Romans 6:20-23
“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. BUT NOW that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I just love the book of Romans! I do believe it could be my favorite! I’ve read this book SOOOO many times, I’ve taught a woman’s bible study on this book, I’ve heard many great sermons on this book but I don’t ever recall seeing verse 20! I remember verse 23 but don’t recall the others! Isn’t it wonderful how God’s Word continues to speak over and over and over again?

Anyways… there are so many gems to marvel at from verse 20 itself! Before conversion we were slaves of sin.. and the fruit of these sins, the things we loved to do, couldn’t help but do, and NOW, after conversion we are ashamed of…the fruit of this is death! There is indeed fruit to be had from a sinful, apart from God life, and the fruit is DEATH!

BUT NOW

Because God saved me and you we are slaves of God and the fruit of this life is sanctification and eternal life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And all this is a free gift of God. We did absolutely, positively NOTHING to gain this, NOTHING! God in His great mercy and steadfast love chose us, called us to Himself and the fruit of being a slave to God , the fruit of being set free from sin is sanctification and eternal life!
I love that, for the first time I see that sanctification is fruit! I often view my sanctification as a laborious process that must happen to make me like Jesus and to remove remaining sin. Which, it is a process of doing just that but it is a fruit of being a slave to God, of no longer being a slave to sin! Sanctification is a fruit of God’s free gift of salvation. A fruit of His love and mercy and kindness! Absolutely amazing !!! AND it leads to eternal life. Oh the kindness of God is SO big!