We're Saved, Now What

Pastor Craig continued our Chapter 2 series by delivering a message “We’re Saved, Now What?” How did you react after receiving salvation? Did you react passively to salvation seeing it as a get out of jail free card or did you eventually come to a place of frustration because you believed the promises of God but could not overcome sin? However you reacted, the message for you today is that there is more to salvation. Paul in Romans spoke to the second group. He wrote to people who obeyed from the heart the pattern of sound teaching, yet found themselves doing the sin they did not want to do. Paul confessed his own struggle with continuing to sin when he did not want to. Paul taught two major principles that we need to master in order to live in victory over sin. 

1. Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ (Romans 6:11) 

The term reckon in Romans is not the same southern term used to say, “I reckon we’ll go get some Japanese food after church.” Reckon is accounting term that means to count something towards an account in the absence of what is needed. You may not see the evidence of being dead to sin, yet because of Christ’s finished work you can already count all your sin as dead. Count yourself as dead to sin and also alive in Christ. Because of Christ’s finished work, you can look in the mirror and boldly declare, “The life of Christ is living in me and through me.” You were saved by faith and you will be sanctified by faith. 

2. Present yourself as an obedient slave 

Paul is not condoning slavery. He is using a human analogy the people of the time could easily relate to so they could understand the relationship they are to have to righteousness. We all serve something first whether it’s our own passions, desires, communities, families, or God. The thing we present ourselves most often to ends up ruling over us. If we present ourselves to work first, it rules over spending time with family or going to church. If we present ourselves to God first, He will rule over all of our activities- including sin. 

Do not be deceived we all struggle with idols or things we serve first. Temptation tends to come in one of four categories: 

1. Power 

2. Control 

3. Approval 

4. Pleasure 

This week ask yourself: 

Where am I still continuing to sin? 

Which idols do I tend to struggle with the most power, control, approval, or pleasure? 

What can I do daily to reckon myself dead to the specific sin and count myself as alive to Christ and his will for that area of my life? 

How can I present myself as a slave to righteousness this week? 

God desires for you to walk in freedom from sin. He proved it by reckoning you as righteous. Now it’s your turn to reckon yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ.