“Already” & “Not-yet” freedom from sin

We who believe in Jesus Christ by God’s grace are already forgiven all our sins (Ps. 103:2, 3)

and have been freed from sin (Rom. 6:7).

Nevertheless, we are still committing sins against God.

What we do isn’t the good we want to do but it is sin living in us that does it (7:19).

We ourselves in our minds are slaves to God’s law, but in the sinful nature slaves to the law of sin (v. 25).

We fall into temptation and sin because even though the spirit is willing, but the body is weak (Mt. 26:41).

We have not yet been completely free from sin.

On the day when Jesus comes back to earth,

we will be brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom. 8:21).

The Lord will make all of us to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle

or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless (Eph. 5:27).

The Lord will sanctify us, having cleansed us by the washing of water with the word (v. 26).

What, then, is our responsibility?

Our responsibility as Christians is to obey the word of the Lord.

Our responsibility is to obey the truth that purifies our souls for a sincere love of the brethren,

Fervently love one another from the heart (1 Pet. 1:22).

Our responsibility is to obey Jesus’ twofold command:

“'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  …

Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37, 39).

Although we cannot afford this responsibility

God is at work in us, both to will and to work out (Phil. 2:13).

God enables us to obey Jesus’ twofold command

By bearing the fruit of the Spirit, love (Gal. 5:22-23).