Verse 16: Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to
someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether
you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to
righteousness?
It seems, if I am hearing
this verse clearly, that everyone is a slave to sin or righteous. The entire
chapter presents a duality of life. Either sin or righteous has mastery over
us.
That thought doesn’t sit
well with my ‘American’ spirit. I don’t like being beholden to anyone. But if I
am honest with myself, I resonate with the truth of this chapter and
sentence.
Paul says it another way in
verse 19: … Just as you used to offer the
parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so
now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
Paul is calling Christ
followers to holiness, to living for God and in a godly manner. Paul is calling
us to a higher standard of living, understanding that because we have God’s Holy
Spirit within us, we have the capability of living to this higher
standard.
Plainly said, in Christ,
God has given us everything we need to live God-honoring lives. So do
it!
Lord, God,
forgive me. I fall short of Your desire far too often. More than forgiveness,
help me to listen for and learn to access the guidance and power that Your Holy
Spirit gives so that I might live a life that honors You. I pray this Lord, God,
not for my glory but so that You may be honored through my life… which I seek to
live to Your honor and glory. Amen and amen!
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