( Hebrews 11:6 ) which means, that faith pleases him.

Today we can praise God that we are free from slavery because of our faith mixing with God's grace and mercy. No longer kept in bondage to our old nature but freed completely in order that we should become slaves to righteousness overflowing from our new nature. Today, I pray that this revelation sinks deep into your heart and yields much fruit! Amen

Previous: Romans 6:15-16  Next: Romans 6:19

Original article published October 22, 2009.

"What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (Romans 6:15-16)

What about sin? Should we allow sin to dwell in our lives considering that God has completely forgiven us? For we know that Jesus paid the price for the sins of the entire world upon the cross, ( 1 John 2:2, Hebrews 10:12 ). And if your sins were forgiven 2000 years ago, then does it matter if you continue to sin as born again believers?

The Apostle Paul must have run into this question on many occasions because he spent the entire chapter refuting the reason not to continue in sin. The first half of this passage we saw that the number one reason not to continue sinning was because we had been freed from it. It was part of our redemption through Christ's blood. Our emancipation to the bondage of sin was broken when Christ ascended to heaven. So why continue in something that was foreign to our new nature, fashioned after Jesus in righteousness and holiness.

Today's verse is very similar to a question raised in the beginning of this chapter. Should we continue in sin because we are operating under the covenant of grace and not out of bondage to the Law? Paul's response is the same, an emphatic no. Not only have we have been freed from sin, but the number two reason not to continue in sin is because it opens the door to the devil. If we continue to sin, then God is not mad at us, we are still saved, loved and forgiven. However, we don't sin because the devil is not as gracious. He will not give a second thought to reeking havoc in your life because of it. If we sin then we are just inviting him in to mess with us. Paul concludes that we will become slaves to whatever force we yield to. Although we have been set free by Jesus, if we continue to allow Satan to operate in our lives then regardless we will be subjected to him.

That is why we should remove sin from our lives. Not in order to please God, we already do that based on the blood of Jesus. But we should remove it because we are freed from it and to remain free we have to block any avenue that Satan will try to access. Today I praise God that Jesus destroyed the works of the devil ( I John 3:8 ) and set us free in the process. May you find great liberty in knowing and implementing this truth in your life.

Previous: Romans 6:14  Next: Romans 6:17-18

Original article published October 21, 2009.

"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14)

Did you know that you are not bound to the Old Testament Law as a born again believer? This comes as a shock to many Christians who have made a practice of abiding by the Ten Commandments their whole lives. However, in the previous chapters of Romans, Paul clearly taught that the Law is what strengthened sin in us and arouses in us the need for a Savior. The entire Old Testament Law can be used to point us to Christ. With Christ, we have been freed from the power of sin. Therefore Paul is instructing us to offer the parts of our body to God as instruments of righteousness ( Romans 6:13 ). This is based on the New Covenant and the righteousness we obtained through Jesus. Because we are righteous under this covenant of grace we need to operate that way.

In today's passage Paul tells us that sin is not our master because of grace. While we were controlled by the old nature we were subjected to the Law as slaves. As Slaves under the Law, we experienced guilt, condemnation and wrath because we constantly failed to measure up to it. The Law also made sin come alive in our hearts ( Romans 7:9 ) and strengthened the power of sin against us ( 1 Corinthians 15:56 ), and that is why we needed a Savior, because it was impossible for us to do it on our own. However, if we choose to live and operate under the Old Testament Law as believers then we are choosing to remain in bondage to sin and forfeit the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. That is why we need to operate as New Testament believers who have been freed from the law.

Here is the good news for today: we are freed from sin and the bondage of the Law. So sin cannot master us. Understanding this freedom from both the Law and the control of our old nature is necessary to break free from the dominion of sin in our lives. When we understand that we are subjects of God's favor and mercy then we will operate that way, because what you believe is what you will do. Through the New Covenant we are under grace. That grace gives us the freedom to pursue Christ and a life of holiness will be the result. Not by works of the Law, but by being alive in Christ. When we live as though we are free of our old nature then we are living accordingly to the Spirit and we will see the fruits thereof.

Today, I pray that you understand all that is yours through the New Covenant by God's grace. I pray that you life reflects our Saviors in every way. Not by works, but because of a His grace. God bless you!

For more reading on the Purpose of the Law:
Romans 3:19-20 - The Purpose of the Law
Romans 3:21 - A Righteousness Apart From the Law
Romans 3:22-24 - By Faith We Are Justified Freely
Romans 3:28 - Justification Comes By Faith, Not Works
Romans 3:29-31 - Our Faith Uploads the Law

Previous: Romans 6:12-13  Next: Romans 6:15-16

Original article published October 20, 2009.