Romans 6:15-23

Let's read God's Word.

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?

! By no means!

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,

you are slaves of the one whom you obey,

! Either of sin which leads to death,

or of obedience which leads to righteousness.

But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin

have become obedient from the heart,

to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.

And, having been set free from sin,

have become slaves of righteousness.

I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations.

For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity,

and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness,

so now present your members as slaves to righteousness,

leading to sanctification.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed?

For the end of those things is death.

For now that you have been set free from sin and become slaves of God,

the fruit you get leads to sanctification,

and it's in eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let's pray together.

Thank you.

Gracious Heavenly Father,

I ask that you would be gracious to us here this morning.

That you would reveal yourself to us.

That you would show us who we are in Jesus.

And show us how to live because of who we are.

Because of Jesus.

I thank You for the love that You've shown us.

I thank You for Your Spirit that is moving and working even now.

And we ask that You would continue to work.

I don't know the situations in this room.

Nobody knows every situation in this room, God.

But I know You do.

And we trust that what is spoken will speak to each person

because there's power in Your Word.

And I pray that the words that come from my mouth

will be Your words, not my opinions,

but Your words this morning.

Show us how we should live because of Christ.

And we thank You for Him. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Constitution, the U.S. Constitution,

was designed to defend and protect the freedoms

of each individual person.

The U.S., freedom is celebrated.

We have Independence Day.

We have people protesting because they have the freedom to do so.

If we strip freedom down,

if we take those layers off and we strip it back,

and we look at the real meaning and the effect of freedom,

we really come to the realization that none of us are free at all.

We are enslaved to something.

And for us, in the middle of the day,

that might be several things.

Example, you have a desire to eat.

You're hungry.

Well, you're now enslaved to that desire.

Temporary enslavement, nonetheless, but still enslavement.

You have a desire for companionship because you're lonely.

You are enslaved to that desire.

You want chocolate milk.

You're enslaved to that silly desire.

We are all enslaved and not really free.

Scripture reduces it even further for us.

That we are either enslaved to sin or enslaved to righteousness.

The hard truth about this is that's it.

There is no middle ground.

There is no neutral stance.

We are either enslaved to sin or enslaved to righteousness.

It's like Joshua in Joshua 24, chapter 24, verse 15.

At the end of his life, he says,

Choose this day whom you will serve.

And then the famous,

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

It's not a choice on us,

but it's either one or the other.

In reality, there's no such thing as freedom from outside power.

There's no such thing as being autonomous and just floating by yourself,

answering to no one,

being affected by nothing.

The truth is, we are a slave.

And we have a master.

So, I want to ask you,

as I preach this morning,

as I proclaim what I feel like God is wanting to say to us,

I want you to come up with a conclusion on your life.

Who is your master?

Is it sin or is it righteousness?

Who do you bow to?

Who do you worship?

In the end, I hope that you come to a clear conclusion

who that is and what that is.

Three points, really two big points.

We're going to look at what it looks like for a person who is enslaved to sin.

And we're going to look at what it looks like for a person who is enslaved to righteousness.

Each having evidence of both.

So, let's look at what it is to be enslaved to sin.

What does this look like?

Verse 16 says,

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,

you are slaves of the one whom you obey,

either of sin, which leads to death,

or of obedience, which leads to righteousness.

The result of being enslaved to sin is death.

Later on in verse 19, it says,

Lawlessness.

More lawlessness.

The result is death.

It doesn't mean anything else.

Sin is very powerful.

John MacArthur said this about sin,

and he's got alliteration,

and I try not to do that,

so forgive me.

Sin is very powerful.

It is the most devastating,

debilitating,

degenerating power

that ever entered the human stream.

The most devastating,

debilitating,

and degenerating power.

The evilness of sin

corrupted all of mankind.

So let's look at a few descriptions of sin

from Scripture real quick.

Sin is defiling.

It is a pollution of the soul.

It's like a corrosion on a beautiful piece of metal,

or smog in a beautiful sky.

Pollution.

Isaiah 30, verse 22 says,

Isaiah 30:22

Sin is called an impure thing.

Deuteronomy 32 says,

Sin is the poison of serpents,

and the cruel venom of asps.

