As I write, our country goes to the polls tomorrow. We will vote to elect our leader who will determine how our taxes are spent, who will receive the brief and codes of our nuclear deterrent and who will shape our day-to-day lives for the next five years. By the time you read this, we will have had a new Prime Minister – or we could say a new Prime Master – for almost two months.
In Romans 6, the apostle Paul lays out two ways, two choices, two Masters. And these two Masters matter so much more than whoever our new Prime Minister/Master is, important though that position is. Whichever Master we serve – and we must serve one – has eternal consequences. In fact, Paul uses even stronger language than ‘serve’ in verse 16: Whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or slaves to obedience which leads to righteousness.
Whether a master is good or bad, a slave is bound to them. And as followers of Christ, we are bound to him. Paul calls the church in Rome and us today to live under our master Jesus Christ with the joy and certainty that he alone brings eternal life. To round off his glorious argument in verses 15-22, Paul gives us two truths in verse 23 that will motivate us to live under Christ as our Master.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Firstly, sin pays a wage – death. For the wages of sin is death (verse 23a). Life under slavery to sin might look free with enticing choices promising fulfilment and no consequences. But guilt, shame and eventually death come knocking. In the end, the apparent freedom of ‘I’ll live however I want’ turns out to be slavery, and there’s a penalty to pay for a life opposed to God. Master Sin never fails to pay his slaves what they earn and what they deserve.
And yet secondly and wonderfully, God gives a gift – eternal life. …but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (verse 23b). And this eternal life comes with abundant blessings: a restored relationship with God forever, forgiven forever, freedom forever, fullness forever, righteous forever. This ‘slavery’ is like no other.
But how did those born into slavery under Master Sin come under Master Righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance (verse 17). We, along with these Roman Christians from the first century AD, have placed our allegiance and our confidence in the gospel. Through obedience to the gospel that comes from faith, we come under the shelter and security of the gospel which now keeps us safe for all eternity.
So, there’s no reason to go back to our former Master Sin. That way lies guilt, shame and death. Rather, having been set free from sin through the power of the cross, we live as slaves who are children of God, the King of Kings, a life which leads to fruitful holiness now and a glorious eternity with him.
And our kind, generous, gracious life-giving Master is available to all. He opens his nail-scarred hands to all, regardless of race, colour, sexual orientation or background. He does this as we hold out the gospel across the world through our mission partners and project partners. And he does this as we call on people to respond to his words in repentance and faith, as they believe the good news. What a Master we have!
Rupert Shelley, Director of Mission Partnerships