TODAY'S RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
Friday, June 6th, 2014.
Theme: "Don’t Let Sin Reign"
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God…"- (Romans 6:12-14).
Our theme scripture is quite instructive. If I told you, "Don’t let that fellow in here," and the person I’m referring to is physically bigger and stronger than you—maybe a heavyweight prizefighter—you’d wonder what sort of "dangerous mission" I’m asking you to embark on, because you wouldn’t be able to stop him, even if you tried.
If, on the other hand, you were the heavyweight or the tough guy, and you had been instructed to not allow one puny little guy in the room, you’d stand at the door, stick your chest out and say, "All right, you heard the man; stand back!" That’s because you know you’re bigger and stronger than he is and the instruction is not to let him in.
Applying this to our study, you’re the heavyweight, and sin is the "little guy," and God has authorized you to stop it from lording itself over you. He’ll never ask you to do something He knows you couldn’t do. But He instructs: "...Don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts" (Romans 6:12 WEB), because He’s given you the authority and ability to stop sin.
Not only does God tell you that you have the authority, He shows you how to wield that authority in dealing with sin. He says, "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God..." (Romans 6:13).
The word "yield" is from the Greek word "paristemi" and it means to present, much like you "present" your credentials at a job interview to be perused or you "present" a newly appointed executive to the board. This is different from "yield" in the sense of letting go of, giving up, or relinquishing something. It rather indicates the sense of presenting yourself, actively and consciously, not to sin, but to God. In other words, its joining yourself and acting together with Him to live right.
Prayer
Dear Father, I yield myself to you as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you as an instrument of righteousness, to establish your will, and manifest your goodness, mercies and grace in the earth, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study: Romans 12:1; Romans 6:19
1 Year Reading Plan : John 20:1-18, 1 Chronicles 20-22
2 Year Reading Plan : 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, Ecclesiastes 3-4
No comments:
Post a Comment