John 8:31-32, 34-36 NIV “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.8.31-36.NIV

There are three states of sin, just as there are three states of salvation. Sin is the inherent disobedience we have from birth, the result of our ancestors rebelling against God. God’s curse for disobedience was death for everyone on this earth, and in that curse was the DNA of sin and death. So we are born not knowing God, not caring about His ways until we are born again by believing in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Savior. This belief is evidenced by our obedience to everything Jesus commands, proving that we believe in Him. When we are born again, we remain in these bodies of sin, for we still die until we receive our new body that is free from sin and death. This new body is like that of Jesus, Who rose from the dead and promised all those who obey Him they will become like Him as sons and daughters of God living forever. Sin is always present with us now, but through Jesus, its penalty has been paid, and its power over His people has been broken. This is why those who truly believe hold to Jesus’ teaching in obedience. The person who remains in the sin from which they were supposedly saved is a slave to that sin and not a child set free. Our salvation from Jesus is the declaration of pardon from the penalty of all our sins. The Holy Spirit given to us breaks the power of that sin, not the power of death, but the power that causes us to constantly ignore and disobey God until the day we return to Jesus, where we will be forever rid of the presence of sin. While the saved will sin, they will not continue to sin in those same ways from which they were saved. The truly saved are those who obey Jesus’ commands, demonstrating that the power of sin is decreasing in their lives while the likeness of Jesus is increasing throughout their lives.

RUN TODAY’S PLAY by proving your salvation by holding fast to Jesus’ teaching, showing that sin’s power is broken and His likeness is growing in you.