Daily Readings and Thought for July 30th. “SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS”


 

How challenging are Pauls’ words to the Romans – and to us!  There is no middle way (which is what Jesus taught!), we are either “slaves of sin” or we “have become slaves of righteousness. “  [ch. 6 v.17,18]

Paul admits he is making the point bluntly, “speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations.” [v.19].  He then challenges the believers at Rome – and this is just as much a challenge to those seeking a relationship with God today, that “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.”

Difficult word?  Sanctification?  Think of it as ‘holy-fication!  Becoming more and more like Christ in all our thinking.  And, as a result of doing this, our words and actions increasingly show the reality of the Christ-mindedness we are developing – so that we truly become more and more “slaves of righteousness” – and, as Paul makes the point in the last 2 verses of this chapter: “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.  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Are we enjoying “the fruit” we are developing? Spiritual enjoyment! Can we sense it leading “to sanctification”?  How marvellous are the words of encouragement Paul penned to the Colossians, saying “we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,  so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”[ch. 1 v9,10] Oh the wonder of being, “slaves of righteousness.”

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