Paul's heart is to see the believers in the Roman church love Christ deeply so that they won't lose their first love and fall away from faith. They are faced on every side with persecution and their only hope is the gospel in Jesus Christ. Paul wants them to know that they are slaves to Christ-and this is a good thing-rather than slaves to sin.

This is the shocking message for us. We are salves to something. We are naturally salves to sin and the ways of the world and the only way to change this is to become a slave to God. As Paul tells us, in becoming a slave to God we then know his righteousness and know his love and security. Do not fear being a slave to God because if we are slave to sin (and we are a slave to either God or sin) then we will know eternal death and have no hope.

The truth Paul rings through to us is that the gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6 v 23). This is the gift we need and is freely available.

Romans - The heart of the Gospel is a teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. Find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

9. Unraveling Scarborough’s Reading Rope: Language Comprehension