Even though we could consider to be righteous

the things that we think are good,

Isaiah 64, verse 6 says that they are filthy garments,

Isaiah 64:6

or menstrual cloths.

2 Corinthians 7, verse 1 says that sin is the defilement of flesh and spirit.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Titus 1 says that sinners are those whose minds,

minds and consciences are defiled.

Sin is pollution of the soul.

Sin is also rebellious.

It is the acting out and the ignoring of God's word.

It is rebellious.

Somebody called,

and I don't know who this is,

called sin,

God's would-be murderer.

Because if sin had its way,

it would destroy God Himself

along with His righteousness.

We see this in Romans chapter 7,

Romans 7 · chapter mention

the next chapter we're headed to,

where Paul says,

I do what I don't want to do,

and I don't do what I want to do.

Sin is rebellious.

Sin is also ungrateful.

Every person indulges in God's gracious provisions,

but we fail,

or mankind fails to give credit to God,

much less to thank Him.

We take God's blessings

and use them to serve ourselves for,

and Satan.

Every sinner is like Absalom.

You know who Absalom is?

David.

It's one of David's sons.

In 2 Samuel chapter 14 and 15,

2 Samuel 14 · chapter mention

this son of David

kisses his father

at the same time

plotting to take his throne.

This is what sin does.

It is ungrateful.

Sin is incurable.

No matter how hard man tries to fix the problem,

no matter how creative we be

to come up with a solution,

it's impossible to fix our situation.

Jeremiah 13 talks about the Ethiopian

changing his skin.

It's impossible.

Or a leopard,

his thoughts,

cannot change who we are.

It is a helpless state.

Ephesians 2,

Colossians 2,

it is a dead state.

Sin is overpowering.

In Romans chapter 1,

Romans 1:21

verse 21,

it says that sin dominates the mind.

In John 3,

it dominates the affections.

In Jeremiah 44,

it dominates the will.

It says darkness hovers overnight,

sin hovers over all mankind.

Sin is overpowering.

And lastly,

and the scariest of all,

sin damns the unreneeed soul to hell.

In Revelation chapter 20,

Revelation 20 · chapter mention

John is given a vision of this throne,

the judgment.

And he writes,

And I saw the dead,

great and small,

standing before the throne,

and books were opened.

Then another book was opened,

which is the book of life.

And the dead were judged

by what was written in the books,

according to what they had done.

And the sea gave up the dead

who were in it.

Death and Hades gave up the dead

who were in them,

according to what they had done.

Then death and Hades

were thrown into the lake of fire.

This is the second death,

the lake of fire.

And if anyone's name

was not found written

in the book of life,

he or she was thrown

into the lake of fire.

Sin damns the unredeemed soul.

John 8.34,

Jesus' word says

that everyone who commits sin

is a slave to sin.

As we have seen what sin is,

the power and control that it has,

we all have been

or are currently slaves to sin.

It's one or the other.

If you are a slave to sin,

then death and lawlessness

are the fruit of your labor.

The fact is

that you're going to do

what your master

asks of you.

There's no,

I don't know,

maybe, maybe not.

If your master is sin,

you are going to sin.

If your master is

obedient to righteousness,

you're going to do

righteous things.

Act pure.

Act perfect.

Live sinless.

And if we're going to do

what our master does,

then we're reflecting

that master.

We represent him.

We portray his attributes.

And eventually,

eventually,

we become like him

or it.

So the question for you

just this far,

what do you portray?

What are you reflecting

to the world?

Who is your master?

Now the sad part

of this situation,

the sad part

about all mankind,

is that most of the world

doesn't even know it.

They don't even know

the situation

that they're in.

Let's just look at

Georgia for a minute.

Smaller picture.

2010,

the projected number

of lost people

in Georgia

is 6.8 million.

2020,

they said,

it's going to raise

to over 8 million.

That is astronomical.

That is 8 million people

who do not know

that they are enslaved

to sin.

There are 900,000 people

who live inside

the perimeter

in Atlanta.

800,000

are lost.

Are not affiliated

with a church

or Jesus.

So,

70%

in our state

and 90%

inside the perimeter.

in the Bible belt.

Some would say

the buckle

of the Bible belt

don't know Jesus.

They don't know

that they are

enslaved

to sin.

