Jesus Is Our Truth, Reward, And Faithfulness So We Can Lie, Steal, and Fornicate?

[Phoneman-777]

I'm sure most will immediately disagree, and rightly so. Jesus' fulfilling of the Spirit of the Law in us does not permit us to break the Letter of the Law.

Yes, the Letter of the Law is a killer, but to whom? To him who attempts to obtain salvation through observing it - which is impossible, according to Romans 8:7 KJV and Luke 17:10 KJV. But, to the Christian who keeps the Spirit of the Law forbidding lust - and by that will automatically be keeping the Letter of the Law forbidding the act of adultery - to him, it is not a killer, but a "Law of Liberty".

So, if the fact that Jesus is our truth, reward, and faithfulness does not permit us to lie, steal, or fornicate...why do so many claim that since Jesus is their spiritual rest, they may freely break the fourth commandment? To the contrary, if Jesus is indeed our inward Spiritual rest, we will demonstrate that by outward obedience to the fourth commandment, according to Hebrews 4:9-10 KJV. The only rest God ever took was literal rest from His work of creation on the seventh day; the only day upon which He rested, blessed it, and sanctified it. If He is indeed our spiritual rest, we ought to evidence that by literally resting on the seventh day Sabbath day. Need I remind anyone, it's not the fourth "suggestion", it's the Fourth Commandment, right or wrong?

 

[Live4Him]

I'm not getting into a long, drawn out discussion on this topic (they're ultimately fruitless), but I will say this:

The Sabbath is a shadow or a foreshadowing of things to come:

Colossians chapter 2

[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

God worked for six days and rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2-3, Heb. 4:4).

Seeing how "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Pet. 3:8), man's time to labor on this earth is 6,000 years, and then he (the Christians) will rest for 1,000 years during the coming Millennial Reign of Christ.

Let the endless arguments begin (while I'm busy trying to minister to people elsewhere)...

 

[Dino246]

Those who do not rightly understand the distinction between covenants would do well to study Galatians and Hebrews.

The Law was never given to gentiles. Even the few restrictions that were specifically given to gentiles in Acts 15 do not include observance of the Sabbath.

 

[JaumeJ]

I'm not getting into a long, drawn out discussion on this topic (they're ultimately fruitless), but I will say this:

The Sabbath is a shadow or a foreshadowing of things to come:

Colossians chapter 2

[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

God worked for six days and rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2-3, Heb. 4:4).

Seeing how "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Pet. 3:8), man's time to labor on this earth is 6,000 years, and then he (the Christians) will rest for 1,000 years during the coming Millennial Reign of Christ.

Let the endless arguments begin (while I'm busy trying to minister to people elsewhere)...

According to what I have been able to discern from the Hebrew Calendar, and how it was computed I have found it is the determination of the days that had already passed since Adam until the time of its original computation, that is using only the data supplied by the genealogies furnished in Genesis.
Some of the genealogies, that is the names included, did not have the agess. I do not know ho many years are missing, but now being in the year 5781, the time for the entering into the seveth thousand years ismuch closer than the figurs given.
This omission is due to the law not to add to nor take away from the Word of Yah. And so, we are truly much closer, praise our Maker, amen

 

[Live4Him]

According to what I have been able to discern from the Hebrew Calendar, and how it was computed I have found it is the determination of the days that had already passed since Adam until the time of its original computation, that is using only the data supplied by the genealogies furnished in Genesis.
Some of the genealogies, that is the names included, did not have the agess. I do not know ho many years are missing, but now being in the year 5781, the time for the entering into the seveth thousand years ismuch closer than the figurs given.
This omission is due to the law not to add to nor take away from the Word of Yah. And so, we are truly much closer, praise our Maker, amen

Amen.

Scripture states that God has declared the end from the beginning:

Isaiah chapter 46

[9] Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
[10] Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

I fully believe that by resting from his own works on the seventh day, God declared that man would rest from his labors after 6 days or after 6000 years seeing how "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Pet. 3:8).

We truly are in the last days.

 

[Ogom]

I'm sure most will immediately disagree, and rightly so. Jesus' fulfilling of the Spirit of the Law in us does not permit us to break the Letter of the Law.

