ARE YOU A SLAVE TO IMPURITY OR RIGHTEOUSNESS?

SCRIPTURE:
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves.  
Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity 
and to every-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to 
righteousness leading to holiness.  
(Romans 6:19)

MEDITATION:
Have you ever heard someone explaining something that was hard 
to understand and finally you said, “Just tell me in layman’s terms!”
By that, you meant ‘Give me a simpler explanation’.
Sometimes people make things seem more complicated than they are 
so others will get the impression they are very smart.

Paul wasn’t that kind of person.
After his life had been changed, 
he fully committed to the Lord and became a humble person.
That doesn’t mean he became weak; 
he had a gentle strength that was under control.

Since Paul was not arrogant, 
he wanted everyone to easily understand his message.
His message is:
- God made us and gave each of us certain abilities and talents.
- Before we were saved, we used all that God gave us to fulfill our own 
   evil pleasures; this caused us to become slaves to impurity 
   (we found new ways of achieving wickedness).
- Whenever we belong to God, 
   we need to redirect our energies and efforts to pursue righteousness.
- The more righteous we become, the closer we get to holiness. 

Instead of filling our minds with resentments, abusing our bodies with 
sinfulness, and damaging our soul by choosing sin over righteousness, 
we should humbly give our all over to God. 
When we do, our life will begin to count for something. 
We will have the feeling of belonging to life. 

Boredom will melt away, 
and we will become vibrant with hope and expectation. 
When we lose our arrogance and meekly yield to the Lord’s Will, 
we will begin to “inherit the earth” of good things 
(which God holds in store for all who trust Him with their all).

ACTION:
Do you feel like you may be missing out on the best parts of life?
Do you still belong to the world, 
or have you been transformed and now belong to the Lord?
When given a choice of pursuing righteousness or choosing sinfulness, 
which decision do you make?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me if I am still a slave to impurity. 
Strengthen me so that I become a slave to righteousness that leads 
to holiness. If I am arrogant, teach me humility. If I am selfish, 
show me how to redirect my desires for pleasing self to a new 
desire to please You. Let me yield to You this day all my innermost 
thoughts.  I cannot hide from You. I want to enjoy the blessings You 
have for me – I know they will bring me much more pleasure than 
sin could ever produce.”