Why are we still slaves to sin?

We are all human, and hence we are all sinners. In fact, before Christ we were all slaves to sin. What if I were to propose that a lot of Christians were STILL slaves to sin by choice? You see, it is easy to pray, read scripture, go to church, and all that stuff. How often do you, as a Christian, really give something up for God? For example, compare the number of hours you spend on a social website, like Facebook, to the number of hours you spend involved in a spiritual discipline for God. If that is not DOMINATED by the spiritual discipline time, you are not spending enough time with God.

We all do it though. I am no different. And that is why I propose that many Christians are still slaves to Sin by their own choosing. Paul even admitted it in one of his letters. In his letters to the newly founded church in Rome, he admits, "I do not do what I want to do, but what I hate, I do." He later goes on to admit that it couldn't be him doing it because he doesn't want to do it, but rather evil spirits dwelling within him. How do we rid ourselves of these evil spirits? In a simple phrase, we cast them out. All too often I hear people admit that they are giving up pornography, or they are going to stop smoking or stop having premarital sex. I'm by far not afraid to admit to saying the latter. The problem is that casting out these evil spirits dwelling within us is only half of the process.

Matthew's account of Jesus's teachings says it best. We cast out an evil spirit, and it eventually comes back with some of its friends and finds the gap it left unoccupied so it moves back in. That's exactly what we do! We cast out the evil spirit, and then we go about our daily lives. I'm sure you've noticed what happens. The sin comes back with a vengence. Speaking personally, after I dabbled into sex and was convicted by God about how wrong it was, I immediately cast it aside and said that the next woman I was going to have sex with was going to be my wife. That actually seemed to be going very well for a while, until I started dating this girl. Things were very rushed, but it seemed like God was pushing for it to happen. We had never really prayed over it, we just sorta dove headlong into it. Which never ends well. Trust me, this doesn't either. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail with this, but needless to say, that sexual sin came back with a vengeance. As a matter of fact, that sin came back so hardcore that I was actually IGNORING GOD when he was telling me after the first couple of months to end the relationship. I let it continue for the next 6 months.

By gaining our salvation (Romans 10:9) we are free from, among other things, slavery to sin.  Don't believe me?  Look at Romans 6. As a Christian (meaning, as someone who is saved) one of our main callings is to be God's light onto the world. This means we have to, through God, control our sinful natures so that people would see God's righteousness and God's love through us. How could we remotely do this if we are still slaves to our sinful natures? To put it lightly, we can't.

So then, if we remain slaves to sin by choice, how do we become free from it? Well the truth of the matter is that, as humans, we will never be completely free from sin. It's part of our human nature. But there are some steps that you can take. Going back to the passage from Matthew 12, how does the evil spirit come back and reside within the very man who cast it out? Simply put, the gap was left vacant. Therefore, I propose that the solution to our slavery to sin is simple: fill the void with God! This sounds like an easy solution - go to church more, get further involved with a ministry, spend more time around Godly people and in God's word, pray more, etc. - but really it isn't that simple. See, the only way to get closer to God is to become desperate for God. This involves some spiritual discipline, like fasting, simplicity, prayer, bible study, quiet time, solitude / silent meditation, or a myriad of others. None of these come easy. They all involve one main thing: giving up something to spend more time with God!

Nobody wants to give stuff up that they enjoy. I personally love facebook. I spend hours every day reading my news feed rather than reading the Good News of Christ! More and more though, I find myself desiring to read God's word, to the point that I'll be sitting in a college class and wanting to read God's word rather than read a textbook or listen to the lecture. I am, and always will be, DESPERATE to walk closer to God, with the ultimate hope being that I will one day walk with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven! Until that day comes, I desire to be as close to Him as I can be here on earth.

Before you start to think that something is too much to give up, I must point something out to you. There is one bible verse that is almost a definition of why we even are able to have a relationship with God. That verse is John 3:16, "God so loved the world that He gave His son, Christ Jesus, to die for our sins." Yes. God gave us HIS son! You think that it's too much to give up Facebook for a week, or to give up TV or Starbucks for a week. Look at what God gave us! God gave us HIS SON so we could experience life with Him! He loved us enough that he was willing to make that sacrifice. So next time, when you think to yourself that a video game is too much to give up to spend more time reading God's word, or praying, or whatever it is you need to do more of, just remember that God gave us His son so we could have a relationship with Him.

So then, what is your relationship with God worth to you? If there is something you will not give up for Him, I'd advise you to reconsider. Because until you give that thing up, you are a slave to sin because that thing is an idol. Give it up for Him, let Him work in your life, step back, and watch what He is capable of doing. I guarantee it will blow your mind.

Created about 1 year ago