True Righteousness

Hello! and happy good mid-week to all of us; and, it's only 65 days to go before Christmas, GUYS.  Our Wednesday's first-thing-first:

 

THE GOOD NEWS (21 October 2015)

"Do not allow sin any control over your mortal bodies; do not submit yourselves to its evil inclinations, and do not give your members over to sin, as instruments to do evil.  On the contrary, offer yourselves as persons returned from death to life, and let the members of your body be as holy instruments at the service of GOD.  Sin will not lord it over you again, for you are not under the Law, but under grace. 

I ask again:  are we to sin because we are not under the Law, but under grace?  Certainly not.  If you have given yourselves up to someone as his slave, you are to obey the one who commands you, aren't you?  Now with sin you go to death, and by accepting faith you go to the right way.  Let us give thanks to GOD for, after having sin as your master, you have been given to another, that is, to the doctrine of faith, to which you listen willingly.  And being free from sin, you began to serve true righteousness..." - Romans 6:12-18

 

(The faithful, although conscious of belonging totally to CHRIST, commit sins every day.  Their sins, however, do not deprive them of what is most important, trust in the FATHER, which allows them to stand up after each fall.  They know that they are and always will be sinners whom GOD forgives, as long as they try to amend and be better.  We achieve freedom day by day by voluntarily submitting to the requirements of a better life.

 

In Paul's time there were cases of slaves being exchanged by owners.  A free person with debts could sell himself to his debtor in payment of his debts.  The comparison used by Paul teaches us to be meekly at the disposal of the SPIRIT, as slaves who are not owners of their own persons.  Let us look at what the SPIRIT advises before making any decision.

 

The Christian's life must appear like slavery to whoever looks at it externally.  Yet the Christian feels and knows himself to be free.  The best example might be that of a mother totally dedicated to her sick child:  she is totally free, because she has no other law than her love.)