Romans 6:12-14 – “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was stopped in my tracks regarding how seriously God regards obedience and trust. Many seem to miss it and live like King Saul in self-deception, justifying and excusing sin. There is no justification or excuse!
Saul began right but drifted to the point of no return. Romans 6:19 reveals something we need to embrace. Acts of Sin produce more sin, and acts of righteousness produce more righteousness.
Romans 6:12-14 exposes the flawed view that even if we fall short somehow, God will still accept us. If we surrender to the flesh, the flesh rules, and if the flesh rules, Satan rules.
Romans 6:2 exposes the reality that a person who claims to be transformed but continues in sin (yielding to the flesh) is an impossibility. Whatever we yield to owns us. We are either God’s or ruled by sin. We cannot be dead to sin and still yield to it.
Romans 6:12-14 brings our responsibility to the forefront. Allowing sin to rule is a choice. In verse 16, Paul forces us to face reality: “Do you not know that to whatever you yield yourself as slaves for obedience, you are slave s to what you obey-whether to sin resulting in death, or to obedience resulting in righteousness.”
It is a choice, and God wants the heart. We dare not convince ourselves we love Him when we disobey Him repeatedly. Romans 3:30 debunks the idea that because we know the Word, we are somehow excused. That knowledge will become our judge! He knows that to do good and does it not; to him it is sin.
Romans 6:23 is a sobering passage. “For sin’s payment is death, but God’s gracious gift is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.” Too many excuse the first part and claim the second while living lives yielded to the flesh. Be sure your sin will find you out! Make the choice to give all to Jesus, and His grace will transform. LORD, help us to avoid excuses and come before you honestly and openly
