04-19-13 What a Holy God 'Requires'

Romans 6:16-23 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? 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. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 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. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of 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.

 

Slaves in the Old Testament were not like the slavery that we've seen in the world in our past (or read about).  It was maybe people who were spared their lives when the Lord gave the Israelites their land - the land was given to the Israelites because of the pagan practices of the people who lived there.  Or it was poor people who would sell their services to another to have somewhere to live, something to eat and so forth.  Every seventh year, all slaves were to be let go - to be freed from their obligation.

 

If a slave decided he loved his master, his wife, and children; he could then ask to stay.  If it was agreed upon and the reasons were given before the judges then there was one more step that the slave had to walk as a sign that he really did WANT to stay (and wasn't being coerced, or was really indecisive).  He had an awl driven through his ear into the door or door post of the house Exodus 21:5-6.  Then he would be a slave to that house for his lifetime.  He did so willingly.

 

Romans is such a good book dealing with sin, but in the passage above, it also talks about holiness.  It tells us that once we WERE slaves to sin.  We willingly (most of the time) submitted to sin.  We OBEYED sin.  "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."

If we've come to the Lord - and we allow Him to 'clean' us up, we are no longer slaves to sin, but willing slaves to the Lord.  Now, we don't have to have our ear pierced through to a church door or anything like that, but we to show our allegiance, we may allow Him to help us give up certain things that we do and certain beliefs about our lives and the lives of others.

But the benefit we receive is holiness and subsequently, eternal life!  We now have pledge our allegiance, not to sin or our sinful behaviors, but to a righteous and holy God.  He has always been our Father - though some choose to ignore Him or reject Him and turn towards another "father" - lucifer, satan, buddha, or someone or something else.  We've turn to Him and now the holiness and righteous of God, our Father - is our inheritance if we choose to stay humble and if we do sin, to repent and turn away from the sin.  That's all He asks of us.

All the Most High God - the Holy One really desires from us is our love and affection towards Him  He doesn't just want our lives so that He can boss us around.  No, He wants willing children whom He can love and cherish and pour out lavish gifts upon.  Sounds like a good deal to me... what about you?

Most of you know this song.... maybe you'll see it a little differently now...

Holiness - Sonicflood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uor3TPX0of8