15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
What are we to be? Slaves to sin or Slaves to Righteousness. That is the question Paul has for us today.
He starts off by asking us. Should we sin because we live under grace?
He gives us an emphatic answer. NO.
Why?
Because how we present ourselves in obedience shows who our master is.
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
We could sin, but it shows that we are on the path to death. OR we could be obedient to God which leads to righteousness. What do you want people to see?
17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Do you see it? We can thank God that we don't have to live like we used to.. like slaves to sin! We've been set free! You see we've been taught a new way to be... and are committed to it Obedient from the heart. That's what we become with good teaching. And that good teaching helps us to become slaves to righteousness.
19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
It's like Paul is saying..make a choice! Will you or won't you... make the choice RIGHT NOW.. to be a slave to righteousness. To choose to let our bodies be obedient to God. You once had no real choice right? Natural limitations and all that, but then God stepped in. Now you have that choice, so choose to let yourself be bound to the cause of righteousness. Take the path that leads to sanctification!
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 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. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We've been set free you know? Do you really know that? You don't have to be a slave to sin. Where it's reward is that of death. NOW, NOW we've been set free. And if we live by that freedom...the end result is not death, the end result is eternal life in Christ Jesus.
Isn't that awesome?
What say you?
To follow along with the rest of this devotional series in Romans Click Here.
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When we become slaves to sin no longer, we still have law to follow - a better law - God's law. What a freedom!
ReplyDeletei know eh? It's neat how clearly Paul spells this out.
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