Apr. 02, 2023

“DOING THE RIGHT THING”

“WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?”

ROMANS 6:15-23

We all serve something-it’s just a matter of what. Who are you working for?

Paul says we are working for the flesh or the spirit. Serving sin or serving righteousness. So Paul know explains to us why we are to “yield.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Why We Are To “Yield”:

1.  Favor

Romans 6:14-15 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”

It is because of God’s grace that we are to yield ourselves to Him.

Psalm 4:5 “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord.”

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” 

Obedience to Christ is the experience of sanctification, setting ourselves apart from sin and setting ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness.

2.   Freedom- Romans 6:16-20

The illustration of a master and a servant is obvious. Whatever you yield to becomes your master.

Romans 6:16 “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? 

Whose interest will we serve?

John 8:34-36

We are free to obey Christ, we are free to live for Christ. 

1 Corinthians 6:15 “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!”

Romans 6:17 “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.”

“You obeyed from the heart…”vs.17- means to give yourself fully to God, to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

“that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” vs17- is the good news that Jesus died for our sins and was buried and rose again on the third day to give us new life.

2 Timothy 1:13 “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:18 “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

We are to live for God and be slaves to Him and for righteousness.

Romans 6:19 “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.”

Slavery to God or working for God is the greatest freedom a human can ever know.

Romans 6:20 “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”

3.   Fruit- Romans 6:21-23

If you serve a master, you can expect to receive wages.

No one can serve two masters:

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Romans 6:21 “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.”

When you pursue sin, what did that do for you? It is empty, dead.

Galatians 6:8 “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

Romans 6:22 “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.”

John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The wages                                                The free gift                       

  of sin                             BUT                       of God

is death                                                     is eternal life

Paul uses this to encourage us as believers in sanctification.

Now that you Know these truths, Reckon them to be true in your life, and then Yield yourself to God.

When Tempted to do wrong:

*Flee temptation

*Do something that brings honor to God as an alternative

*Thank God for providing freedom to choose Him over wrongdoing, and ask Him for encouragement.

*Try to discern what triggered the temptation, and take practical steps to steer clear of the same situation.