Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

We all start as slaves to sin before we are set free from our old master and released to our new Master. We are now ashamed of the things we used to be proud of. If you don’t believe there is a new, good Master, then all you do is celebrate the old master. This is where we get tolerance, diversity, pride, and parades.

In Romans 1:16, Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” If Jesus is your Master, then you will not be ashamed of the gospel, but you will be ashamed of what you used to do. You will be ashamed of your old behavior because the gospel of Jesus Christ is your new Lord, which commands and demands change in your behavior. Rather than celebrate, it’s better to repent. Rather than being ashamed of Jesus, it’s good to be ashamed of who we were and what we did.

Paul says there are two kinds of people:

1. Slaves who think they are free people. Many non-Christians think, “I’m free. I do what I want.” That’s not freedom—that’s slavery. And it leads to death. This death is spiritual because you’re disconnected from God. It then becomes physical because you die. And then it becomes eternal because you go to hell, which is death upon death. It’s a threefold death. Right now, you’re as close to heaven as you will ever get, and all that awaits you is pain in this life and in the life that never ends. You need to be set free. There’s only one who can do that: Jesus. Only Jesus sets slaves free, only Jesus conquers the old master, and only Jesus is the good, new Master. Give Him your sin, and you receive Him as your Savior.

2. Free people who think they are slaves. Many Christians believe there are still things in their lives to which they are enslaved. Old habits. Deep roots. “That’s just part of who I am.” No, it’s part of who you were. You don’t have to work around it. You don’t have to tolerate it. You don’t have to control, minimize, or hide it. You must kill it because Jesus died for it.

God’s people are set free, but they often still think and act like slaves. I’ll give you an example in the Old Testament. The book of Exodus is a book of slavery. God’s people were in Egypt for more than 400 years. They were ruled over by a demonic, counterfeit king named Pharaoh. He literally enslaved and abused God’s people. Then the new Master shows up—Yahweh, the God of the Bible. He sends the plagues, parts the Red Sea, and kills the Egyptians. He conquers all the other masters and sets His people free. What do God’s people do? They walk into freedom and suddenly start talking about the good old days when they were slaves. They start reverting to slave-like behavior. They worship false gods (demons). They build a golden calf. They get drunk and have extramarital sex. It’s total mayhem.

God can set you free, but you need to live free. Even if you’re not a slave, you can still think like a slave and act like a slave. You need to start thinking like a son or daughter and acting like a son or daughter. If you are a Christian, you’re free. That behavior can stop. Those patterns can stop. Those addictions can stop. Those lifestyle choices can stop. That brokenness can be healed. That addiction can be conquered. That slavery can be ended. There is new life in Jesus Christ.

Today’s Reflection

Are you living in freedom or slavery?