Body Matters

Paul introduces an interesting topic in Romans 6. He's discussing the concept that because Jesus paid for the penalty of our sins on the cross, we are now dead to sin, and because He rose again, we are alive in Christ.

Then in 6:12, comes this thought: Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

What that means is that our body matters. God is interested that once we become one with Christ, that we don't continue to allow sin to own our bodies. When Jesus poured out His blood to purchase our forgiveness, He gave us the opportunities to put our physical selves in the position to impact the world for the sake of righteousness.

Check out 6:13: Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

I love the picture that paints for us. We have a choice to make:

1. We can offer our bodies to God, for Him to use as "instruments of righteousness." We can be the instrument that God uses to implement righteousness on our family, friends and workplace! Wow!

Like an artist uses a pencil, God uses people to write righteousness on the fabric of the world. And we can be that pencil, channeling God's power, wisdom, strength and resources on the people and circumstances around us - our world can be blessed by God through our bodies, if we choose to make ourselves available for His holy purposes.

On the other hand...

2. We can choose to make our bodies available to sin. Even after we've been purchased by Jesus for heaven's sake, sin can continue to wreak havoc in the world around us, through our own body.

Because of our choices, we can allow wickedness to impact our families, our friends, our church, our community - through our physical selves! Ouch.

The choice is obvious! None of us wants to intentionally put our sphere of influence in danger of being impacted by the power of sin and wickedness! Many times, though, that's exactly what we allow to happen by our poor choices.

We must make a definitive decision to give our bodies to Christ, and allow God to begin writing righteousness on our loved ones through us. And, in truth, this is a daily decision, an act of submission to God's will and God's way in our heart, soul, mind and body.

The truth is this: your life is going to serve a purpose. Your life will either write God's joy and fulfillment and blessing on the world around you, or because of your actions, pain, strife and stress will inhabit your world.

It all depends on who you allow to write with your life.

Romans 6:22-23 - But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Until next time - RevPhil