So,

no matter

how good they are,

how religious

they are,

and some of us

in this room,

how good we are,

how religious we are,

we're still

enslaved

to sin.

Here is something

else.

Did you,

did you know

that in the Civil War

that slaves

would fight

for their masters

for the,

for the Confederate

Army?

They would fight

for the guys

who were their

masters.

They'd fight

against the very

people who were

trying to emancipate

them,

who were trying

to free them

from this

slavery.

They fought

the very ones

who were fighting

for them.

Now,

I bring that up

because,

isn't that what

we do as

Christians?

Don't we fight

the one who

fought for us

when we sin,

when we become

enslaved to sin

voluntarily?

Isn't that what

we do?

We do the exact

same thing.

We fight

against the one

who has fought

for us.

Are you

fighting against

Jesus?

This is what

sin does.

It gets us

to fight.

It gets us

to hate

the one

who died

for the very

sin that we're

committing.

So whether

you have been

a slave to sin

or you are

a slave to sin,

there is hope

from this bondage.

There is a way

out.

There is no

reason for you

to stay

in your situation

being ruled

by sin.

And I say

ruled because

sin is

your master

if you do not

know Jesus

Christ.

So let's talk

about those

who are enslaved

to righteousness

because this

maybe is better

news for us.

Maybe not.

So if

you're not

enslaved to sin

and you're

enslaved to

righteousness,

which when I

say righteousness,

I mean

holy,

perfect,

sinless life.

I mean

pursuing good

deeds,

trying to live

for God,

following His

laws,

honoring Him

with your

life.

Now we

become part

of this group.

We become

enslaved to

righteousness,

not by anything

that we have

done.

We have to be

clear about this.

not by any

good merit,

not by any

prayer that we

pray.

There was

nothing in us

that earned

this transfer

and master

that is all

by the grace

of God.

Verse 18

says,

it does not

say,

I'm sorry,

verse 18,

does not say

that you set

yourself free.

It says that

having been set

free from sin

have become

slaves to

righteousness.

It is an

act done

to you,

not by you.

God,

through Jesus

Christ,

has set you

free.

These are

chains that

we cannot

break ourselves.

He sets you

free from the

bondage of

sin,

from the

control and

dominance of

sin.

You're now

slaves to

righteousness,

which is a

good thing,

not a

negative thing.

God didn't

have to do

this.

He didn't

have to.

He wanted

to,

and he's

the only

one who

could do

it.

So if

you have a

desire to

do good,

a desire to

honor and

please God,

if you

treasure Jesus,

then your

master is

righteousness,

your master is

obedience.

there's been

a dramatic

change in

your life.

You are

dead to

sin now,

no longer

dead in

sin.

You are

dead to

sin.

It no

longer has

power over

you,

no longer

has control

over you.

So,

when you're

in the

hardest of

times,

the most

ferocious

fights,

the most

vulnerable

moments of

temptation,

you don't

have to

give in.

You can

have victory

over that

temptation

because Jesus

Christ has

freed you

from that

power.

Jesus has

defeated death

and sin so

that you can

grow in

God's grace,

so that you

can grow in

His love for

you and

His love for

others,

so you can

grow in

knowledge of

Him.

And the

best part,

I think,

is that you

can grow in

your vulnerability

to sin.

You no

longer give

in to sin

as often

because you've

been set

free.

You can

live sinless

life.

The result

of being a

slave to

righteousness

is sanctification.

Verse 19.

Last part,

so now

present your

members as

slaves to

righteousness

leading to

sanctification.

Whenever you

see this

word in

scripture,

whenever you

see it,

the idea is

there's a

person being

set apart

for God's

glory,

a person

being perfected

and set

apart.

I know

analogies

fall short.

They never

always work,

but I'm

going to try

to give you

this one.

When I was

a kid,

I had a

baseball card

collection.

I would

buy a

pack of

cards and

you got

six or

seven or

ten cards

and the

top,

you got

the little

piece of

bubble gum

that was

horrible,

but you

liked it

because you

were a

kid.

And the

high percentage

of the

time,

you got

nothing good.

A lot of

times,

you got a

whole pack

and there

was not a

good card

in it.

You're a

little

disappointed,

but you

did get

the gum.

Now,

when I did,

when I did

get a good

card,

I would

take that

card and

I would

set it

off to

the side.

I would

set it

off to

the side

because I

knew that

this is a

good card.

This may

not be worth

15 cents,

5 cents,

but it was a

good card.

It was just

somebody's rookie

card,

some good

player.

And I

would set

it apart

and I

would put

it in my

folder with

the individual

slots for

cards.

And I

would set

it aside so

that I knew

that I could

go to that

card,

I could go

to those

good cards

and I could

enjoy them

and I could

look at

them.

It's the same

for us.

We have been

set apart.

We've been put

aside for the

rest of mankind

for the purpose

of bringing God

great joy and

glory.

We have been

set apart for a

purpose.

And my

baseball cards,

they weren't

going to make

me rich,

but I sure

did enjoy

looking at the

good players

and their

stats.

God has

chosen to

use you

to get the

gospel to

those who

need to

hear it.

We were

not set

apart to

sit and

stay protected

from the

evil world.

We were

set apart to

look different,

to live

different,

and to love

different in a

dark and evil

world.

And the

whole time

pointing to

Jesus and

not to

ourselves.

another word

to keep in

mind when

seeing

sanctification

is holiness.

We are

being made

holy as

God continues

to mold us

into the

men and

women of

God He

wants us

to be.

As the

clay in

the potter's

hands

molds His

creation,

God is

molding us

and perfecting

us.

So being

enslaved to

righteousness

is not

a bad

thing.

It is

not a

negative

thing.

It is

a glorious

thing.

So here's

some

evidences

of being

enslaved or

being slaves

of righteousness.

Evidences

from our

text.

Evidence

number one,

you are

thankful for

the proper

things.

Verse 17

says,

But thanks

be to

God that

you who

were once

slaves of

sin have

become

obedient from

the heart

of the

standard

teaching to

which you

were committed.

thanks be

to God

for the

lives that

have been

radically

changed by

God's

grace.

This

Thanksgiving,

did you

thank God?

Did you

thank God

physically for

the physical

things?

Did you

thank God

for the

spiritual

things?

Are you

thankful for

the brothers

and sisters

you have in

Christ in

this room?

Are you

thankful for

those who

are coming

from their

enslavement

to sin

over the

enslavement

of righteousness?

Are you

rejoicing?

Are you

thankful for

those?

There's a

lot of

things that

we can

be thankful

for.

We can

be thankful

for the

places we

live,

the cars

we drive,

the clothes

we wear.

We can

be thankful

for the

food we

eat.

But there's

only one

that we

can be

thankful

for that

is

eternal.

One

thing.

And that

is the

salvation

that we

have

through

Christ.

And so

often,

so often

we take

this very

thing,

take it

for granted.

We have

this ho-hum

attitude.

You know,

it becomes

just,

you know,

just something

we do,

something we

are.

No big

deal.

It's like

a hat

to put on

and take

off.

This

salvation

that you

and I

have,

it should

be that

new car

we drive

around in

slow,

down the

road so

that everybody

sees it.

It should

be that

new necklace

we wear

on the

outside of

our clothes

so that

everybody

can see

it.

That

driveway

filled with

cars so

people know

something is

happening.

That

billboard

that grabs

everyone's

attention,

that should

be our

salvation,

not something

we hide

and pick up

Sunday

morning,

not something

we don't

do,

something

we don't

live out.

We hide

it way

too often.

And Jesus

spoke about

this in

the Sermon

on the

Mount.

He says,

you are

the light

of the

world.

Because of

your salvation,

you are

the light

of the

world.

A city

set on

a hill

cannot

be hidden,

nor do

people light

a lamp

and put

it under

a basket,

but on

a stand

and it

gives

light all

in the

house.

So

question

then,

are you

a city

on a

hill?

A city

on a

hill

cannot

be

hidden.

Are you

enslaved

to

righteousness?

Our

thankfulness

is a

good

thermometer

of the

temperature

of our

salvation,

what we

really think

and feel

about it.

So what

are you

thankful

for?

See,

this salvation

is supernatural.

It's an

act of

God,

making the

dead alive.

The

sinner a

saint,

the slave

of sin

into a

slave of

righteousness.

So

evidence

number one

is you

are thankful

for the

proper

things.

Evidence

number two,

your

obedience

to God

has

action.

We have

said this

time and

time again.

Scripture

says it

time and

time again.

but your

obedience to

God has

action.

Verse 17.

But thanks

be to God

that you

who were

once slaves

of sin

have become

obedient from

the heart

to the standard

of teaching

to which

you were

committed.

Obedient

from the

heart.

Whenever the

Bible talks

about the

heart,

it's not

the organ.

It's not

the organ

pumping

blood for

your body.

It's also

not the

central hub

of emotions

and feelings.

You know,

I love

you from

the bottom

of my

heart.

That's not

what it's

talking about.

From the

heart here

is from

the entire

being,

from the

soul.

It's the

seat of

physical,

spiritual,

and mental

life.

It's what

makes you

who you

are.

When he

says from

the heart,

he's saying

that you

were obedient

with every

fiber of

your being.

That there

was sincerity,

sincerity to

your

obedience.

Meaning,

that there

was action

that followed

that

obedience.

My question

is,

is your

obedience

just

mouth

service?

Is it

just something

you say

and nothing

you do?

Because,

my friends,

that is not

obedience.

Is there

action that

reflects what

you believe?

this is one

of the reasons

why the

Christian

suffers.

This is one

of the reasons

why Scripture

over and

over and

over tells

the Christians

that we're

going to

suffer.

Because God

in His

sovereignty

puts the

Christian in

a position

where they

have to live

out what

they say

they believe.

You can't

just say

you're a

Christian and

not act

like one.

It doesn't

work that

way.

You can't

just say

you believe

something and

not be

forced to

live it

out.

It doesn't

work that

way.

God is

not like

that.

It doesn't

work.

We are

we suffer

and we

are forced

to believe

what we

believe so

that people

around us

can see

Jesus.

We put

action to

what we

say we

believe.

suffering

also puts

the

Christian

in a

complete

dependence

upon

Jesus.

Not

on our

abilities or

our

possessions or

our comforts

but on

Jesus

alone.

So just

like there's

no neutral

stance in

being enslaved

to sin or

enslaved to

righteousness,

there's no

middle ground,

there's no

Switzerland here,

there is no

passive or

neutral Christian.

Okay?

There's no

passive or

neutral Christian.

If your life

has been

changed,

it cannot

be and is

not a

whole long

life change.

It isn't.

And if

somebody is

telling you

it is,

then they're

lying to

you.

Passiveness

is for the

unbeliever.

We must

be men

and women

of action

and fight.

You want

to see

Jesus glorified?

Get off

your rear end

and do

something for

Him.

You want

to see your

workplace

changed?

Stop being

passive and

silent and

speak up.

You want

to be in a

healthy

relationship,

a God-honoring

relationship?

Stop talking

and work

towards it.

Trust Jesus

in all areas

of your

life.

He knows

what's best.

And He has

the power to

enable us to

do it and

the strength

to sustain

us.

Jesus defeated

death.

He can surely

help us through

the fight

that we're

in.

Defeat the

fear that we

have.

Obedience

has action.

evidence

number three

is that you

reflect the

master,

capital M.

Verse 16.

Do you

not know

that if you

present yourselves

to anyone

as obedient

slaves,

you are

slaves of

the one

whom you

obey,

either of

sin,

which leads

to death,

or of

obedience,

which leads

to righteousness.

And as I

have said

already,

we are

going to

be mastered

by one.

It's not

who you

decide you

master by.

You're

going to

be mastered

by one

or the

other.

If you

are a

slave to

sin,

then you

are going

to act

as your

master act,

which is

sin.

If you

are a

slave to

righteousness,

slave to

living,

perfect,

holy lives,

honoring God,

then you're

going to

act as your

master act and

do those

things.

So let's

say,

for an

example,

that you

own a

restaurant.

Now your

employees

represent you

and the

company.

Now I'm

pretty certain

that if you

own a

family

restaurant,

whatever it

is,

a family

restaurant,

you're

probably not

going to

hire somebody

who has

spikes coming

out their

head and

out their

cheeks and

tattoos all

the way up

on their

necks and

every other

word is a

curse word.