Yes, the Letter of the Law is a killer, but to whom? To him who attempts to obtain salvation through observing it - which is impossible, according to Romans 8:7 KJV and Luke 17:10 KJV. But, to the Christian who keeps the Spirit of the Law forbidding lust - and by that will automatically be keeping the Letter of the Law forbidding the act of adultery - to him, it is not a killer, but a "Law of Liberty".

following Christ/ the Spirit is a spiritual as well as a Physical journey (i would say at least) and we are all on different pages (at this moment). but unless we can know or begin to learn that our page is not at all the only acceptable page (place on the journey/ or way of viewing things) out there and that there is in fact possibly more like a whole book of many pages of our journeys (each somewhat different and/or even very different pages at this very monent) we will not begin to understand properly not only the dissensions of all of varied Christianitiy but also of the whole of the world.

1 Corinthians 3

"1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, 3for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?…"

Need for a Teacher (milk and meat):

In (Hebrew 5:12-14), “you have had enough time that by now you should be teachers. But you need someone to teach you again the first lessons of God’s teaching. But you still need the teaching that is like milk. For you are not ready for solid food. Anyone who lives on the milk is still a baby and is not able to understand much about living right. But solid food is for people who have grown up. From their experience, they have been learning to see the difference between good and evil.

 

[Runningman]

I'm sure most will immediately disagree, and rightly so. Jesus' fulfilling of the Spirit of the Law in us does not permit us to break the Letter of the Law.

Yes, the Letter of the Law is a killer, but to whom? To him who attempts to obtain salvation through observing it - which is impossible, according to Romans 8:7 KJV and Luke 17:10 KJV. But, to the Christian who keeps the Spirit of the Law forbidding lust - and by that will automatically be keeping the Letter of the Law forbidding the act of adultery - to him, it is not a killer, but a "Law of Liberty".

So, if the fact that Jesus is our truth, reward, and faithfulness does not permit us to lie, steal, or fornicate...why do so many claim that since Jesus is their spiritual rest, they may freely break the fourth commandment? To the contrary, if Jesus is indeed our inward Spiritual rest, we will demonstrate that by outward obedience to the fourth commandment, according to Hebrews 4:9-10 KJV. The only rest God ever took was literal rest from His work of creation on the seventh day; the only day upon which He rested, blessed it, and sanctified it. If He is indeed our spiritual rest, we ought to evidence that by literally resting on the seventh day Sabbath day. Need I remind anyone, it's not the fourth "suggestion", it's the Fourth Commandment, right or wrong?

Galatians 2:21
21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

 

[Lanolin]

how much work do YOU really do lol

some people are workers and some people are bosses telling the workers what to do. which one are you.
Also, on your day off, do you make other people work, (to serve you?) if so, you are guilty.

 

[Truth7t7]

I'm sure most will immediately disagree, and rightly so. Jesus' fulfilling of the Spirit of the Law in us does not permit us to break the Letter of the Law.

Yes, the Letter of the Law is a killer, but to whom? To him who attempts to obtain salvation through observing it - which is impossible, according to Romans 8:7 KJV and Luke 17:10 KJV. But, to the Christian who keeps the Spirit of the Law forbidding lust - and by that will automatically be keeping the Letter of the Law forbidding the act of adultery - to him, it is not a killer, but a "Law of Liberty".

So, if the fact that Jesus is our truth, reward, and faithfulness does not permit us to lie, steal, or fornicate...why do so many claim that since Jesus is their spiritual rest, they may freely break the fourth commandment? To the contrary, if Jesus is indeed our inward Spiritual rest, we will demonstrate that by outward obedience to the fourth commandment, according to Hebrews 4:9-10 KJV. The only rest God ever took was literal rest from His work of creation on the seventh day; the only day upon which He rested, blessed it, and sanctified it. If He is indeed our spiritual rest, we ought to evidence that by literally resting on the seventh day Sabbath day. Need I remind anyone, it's not the fourth "suggestion", it's the Fourth Commandment, right or wrong?

100% "Right"

 

[Blik]

The Sabbath is a shadow or a foreshadowing of things to come:

All scripture can be read as a literal history, or as a spiritual lesson, or as a spiritual message with a hidden meaning, but if we limit our reading to only one aspect of a verse we are missing the meaning of the verse. The Sabbath is a powerful message in all these categories.

 

[Truth7t7]

Galatians 2:21
21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Thou Shalt Not Kill, Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery, Have These Been Abolished, "No"

Neither Has Remember The Sabbath Day To Keep It Holy, And Its Not Sunday The First Day Of The Week

 

[Live4Him]

All scripture can be read as a literal history, or as a spiritual lesson, or as a spiritual message with a hidden meaning, but if we limit our reading to only one aspect of a verse we are missing the meaning of the verse. The Sabbath is a powerful message in all these categories.

