Week 4

Use this curriculum to help you further engage with the sermon, the scriptures, and each other. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring things up to encourage and guide you so that you are always growing in your faith. If the Spirit leads you away from these questions and into conversation and prayer that encourages and points you to Jesus, go for it.

scripture

Read the following scriptures together: Romans 6:1-7.

overview

We’ve experienced a spiritual change from sinners to saints; so, what now? Does this mean that we are living a holy and perfect life? Does sin even matter? Paul addresses this assumption in Romans 6:1 saying, “of course not!” He highlights that we’ve joined Jesus in baptism and in our new life, so we are no longer slaves to sin. While this gift of grace frees us from the reins of sin, our fight is not over. This new life comes with the responsibility for daily righteous living, becoming an instrument for the Lord, tuning our mind, body, heart, and relationships toward him and away from sin.

discussion

From the early stories of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel, sin crept into their desires and pulled them away from God. God warns us in Genesis 4:7, “Sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.” Sin ruled over them and once ruled over us, but through the fulfilled prophecy of Jesus, that is no longer the case. However, we must remain aware of our continued capacity to sin. In Romans 6:11–13, Paul urges us to live lives that are worthy and pleasing to the Lord—to offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness, so that we may hear God and what he wants for us.

question 1

Do you remember what it felt like when you were walking in sin, putting your own desires over God’s? What did it feel like once you started listening to him? What changed?

As Christians, we are blessed to know our God and our purpose in this world. Yet, we must not let that assurance blind us to the reality that we still have the capacity to be deceived by sin. In today’s world, deception often comes through distorted teachings and the redefinition of righteousness and sin. It is our responsibility to continually pursue a deeper understanding of who God is and what he commands, so we can remain alert and guarded against the deceit of the enemy.

question 2

In what areas have you seen people redefine sin? Where in your life have you wrestled with that tension?

Satan is always at work—he will try to accuse us, plague us with shame, and use our past sin to pull us away from God. But through Jesus, we have walked into an eternal life with him, and sin can no longer condemn us or separate us from the Lord. We can reflect on sin because there is beauty in those moments—in remembering and recalling God’s grace for us. We are no longer under Satan’s control, yet we must remain vigilant, leaving no room for him to gain a foothold in our lives.

question 3

How can you walk more closely with the Lord this week? Take time to sit in prayer, asking God to reveal anything in your life that needs to change.

final thoughts

How often do we pause to reflect on all the chains that have been broken in our lives? Take time this week to sit with the freedom you’ve received and give thanks to the Lord for his grace and mercy.