Romans 6:20-23

 

The late Erskine “Erk” Russell was an American football, basketball, track and baseball player and coach.

For 17 years Russell served as the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs (1964-1981). As the first head coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles (1981-1989), he revived the program from a “40 year dormancy” and “established a standard of excellent during his tenure.”

Known for his creative but unorthodox methods Russell once pulled this stunt at Georgia Southern to discourage his players from getting involved in drugs.

He arranged for a couple of good ol’ country boys to burst into a routine team meeting and throw a writhing, hissing, six-foot-long rattlesnake onto a table in front of the squad. “Everyone screamed and scattered,”

Russell recalls. “I told them, ‘When cocaine comes into a room, you’re not nearly as apt to leave as when that rattlesnake comes in. But they’ll both kill you.”

While Russell would probably he fired for such a stunt today, he effectively made his point. Think about that story in connection with this important passage.

20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From this text, consider these four points.

(1) Sin is serious.

Sin is an affront to God. It’s a violation of His Law. And sin separates us from the fellowship of God.

Sin scars the conscience. Stains the soul. And severs relationships. Sin enslaves us mentally, emotional and physically. Jesus said, “Whoever commits sins is a slave of sin” (Jn. 8:34). Think of the millions of people who are enslaved to alcohol. Drugs. Or painkillers. Many are in bondage to sexual addictions and perversions.

Sin is dangerous and deadly. Sin is the rattlesnake in the room.

I can remember my mentor, Aude McKee, saying, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go: Keep you longer than you want to stay; and cost you more than you want to pay.”

The price of sin? Death! The Greek word “Thanatos” is used of physical death However, it is also used, as in this passage, to describe spiritual death. Eternal death. Everlasting separation from God.

(2) The consequences of sin are negated by God’s gift.

The contrast is dramatic, and emphasized with the single and simple word “but.”

Sin extracts a high price, but you don’t have to pay it. Sin can enslave you, but you can be free from its entanglements. Sin can result in spiritual death, but you can find life.

The word “gift” means “a favor freely bestowed.” It is akin to the word that is translated “grace.” Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, mercy and love. He generously has devised the means by which we can overcome Satan’s enslavement and be freed from the guilt of sin.

(3) Eternal life is possible.

In fact, eternal life is the promise of God and the hope of all Christians.

Earlier Paul put it this way: “sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life…” (Rom 5:21)

Endless, everlasting life with God is part of His master plan. He desires that we reject sin, accept the offer of His grace, and receive the reward of eternal life.

(4) Jesus Christ is the answer.

The ability to overcome sin, defeat the devil and receive God’s grace is found only one way–in Christ Jesus!

He is “the way the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the expression of God’s grace. He is God’s gift. His miraculous incarnation, sinless life, and vicarious death allowed Him to experience victory over death through His resurrection.

Jesus affirms, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (Jn 11:25-26).

Come to Christ. Accept God’s gift. Overcome sin. And receive the reward.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman