Romans 6:16-18
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? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
I don’t feel at all like a slave! But it wouldn’t hurt me to take these words in, and to think about what Paul is saying here. If I truly have given myself up to God, I am both free (from sin and death) and a “slave to righteousness.” I do wholeheartedly wish to honor God in all I say and do. If God acted as a slave master, I would be in some serious trouble. I disobey on a fairly regular basis, if not in deed, in thought. My obedience needs more work, and I will continue to practice.
Holy Father, thank you for forgiving me over and over. My obedience is far from perfect, but I do feel it is improving. Help me continue to transform, I pray. Amen
Becky, transforming
Romans 6:16-18 Slave and master are such “charged” words in today’s culture. In Paul’s day and for his audience, the meaning was loud and clear. To be obedient to God‘s word is to be a slave to doing the right thing and not letting temptation to sin be your master. We all know the master is the evil one if we let him in. I prefer my master to be God. Prayer gracious God, Help me strive always to be obedient to God, my master. Amen
Romans 6: 16-18 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey---whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness. But thanks be to God that, though you are slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
These verses are very interesting to me. It makes me think about the choices I have made in my life and why some weren’t very good. We are often enticed by something or someone who draws us…
Romans 6:16-18
Verse 17 tells me to obey wholeheartedly. It means to give myself fully to God. BUT so often my efforts to know God and obey his commands can be anything but wholeheartedly. God doesn’t want me/us to beat ourselves up for every mistake we make. If I am alive to God and are living in a close relationship with him, God says that I am dead to sin. I need to always remember that Jesus died on the cross to forgive my sins, receiving his forgiveness and going on to do the things God has called me to do . Because of his constant holy spirit that lives within me I can be free from negative though…
Romans 6:16-18
17 But thanks to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.
Being a slave to anything or anyone is an extreme that I can’t understand. But I do think that we progress from some level of sinning to less sinning by following the “pattern of teaching” that we are engaged in. This morning, Barbara and I talked about how we now tend to think about whether what we are doing or thinking is a sin or not, and we try to do the right thing. That process of considering God’s teaching includes growth and obedience.
Dear Lord,…
Romans 6:16-18
Bob Dylan echoed Paul’s message with his song Gotta Serve Somebody. The refrain is as follows:
”But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are You're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody) Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody (serve somebody)”
This is a decision all face. We may posses free will, but we are not totally free agents. Our free will only permits us to choose who we shall serve. Obedience cuts two ways. I strive to obey God.
Prayer - Lord, make me a slave to righteousness by faithful obedience to You. May the Holy Spirit be ever before me as a reminder of my…