The Book of Romans: “Slaves To Righteousness”

 

The Book of Romans 

Introduction:

Good morning friends. Welcome to Eastern Shore Baptist Church. What a delight it is to see all of you here this morning. My name is Stuart Davidson. I am the pastor here at ESBC. Before I go much further, I owe a huge thank you for our Associate Pastor Josh Raybon. As many of you know, I missed the last 2 Sundays due to a mission trip to Alaska. 15 members from the church made the some 4000 mile journey to Anchorage, Alaska. We had a tremendous mission adventure that started at 2:45 a.m. on Sunday, July 6th and concluded on a red eye home last Sunday, July 13th. 

What a blessing it is to be able to leave and know that the church, this pulpit, this body, is in good hands with Josh. Thank you my friend for the last two Sunday. You did an amazing job my brother. 

Now, on to today’s message. 

The year was 1979. I was one year old at the time. The legend singer song writer Bob Dylan had just penned a new song. Dylan had experienced a spiritual conversion of sorts to Christianity. He became enamored with the concept of repentance. Turning from his sin to pursue Christ. 

Understand at this point in time friends, Bob Dylan was wealthy, successful, and famous. Everyone knew his name and the days of anonymity were over. The song that Dylan wrote was entitled “Gotta Serve Somebody”. 

The chorus goes, “You’re gonna have to serve somebody…well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”

Bob Dylan was famously known to have struggled with addiction throughout his life. Heroin, amphetamines, marijuana, LSD and cocaine to name a few. He became so dependent on these drugs that he couldn’t perform without them. 

The story goes that Dylan was deep in his addiction, when at a show in San Diego, a fan threw a silver cross on the stage. Dylan picked up the cross and wore it in subsequent shows. That simple act of picking up that silver cross got him thinking about Christ, about His sacrifice, and about what it meant to be a true disciple. One night, in a lonely hotel room, Bob Dylan read the Gospels. He was immediately convicted of his sin. He hit his knees and to the best of his ability, gave his life to Jesus Christ. 

It was that night that because a turning point for Dylan. Desiring to turn his life around, he worked hard to let go of his addiction and pursue Christ with his whole heart. Bob Dylan stated that “Jesus put His hand on me” and that singular act set him free from sin, from shame, from addiction, and from slavery. 

Now, I don’t know where Bob Dylan stands today. It is a bit of a mixed bag. Depending on who you read, Dylan remains a devout Christ follower. Some say that his faith has taken some twists and turns over the years. All I know is what he is quoted as saying. All I know is what he has claimed publicly. On a stage, during a performance in 1980, Bob Dylan stated definitively, “Jesus is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. He’s the Master of every situation.”

You see friends, Bob Dylan the sinner died in that hotel room back in the 70’s. Bob Dylan, the slave to righteousness exited. 

In fact, that is the title of my message this morning. “Slaves to Righteousness”

Today’s Message:

“Slaves To Righteousness”

Here is the good news this morning friends. God doesn’t just call the singer songwriters of the world. He doesn’t just call the talented, the legendary, the famous. No. He is calling you and me too. Jesus, as Scripture says, stands at the door and knocks. 

Can you see Him there? He is standing at the door of your heart, wanting to have a relationship with you. Desiring to connect with you. He has already done the work to save you, to deliver you. The call of Christ is clear. However, Christ will never force Himself on you. You and I have the free will choice to say “yes” or to say “no”. 

As Baptists, we believe in free will. Salvation is offered to everyone everywhere. The emphasis here is offered. Salvation is not compelled and we are not under compulsion. 

God created you and I with moral responsibility. We were created with the ability to make choices. God initiates salvations. God calls us unto Himself, but we are given the choice to love or to hate God. We are not robots. We are not automatons. Love cannot be forced, otherwise it is not truly love. 

Do me a favor this morning, fill in the blanks under “Today’s Thought”. Christ is calling. Cling to corruption. We can choose the world. We can make the decision to say “no” to God’s Lordship and His authority. 

