WE ARE SLAVES TO WHOM AND WHAT WE OBEY

PROCLAMATION

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”  Romans 6:16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  Paul begins this chapter by asking, and then answering the question, shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?  His answer was, “God forbid.” (Romans 6:1-2)  He states that when we were baptized into Jesus Christ, we were baptized into His death.  As Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of The Father, so we were buried by baptism and raised up to walk in the newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)  Having been planted together in the likeness of death, we shall be also in the likeness of the resurrection.  Our old sinful self was crucified with Him, and we were raised in baptism no longer a servant of sin.  Paul’s point here was that believers should be dead to sin and alive in Christ. (Romans 6:5-11)  He said that every man is the servant of the master to whose commands he yields himself to. (Romans 6:16)  He ends this chapter by saying that the result of sin is death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:21-23)

 

APPLICATION

If we frequently give in to sin, then we are slaves of sin and the devil.  However, if we frequently obey The Word of God, then we belong to Christ.  If we love The Lord God, then we will keep His commandments. (John 14:15)  Believers are not perfect, we are ashamed of the times in our past when we used to sin, and ashamed presently when we slip and fall back into it. (Romans 6:21)  We should not use our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness and sin.  We should be instruments of righteousness, doing those things which are pleasing to The Lord and that give Him glory. (Romans 6:13 and 12:1)