All scripture is to be read as God intended it to be read.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

 

[Truth7t7]

Amen.

Scripture states that God has declared the end from the beginning:

Isaiah chapter 46

[9] Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
[10] Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

I fully believe that by resting from his own works on the seventh day, God declared that man would rest from his labors after 6 days or after 6000 years seeing how "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Pet. 3:8).

We truly are in the last days.

One day is with the Lord as a 1,000 years, does nothing more than teach the Lord is outside the earthly realm of time, the Alpha/Omega

 

[Phoneman-777]

I'm not getting into a long, drawn out discussion on this topic (they're ultimately fruitless), but I will say this:

The Sabbath is a shadow or a foreshadowing of things to come:

Colossians chapter 2

[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

God worked for six days and rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2-3, Heb. 4:4).

Seeing how "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Pet. 3:8), man's time to labor on this earth is 6,000 years, and then he (the Christians) will rest for 1,000 years during the coming Millennial Reign of Christ.

Let the endless arguments begin (while I'm busy trying to minister to people elsewhere)...

While you're out there twisting Scripture and spreading Biblical disinformation, I'll take a moment to explain two things for those who are still here:
1) words mean things
2) a text without the context is a pretext (your post being a textbook example)

THE SABBATH OF COLOSSIANS 2:14-16 KJV HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE 4TH COMMANDMENT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS BECAUSE: ​

Colossians 2:14 KJV refers to "the handwriting of ordinances". Moses wrote the Mosaic Law with his hand. The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God.


Colossians 2:14 KJV refers to the "handwriting of ordinances that was AGAINST US". Deuteronomy 31:24-26 KJV plainly says it was the Mosaic Law that was "AGAINST THEE".


The Mosaic Law that was "against thee" was written by the hand of Moses in a BOOK. The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God IN STONE. Deuteronomy 31:24-26 KJV


The Mosaic Law was "against us" because it was filled with JUDGMENTS. The Ten Commandments are not against us because they contain PROMISES AND BLESSINGS, according to Exodus 20:11 KJV and Ephesians 6:2 KJV.


Colossians 2:14 KJV refers to "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us", which Moses wrote with his hand, in a book, was placed OUTSIDE THE ARK while the Table of Stone containing the 4th Commandment were placed INSIDE THE ARK: Deuteronomy 31:26 KJV; Hebrews 9:4 KJV


Colossians 2:16 KJV is a list of elements which pertain to the ceremonial and sacrificial Law of Moses: meat offerings, drink offerings, new moons observances, holy days (such as "Purim"), and "sabbath" days, which pertain to the yearly Feast Days and have nothing to do with the 4th Commandment:

• The yearly Feast Days were called "sabbaths/no work days/holy convocations": Leviticus 23:6-8 KJV; Leviticus 23:15 KJV; Leviticus 21:24 KJV; etc.
• The yearly Feast Days (sabbaths) were referred to as "your (Israel's) sabbaths": Leviticus 23:32 KJV
• The weekly Sabbath was "besides" and apart from the yearly Feast Days sabbaths: Leviticus 23:38 KJV
• The weekly Sabbaths are referred to as the "Sabbath of the Lord": Leviticus 23:38 KJV; Isaiah 58:13 KJV; Mark 2:28 KJV

Colossians 2:16 KJV refers to "a shadow of things to come" which could only pertain to the yearly Feast Day sabbaths which foreshadowed the mission of Christ (eg.: "Passover = Christ, the Lamb of God). The weekly Sabbath wasn't a shadow of anything because it was made before sin entered the world and all was still light.

THE WEEKLY SABBATH WAS NEVER NOR IS NOW A SHADOW AT ALL, IT IS A MEMORIAL TO CREATION WEEK AND NOW IN ADDITION TO IT, A MEMORIAL TO MAN'S RECREATION IN CHRIST - MEMORIALS WHICH WILL STAND FAST FOREVER AND EVER, WHILE THE CEREMONIAL YEARLY FEAST DAY SABBATHS HAVE LONG SINCE BEEN NAILED TO THE CROSS, WHICH WAS THE POINT OF COLOSSIANS 2:14-16 KJV.​

 

[Blik]

It is a shame that bible truth is so often mixed with fleshly reasoning and not read as truths from the Lord. The fleshly people often turn the truths into that if God only saves through grace, then it is permission of not listen to the law. They turn the truth that Christ defines the law in stone as law of the heart as the holy spirit gives us into that God cancelled the law.