Cling to corruption or commit to Christ! The choice is yours. 

Today’s Thought:

Christ Is Calling! Cling to Corruption or Commit to Christ! 

The Choice Is Yours!

Perhaps what I am saying is best communicated by the late great Billy Graham himself. This quote is taken from his book entitled “The Journey”. Listen to what Dr. Graham had to say about the matter of choice. The choice to follow Christ or deny Him. The choice to hear the call or ignore it. 

Today’s Quote:

“You have a choice to make. Will you be part of the world system that is doomed to destruction, or will you be part of God’s eternal kingdom? The world promises pleasure but delivers pain. It offers freedom but leads to bondage. But Christ offers life, real life, eternal life. The choice is not easy, but it is clear. You cannot walk both paths. One leads to death, the other to life. You must decide.”

-Billy Graham’s “The Journey: How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World”

Background and Context:

Let’s be honest here friends. No one likes to talk about slavery. Slavery is ugly. It’s horrible. Just saying the world brings up connotations of black men, women, boys and girls who had to endure the worst sorts of treatment. When I say “slavery”, we think of Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, racism, and bigotry. 

Here’s the reality, slavery is ugly today and it was ugly then. Slavery was real and visible in Roman society just as it was in the pre-Civil War South. Paul brings up the idea of slavery not to be dramatic, but to illustrate a powerful truth. The question is not if you are serving a slave master, it’s which slave master are you serving?

Everyone, everywhere, is a slave. We are born into slavery. Every single person in this room is a slave. If you are drawing breath this morning, you are a slave. Every person is a servant to something: either sin that leads to death or obedience that leads to life. You are either a slave to this world, this worldly system. You are either a slave to Satan or you are a slave to Christ. Satan is a cruel master. Jesus tell us that he comes to steal, kill and destroy. Not Jesus. If you are a slave to Christ, you receive justification, righteousness, kindness, compassion, and deliverance. Paul wants the church to see that righteousness isn’t passive. It’s a path, a daily choice to surrender to Christ. This passage is about identity, allegiance, and destination. You’ve been set free from sin, not to run wild, but to walk worthy. You’re no longer chained by your past, you’re claimed by the righteousness of Jesus. 

So, let’s dive into today’s Scripture.

Statement of Belief:

“We believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word—completely true, trustworthy, and full of power. It teaches us what’s right, calls out what’s wrong, corrects our path, and helps us grow in godly living. God’s Word brings life, offers peace in hard times, and gives strength when we’re struggling. It’s alive and speaks straight to our hearts. There’s no book like it—so let’s stand together in honor of it.”

Today’s Scripture:

Romans 6:15-23 ESV

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! [16] Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? [17] But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, [18] and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. [19] I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. [20] For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. [21] But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. [22] But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pastor: “This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: “Praise His name. Praise His holy name.”

The Path To Righteous Living!

I. Surrender: Leaving Sin Behind vs. 15

So, Paul pretty clearly gives us the path to righteous living. I believe if you read verses 15-23, you can find three ways to living righteously. Let’s start with our first point this morning. Roman numeral one, righteous living starts with surrender. We must leave sin behind. Go back to verse 15 this morning. 

“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!”

“Living righteously begins when we wave the white flag to sin and bow the knee to Christ.”

Leaving sin behind is hard. It is nearly impossible. I confess, I sin everyday. I don’t want to sin. I try hard not to sin. I get mad at myself when I sin and I feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I do sin. Paul speaks to this in 

If all that is true, then why do I continue to sin?

First, sin is in our nature. It is as old as Adam and Eve. Josh spoke a couple of weeks ago and helped us understand that sin has been given to us like a terrible present that can’t be return. That gift was given to us by Adam and Eve. Sin has been passed down from generation to generation. Sin was birthed in the garden and it has become fully grown. Sin infects everything. Sin impacts our politics and our parenting. Sin infiltrates our mind and our military. Sin is in our schools and in our spirits. Sin is crafty and cunning. Sin will ultimately kill us. 

