“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

LLC Ministers and Board Members Meeting

July 3, 2015Slide2

Romans 6:16-18

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”Slide3

Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Servants of Sin

Christian Freedom

Servants of Righteousness

Grace TeachesSlide4

Servants of Sin

Jesus said, “Whosoever

committeth

sin is the servant of sin.” (John 8:34)

We often speak of the bondage of sin.

Sin does take away our freedom, along with our peace and joy.

Apostle Paul writes about the work of Christ saying that He led captivity

captive (Eph 4:8).Slide5

Christian Freedom

Jesus said, "Whosoever

committeth

sin is the servant of sin. And the servant

abideth

not in the house for ever; but the Son

abideth

ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:34-36)

Apostle Paul wrote of God's kingdom, "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." (Gal. 4:26)Slide6

What is Christian Freedom?

Freedom is a central part of Christian faith. However Christian freedom

can be understood

in a wrong way, as freedom to live according to one’s own mind. This kind of freedom is not supported by the Bible.

What is the freedom of God's kingdom like? It is a freedom from the bonds of sin, from death, and from the power of the enemy of souls, and not a freedom to do sin or to live contrary to God's word. Slide7

What is Christian Freedom?

When a person is freed from sin through the gospel, he now is walking in the light of God’s word. He does not want to do sin but to be obedient to God’s word.

In this way, one’s conscience becomes bound to God’s word and is cared for by God’s word.

From this freedom arises love for God and love to serve one’s neighbor and a desire to act and live responsibly personally and towards others.

Apostle Paul wrote, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Gal. 5:13)Slide8

Servants of Righteousness

Being made free by God’s grace does not give freedom to live in sin.

Apostle Paul wrote, “

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall

we,

that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized

into Jesus Christ were baptized into

his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:1-4)

Slide9

Servants of Righteousness

What does it mean to be “servants of righteousness” or to “walk in newness of life”?

In accordance with the doctrine of Christianity, we teach that there are three parts of repentance:

Distress over sin.

Faith in the gospel of forgiveness of sin.

Amendment of life.Slide10

Servants of Righteousness

God’s children do not have posted lists of rules by which we live.

God’s word is a light unto our pathway, and God's Holy Spirit guides us in His kingdom. The

instructions of the Spirit

are like the instructions of a loving mother who wants to keep us from evil.

They are instructions intended to help us to preserve faith and a good conscience and to keep us on the pathway which has a future and a

hope. Slide11

Servants of Righteousness

Amendment of life is not our own doing.

Jesus said that we are known by our fruits (Matt. 7), but He also said that, just as the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, neither can we unless we abide in Him (John 15).

God’s blessing is found in endeavoring in obedience of faith, as Apostle James wrote, “

But whoso

looketh

into the perfect law of liberty, and

continueth

therein

, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:25

)Slide12

Ephesians 2:1-10

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now

worketh

in the children of disobedience:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others

.Slide13

Ephesians 2:1-10

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

That in the ages to come he might

shew

the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus

.Slide14

Ephesians 2:1-10

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them

.Slide15

Grace Teaches

“For the grace of God that

bringeth

salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and

wordly

lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our

Saviour

Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar

pelple

, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)Slide16

Grace Teaches

The bondage of sin can be experienced through living an ungodly life, after the lusts of the flesh, or according to one’s own mind.

It can also occur through trying to live zealously, pleasing God through one’s own righteousness.

Christian freedom is found in neither way.Slide17

Grace Teaches

Luther has written in this way:

“It is the perversity of the world that, when we preach about forgiveness of sins by pure grace and without merit of man, it should either say we forbid good works, or else try to draw the conclusion that man may continue to live in sin and follow his own pleasure; when the fact is, we should particularly strive to live a life the reverse of sinful, that our doctrine may draw people to good works, unto the praise and honor and glory of God. Our doctrine, rightly apprehended, does not influence to pride and vice, but to humility and obedience.”Slide18

Saved by Grace

God calls sinners unto repentance and His kingdom. Here He daily and richly forgives all believers all sins. In the gospel of forgiveness, the child of God finds strength to believe and to walk humbly in obedience of faith. May God preserve us in this freedom

.

Only by faith, only by grace, only by the merits of Christ.Slide19

Look to the Reward

Graces renews the hope of Heaven.

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Romans 6:22Slide20

Discussion Questions

What does it mean when we say “grace is not a cover for sin”?

What are some of the temptations or questions of our time that war against faith?

What did Apostle Paul mean when he wrote, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” (Col. 4:6)

How does looking toward the reward help us in our endeavor of faith?Slide21