You're just

not going

to do

it.

Why?

Because that

person,

as your

employee,

represents

you.

And you're

trying to

portray a

certain

environment.

They

represent

you.

And so

you hire

somebody who

right or

wrong,

who looks

like you,

who cares

like you,

and who

can represent

you the

way you

want to

be

represented.

And so

as their

employee,

you enforce

certain

guidelines and

rules.

You dress a

certain way,

you act a

certain way,

customers always

write,

you do these

types of

things so

that they

properly

represent you

and the

restaurant.

When we are

slaves to sin

or to

righteousness,

we represent

that master.

So on this

level,

for us,

the illustration

breaks down a

little bit,

for us,

there's no

rules to

follow.

There's no

things that

we should

do.

We're just

going to

do it.

We're going

to obey

that master.

That's

just the

way it

is.

So if

our master

is sin,

we're going

to sin.

And what

Paul is

trying to

say is

that if

your master

is righteousness,

then you're

going to do

righteousness.

And you're

going to be

subjected to

Jesus and

honoring him.

This is how

we were

created.

This is how

we were

created.

We have a

master.

We're born

into being

a master,

being mastered

by sin.

And Jesus

comes and

changes that.

See, we

were created,

originally man

was created to

reflect,

one master.

We were

created to

be created

in his

image,

Genesis

127.

We were

created to

reflect him,

to be image

bearers,

the creator

of the

universe.

We were

created to

bring glory

to him,

to him

alone.

We were

created to

worship him

and to

bring honor

and praise

to him,

to prove

that he is

worthy of

all praise.

That's what

we were

created for.

Genesis

3,

all that

changed.

Because of

sin,

we have

been corrupted.

Because of

sin,

we no longer

are image

bearers of

God.

We no

longer can

worship God.

But we're

now image

bearers of

ourselves.

We now

worship

ourselves and

sin is our

master.

sin.

We have

a worship

issue.

We worship

ourselves,

which is

sin.

We are

held captive

by that

sin.

Instead of

worshiping the

creator,

we worship

the creation

and become

enslaved by it.

you guys

have been

there.

Can't

think of

anything else.

Can't do

anything else

without giving

in.

It just

happens.

It just

comes out of

your mouth.

It just

whatever.

Then

it's

slaved to

sin.

This is a

worship issue.

You're not

reflecting the

master.

you're

reflecting

your

master.

There's

good news.

There's

good news.

Instead of

being enslaved

to sin,

instead of

being controlled

by sin,

if you're a

Christian,

you've been

set free

from that

sin.

You've

been set

free.

Sin no

longer has

power over

you.

We can

live for

him.

because of

him.

Turn to

Colossians.

Now if we

are enslaved

to

righteousness,

and we

are enslaved

to Christ,

to Jesus'

righteousness,

his righteousness

that we

have,

it has

power over

it.

Still,

again,

nothing that

we do.

Colossians

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1,

second part

of verse

16.

Because all

things were

created through

him and for

him.

And he is

before all

things,

and in him

all things

hold together.

he is the

head of the

body of

the church,

and he is

the beginning,

the first

war from

the dead,

that in

everything he

might be

preeminent.

For in

him all the

fullness of

God was

pleased to

dwell,

and through

him to

reconcile to

himself all

things,

whether on

earth or in

heaven,

making peace

by the

blood of

his cross.

we can

live for

him because

of him.

We can

live for

Jesus because

of Jesus.

We can be

set free

because of

Jesus.

Romans

Romans 6:18

chapter 6,

verse 18,

our text this

morning, it

says,

and having

been set

free from

sin,

having been

set free

from sin,

you have

become slaves

of righteousness.

You have

been set

free to

worship and

treasure Jesus.

He is

worth it.

You have

been set

free to

love those

whom you

cannot.

You have

been set

free to

no longer

fall for

the lies

of the

enemy.

You have

been set

free to

forgive the

most awful

things done

to you

because Jesus

died for

you and

for them,

and he

has forgiven

us.

You have

been set

free to

let go

of the

grudge

that you

keep holding

on to

that has

stunted

your spiritual

growth.

You have

been set

free to

accept the

leadership of

your husband

no matter

how hard

it may be.

You have

been set

free to

just let

go.