Romans 6:5-10

1. In preparation for my sermon, I remembered when I moved to Saskatchewan in 2015. One thing I can assure you of is that it wasn't my choice, even though I technically made the decision. Without God's guidance, I wouldn't have ended up in Saskatchewan because I wasn't interested in living in a rural area until that time. After completing my master's degree in Toronto, I had a desire to explore ministry opportunities in Canada. I sent my resume to numerous churches, and out of 100 applications, I received responses from three churches. I began engaging with Pelly Fellowship Chapel because it was the first to respond to my application.

2. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I could discern my next steps and began walking with God. It's now been eight years since I've lived in Saskatchewan, and I've come to recognize that life here is an incredible blessing from God for me and my family. My vision was clouded when I focused solely on my desires. But when I shifted my focus to God while seeking my next path, He opened my eyes to His way. I share this experience because today's sermon theme is centered on understanding the concepts of sin and darkness. Let me read some verses from the Bible. Let us read Romans 6:5-10, and then we'll read James 1:14-15.

Romans 6:5–6 NKJV

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Romans 6:7–8 NKJV

For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

Romans 6:9–10 NKJV

knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

James 1:14–15 NKJV

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

3. When the Bible writers discuss sin, they don't primarily address its appearance or external effects. Instead, they emphasize understanding why people face the consequences of sin. It's because of what's within them, not what's outside. Among these writers, Paul and James delve deeper into the core of sin. Let's explore Paul's perspective. When Paul wanted to explain the concept of Salvation and the Christian way of life to the people in Rome who believed in Jesus, he also wanted to address their lives before they encountered Jesus Christ. In Romans 3:23, he mentioned that they were sinners (saying, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God"). However, when he spoke of "all have sinned," he didn't necessarily mean they had committed moral wrongs. If he had focused on their specific wrongdoings, it might have emphasized the need to change their sinful behavior.

4. Instead, Paul focuses on their position and who they are. According to Paul's perspective, there are two authorities in the world: Jesus Christ, our Lord, and sin. When they hadn't accepted Jesus as their Lord, sin ruled over them because sin was their master. However, by accepting Jesus and being united with Him in His crucifixion, their old selves died, and the new selves emerged. As a result, they are no longer slaves to sin. Sin can no longer control them because Jesus has become their master. Since Jesus conquered death, those who believe in Him will also overcome death through their faith in Jesus.

5. Hence, when Paul mentioned "all have sinned," it was to make them aware of their new identity in Jesus. They are now united with Jesus, which means they will live in and with Him going forward. As for my personal experience, I've been living in Canada since 2009, but it wasn't until I moved to Pelly, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, that I truly embraced my Canadian identity. Before that, despite physically residing in Canada, I remained focused on Korean news and culture while in Toronto. While my body had been in Canada since 2009, my spirit and mind were still strongly connected to South Korea.

6. Let me give you an example. I still struggle with making U-turns when I drive. In Korea, unless there's a U-turn sign, people can't make U-turns. In Canada, on the other hand, you can make a U-turn unless there's a sign explicitly prohibiting it. This is why it becomes confusing for me when Google Maps instructs me to "make a U-turn" when I've lost my way because there's no U-turn sign. Another example occurred when I was in Calgary. A fellow Korean wanted to smoke on the street and saw a sign that said "Smoke Free." He thought it meant he could smoke there because it was a "Smoke Free" zone. However, he was fined by the police. It was his first time experiencing this, but he later realized that Koreans and Canadians have different interpretations of such signs. Whenever I contemplate sin, these two incidents come to mind. They serve as a reminder of my newfound identity and reinforce the teachings of Jesus for me.

Luke 16:13 NLT

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

7. When I couldn't fully grasp my new identity in Canada, even though my physical presence was here, I still felt my identity was tied to Korea. It was like serving two masters, one being the Korean president and the other the Canadian Prime Minister. As Jesus pointed out, we can't serve two masters. To truly accept Jesus, we must fully embrace the new identity He offers us. If we don't, as I personally experienced, we'll wrestle with confusion between the old and the new. This is why James delves into the root of sin, which often stems from our desires, particularly our old desires.

James 1:14–15 MSG

The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

8. If we fail to recognize and embrace our new identity in Jesus, we'll continue to hold onto our old identity and be led by our own desires and cravings. If we persist in following our own desires and lust while claiming to believe in Jesus, it results in a double-minded state, which is essentially sin because it means we're still clinging to our old identity.

James 1:6–8 NIV

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

9. Hence, if we persist in our old self and identity, which is characterized by sin, it will lead to sinful behavior. We were considered sinners not solely because of our actions but primarily because of our desires. Our old desires gave rise to sinful behavior. The Bible teaches that if we are guided by the Spirit, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit. Similarly, if we are rooted in sin, we will yield the fruit of sin.

Galatians 5:19 NLT

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,

Galatians 5:20–21 NLT

idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:22–23 NLT

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

10. Christianity isn't just about changing our behavior; it's about adopting a new perspective. It's not enough to improve our lives through behavior alone. Instead, Christianity offers us a fresh viewpoint, one centered on Jesus. It introduces a new desire within us, driven by Jesus, not our own efforts. Jesus doesn't merely seek to alter our actions; He first aims to transform our minds and perspectives through love.

11. When we love something or someone, we naturally want to know more about them. For instance, when I fell in love with my wife, I had a deep desire to understand her better, becoming genuinely interested in her. Likewise, due to my fondness for computer gadgets, I'm eager to learn more about them. In a similar way, if we love God and Jesus, we'll be genuinely interested in them and seek to learn more about who they are. If we have a deep love for Jesus, we'll eagerly read His message of love to us, just like reading love letters from a beloved.

12. Let's examine where our desires are directed. Let's evaluate our perspectives and thoughts with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. If we find that our desires are still centered on our own worldly cravings, let's seek God's guidance to transform them into desires aligned with God's will. If we lack interest in getting to know God better, let's ask for God's help in cultivating a genuine desire to know Him.

13. Remember, we are no longer bound by sin; we are now God's children. As God's children, it is fitting for us to adopt God's mindset and desires. Let's follow His path and embrace His love, for He is our one and only God and Lord.