Then and Now
Chad Johnson
March 9, 2012

What fruit had ye then in those things where of ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Romans 6:21-22 KJV

What a glorious text we have before us this week. We see a great contrast between the way we were and the way we are now. The soul that has been saved by the grace of God is very much in contrast to the soul that is not saved.

The Bible says in II Corinthians 5:17, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away and behold all things are become new.”

First let’s observe the fruit we had then.

In Galatians 5:19-21 we see the fruit of the unregenerated heart. The only fruit we had then was rotten before a holy God.

Regardless of what sin we practiced, the condition of our heart was that of being dead in trespasses and sin. We see that the fruit we had then brought shame. Oh, how we should be ashamed of what we did then.

Next I want to look at now. Our text says, but now we are free from being a servant of sin. This verse does not teach sinless perfection, nor does any other scripture. It does, however, teach that sin is no longer a master to those who are saved.

Our fruit now is that of holiness, righteousness, peace, joy, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Oh, how blessed we are that there is a great change from then and now. Amen!