That’s right friends, you will not die of heart disease or a bad case decadent living. You won’t die of cancer or a car accident. What kills us all is sin. It is the primary cause of every single death that has ever or will ever occur. There is no escape. Run from it. Try to outsmart it. Try to bargain with it. None of it matters. Death is on your doorstep and it is bound to start knocking. 

You might say to yourself, “well, I just won’t sin anymore”. 

That’s a good thought. If it were only that easy. 

Did you know that it is impossible for you to stop sinning? It’s true. the Bible even says so!

I John 1:8 reminds us that “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” Every single person in this room is a rotten sinner. 

Pslam 51:5 delivers another difficult reality, you were sinful from your first breath. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

I argued this point to a young lady that I met in Anchorage this past week. Her name is Voidyn. She is a transgender male, meaning that she is presenting herself to the world as a man but is ultimately a woman. She claimed that she had numerous persons living inside of her, filling the void of her soul, hence the name Voidyn. She introduced herself to me and then provided to me her pronouns, “they and we”. As I shared with her the Gospel she became triggered at this reality. Telling me that she believed people to be good by nature. “We are ruined by this world”, she claimed. 

No Voidyn. We are sinful from birth, enemies of God, alienated from His love and holiness. It is my firm belief that Voidyn is simply the name of the demons that have possessed this child of God. Her very story reminded me of the story of Jesus casting out Legion into the herd of pigs. 

Perhaps the all time classic Scripture that tells us that it is impossible to live without sin is Romans 3:23. “For all of sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.”

So, if we are sinful and it is impossible not to sin, what should we do? Should we just surrender to the sin? Should we just fall headlong into hedonism and debauchery? Should we just indulge every evil wicked desire? Should we just allow ourselves to rush into addiction, jump into any and all sexual perversion?

That is one route. 

In fact, that is the route that the Devil wants you to take. I Peter 5:8 illustrates Satan is a “roaring lion who prowls looking to devour witless prey”. Satan is on the hunt for the weak minded, easily provoked, sinner. Satan is a thief hell bent on stealing, killing and destroying. He wants you to just surrender to your base desires. 

There is another route. 

Instead of surrendering to sin, we can surrender to a Savior. We can give our hearts, our lives, our mind, and our souls to Him. The same verse that calls Satan reveals to us that Jesus has a different mission. He has not come to steal, to kill or to destroy. Jesus has come to give us life. Not just any life, but abundant life. Life everlasting. 

The Greek word for “abundant” is περισσόν (perisson). It means exceeding, more than enough, over and above, beyond measure, more than necessary. 

When we surrender to Christ, He is not just offering us mere existence. He is offering a full, overflowing, rich, and meaningful life. Jesus wants to give you and I spiritual vitality, joy, lasting peace and purpose that the world cannot take away. 

Sadly, my encounter with Voidyn did not end with her surrendering to Jesus Christ. Instead, she chose to surrender to the world, to her sin, to her self, and ultimately…I believe, to Satan. 

What Voidyn could not understand is the salvation offered through Jesus Christ that is laid out in Titus 2:11-12. 

Titus 2:11–12 NIV

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

II. Submission: Choosing Your Master vs. 16

So, the path to righteous living starts with surrender. Our second point this morning is submission. 

Let me make this as plain as I can this morning: you will serve somebody. The only question is, who? Sin or the Savior? Self or the Shepherd? Satan or the Son?

Paul gives no third option. There is no spiritual Switzerland. You don’t get to be neutral. If you present yourself to sin, you are sin’s slave. If you surrender to obedience, obedience to Christ, you are walking the road to righteousness.

In the Old Testament, Joshua makes a clear call to the people of Israel:

Joshua 24:15 (CSB)

“But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship… As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”

Friends, that’s the crossroads each of us stands at daily. This is not a one-time decision you made in VBS when you were seven. This is an everyday choice: Who will I serve today? Who will I obey today? Who gets my loyalty today?

