Freedom From Our Past - Dustin Compbell
Teachers
Lesson Summary
During the class, Dustin Compbell taught that believers are called to move forward in Christ rather than remain tethered to their past sins and identities. He illustrated this point with the metaphor of a windshield—a larger field of vision for the future—versus a rear‑view mirror, which only offers a limited glimpse behind. By referencing Romans 6:1‑12, he explained that Christians die to sin and are raised with Christ, becoming new creations unbound by former ways. Compbell traced the Apostle Paul’s own journey from a persecutor of the church (Acts 8:3) to a devoted follower after his dramatic conversion in Acts 9. He cited Paul’s zeal in Galatians 1 and the numerous trials recorded in 2 Corinthians 11 to demonstrate that past hardships do not define our present service. The central message affirmed that when we glorify God and embrace our new identity, we can freely proclaim the Gospel without shame, allowing Christ to be the focal point of every conversation and weekend activity. Ultimately, the class encouraged participants to replace the anchor of past failures with a forward‑looking rudder, trusting that Christ’s death and resurrection guarantee ongoing freedom and purpose for every believer.
Key Scriptures
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and ravaged it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, being more extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.