Paul Email - 3Nov2013- Romans 6 (Slavery)

How you doin? When I was younger my mom had pointed something out to me about conformity. She asked my why I was so interested in being a "Dead Head" or "Hippie". I told her it was because I didn't want to conform to society. She said "you're still conforming". Of course an argument ensued. She was right in her thoughts of conformity. She asked me if I would be accepted in that group of people if I cut my hair, wore a suit, and stayed sober. I answered very emphatically "no". My argument lost all kinds of validity. She was simply pointing out that I was conforming to something. That there was conformity in my nonconformity. I tell that story because Romans chapter 6 reminded me of it... for some reason. Romans 6 today.

Verses 1-2 clarifies the whole sin more so to receive more grace theory. "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" I love it when people suggest that the impurities in their life generates grace. This chapter makes it very clear that once we are saved by grace we are dead to sin. That's not to say that we are sin free, but the process of receiving the favor, grace, authority, power, and righteousness of God has begun.

So think about the story I told at the beginning and trade out the word conform for slave. Verses 15-16, "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ 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?" So here I go again. I claim to be free. But here the Scripture is claiming I'm a slave. So again I realize that no matter how much I want to be free... I'll never be free, because even to be free I need to be a slave. That's a good word. Just as I had to conform to nonconformity. So I see myself facing a cross roads type decision. Slavery to sin (death) or slavery to obedience (righteousness). So I'm not getting out of slavery. DIG IT!!!!!!! Such a better way to reconcile freedom in my mind. To be completely free is to be completely alone and without direction. Verse 18, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." A much better choice. A much better gift.

I'm trying not to just quote the entire Scripture in my emails, but this is too good to leave out. Verses 19-23, "I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹ What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." COME ON!!!!!!! I love Spiritual paradox. I love choices. I love the grace that the Holy Ghost offers me to choice wisely. I love Jesus. Serve your Master well today.

PS   This idea works for me until I receive the wisdom of the fullness of my identity and inheritance. I've spoke about what I pursue (in a previous email), what I conform to, and what I'm a slave to. As verse 19 states, my human limitations prevent me from understanding the fullness of Jesus who dwells within me. This concept of slavery to obedience results in righteousness and holiness. The terms will/do change as my process continues. I love being free... from sin.