What Has Freed You From Sin?

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:1-11 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate. Consider God’s truth in Scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

 

What has freed you from sin?

            Paul explained to the people at the church in Rome…and to us…that the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments, and the sacrificial system that God provided to the Israelites through Moses were not able to save us from our sins. God sacrificed His own Son to put an end to sin—to fulfill the requirements of the Law. The Holy Spirit has control over the Lord’s followers, encouraging them to think about things that please God, and this results in life—eternal life. Sinners don’t live to please God, but think about sinful things that result in death. Everyone’s bodies will die one day, but those who have the Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit—living in them will be given a new life—immortal life.

The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! 2 Corinthians 3:7-11

This further explains just what Jesus told the people who believed in Him and the Pharisees as recorded in John 8:31-59. Read these passages of scripture from John and Romans again for yourself. Do you belong to Christ? Has He freed you from sin? The choice is yours.

 

Prayer – Lord, show us how we can live to please You. You sacrificed Your life for us—and set us free from our sinful nature. What joy fills our hearts and lives! Thank you.

 

Verses of Salvation ~ We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Mock Apple Crisp
One more way to use zucchini.

How much zucchini do you have overflowing from your garden…or available to you from your neighbor, friends, or relatives? How are you using all that excess zucchini? I’ve always wanted to try making a Mock Apple Pie or Crisp using zucchini—so I finally did yesterday. Yum! Several people thought it was made with apples!

 

Mock Apple Crisp

8 cups zucchini, peeled with seeds removed and cut in ¼ inch slices

½ cup cane sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

1Tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp each nutmeg and coriander

¾ c water

Topping:

1 c soft butter

1 c oatmeal

1 Tbsp cinnamon

¾ c brown sugar

1½ c unbleached flour

 

Mix peeled zucchini, cane sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, lemon juice, and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal. Add the soft butter, stirring together with a fork.

When the zucchini mixture is cooked, pour it into a 9 x 13 pan (I lightly greased it). Then add the topping, spreading it evenly over the zucchini. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Let cool and serve while still warm, topping with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

 

 

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

Portions reused from November 22, 2024, Banquet With The King blog.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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