Romans 6:15 & 23 –
<15> Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!
<23> For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is a great chapter and goes deep into sin and the ultimate result. It explains the importance and symbolism of baptism. I ended up highlighting almost the entire chapter and putting stars next to quite a few verses, which made it difficult to narrow down my selection to talk about. I suggest reading and contemplating the entire chapter today!
I have always contended that we are free from the law in the manner of which the legalistic hold it had on the people’s relationship with God, but we are not free to ignore it. In no way do our transgressions glorify God, sure God may use them to glorify Himself, but it’s never the other way around. God desires us to be free of the burden of the law, but in doing so we freely decide not to sin. The law provides a frame work about what sin is and is not. Many of the “sins” of the day were not sins but guides to live the life God wanted for us. It wasn’t a sin to eat pork; it just wasn’t the best food for your overall health.
Think about the witness it gives others, why should they desire change in their life if they don’t see a reason to change? If the “wages of sin” is death why would we even consider continuing in that way? Jesus gave us a free gift on the cross and all we have to do is accept it. Sure salvation comes but with it responsibilities to hold true to attempting to live like Jesus. I know we slip, but the key is to identify them, confess and correct immediately. Don’t click to the naked girl’s site, or drink past your “limit”, or let the anger fester inside, just live like you are honoring God ever second of every day. Do this for love of God, and if you have not developed the love for God yet, do it to honor your family and friends.