Slaves of Sin by Nature

Driving home: It is not a matter that impinges upon time alone, but it is a matter of life and of death in all the pregnancy of those words when understood in a biblical context.

Martin contrasts the honest biblical language of slavery and freedom with modern 'liberation movements' which he characterizes as efforts by a militant minority to impose humanistic tyranny in the name of liberation.

However, in all honesty, one must acknowledge that much of the use of that language in our own day is deceptive and dishonest to the core. For many of the so-called liberation movements are simply an effort by a militant minority to impose a humanistic tyranny, ...for many of the so-called liberation movements are simply an effort by a militant minority to impose a humanistic tyranny, ...for many of the so-called liberation movements are simply an effort by a militant minority to impose a humanistic tyranny, ...for many of the so-called liberation movements are simply an effort by a militant m...

3:17 - 3:40 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Now it should be a sobering thing as you sit here tonight to know that every man, every woman, every boy, every girl, right down to the youngest of you, every single one of us, is a slave.

Paul uses the analogy of slaves and masters to explain the concept of voluntary obedience to sin and the resulting freedom in regard to righteousness, making divine truths clear to human understanding.

Look at verse 19, I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh. He said I'm speaking in this slave master terminology to refute the devil's logic, added to the glorious truth of salvation by grace alone. He said I'm doing this because as weak human beings slow to grasp divine truths, quick to pervert divine truth to ends which God never intended, he said because of the weakness of your flesh, I'm speaking in analogies which will be very clear to all of you who read my letter. And it is in that setting, of refuting the devil's logic, that salvation by grace should lead...

10:47 - 12:08 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon details the first manifestation of slavery to sin: voluntary obedience to its demands. This is explained through presenting one's 'members' (faculties, body parts) to…

This analogy illustrates how a slave of sin regards himself as free in respect to righteousness (Mr. Reynolds) because his true master is sin (Mr. Jones), ignoring the claims of righteousness.

describes this servitude, it is given to us in verse 21. This condition is the voluntary obedience to the demands of sin in verse 19. In verse 21, he describes it as a total disregard to the demands of righteousness. You see, he's using the slave master imagery again. He says, when you were the slaves of sin, you regarded yourself as free men with regard to righteousness. That is God's standard of holiness. Now, he's not saying that you were the slaves of sin. He's not saying that you were the slaves of sin. He's not saying they were free from the obligations to righteousness. No, no. He clear...

21:25 - 22:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray to Christ, 'Make me thy captive, Lord, and then I shall be free. Force me to render up my sword and I shall conqueror be.'

Martin quotes the first lines of a hymn to illustrate the paradox of finding freedom through becoming a captive or slave of Christ.

But my friend, a master you must have, sin or the Savior. There's a wonderful hymn and I checked into six or seven of my hymn books at home to try to find the entire hymn and couldn't track it down. But I'm glad I remember the first lines of it. It goes like this.

55:12 - 55:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Present your members as servants to righteousness and holiness with the same earnestness and thoroughness you once served sin.

Martin contrasts the intense energy and zeal a person might exhibit in serving sin (booze, brothels, filthiness) with the potential for believers to become less zealous in serving Christ, skipping prayer meetings and neglecting spiritual disciplines.

Be no less earnest and thorough in your servitude to Christ and to righteousness than you were to sin and to the devil. You know, it's an amazing thing. You see a lecherous man giving his energies to booze and to brods and to filthiness and to rottenness, and he'll work till six and he'll carouse till two in the morning and get four hours sleep and go to work and carouse. He's very earnest and zealous in his servitude to sin.

58:31 - 59:14 Read in full sermon