Romans 6:15-23

 Romans 6:15-23

We all live as slaves to something. We can see the slavery of sin clearly in a desperate drug addict or alcoholic. I once talked with a police officer who described the underbelly of street life in a major city. He described the most desperate of prostitutes by their street term “crack whores,” who would exchange sex for a five-dollar rock of crack cocaine. We can easily see their slavery to their sin. But not all slavery to sin is so obvious. For some, the devil will be subtler in his seduction to slavery. One of the key things to understand about sin is that it is always progressive in nature, taking more and more control over our lives once we begin down that path. The particular thrill or attraction of each sin is unique, but they have this in common: they always move to a deeper level of darkness and control. 

The one who gets away with a bad temper will eventually move into the realm of rage and intimidation. The one who gets ahead by innuendo will sooner or later become a skillful gossip. When one begins by viewing “artful pornography,” they will progress to hardcore pornography. The slavery of sin is never static! That is one of the reasons why every sin is a big deal. When we first open the door to sin, we don’t know where it will end up. The devil may tell us, “It is only a little thing; it is no big deal; it is not a gross sin.”. He lies. First, anything, any sin that sent Christ to the cross is a big deal. Second, our culture may think it is a small thing, but God‘s opinion is the one that matters. Third, that sin may be the one to which we are especially likely to become addicted. 

A Christian may dabble with certain sins and not become enslaved and be deceived into thinking dabbling is not a problem. She finds pornography gross and drunkenness not worth the hangover. But she is thrilled with a little office gossip; she finds hearing exciting, knowing delightful, and telling exquisite. She may be almost prudish about sex and a perfect teetotaler but the most horrific source of misery by means of gossip. When we sample sin, we will sooner or later find a poison that suits us. Not every slave to sin is the drunk in the gutter or the prostitute in the filthy brothel. The slave may be the person in the mirror of a fine upscale store, admiring the reflection, and so addicted to their appearance that they imagine if they had one more outfit of clothing, they would be happy. We crave that which is our master.

“Lord, bring Your conviction on me that I will never be hard hearted about sin.  AMEN”