Slave to Sin and Freedom from Righteousness - Romans 6:20-22

Romans 6:20-22 (NKJV)
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit [a]to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.
Verse 20, The state of man before God after the fall, is slave to sin and dead in righteousness.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
Romans 3:23 NIV, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

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

If you repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy spirit will give you a new spirit, thus putting to death the enslavement of sin in your life.

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.!

3 Parts of Salvation (God's grace and help)

1. Justification - declared righteous before God.
Romans 3:28, For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Romans 5:1, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

2. Sanctification - God's will for us, by the help of God (Holy Spirit)

3. Glorification - ultimate perfection of believers, becomes like Christ.
Romans 8:30, and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

1 Peter 5:4, And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

What is Sanctification is "the state of proper functioning." To sanctify someone or something is to set that person or thing apart for the use intended by its designer.
e.g. 1. Eyeglass is sanctified when use to improve sight. 2. Spoon is sanctified if used for eating.

Same as in the study of God's word, A human being is sanctified, therefore, when he or she lives according to God's design and purpose.

The Greek word of "Holiness." means to be set apart.

God is holy, Isaiah 6:3 "And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

God's people (Christians),
Matthew 5:48 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
1 Peter 1:15-16, 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Original Design of God for Human beings is perfect "Sanctified" according to His image and likeness, and all His creation.

Sin caused human being to be broken, fallen or dysfunctional. Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Adam and Eve's prefallen sanctification was not a result of capabilities(built-in). God's indwelling presence was responsible for the manifestation of his attributes in them.

(Gen 3:9) God called out to the fleeing man, "Where are you?" . God was not seeking information. He was clarifying to sinful humanity that his presence was now lost.

Application:
How do we live as sanctified/holy/pleasing to God/in accordance to God's will?

1. God sanctifies by grace,
Jesus Christ sanctifies us:
Hebrews 10:10, And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

2. Human beings(us, Christians) are responsible to use God's grace by faith. Faith is "the" means of sanctifying grace.
2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
a. God's word, John 17:17, Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
b. Prayer allows the believer to apply faith to every area of life.
c. The church is the context in which mutual ministry takes place
d. Providence (protective care of God) is God's superintendence over every detail of life so that a believer will always have a way to grow in grace.

God Allows Trial to Keep Us Humble - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 (NKJV)

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to [a]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Paul was spiritually blessed by God abundantly, revelations that most us didn't know, but was given to Paul for God's purpose.

Going back to verse 2, We read God's revelation to Paul, Paul knew a man in Christ that was caught up in third heaven (paradise) and heard unspeakable words which

conceited = excessively proud of oneself. Full of Pride.

"thorn in the flesh" = a metaphor used by Paul to describe his affliction (Pain or Suffering), the bible is silent about the nature of Paul's affliction, but some believed to be a type of rare eye disease that caused his appearance to look deformed. The daily pain was so intense, it was like an ongoing crucifixion.

messenger of Satan = Just as in the Old testament God allow Satan to afflict Job, nevertheless Satan wants Paul to be discouraged in God's work and to live a life independently from God.

God is not the author of pain and sufferings, It is not part of God's nature.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

God's always able to help us in time of our need, He makes the impossible possible.

God can work/use us mightily if we acknowledge our weaknesses.

What is grace?

Undeserved/Unmerited favor, gift, not earned but freely given.

Synonyms: merciful, compassionate, kind;

God is gracious, part of His character.

Psalm 145:8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

Psalm 116:5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;our God is full of compassion.

(The greatest grace) Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

Life Application:

1. He wants us to be humble always no matter how blessed we are today and in the future. He wants us to acknowledge Him

always as the source and the giver of every spiritual and material blessing.

James 4:6 ESV

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

2. God sees our hearts and our future (God is sovereign) and God wants us not to depend on our own

Abilities, Skills, talents, money and other resources but to trust/depend in him who is the source of all things.

Whatever blessings we have today is because of His grace, His loving kindness, and His tender mercies.

Illustration:

Poor Sermon

Charles Spurgeon, known as "the prince of preachers," felt he delivered his sermon so poorly one Sunday that he was ashamed of himself. As he walked away from his church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, he wondered how any good could come from that message. When he arrived home, he dropped to his knees and prayed, “Lord God, You can do something with nothing. Bless that poor sermon.”

In the months that followed, 41 people said that they had decided to trust Christ as Savior because of that “weak” message. The following Sunday, to make up for his previous “failure,” Spurgeon had prepared a “great” sermon—but no one responded.

Spurgeon’s experience underscores two important lessons for all who serve the Lord. First, we need the blessing of God on our efforts. Solomon said in Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” And second, our weakness is an occasion for the working of God’s power. The apostle Paul said, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).

3. Through out the bible God chooses the the weak, the helpless, the poor and nobodies to display his power and grace.

David a little boy, defeated the warrior giant Goliath.

Gideon came from a poor family and the least from the household, but God choose Gideon to defeat the Midianites.

Gideon, was considered the greatest Judge, in courage, in wisdom, and in faith in God.

Illustration:

God Chooses Nobodies - Oswald Chambers

God can achieve his purpose either through the absence of human power and resources, or the abandonment of reliance on them. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on him made possible the unique display of his power and grace. He chose and used somebodies only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources.