Romans Essentials of Faith - Redemption

Good morning, Five Minute Families. We are back in our series about four essentials of faith that we can see deeply defined in the book of Romans. Two weeks ago we began with righteousness, and we walked down the ‘Romans road’ together. This week we are exploring the concept of redemption. Once we are justified with God’s righteousness, we can live new lives - redeemed lives, and we can make new choices, even if the consequences of our old ones must still be dealt with. Please note that we are not the ones committing the act of redemption. We cannot work ourselves into redemption. Jesus committed the act of redemption by being sacrificed on the cross. We now live in the state of having been redeemed. We are free from the guilt and blame for having done something wrong. As Romans 8:1 states, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” In our state of redemption, we are being sanctified. We no longer have to live as we once did. Our righteous salvation through Jesus’s redemptive act does not mean we are free to sin because God just won’t see it anyway. Redemption means that we are free NOT to sin. Just as Romans seven illustrates how our old habits and behaviors cry out for us to walk back into sin, Romans eight steps us into the freedom our redemption brings us. Think of the redeemed life as receiving an inheritance from a grandparent. You could pay off debt. You could take your kids on an awesome vacation, or get a tutor or private coach. Maybe you wouldn’t have to have any more holes in your socks that irritate you all day long. Or, buy a car that isn’t falling apart, and pay to have the house roof fixed. If counseling is needed, you wouldn’t have to worry about the cost to get the help you or a loved one needs. Freedom from a few of the worries of life. So, how do we live out the redemptive, freeing truth of Jesus in a five-minute family? How do we live lives of redemption? 1. We must stop comparing ourselves to each other. Each member of the family is important - our role