Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For 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. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 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.
Obedient slave–isn't that almost an oxymoron? A slave has no choice but to obey. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word as "one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence" Completely subservient to the domination of Sin.
But there is a choice–I get to choose my Master, either the mastery of obedience to Sin or the mastery of obedience to the Word.
But that choice is more than a superficial reciting of a pat string of words. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "Sinner's prayer, easiest thing I've ever done. Done it hundreds of times" No, this choice is a deep heart, mind, soul, conscience transformation; a transformation that changes every aspect of my life. A 24/7/365 change. A belief/faith/trust/commit/obey change.
Praise You, Jesus the Christ, my Lord and Master, for You have provided the means of transformation.
Today's readings in the Psalms:
Morning: Psalm 79
Mid-day: 119:25-32
Evening: Psalm 4
Voices Together is available as an annual daily devotional and can be purchased at theFellowship Of Ailbe bookstore. A weekly edition, formatted as a bi-fold insert and suitable for distribution can be downloaded at https://www.ailbe.org/resources/item/5828-2015-voices-together-weekly-devotionals. The next edition is available by Thursday of the prior week.