In Jesus’ day, rabbis didn’t chase down followers. Young men would seek out a rabbi, ask permission to follow him, and essentially apply for discipleship. The rabbi would interview them, evaluate their knowledge, and then say something like, “Come, follow me.” If the student made the cut, they’d be permitted to follow and spend years walking behind their teacher, learning not just what he knew, but how he lived.

But not Jesus. He flipped the script.

Jesus didn’t wait for people to chase Him down. He went after fishermen, tax collectors, and nobodies. He walked into their brokenness and said, “Follow Me.” That’s what He did for Peter. That’s what He did for Matthew. And church family, that’s what He’s done for you and for me.

Jesus has chosen you. The Good Shepherd, the True Rabbi, has extended the invitation. He’s called you by name. But here’s the twist: you have to choose Him back.

Let’s Talk About Free Will

We don’t talk about this enough, but it’s worth saying out loud: you have the freedom to walk away. That’s the danger of free will. You can choose sin. You can choose destruction. You can choose to go your own way.

But that same freedom also gives meaning to love. God doesn’t force obedience. He invites it. Submission isn’t a leash. It’s a decision. It’s a daily dying to self. It’s surrendering control to the Savior and saying, “Jesus, I trust You more than I trust me.”

You see, submission is hard because we like being in charge. We want the wheel, we want the plan, we want the final say. But friend, when you are in charge, you’ll crash the car every time. Obedience may feel uncomfortable, but it’s the only road that leads to peace.

So how do we submit daily?

•Start your morning in prayer. Don’t just ask God for things. Ask Him to take control.

•Saturate your mind with Scripture. You can’t obey what you don’t know.

•Surround yourself with godly community. Accountability helps keep you aligned.

•Stop justifying your sin. Confess it. Repent of it. Kill it before it kills you.

“Every person serves a master. You’re either submitting to sin, which enslaves and kills, or to God, who sanctifies and gives life.”

So, who’s your master this morning?

Is it pride? Is it lust? Is it anger? Is it fear? Is it comfort?

Or is it Jesus?

You get to choose. As for me and my house, we will worship the Lord.

III. Sanctification: Producing Fruit That Lasts vs. 21-22

Last point and we are done. The path to righteous living ends with sanctification. It should be our greatest desire to produce fruit that lasts. We see this in verses 21 and 22. 

“But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

What is Paul really trying to communicate here? 

Ultimately…

“Sin brings shame and death. But a life led by the Spirit bears fruit that reflects holiness and leads to eternal life.”

Friends, do you know that there is a difference between salvation and sanctification? Well, there is! 

Salvation is that one time moment, that singular event when you encounter Christ. You hear the Holy Spirit’s call. Your dead soul is brought out of the pit and suddenly, inexplicably, you are brought to life. God breaths His life into you. 

It’s Nicodemus experiencing what it means to be “born again”. 

It’s Zacchaeus giving back all that he had stolen after having Jesus over at his house! 

It’s Mary of Bethany breaking the vile of perfume over Jesus’s feet. 

It’s Jairus’ faith in Jesus to save his dying daughter. 

It’s Peter when Jesus asked “who do people say that the Son of Man is” and Peter responds, “you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”. 

It’s the bleeding woman who touched the hymn of Jesus’ clothing. 

It’s the centurion who believed that Jesus could heal his servant with but a simple command. 

It’s the friends who lowed the paralyzed man through Jesus’ roof. 

In each case, a confession of faith followed by an extraordinary act of belief led to their ultimate salvation. A salvation that cannot be lost or stolen away. A salvation that is sure and strong. A salvation that is as solid as a rock in gale force winds. A salvation that you can build your life upon. 

Jesus guaranteed this salvation through a promise that He made in John 10:28-29. 

