Sin is Slavery...not Freedom

So I'm reading Galatians chapter 5 again,

the title of that chapter being 'Freedom in Christ'

Now Paul is talking to everyone about

the law, and how some of them have

got things twisted and confused.

Some of the people seemed to be to heavily

influenced by the "old-way" and having to

do things in a set way, and trying to work

their way into Gods good graces,

which we know it doesn't work that way.

I'm reading the "notes" for chapter five verse one through twenty one,

and at the very end it says "Sin is slavery, not freedom"

Reading that now, i'm like "yeah I can see that"

however there was a time where I thought the complete opposite.

Do you see where I am going with this?

I use to think "being of Christ" a "Christian"

a "believer" whatever you want to call it,

I use to think that was slavery, and I use to think sinning

was "freedom". When I was on the outside looking in,

when I was looking at the word of God and

at "Followers of Christ" I was thinking..

"what a bunch of sheep" why would

I ever want to become a "believer" and be

chained down from doing whatever I want.

I use to think, hell I don't have to read the bible..

I already can tell you what it's all about,

it's a book of rules, it's a book of don't do this and don't do that

live this way and not that way ect ect.

Everything that feels good is a sin, everything that you want to do

you can't do.

Now obviously I could make an argument with those things,

I could of kept on believing that way, but thanks be to God

for opening my eyes and removing the scales.

Sure when you are gratifying your flesh and sinful nature

it seems "freeing" because you are doing

what you want and selfishly giving into your human nature which is to sin.

However in the end what does it do for you?

when you are done doing whatever YOU desired,

when you are alone by yourself at some point in time

you're going to wonder what is it all for? what is the point?

guilt and shame are going to come into play, and maybe

you just drink more to make it go away or whatever

the guilty pleasure is. You're going to come to find

that nothing you do is going to satisfy you,

no amount of drinking or drugs or sex or whatever

is ever going to make you feel whole...

the only person that can do that is Jesus Christ.

Sure sinning and doing whatever you want

will make you feel good for a moment or two,

the key words would be "feel good for a moment"

it will never "satisfy" you, you will never be fulfilled following

your sinful ways, something will always be missing.

Just like what was stated last week..

"money can't by you happiness"

neither can being in the darkness

and following your sinful nature.

Why do you think there is so much depression and suicide?

To many people are forced to believe one thing or another

is going to make them happy, to many people are led

to believe that this is all there is, and when they

follow their desires...when they get what the world

tells them will make them happy and it turns out

that it actually doesn't, they figure.. what's the point?

obviously there are other reasons for depression/suicide

and I won't get into all that. The point I'm trying to make is,

who is actually the person in slavery?

is it the "believer in Christ" like the world would like you to believe

or is it the "non-believer" who gratifies his sinful nature...

Before I tell you why It's the latter let me just clarify

something real quick. Now obviously

the believer and non believer are both sinners..

the only difference is one side recognizes his faults and doesn't

willfully give into sin, and knows Jesus came and sacrificed himself

for his sinful nature, and the other side obviously doesn't believe that.

So why is a person living in sin not free?

why is sin slavery and not freedom?

First of all a price was paid for our sins

so that in itself should explain why it's not "free".

Second as stated above you don't feel at peace

gratifying your sinful nature, the more you seek for

happiness in your sins the more you will be weighed down by them...

I.E the more you put money first in your life the more

it's going to become a burden to you.

you'll constantly be working and striving to find fulfillment

but you'll never find it, never will you be complete

or at peace because something will always be missing.

We become burdened when we are far from Christ...

constantly seeking something to fulfill ourselves...

because we all want happiness.

In the end we will all face judgement,

God will either welcome us with open arms

or turn away and say he never knew us.

and again every single one of us sins,

and we will never be perfect...

but accepting Christ's sacrifice lifts the burden of sin,

Christ took all of our sins on his shoulders and he barred them all for us.

willfully giving into sin and denying your Lord and savior

is not freedom at all because you yourself are picking

those chains Christ already broke and you are putting

them right back on yourself. You are shackling

yourself to your own demise and a price will be paid.

As a follower of Christ I am free from the bonds of sins

not because I'm better then you...

not because I deserve to be...

But because Christ died for me,

because he knew I couldn't be perfect...

because he knows I am a failure, and I can't do this alone.

Where is the freedom in selfishness?

In the end we all have a choice..

it's choose life or choose death..

choose freedom or choose slavery..

we can choose to be that slave to sin,

ignore that voice inside telling us when something isn't right

and do whatever we desire

but going down that road only leads to pain and sorrow...

maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow...

but someday you are going to wonder

what is this life all for?

I followed all that my heart desired

only to find that it was all pointless and meaningless...

It is freedom that Christ has set us

free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves

be burdened again by as yoke of slavery.

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let

yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value

to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself

be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been

alienated from Christ; you have fallen

away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through

the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision

has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing

itself through love.

Galatians 5:1-6

So I say, live by the spirit, and you will not gratify

the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature

desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit

what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict

with eachother, so that you do not do what you want.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:

sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred,discord,jealousy,

fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live

like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:16-21