 

[Truth7t7]

While you're out there twisting Scripture and spreading Biblical disinformation, I'll take a moment to explain two things for those who are still here:
1) words mean things
2) a text without the context is a pretext (your post being a textbook example)

THE SABBATH OF COLOSSIANS 2:14-16 KJV HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE 4TH COMMANDMENT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS BECAUSE: ​

Colossians 2:14 KJV refers to "the handwriting of ordinances". Moses wrote the Mosaic Law with his hand. The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God.


Colossians 2:14 KJV refers to the "handwriting of ordinances that was AGAINST US". Deuteronomy 31:24-26 KJV plainly says it was the Mosaic Law that was "AGAINST THEE".


The Mosaic Law that was "against thee" was written by the hand of Moses in a BOOK. The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God IN STONE. Deuteronomy 31:24-26 KJV


The Mosaic Law was "against us" because it was filled with JUDGMENTS. The Ten Commandments are not against us because they contain PROMISES AND BLESSINGS, according to Exodus 20:11 KJV and Ephesians 6:2 KJV.


Colossians 2:14 KJV refers to "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us", which Moses wrote with his hand, in a book, was placed OUTSIDE THE ARK while the Table of Stone containing the 4th Commandment were placed INSIDE THE ARK: Deuteronomy 31:26 KJV; Hebrews 9:4 KJV


Colossians 2:16 KJV is a list of elements which pertain to the ceremonial and sacrificial Law of Moses: meat offerings, drink offerings, new moons observances, holy days (such as "Purim"), and "sabbath" days, which pertain to the yearly Feast Days and have nothing to do with the 4th Commandment:

• The yearly Feast Days were called "sabbaths/no work days/holy convocations": Leviticus 23:6-8 KJV; Leviticus 23:15 KJV; Leviticus 21:24 KJV; etc.
• The yearly Feast Days (sabbaths) were referred to as "your (Israel's) sabbaths": Leviticus 23:32 KJV
• The weekly Sabbath was "besides" and apart from the yearly Feast Days sabbaths: Leviticus 23:38 KJV
• The weekly Sabbaths are referred to as the "Sabbath of the Lord": Leviticus 23:38 KJV; Isaiah 58:13 KJV; Mark 2:28 KJV

Colossians 2:16 KJV refers to "a shadow of things to come" which could only pertain to the yearly Feast Day sabbaths which foreshadowed the mission of Christ (eg.: "Passover = Christ, the Lamb of God). The weekly Sabbath wasn't a shadow of anything because it was made before sin entered the world and all was still light.

THE WEEKLY SABBATH WAS NEVER NOR IS NOW A SHADOW AT ALL, IT IS A MEMORIAL TO CREATION WEEK AND NOW IN ADDITION TO IT, A MEMORIAL TO MAN'S RECREATION IN CHRIST - MEMORIALS WHICH WILL STAND FAST FOREVER AND EVER, WHILE THE CEREMONIAL YEARLY FEAST DAY SABBATHS HAVE LONG SINCE BEEN NAILED TO THE CROSS, WHICH WAS THE POINT OF COLOSSIANS 2:14-16 KJV.​

Those believers in Colossians were being judged for keeping the Sabbaths and New Moons

These New Moons and Sabbaths are "Eternal" and will also be observed in the New Heaven and Earth

Colossians 2:16-17KJV
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Isaiah 66:22-23KJV
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

 

[Blik]

Those believers in Colossians were being judged for keeping the Sabbaths and New Moons

These New Moons and Sabbaths are "Eternal" and will also be observed in the New Heaven and Earth

Colossians 2:16-17KJV
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Isaiah 66:22-23KJV
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

If you believe that then you have to think the old testament is not scripture breathed by a holy and perfect God. It goes along with thinking that God owned up to His error and cancelled what the old testament said instead of improving and fulfilling it,

It even denies the validity of the Lord's Prayer in which we say of the Father "Holy be His name". A Holy God would not tell us of a Sabbath, and then punish us for believing what He said.

 

[phil36]

Colossians 2:14 KJV refers to "the handwriting of ordinances". Moses wrote the Mosaic Law with his hand. The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God.

The ten commandments -

-- And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. (Exodus 32:19( Stone written by God's finger destroyed)).


The ten commandments written down by Moses the second time.

-- And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:27).

 

[phil36]

Here are two early confessions of faith springing from the reformation that brought the church back to its biblical roots. This what they have gleamed from scripture.

Baptist confession of Faith 1689.

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day -

PARAGRAPH 7

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him,28 which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day:29 and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.

28 Exod. 20:8
29 1 Cor. 16:1–2; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10

PARAGRAPH 8
The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe a holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations,30 but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.31
30 Isa. 58:13; Neh. 13:15–22
31 Matt. 12:1–13


----------------------------------------------------------------



Westminster Confession of Faith 1647.

II. As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto Him [k] which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week,(l) which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s Day,(m) and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.[o]

(k) Exod. 20:8, 10, 11; Isa. 56:2, 4, 6, 7.
(l) Gen. 2:2, 3; I Cor. 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7.
(m) Rev. 1:10.
[o]Exod. 20:8, 10, with Matt. 5:17, 18.

VIII. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations,(o) but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.(p)

(o) Exod. 20:8; Exod. 16:23, 25, 26, 29, 30; Exod. 31:15, 16, 17; Isa. 58:13; Neh. 13:15 - 19, 21, 22.
(p) Isa. 58:13; Matt. 12:1 to 13.

 

[TheLearner]

I'm sure most will immediately disagree, and rightly so. Jesus' fulfilling of the Spirit of the Law in us does not permit us to break the Letter of the Law.

Yes, the Letter of the Law is a killer, but to whom? To him who attempts to obtain salvation through observing it - which is impossible, according to Romans 8:7 KJV and Luke 17:10 KJV. But, to the Christian who keeps the Spirit of the Law forbidding lust - and by that will automatically be keeping the Letter of the Law forbidding the act of adultery - to him, it is not a killer, but a "Law of Liberty".

So, if the fact that Jesus is our truth, reward, and faithfulness does not permit us to lie, steal, or fornicate...why do so many claim that since Jesus is their spiritual rest, they may freely break the fourth commandment? To the contrary, if Jesus is indeed our inward Spiritual rest, we will demonstrate that by outward obedience to the fourth commandment, according to Hebrews 4:9-10 KJV. The only rest God ever took was literal rest from His work of creation on the seventh day; the only day upon which He rested, blessed it, and sanctified it. If He is indeed our spiritual rest, we ought to evidence that by literally resting on the seventh day Sabbath day. Need I remind anyone, it's not the fourth "suggestion", it's the Fourth Commandment, right or wrong?

Romans 6
Easy-to-Read Version
Dead to Sin but Alive in Christ

6 So do you think we should continue sinning so that God will give us more and more grace? 2 Of course not! Our old sinful life ended. It’s dead. So how can we continue living in sin? 3 Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. 4 So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life.

5 Christ died, and we have been joined with him by dying too. So we will also be joined with him by rising from death as he did. 6 We know that our old life was put to death on the cross with Christ. This happened so that our sinful selves would have no power over us. Then we would not be slaves to sin. 7 Anyone who has died is made free from sin’s control.

8 If we died with Christ, we know that we will also live with him. 9 Christ was raised from death. And we know that he cannot die again. Death has no power over him now. 10 Yes, when Christ died, he died to defeat the power of sin one time—enough for all time. He now has a new life, and his new life is with God. 11 In the same way, you should see yourselves as being dead to the power of sin and alive for God through Christ Jesus.

12 But don’t let sin control your life here on earth. You must not be ruled by the things your sinful self makes you want to do. 13 Don’t offer the parts of your body to serve sin. Don’t use your bodies to do evil, but offer yourselves to God, as people who have died and now live. Offer the parts of your body to God to be used for doing good. 14 Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace.

Slaves of Goodness
15 So what should we do? Should we sin because we are under grace and not under law? Certainly not! 16 Surely you know that you become the slaves of whatever you give yourselves to. Anything or anyone you follow will be your master. You can follow sin, or you can obey God. Following sin brings spiritual death, but obeying God makes you right with him. 17 In the past you were slaves to sin—sin controlled you. But thank God, you fully obeyed what you were taught. 18 You were made free from sin, and now you are slaves to what is right. 19 I use this example from everyday life because you need help in understanding spiritual truths. In the past you offered the parts of your body to be slaves to your immoral and sinful thoughts. The result was that you lived only for sin. In the same way, you must now offer yourselves to be slaves to what is right. Then you will live only for God.

20 In the past you were slaves to sin, and you did not even think about doing right. 21 You did evil things, and now you are ashamed of what you did. Did those things help you? No, they only brought death. 22 But now you are free from sin. You have become slaves of God, and the result is that you live only for God. This will bring you eternal life. 23 When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death. But God gives his people a free gift—eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.