Reading: Romans 5-6
Verse of the day: "For just as you offer parts of yourself to moral impurity and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness which results in sanctification." (v. 6:19)
Questions
If the truth sets us free (John 8:32), why then are we still called "slaves" to Christ and to righteousness? Are mankind only destined for slavery, and the only choices we have is to choose our masters?
Verse of the day: "For just as you offer parts of yourself to moral impurity and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness which results in sanctification." (v. 6:19)
Questions
If the truth sets us free (John 8:32), why then are we still called "slaves" to Christ and to righteousness? Are mankind only destined for slavery, and the only choices we have is to choose our masters?
- Paul asserts that he is using "human terms" because of "the weakness of our flesh". As fallen people who had turned away from God, we instead look towards ourselves or other people, and through the things we observe, we build a framework of standards and values, within which we set our goals and make our decisions. As we draw further away from God and further into ourselves, our scope of vision becomes narrower and narrower, and we limit our horizons and become imprisoned in the small circle of our selfishness and whims, never venturing out to pursue the things that would have enriched our lives simply because it doesn't give us immediate pleasure/satistfaction.
- Breaking out of this self-absorbed habits is difficult, especially as we live in a culture that increasingly values self-affirmation/expression/fulfillment against all other things. Even though by God's grace we are adopted as His sons (Ephesians 1:5), and called us friends rather than servants (John 15:15), while we still possess our old nature, we need subject ourselves to God's restraint, discipline and correction in order to learn to steward the possessions we are to eventually inherit to its full and glorious capacity. Thus, "the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different than a slave, even though he is the owner of everything." (Galatians 4:1)
- "just as you offered" - we are accountable for our own sins. God has given us the faculty to make a choice, and even though a lot of ou choices are influenced by outside forces beyond our control (God's sovereignty), we make our decisions based on the strongest inclination of our many desires at the moment of our choosing. We cannot blame God or circumstances when we choose wrongly, but we can praise God for His everlasting mercy that He is willing to forgive and give us more chances even after our numerous failings.
- "parts of yourself" - Each of us are affected by sin in different ways. Some may be more susceptible to specific kinds of sins than others, and some may have more vulnerabilities than his brothers. But no matter how fallen we can become, we cannot completely erase the image of God that is in us. This is why the "Total Depravity" part of the oft quoted (and oft misused) TULIP acronym should be better understood to mean that sin affects every aspect of our lives (similar to how, say, a toothache may cause pain to other parts of the body, and debilitate you from functioning normally), rather than that a fallen human is as bad as they can possibly be. Like a leaven, it spreads through the whole dough... But the dough itself doesn't become the leaven, and this is why even those who do not believe God can still perform good deeds.
- "to moral impurity" - left to our own devices, we tend to gravitate towards "the wide gate" of lawlessness (Matthew 7:13-14), because it's easier, more outwardly beneficial, more socially acceptable, etc. It appeals to the common idols of seeking pleasure, comfort, acceptance and power. (see quote in account signature)
- "greater and greater lawlessness" - those who are walking in the path of destruction don't necessarily commit blatant/obvious acts of transgressions. As C.S. Lewis wrote in Screwtape Letters, "the safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." They are the accumulation of "small sins" and habits we don't see any need to repent or turn away from, unwittingly "storing up wrath" for ourselves (Romans 2:5).
- "offer them as slaves to righteousness" - Just as the road to hell is a gradual, the path of sanctification is often, similarly, unmarked by spectacular events or miracles, and the progress of our spiritual growth is not always immidiately visible. This does not mean that staying in the path of righteousness is of no benefit to us, and we must remain hopfeul to God's promises and persevere even when it seems pointless.
- "results in satisfaction" - the true goal of pursuing righteousness is not to corral God into our debts and earn His blessings. Instead we should aim to be sanctified and be Christ-like so that we can delight in His fellowship and find the fulfillment of our deepest hopes and desires in Him, regardless of our circumstances.
- Why do I want to seek God?
- What motivates me to do good?
- When things go bad, what gives me hope and comfort?
- Do I really trust God to see correction as discipline as a benefit for us, rather than something to be feared and avoided?
