Debbe Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all Ther is no middle ground. We cannot sit on the fence, we are either obedient to sin or obedient to righteousness, period. We long for middle ground in order that we could do as we please, we don't have to commit. We have to grow and mature in The Lord . We learn to love The Lord more as we practice obedience to Him, therefore wanting to please Him more and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbe Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all Ther is no middle ground. We cannot sit on the fence, we are either obedient to sin or obedient to righteousness, period. We long for middle ground in order that we could do as we please, we don't have to commit. We have to grow and mature in The Lord . We learn to love The Lord more as we practice obedience to Him, therefore wanting to please Him more and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbe Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all Ther is no middle ground. We cannot sit on the fence, we are either obedient to sin or obedient to righteousness, period. We long for middle ground in order that we could do as we please, we don't have to commit. We have to grow and mature in The Lord . We learn to love The Lord more as we practice obedience to Him, therefore wanting to please Him more and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouse2014 Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? According to Paul the analogy of Rom: 618-22 there is non place for independence from sin or Christ, a person will do one thing or another. Though we would deceive ourselves into thinking we could be independent, we want to do things our way we must take sides either to Christ or to evil. If we live by the worldly ways which is opposed to Gods ways then we will suffer eternal condemnation in hell. If we chose Christ and His ways are not guaranteed a trouble free life, but through faith and obedience we will have life eternal with God. We may hesitate to make a decision because we want people to think we have done everything on our own initiative and virtue, this basically shows we are full of self pride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinstonY Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? No Paul is quite clear that we must make a choice we are for God or for the force of evil. It is a matter of man's free choice we chose the side of good or the side of evil. Jesus said you cannot serve both God and mammon.(Matthew 6,24) We hesitate because the desires of the world really have a strong control upon us. And just as Adam could not keep from the earthy taste temptation of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Dave Posted August 10, 2018 Report Share Posted August 10, 2018 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? There is NO middle ground. The line between righteousness and sin is cut and dry. Just like the saying that states that just a partial, or little white lie is a lie, not matter what kind of coating you try to apply. Christ represents ultimate righteousness whereas Satan is the complete opposite. One bad apple spoils the whole cart. Perhaps the reason we long for the independence of both is because no matter how much we are cleaned up, there always seems to be something else that at the least needs dusting off. The fact that we are not as perfect as we would like is a constant source of frustration for many. It is so easy to get sidetracked into wanting to do something that we know we shouldn’t do. Sometimes we achieve victory and sometimes we take a fall. The culture of “being independent” which is constantly in our face doesn’t help either. The problem itself originates with the biggest trouble maker of all, Satan, who is not content to leave God’s people alone. There could be several reasons as to why we are slow to make our allegiance known to all. Among these, fear and pride. A new convert often gets harassed in more ways than one. Pride sets in because having come to the saving power of Christ, being called a hypocrite the next morning by his boss doesn’t exactly help. Being the designated low man on the totem pole, having to work the hardest while being the least paid can do something to a person. It takes a strength which we often don’t realize we have acquired, which is Christ in us. Humility doesn’t always come to us overnight, and that, in my opinion is a real big thing. Also, it takes faith to believe in all the promises the Bible has to offer whereas the worldly view is much easier to accept because of the lack of commitment. The world’s view of commitment is much different that that of a firm, faith-filled believer. If I appear to be talking in circles here it is because I know what I want to say but just not good enough with words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Adekunle Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 On 8/16/2008 at 1:15 AM, Pastor Ralph said: Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? No. There is no middle ground or independence here. It's all or none of one or the other. This is most likely due to another lie of the enemy; he deceives us into thinking we can be independent of God and not enslaved to sin. This is a lie as only slavery to God can break the stronghold the sinful nature has over our wills. There may be various reasons for this: the most commonly encountered stems from a need to be accepted by our peers and society at large. Others include fear of persecution and fear of being unable to live up to the standard expected / declared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lottie Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? No, there is only slavery to sin or to Christ. We either choose to follow our own evil desires and sin or we follow Christ. There is no middle ground because we were born sinners. We long to be independent because it is in our nature from Adam amd Eve. We want to be able to do what we want and still follow Him but we cannot. We have to surrender everything to Him in order to follow Him. We sometimes hesitate because we fear man more than we fear God. We want their approval and God's but we cannot have both. We must choose this day whom we will serve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godswriter Posted December 1, 2020 Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? No there is not apart from being able to choose to sin and that is not a choice at all really. We long for it because of our sinful nature longs to be away from the Creator while our Spirit longs for the opposite. We have warring factions inside of us that want exact opposite for us basically. I believe it's because we are sometimes unsure God has our best interests at heart and won't let us down like people do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyF Posted March 17, 2021 Report Share Posted March 17, 2021 Q5. (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? 2 Peter 2:19 says, “for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” Scripture declares we are beholden to who or what controls us, motivates us, has the strongest voice in our heart. Jesus, in talking to the Pharisees, made it clear there where only two spheres in which man operates. If God were your Father, ye would love me...(but)Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. Jn. 8:42,44 An unsaved person would like to live however he wished and not be accountable to God…to decide what is acceptable, what is true, and “good enough” to pass a final test. Unregenerate hearts want to be in control and answer only to their own truth. Our cravings for personal affirmation and acceptance often cause us to be someone who is best received by whomever we’re with. There’s a cost to declaring an allegiance. Some things will need to be forsaken; some convictions will offend/alienate relationships. Sanctification will, by definition, separate us from the world. 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Mark 8:34, ESV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmela Posted May 29, 2021 Report Share Posted May 29, 2021 (Romans 6:18-22) In Paul's analogy in these verses, is there a place of independent freedom apart from "slavery" to sin or to Christ? No. There is either following Christ or sin. No middle way. Why do we long for this kind of independent freedom? It is actually chaotic. If we do not choose God's way. We have chosen sin. I guess we only think we're free. Actually it is a bondage. Why do we hesitate to firmly take sides and make our allegiance clear to all? We hesitate because of responsibility or accountability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted September 3, 2023 Report Share Posted September 3, 2023 We tend to not see the binary nature of sin, that we're either sinning or not sinning ... a slave to sin or a slave to God. In our minds, sin should be placed on a sliding scale. We can sin a little bit. We can love God a little bit, or much more. The old Catholic idea of venial and mortal sin expresses this. I don't think we're ever completely free. Not in this life. We're always forced to make choices as if being a slave to righteousness is something we can take off and then put on again. I do see how holiness grows or expands in us. But it's still easy to ignore the subtle promptings that ever-perfect the holiness within us. It's not that we are good enough, or even good for we must fight the evilness in us that makes us sin. We can be focusing on godly things and ideas and still sin. We can be living in accordance with the Spirit and slip up. So, yes, there's a place for independent freedom. The choices we make are done within the context of this freedom. The paradox could be that our freedom makes it necessary to choose slavery to either Him or sin. We hesitate to make a firm choice because, in part, sin seems alluring, and in a larger part, our ability to choose -- pride! -- is also alluring. Lastly, the illusion that there's a middle ground makes it seem like we can live in the grey zone between sin and God. Obviously, this is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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