Dear Christian friends:

All people are slaves. You are slaves. Does that surprise you! You are either a slave of sin or a slave of God. Most people are a slave of sin. Since the fall of Adam and Eve we are born slaves of sin.

Paul in our text gives the illustration of slaves and masters because it is easy to understand. Paul says here of the Christians at Rome, "just as you used to be slaves to all kinds of sin, so now you must let yourselves be slaves to all that is right and holy." (Romans 6:19, TLB)

In Hebrews 2:14-15 it says Christ came to free those people who because of the fear of death were all their life under bondage. Paul says in Romans 6:19, (KJV) "once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity"

Because they were selfish and did not love God or their neighbor they used their bodies to sin. They were greedy in eating way too much! They used their sex organs in selfish, greedy ways without true love and respect for their mate: Food orgies and sex orgies were very common among the Romans. Also, many homosexuals and lesbians.

Are many people in America any better today? If you read newspapers and magazines, you know that many and most of our nation are still slaves of sin. Paul says, slavery to sin leads to death, "for the end of those things is death." (Romans 6:21b KJV) This means eternal separation from God in hell, too. Jesus has freed all men from slavery to sin. We need not be slaves of sin. Only unbelievers remain slaves of sin. Christians have become slaves of God.

Paul says of Roman Christians, "But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God, and his benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life." (Romans 6:22 TLB)

The Holy Spirit has helped us to see our former terrible slavery. He has led us to believe in Jesus who died for us. He has given us love and praise to God as the Introit says, "Clap you hands all ye people, Shout to God with a voice of triumph."

Now we are freed from sin's rule and bad habits. We are freed to love and serve God. Not freed for nothing! Not freed to go back to sin. Jesus' Spirit now lives in us, and we want to serve Him and be His slaves now! (Tell the story of the Negro slave woman who was freed by a kind white man. She then wanted to be his slave.)

Now we gladly give our bodies to do rightly. You are a slave. Are you a slave of sin or a slave of God?

Amen.