How the Cross Changes Our Lives
Romans 3:31 (Living)  
    Well then, if we are saved by faith, does this mean that we no longer need obey God's laws? Just the opposite! In fact, only when we trust Jesus can we truly obey him.

Romans 3:31 (NLT)  
    Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Romans 3:31 (Msg)  
    But by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does, don't we cancel out all our careful keeping of the rules and ways God commanded? Not at all. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it.

Romans 3:31 (TNIV)
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 6:1-7, 11-18 (NLT)
     Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?  Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?  Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?  For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.  Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.  We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.  For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin… So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.  Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.  Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.  Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.  Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!  Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.  Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.  Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

Romans 6:16 (NIV)  
    Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Romans 6:12 (NIV)  
    Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires

: epithumia – An over-desire, inordinate desire.  

1. Sin is primarily idolatry – which includes turning good things into ultimate things


Exodus 20:3-5 (NIV)  
     "You shall have no other gods before me.  "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. [5] You shall not bow down to them or worship them…

The cross frees us from false masters that do not ultimately satisfy

Deut. 7:7-9 (NLT)  
    “The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!  Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the LORD rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.  Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.

2. To the extent that you understand the implications of God’s love for you through the cross, you will experience freedom

Romans 6:11 (NIV)  
    In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

To the degree that I can remember and know who I am in Him, I am free!!

Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)  
    For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. [12] It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

3. When we confront difficult sin and temptation, check to see if there is a circumcised heart change in that area first, or ask God for one, then proceed

Romans 6:6 (NLT)
     We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.

I am grateful to Tim Keller, from whom much of this sermon came from…