Romans 6:1-14

Romans 6:1-14

Some people get placebo religion.  The only difference it makes is all in their head.  Nothing else about their life really changes.  Placebo (sugar pill) religion makes you feel good but it does not make you live right.  It tells you that you have forgiveness, and that you are on your way to heaven; you feel good about it.  In truth, the practitioners of sugar pill religion have not repented of their sins, they have not been reconciled to God and they are not righteous.  They may have faith, but it is not faith in the gospel.

The gospel (good news) is that God’s only son Jesus died and rose again in order that we might live.  True faith in Christ requires us to turn from sin to him.  Saving faith requires us to die to sin.  Placebo religion only requires you to believe that Christ is the Son of God, and even demons believe that.  When we have saving faith, we die to sin and God resurrects us to a new life in Christ.  In our new life, sin no longer rules; we are set free from the slavery of sin.  Let me be clear here, we are not free from the frailties of the human existence.  We still make mistakes, and miss the mark; we are not perfect in execution of all that we do.  However, in our new life in Christ we do have perfect intent.  We want to do what is right.  Faith has set us free from the slavery of rebelliousness and deliberate disobedience.

Faith does not set us free from temptation, but it does give us the freedom to resist temptation.  We no longer let sin reign in our bodies.  We do not use ourselves for wickedness; we become instruments of righteousness.  Because faith in Christ made a difference in us, we make a difference in our world.  Unlike placebo religion, true faith changes everything.  Our life of sin is dead; our new life in Christ is just beginning.