From Bondage to Freedom
Romans 6–8 and the Identity Ladder
by Raimer Rojas
Inner Healing • Inner Healing Issues • The Plantation, the Owner and the Slaves (A Story Of Freedom) • Living from Royal Identity (The Prince & the Pauper)
Embedded Files
Many Christians believe they are forgiven, but still feel stuck. They love God, but certain sins, fears, habits, or ways of thinking still seem to control them. They try harder, pray more, promise God they will do better — yet often feel like they are walking in circles. The problem is not that Christ did not truly set us free. The problem is that many believers have been freed but have not yet learned how to live free.
In Romans chapters 6–8, the apostle Paul explains something very important: Freedom in Christ is not only something that happened to us — it is something we learn to walk in. Christ opens the prison gate, but then He teaches us how to live outside the prison camp. Freedom grows as we understand who we have become in Christ. As our identity becomes clear, our thinking changes. As our thinking changes, our choices change. As our choices change, our life begins to change.
We can think of the Christian life as a journey up an Identity Ladder:
New → Loved → Connected → Indwelt → Sent
At each step we discover new spiritual riches, and we are invited to live in a new way. This is how believers move from bondage to lived freedom.
Step #1 — NEW
Step #1 — NEW
New Creation / Dead to Sin / Regeneration / Justification
Key Verses
Key Verses
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 6:11 ESV
“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” — Colossians 3:3 NIV
The Truth
The Truth
I am not the old person anymore. I am a new creation in Christ. Romans 6 teaches that our old self was crucified with Christ and sin is no longer our master.
The Blessings (Heavenly Riches)
The Blessings (Heavenly Riches)
Forgiveness
New heart
New identity
Freedom from sin’s rule
Justification
New life
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Romans 6:11 says: “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Our part:
Believe this is true
Remind ourselves of this truth
Renew our mind
Reject the lie “I am still a slave to sin”
Present ourselves to God
Living With This Mindset
Living With This Mindset
Instead of thinking: “I am trapped in sin and can’t change.” We begin thinking: “I am a new person learning a new life.” Freedom begins with identity.
Step #2 — LOVED
Step #2 — LOVED
Adoption / No Condemnation / Reconciliation / Sonship
Key Verses
Key Verses
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” – Romans 8:1-2 NLT
“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” – Romans 8:15-16 NLT
“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” – Ephesians 1:5 NLT
The Truth
The Truth
I am not rejected. I am a child of God. Many believers are forgiven but still live like servants trying to earn acceptance. Romans 8 teaches we are adopted children who can call God Father.
The Blessings
The Blessings
No condemnation
Access to God
Belonging
Security
Love of the Father
Inheritance
Peace with God
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Approach God in prayer as Father
Stop punishing yourself for forgiven sin
Receive God’s love
Replace shame with truth
Practice gratitude and worship
Trust God’s love
Living With This Mindset
Living With This Mindset
Instead of: “God is disappointed in me.” We begin thinking: “I am a loved child learning to walk with my Father.” This removes fear-based religion and produces love-based obedience.
Step #3 — CONNECTED
Step #3 — CONNECTED
Union with Christ / Abiding / In Christ / Participation in Christ
Key Verses
Key Verses
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5 NLT
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20 NIV
“Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.” – Romans 6:5 NLT
The Truth
The Truth
I am not living the Christian life alone. I am united with Christ and His life is in me. Freedom is not “try harder.” Freedom is Christ’s life working in me.
The Blessings
The Blessings
Christ’s life in us
Strength beyond ourselves
New heart desires (Spirit birthed)
Transformation
Spiritual growth
Victory over sin
Fruit of the Spirit
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Jesus says: Abide in me. This means:
Spend time with Him
Depend on Him
Pray throughout the day
Read Scripture
Talk to Him
Ask for help
Walk with Him relationally
Living With This Mindset
Living With This Mindset
Instead of: “I must try harder.” We think: “I must stay connected to Jesus.” The Christian life becomes relational, not just behavioral.
Step #4 — INDWELT
Step #4 — INDWELT
Indwelling Spirit / Walking in the Spirit / Sanctification / Empowerment
Key Verses
Key Verses
“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” – Romans 8:11 NLT
“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” – Galatians 5:25 NLT
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT
The Truth
The Truth
God’s Spirit lives inside me and gives me power to live free. Freedom is not maintained by willpower but by walking in the Spirit.
The Blessings
The Blessings
Power over sin
Guidance
Comfort
Transformation
Spiritual gifts
Assurance of salvation
Inner life with God
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Listen to the Spirit
Obey promptings
Confess sin quickly
Pray for help
Walk in obedience
Surrender daily
Keep in step with the Spirit
Living With This Mindset
Living With This Mindset
Instead of: “I must control myself.” We think: “The Spirit is helping me live this new life.” This produces dependence instead of self-effort.
Step #5 — SENT
Step #5 — SENT
Ambassador / Mission / Kingdom Purpose / Calling
Key Verses
Key Verses
“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NLT
“We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.” – Ephesians 2:21 NLT
“And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” – Romans 8:17 NLT
The Truth
The Truth
My life now belongs to God’s purpose and kingdom. Freedom is not just freedom from sin. It is freedom for a purpose.
The Blessings
The Blessings
Purpose
Meaning
Joy
Eternal impact
Partnership with God
Kingdom fruit
Eternal reward
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Our Part — How We Appropriate This
Serve others
Share faith
Use gifts
Love people
Join God’s ongong mission on earth
Make disciples
Live for eternal things
Living With This Mindset
Living With This Mindset
Instead of: “My life is about me and my struggles.” We think: “My life is part of God’s story and mission.” Purpose often pulls people out of bondage into freedom.
The Big Picture
The Big Picture
You could summarize the whole teaching like this:
Christ has freed us, but we learn to live free as we grow in our identity. First we learn we are new people, not slaves anymore. Then we learn we are loved children, not condemned. Then we learn we are connected to Christ and His life flows into us. Then we learn the Spirit lives in us and gives us power to change. Finally we discover we are sent into God’s mission and our life has purpose. Freedom grows as we live from this identity.
Final Conclusion
Final Conclusion
Many believers spend years trying to behave like Christians without first learning how to think like sons and daughters. But Paul’s message in Romans 6–8 is clear: You are not a slave trying to become free. You are a free person learning how to live free.
Freedom grows as we remember: I am New > I am Loved > I am Connected > I am Indwelt > I am Sent
This is the journey of discipleship. This is the journey of transformation. This is the journey from the prison camp to the life of the Kingdom. And the most important thing to remember is this:
The gate was opened the day Christ died and rose again. Now the rest of our lives are spent learning to walk farther and farther into the freedom He already won for us.
Freedom in Christ is not just that the prison door opened —it is that we are becoming the kind of people who no longer want to live in the prison.
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