Self-Examination…Feeling Defeated or Victorious? Feeling Enslaved to Sin or Righteousness?

​Real Dudes,
Last night for my devotions I read 2 Peter 2, which sparked the interest to share the following passages with each of you. Let me encourage you to soften your hearts and allow the Lord to speak into you this morning. What change are you going to allow Him to make in your life today?
Practicing His Presence,
Nate

Judges 8:21b (NIV) ‘As is the man, so is his strength.’

Proverbs 5:22 (HCSB) A wicked man’s iniquities entrap him; he is entangled in the ropes of his own sin.

2 Peter 2:19-20 (HCSB) They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them. For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.

Romans 6:1-7 (HCSB) The New Life in Christ
6 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life. 5 For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be  in the likeness of His resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin’s claims.

John 8:30-36 (HCSB) Truth and Freedom
30 As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered Him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

Galatians 5:1 (ASV) For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

Romans 6:16-18 (HCSB) 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to, 18 and having been liberated from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

One author states that, “Once we come to Christ in repentance and receive forgiveness for sin, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit who comes to live within us. It is by His power that we are able to resist sinning and become slaves of righteousness. Jesus’ disciples belong to Him and want to do the things that please Him. This means that the children of God obey Him and live in freedom from habitual sin. We can do this because Jesus has set us free from the slavery of sin (John 8:36), and thus we are no longer under its penalty of death and separation from God.” Full Article entitled What does it mean to be a slave to sin? on gotquestions.org

Need a relationship with Christ? Click here to learn more about the Steps to Peace with God by Billy Graham

Song: Whole Heart by Hillsong United “sin has no hold on me, ‘cause Your grace holds me now.”