July 21, 2002

LET FREEDOM RING

Romans 6:14

   Pointing to the cross we know "that our old man has been crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be nullified, so from now on we should not serve (be in bondage to) sin" (Romans 6:6). Pointing to the empty tomb we know that "Christ being raised from the dead dies no more, that death has no more dominion over Him" (6:9). Our identification with our crucified and risen Lord is God's assurance that we have been liberated from the dominion and bondage to sin and death! The liberty bell rings, "being then made free from sin" (6:18) and "now being made free from sin" we have become "servants to God and have our fruit unto righteousness" (6: 22)!

   Our servitude was real, for we were "serving sin" (6:6), and truly "his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness" (6:16). "Ye were the servants of sin..." (6:17), "but God be thanked, that...ye became the servants of righteousness" (6:17-18). "Ye have yielded your members servants to un-cleanness...and to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness" (6:19). "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness..." (6:20). We are reminded of the words of the Lord, "No man can serve two masters."

   Paul addressed those "who know the law" and explained that the dominion of law is only "as long as one lives" (7:1), thus if a woman's "husband be dead, she is free from the law" to "be married to another man" (7:3). Just as death frees a married partner, so we "are become dead to the law by the body of Christ" (7:4) and free to consummate our new relationship to God and serve in "newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter" (7:6).

   Our liberty is further explained, "ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of sonship, whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" And finally, "the creation itself also shall be set free from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (8:21). Paul also admonished, " Stand fast in the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free ..." (Gal 5:1).

Ivan L. Burgener