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Sermon for Trinity 7. The Scripture readings are Genesis 2:7-17; Romans 6:19-23; and Mark 8:1-9.

When we understand Ro. 6:23 apart from its context \u2013 especially the phrase, \u201cthe wages of sin is death\u201d \u2013 we most often take it to mean that when we sin, the check we cash or the payment we get is death. In other words, we do sinful works and get paid with death. Now, I want to be clear. This interpretation is true, but it can lead to some serious and dangerous drawbacks. It can feed the false notion that some sins aren\u2019t as bad as others. \u201cWell, I only did this little sin, so I won\u2019t get paid as much death as that other guy who did that big sin.\u201d

What Paul is saying here, in this context, is that sin isn\u2019t just the works we do; instead, sin is the master, the employer, the boss who pays with the currency of death. Talk about a bad economy. Sinners live in the worst economy where the only employer is sin, and sin pays with death. Sin is your employer, your boss, your master, and even your owner.

\u201cBut now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God.\u201d Yes, the slave wages of Master Sin is death, but the free gift, the free gift, of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Consider your new Master and how Christ is toward you. What does He pay? He doesn\u2019t. He doesn\u2019t pay anything.

God can't pay you wages, but He can and does give you gifts. And the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus your Lord. With Christ as your master, you leave the worst economy enter a radically new economy. Ephesians 2:6-7 says, \u201c[Christ] raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.\u201d You think you like God\u2019s grace now? You ain\u2019t seen nothin\u2019 yet. None of us have.