Freedom in Christ. Does it mean we can use swear words and play violent video games and watch actors do sinful things for our entertainment and sin ourselves because we have forgiveness in Christ?

I hope that’s an easy no. We are free from the law but we are bound to Christ. We are slaves to righteousness. We are free from the law that says, “Do not murder,” but we are bound to the “law” that says, “Not only should you not murder, but you cannot even hate someone.”

Murderers can go to heaven if they repent and give their lives to Jesus. Any sin you have committed in the past can be forgiven. You are a new creation in Christ! That new creation has the Holy Spirit, who gives you a holy life. That holy life separates itself from sin, selfishness, and the world.

Remove the “leaven,” meaning, as much as is in your power, get rid of the things in your life that draw you toward sin, selfishness, and the world.

If someone is flaunting their sin and calling themselves a fellow Christian, they aren’t a good choice for friend. You should keep your distance.

We are told to judge those inside the church. I’m sure there must be churches that practice this, but I don’t know of any. Church leaders should be removing from the church those who are living in ways that reject Christ.

Why is a sinful lifestyle a rejection of Christ? It’s denying you are saved. You are a new creation in Christ. If you are the same old person, you don’t have new life! You aren’t saved.

We are saved by faith. We need to believe the old is dead and the new has come.

By faith we say no to old thoughts and habits and say yes to Jesus and God’s Word.

By faith we know the old sinful self is dead and Christ is living in and through us.