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The genuine Christian certainly has a new status in Christ
The genuine Christian certainly has a new status in Christ

Putting our new status to action

We read “do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin.

Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have a new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (Romans 6:12-14).

These are specific commands given to Christians to pursue holy living. We note that “what God has done for us is the basis and motivation for what we need to do for God”. This is a critical principle in authentic Christian faith and practice.

This is confirmed, for example in 2 Peter 1:3-4 “by His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvellous glory and excellence.

“And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires”.

The essential point the Apostle Paul makes in Romans 6:12-14 is that “the victory over sin God has won for us in Christ is a victory that we must persevere to take possession of.”

Dr. Douglas Moo, a Bible teacher, counsels, “Putting away those sins that plague us will be no automatic process, something that will happen without our cooperation. No. Paul insists a determination of our own will is called for to turn what has happened in principle into actuality.”

 In the rest of the pilgrimage on earth, Christians are confronted with two regimes, the choice of only two masters to serve: sin and obedience.

“…….previously you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led even deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy” (Romans 6:19).

The genuine Christian certainly has a new status in Christ; but they must express this new nature in decisive acts of choice and perseverance in obedience and faithfulness in a manner that confirms the fact of the new status.

Christians must always keep in mind, “that the grace and power of God that gave us a new status in Christ continue to be at work to sanctify us.”

We “give ourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that we will become holy” (v.19b) is the product of His grace.

 God takes the initiative. In grace, He acts to help His people and He asks them to respond responsibly.

Christians have a God given capacity to live holy lives. Romans 6:23 properly summarises the teaching of Chapter 6: “for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(The author is a Leadership Development and Cross-cultural Ministries Consultant. Email: [email protected] / [email protected])

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