God’s Grace in Romans | Slaves of Righteousness |
We saw from our last discussion the second reason we don’t yield to sin, being that when we yield to sin we yield to the author of that sin, because of this; we passionately refuse to let Satan eat our cake and pop the bag.
Then the apostle goes on;
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Roman 6:17
God be thanked, we used to be servants of sin but now we are no more. Remember the word “servants” here means slave.
Since we have become slaves of God we cannot at the same time be slaves of sin for “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Mathew 6:24).
We are completely freed from sin and have become slaves of righteousness.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Romans 6:18
We cannot be labeled as sinners. When we obeyed from the heart the gospel of Christ, our heart and spirit was circumcised, thus, our nature changed (Roman 2:28-29).
We received the nature of righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24)..
By nature we are righteous so we cannot help but remain slaves to righteousness.
If you are a woman you are a slave to womankind even though at times you may act like a man: for by nature you are a woman, hence, you cannot help but remain a woman; so it is with the new creation, created according to God righteous and truly holy.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Romans 6:19
With the fervor we used in serving the Devil while we were by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:4), the apostle now urges us as new creatures to use the same doggedness to yield our members to righteousness unto holiness.
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. Romans 6:20
This is a profound statement. Observe carefully this part “ye were free from righteousness.”
When we were in the first Adam, when we were unregenerate, even though many a time we would do good things, for we were not absolutely evil for no matter what the light of nature was still at work in us.
Many of us would give alms to the poor, respect dignities, serve our nation etc.
However God’s shocking verdict is that we were “free from righteousness.” None of those works could meet the demands of God’s righteousness.
In fact nothing was even demanded from us for from the core of our being we were by nature sinners, so all our good works could not change our nature.
Since we were born sinners no amount of righteous works could change our nature, hence we were free from the demands of righteousness.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Job 14:4
Whether good or bad there was no fruit recorded to what we did while we were yet in the flesh.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. Romans 6:21.
All what we did was for self-righteousness and it wasn’t enough to give us a new nature.
Our works could not change our sinful nature for we were free from righteousness.
Whether good or bad, in the same manner we hear;
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Romans 6:22
Observe carefully this statement by the apostle “But now being made free from sin.”
O’ this is profound.
When we were free from righteousness no amount of works, whether good or bad could change our nature of slavery to sin, the same, now that we are free from sin, or rather free from the nature of sin no amount of sin can change our nature of righteousness.
If we agree with the first (Romans 6:20) then we also have to agree with the second (Romans 6:22). This why the word of God says the love of God passes knowledge.
If sin can change our natures, then by what the apostle says here what Adam did is greater than what Jesus did.
Actions cannot produce the new birth and actions cannot destroy the new birth.
Actions cannot change our born-again spirits. We believed to receive salvation.
This we did willfully, we were not coerced into faith, we did not lose our sinful natures, we willfully believed in Jesus and submitted to him and he exchanged our natures.
Same way, we don’t lose our salvation by our actions, until we willfully reject faith in Jesus and become reprobates.
Confession
Thank you good Lord for your perfect work of salvation for me. By nature I am born of God. Born-again righteous.
Created in righteousness, therefore, I cannot help but remain a slave to righteousness. I cannot lose my righteousness, I cannot be lost, I am eternally saved.
Today my prayers and actions are consistently received in heaven as precious sacrifices through the blood of Jesus.
I praise you for health, peace, wisdom, power and favour you have placed in my path as I live in your righteousness. Hallelujah!
Prophetic Insight
In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “Your miracle is under maturation. Mind not the voices and what you see. In your spiritual womb your miracle is daily forming to perfection.
Continue to fight the good fight of faith. As you steadfastly endure and patiently hold on, your promise is fully developed to stand the times without imperfection, lacking nothing.
Rejoice dear child, your miracle is under maturation.”
But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. James 1:4 (AMP)
Blessings in Christ,
Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church