John 10:28-29 CSB

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Salvation is the act of God by which He rescues sinners from the penalty, power, and presence of sin through faith in Jesus Christ.

Salvation starts with God. You didn’t earn it, you didn’t initiate it, and you didn’t discover it on your own. God came after you. While you were still running, still rebelling, still wrecked by sin, He reached down in grace and pulled you up. He started it, and He’ll finish it. 

Salvation is also for the guilty. It’s not for the good people, the polished people, or the Sunday-morning-only people. It’s for sinners. Real sinners. Broken people who’ve made a mess of things. If that’s you, then good news…you qualify. And salvation is a rescue, not a remodel. God didn’t come to make bad people better…He came to bring dead people back to life. 

He didn’t come to tidy up your habits…He came to break your chains and walk you out of the grave. And it only comes one way, by faith. Not works, not religion, not church attendance. Salvation isn’t about what you do, it’s about who you trust. And when you place your trust in Jesus, the final truth is this: you are secure. 

You’re sealed by the Holy Spirit, held in the hand of God, and covered by the blood of the Lamb. You didn’t earn it, so you can’t lose it. That’s the gospel. That’s salvation. That’s the power of God at work in everyone who believes.

But friend, salvation is only the beginning. After Jesus saves you, He starts sanctifying you. That word “sanctification” means to be made holy, to be set apart, to be shaped into the image of Christ. It’s not a lightning bolt moment. It’s a lifetime process. It’s the slow, steady, often painful work of God chipping away the parts of you that don’t look like Jesus.

You see, salvation happens in a moment, but sanctification happens over a lifetime. Salvation is the birth. Sanctification is the growth. Salvation is crossing the starting line. Sanctification is running the race. And here’s the thing: you cannot produce godly fruit without daily fellowship with the Father.

You want examples? Let me show you some sanctified saints.

It’s Peter, who went from slicing off ears and sinking in water to preaching at Pentecost and writing part of your New Testament.

It’s Paul, who was knocked off his high horse and spent the rest of his life proclaiming the Gospel he once tried to destroy, becoming more like Jesus with every step.

It’s David, a man who committed adultery and murder, but who also wrote psalms of repentance and learned how to lead with humility and depend on God.

It’s Mary Magdalene, once tormented by seven demons, now sitting at Jesus’ feet in worship and devotion.

It’s you and me, still imperfect, still in process, but being changed day by day by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sanctification is God’s holy renovation project. He’s not interested in surface-level paint jobs. He’s gutting the whole house. He tears down your pride, rips out your selfishness, replaces your bitterness with compassion, and lays down the flooring of faith. And here’s the best part. He doesn’t give up on you. When you stumble, He picks you back up. When you sin, He draws you back to grace. When you doubt, He proves Himself faithful again and again. Sanctification isn’t about trying harder. It’s about surrendering deeper. It’s the fruit of the Spirit growing in your life because you’re staying rooted in Christ.

Galatians 5:22–23 (AMP)

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

That’s the kind of fruit that lasts. That’s the kind of life that makes a difference. That’s what it means to walk the path of righteousness

So friends, surrender, submission, and scarification. The path to righteousness is laid before you. However, it’s your choice. It’s your path. What road will you walk down? The path to righteousness and reward or the path to destruction and torment?

Let’s pray together this morning. 

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the clarity of Your Word and the power of Your truth. Today, we confess that we are sinners. We are broken and flawed, and we cannot save ourselves. But we thank You for Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, who offers us life—abundant and eternal.

Lord, help us to surrender our sin, not just once, but daily. Help us to submit to You, choosing obedience over rebellion, choosing Your way over our way. And God, we ask that You would sanctify us. Shape us. Mold us. Grow in us the fruit of the Spirit. Let love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control grow in our lives like never before.

We don’t want to walk the wide road that leads to destruction. We want to walk the narrow path that leads to life.

So today, help us answer the call, choose our Master wisely, and walk in the righteousness of Christ.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.