Day Six: Slaves to Sin
July 6, 2015.
Day by day it's getting easier and easier. I'm not walking up and down the aisles of Macys wanting everything in sight. I'm not ashamed to read my Bible in public. I'm not automatically picking up my phone and moving my thumb to my social media apps. I'm just living. I'm spending more time talking to my family and wanting to be with them. I'm getting excited about God's word. And I am so content with my life right now.
I never would have thought this would be easy. I prayed it would be. That I wouldn't fail. That God would give me the strength to get through this month without regretting anything. And He is. He never fails. I'm not saying I haven't been tempted because I have. Daily. But I have given it over to God. I am his servant and His will be done.
I was reading today in Romans 6:18,19b-21 about slavery, it says: "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteaouness.... Just as you used to offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were from the control of righteousness. What benefits did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those result in death!" What really stuck out to me was how BEFORE we are saved by God, we are slaves to our sin. I think a lot of us, once we are saved, STILL carry that sin around with us. We wear it like it's a badge that we can't take off. I know that's how I am. I think I can't do something for Christ because I'm not good enough or mature spiritually enough. I come up with an excuse to not follow God's will because of my own insecurities. But that's not how God sees us. God has washed us white as snow. He sees us through Jesus. It also says in Romans 6 that once we are born again, we are set free from our sin bondage! We are now slaves to Christ. To the one who loves us and knows what's best for us.
When I first read that I was thinking, "slaves to Christ? How can we be free in Him and yet still slaves to Him?" That is such a hard thing for me to understand. Living a life following Christ is a free life. He has given us the choice to follow Him. He gave us the choice to be "slaves" (or a better word) servants for Him. Following Christ and obeying His teachings are the most rewarding thing you can do in your life. But does that make you a slave (i.e. servant)? I guess when it comes down to it, you are either a slave to the sin of this world or you are a slave to Christ. Its really not about whether you are a slave or not it's about who will you be slave to.
My thoughts are in verse 22, it says:
"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life." Who would choose to be slaves to this world when all it gives you is pain and heartache? I choose to be a slave to Christ. To die daily to my sin and follow Him wherever He takes me which leads to ETERNAL LIFE. God says in Matthew 7: 13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it." This life won't be easy. He says that few will walk it. But it is the most rewarding life we can live.
Let's take up our cross, die daily to our sin, and follow Him. Our sin doesn't define us, God defines us. Don't let your sins and your past keep you from the future God has in store for you.
Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
Day by day it's getting easier and easier. I'm not walking up and down the aisles of Macys wanting everything in sight. I'm not ashamed to read my Bible in public. I'm not automatically picking up my phone and moving my thumb to my social media apps. I'm just living. I'm spending more time talking to my family and wanting to be with them. I'm getting excited about God's word. And I am so content with my life right now.
I never would have thought this would be easy. I prayed it would be. That I wouldn't fail. That God would give me the strength to get through this month without regretting anything. And He is. He never fails. I'm not saying I haven't been tempted because I have. Daily. But I have given it over to God. I am his servant and His will be done.
I was reading today in Romans 6:18,19b-21 about slavery, it says: "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteaouness.... Just as you used to offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were from the control of righteousness. What benefits did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those result in death!" What really stuck out to me was how BEFORE we are saved by God, we are slaves to our sin. I think a lot of us, once we are saved, STILL carry that sin around with us. We wear it like it's a badge that we can't take off. I know that's how I am. I think I can't do something for Christ because I'm not good enough or mature spiritually enough. I come up with an excuse to not follow God's will because of my own insecurities. But that's not how God sees us. God has washed us white as snow. He sees us through Jesus. It also says in Romans 6 that once we are born again, we are set free from our sin bondage! We are now slaves to Christ. To the one who loves us and knows what's best for us.
When I first read that I was thinking, "slaves to Christ? How can we be free in Him and yet still slaves to Him?" That is such a hard thing for me to understand. Living a life following Christ is a free life. He has given us the choice to follow Him. He gave us the choice to be "slaves" (or a better word) servants for Him. Following Christ and obeying His teachings are the most rewarding thing you can do in your life. But does that make you a slave (i.e. servant)? I guess when it comes down to it, you are either a slave to the sin of this world or you are a slave to Christ. Its really not about whether you are a slave or not it's about who will you be slave to.
My thoughts are in verse 22, it says:
"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life." Who would choose to be slaves to this world when all it gives you is pain and heartache? I choose to be a slave to Christ. To die daily to my sin and follow Him wherever He takes me which leads to ETERNAL LIFE. God says in Matthew 7: 13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it." This life won't be easy. He says that few will walk it. But it is the most rewarding life we can live.
Let's take up our cross, die daily to our sin, and follow Him. Our sin doesn't define us, God defines us. Don't let your sins and your past keep you from the future God has in store for you.
Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
Watching and cheering you on in God's love. God is smiling from ear to ear reading your insightful wisdom. Love you. Lucy Roark
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