Free

Just before I spoke on Sunday, we were shown a video talking about the modern day slavery sex trade. I didn't request it beforehand, someone was inspired to show it, not knowing what I was going to speak about.

It will horrify you to know what is going on in our World today. I couldn't find that same video later as I type this message now but as an introduction, here is another one. I only want to include it because it gives you a picture of what it is like to be a slave.

I think the Lord is wanting to speak about slavery today. It is not something we know a lot about in our free Western culture. In our society it is illegal to have slaves so we don't relate to this concept very well. We understand that slavery is evil but that is all we think.

Perhaps the Lord is calling you today to do something to fight against actual slavery in our World?

For many others who are not actual slaves but who are caught in something that disgusts them, that they cannot get free from, there is the Good News of the Gospel which has the power to set them free. This is what I want to speak about today.

My friend is from a Muslim family and I as I talked to her I made two very important discoveries of the differences between being a Christian and being a Muslim;

1. If you are a Muslim your salvation depends on what you do, whether you are good or bad. For the Christian we completely depend on Jesus for our salvation because he's the only one who's ever fully obeyed the law

2. If you are a Muslim, God is not a person like us, he is impersonal, remote not able to be related to. For the Christian, Jesus is God. He relates to us in the same way we like to relate to others, but better of course!

The history of Islam is one of slavery.

Being a Muslim, you come from the line of Ishmael, the child of a slave mother. You must strictly obey your master.

Being a Christian, you come from the line of Isaac, the child of the free mother. You are free to submit to someone you love.

The Gospel message of Grace is a message of freedom. We are part of the line of Isaac that leads to Jesus. But Grace can be used to tempt people into thinking they can live how they like and be forgiven but that is not the case.

How do we get this balance right between Grace and Law? This is what Paul addresses in Romans 6.

First of all let's note that Paul is writing to Christians, not to the World. He is disturbed because he sees in the Church the same behaviour that he sees in the World to whom he is preaching the Gospel so that they may be SAVED. What is troubling him so much is why are Christians still in slavery to their sins when they now have Jesus in their lives? It's a very contemporary problem, why are Christians still addicts, still living in sinful relationships, getting divorced at the same rate as non-believers, why aren't they FREE?

Right at the start I want to make the distinction between
1. Sin that we are slave to
2. Our ordinary day to day failings

I'm not talking about our ordinary day to day failings because we all know that we fail every day in many ways to live up to the way we know God wants us to think and to live.

I'm talking about the things that we are slaves to, that we cannot break free from. I don't have to tell you what they are. There are many types of addictions, there are many types of destructive behaviours that can enslave us. These are the types that Paul is talking about. 

• Compulsive Behaviour
• Destructive Behaviour
• Drugs and Addictions
• Wrong Relationships
• Violence
• Constant unclean thoughts
• Constant Depression (as a result of personal sin, rather than something that has happened to us)

You can count 5 questions that Paul asks the Christians in Rome.

v1 - Well then, shall we keep on sinning so that God can keep on showing us more and more kindness and forgiveness?

 - In other words, isn't it good when we sin since that's when the Gospel show it's power most when God fulfils his promise to forgive us. We like to point to people who have been converted from a terrible life of sin to following Jesus because it proves that what we are saying is true. We can think, the worse we are the better it is, since people will be more impressed that God can forgive us and prove himself to the World. That is not what the Gospel of Grace is about. Paul answers this first question by asking a second question in verse 2.

v2 - Should we keep on sinning when we don't have to?
 - This is a stunning statement from Paul. We don't have to sin, to be addicted to anything! When we became Christians our old self was crucified and died with Christ. When Jesus died paying the price for our sin, those sins were buried with him. When Jesus rose to life again, we rose with him and have HIS life. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is now living in you if you are believer! Did you get that? We now have the power to choose which we didn't have before when we were slaves. It is up to us. There is no addiction or destructive behaviour that can control us anymore if we choose life! I don't know what you think of the group Wham! but they used to wear this slogan on one of their shirts and I think it's a great message to us believers. It is a much more powerful message to the World when we are free from sin.

v15 - Does this means we can go ahead and sin and not worry about it?

 - The famous Christian writer, Philip Yancey recalled in his book "What's So Amazing About Grace" the story of a man who came to him asking if it was OK for him to have an affair with a woman he was attracted to since God would forgive him anyway. That's what Philip Yancey calls the scandal of Grace. The answer to the question of whether he can be forgiven is "Yes" so Paul asks another question.

v16 - Don't you realise you can choose your own master?

- Let's not mess around. Let me be absolutely clear. In choosing to sin we are choosing a Master that will enslave us and lead us to Death. Why would we want to do that when we can Choose Life? Yes the man will be forgiven but he will pay a heavy price. Make no mistake - the wages of sin is DEATH. All sin is poison, we are all going to die. But some poisons are immediately fatal. If you take arsenic, you know what's going to happen, you are not unique! That is why Paul explains later in v23 "The wages of sin is DEATH but the free gift of God is eternal LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord".  If you are caught in slavery to sin, it is leading to death, including death of your relationships.  

I don't like to do this but let me illustrate with these 2 pictures of a famous England football player. On the left, in 1990 playing for England in a World Cup semi final at the age of 23. Back in the days when England were quite good. But sadly he is an alcoholic. On the right, there he is today at the age of just 47. Now this man is still alive so there is still hope - Jesus can still save his life.

I typed into Google "Man transformed by Jesus" and I got the story of a homeless wild man living on the streets of Lucknow in India. The man had been abused when he was young and had grown wild and angry. It wasn't his fault but he was enslaved because of what happened to him. He would hurl abuse and stones at anyone coming near him. One day he was approached by a Pastor who prayed for him, took him home, washed and shaved him while Jesus changed the man. Now see him today so transformed that you cannot recognise him!

Every believer has the power of life over death.

The last question Paul asks the Church in Rome is
v20 - In those days when you were slaves to sin you didn't bother much with goodness and what was the result?
- Finally Paul asks to think where  slavery to sin is leading. Only to our shame and to our death.

 Paul concludes we can choose our master.

1. Sin which leads to death
2. Obedience which leads to acquittal/life

Is there any sin in your life which you have been paying a heavy price for?

You don't have to! Jesus paid the heaviest price so you don't have to.

How does the Gospel work in conquering addiction?

• Jesus has dealt with it 
• Our sin is buried with Christ 
• The wages of sin are paid 
• We are forgiven and rise to life with Christ 
• We are granted the power that raised Jesus back to life 
• We can CHOOSE LIFE 
• We are given the FREE gift of eternal life

Do we believe and receive this? The Gospel is so simple, you don't need to go on a man made program to get free from addiction. Just believe and receive the FREE gift from God and then CHOOSE LIFE.

If you've got the time listen to this beautiful song by Casting Crowns and thank Jesus for all he's done for you!