Verse of the Day 8/19

 

Romans 6:17-18 But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed.

¹⁸ And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action).  Amplified Bible (AMP)

 

After posting yesterday's verses, as I went to get ready for church the old hymn "I Know of a Name" came to mind and stayed with me for the morning, especially the line "from sin has power to free us", which related back to Romans 6:11-14.  Here are a few lines from the hymn:

The One of that name, my Savior became,
My Savior of Calvary.
My sins nailed Him there; my burdens He bare.
He suffered all this for me.

That beautiful name, that beautiful name,
From sin has power to free us!
That beautiful name, that wonderful name,
That matchless name is Jesus!

 

Today's verses speak of being committed and obedient "with all your heart" to the standard of teaching which we committed to when we were saved. Having been set free from sin we choose to become slaves, or as James and others have put it "bond servants" of Christ. The Amplified Bible gives us an idea of what this looks like in the life of a "committed Christian" - conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose and action. These are sobering yet compelling words for us to take into the week.

 

May these verses and the words of this great hymn be reminders for us of the freedom we have, the power that He instills in us, and the ability to serve the "One of that name", who our Saviour became, that matchless name of Jesus.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV

 

Romans 6:15-19

New International Version (NIV)

Slaves to Righteousness

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.