Scripture: Romans 6:15-18, “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 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.”

Our verse for today speaks of slaves and slavery. When we think of slavery, images come to mind. We see people confined against their will; we see brutality; we see poverty; we see suffering. We tend to think of slaves as either having been taken captive or having been born into captivity. In contrast, today’s scripture is speaking of voluntary slavery.

According to the Bible, we don’t really have the ability to opt out of slavery. We will either be slaves to sin which leads to death or slaves to obedience which leads to righteousness (right standing with God). There is no middle ground.

Just as the path of a ship or aircraft is guided by a compass heading, our choices determine the direction of our lives. Every choice to be slaves of sin, puts us on a heading leading

further away from God. Every choice to be obedient, puts us closer to the course that leads to God and eternal life. Scripture describes this refining process as sanctification (Greek: HAGIOSMOS ἁγιασμός) or being set apart. God is at work in us to lead us in paths of righteousness. Disobedience leads to destruction.

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” Proverbs 4:11

Author C.S. Lewis accurately described these two paths:

“When a man is getting better, he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less. A moderately bad man knows he is not very good; a thoroughly bad man thinks he is all right. This is common sense, really. You understand sleep when you are awake, not while you are sleeping. You can see mistakes in arithmetic when your mind is working properly; while you are making them you cannot see them. You can understand the nature of drunkenness when you are sober; not when you are drunk. Good people know about both good and evil; bad people do not know about either.”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 1952

So how do we make choices in obedience to God that lead to righteousness? It is a matter of the heart. Today’s scripture calls us to become “obedient from the heart.” Only God can change hearts, but he is eager to change our hearts if we ask him. King David poured his heart out to God after Nathan the prophet went to him regarding his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” Psalm 51:10-13

As we seek God in his Word and in prayer, he changes our hearts. As we grow in him, he replaces sin and selfishness with love and faithfulness.

Heavenly Father, we pray as Chris Tomlin wrote,

Give us clean hands, oh God

Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

Oh God let this be

A generation that seeks

Who seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob

Lord, let us be obedient from the heart. We pray in Jesus Name. Amen.

Clif Baumer