Being a Slave of Sin or of Righteousness Reveals Our Master

We are slaves to what controls us. That includes things like drugs, alcohol, financial security, food, cell phones, video games, profane language, gambling, gossip, and pornography. Enslaving appetites can be lethal.

Paul Harvey described how those who live in the far north kill wolves. They coat their knife blades with animal blood and let it freeze.

They continually repeat the process. Then, they put the knife into the ground with the blade exposed.

The wolves lick the blood on the knife. Their craving for blood is so great that they do not feel the knife cutting their tongues. They do not realize when their thirst for blood is being satisfied by their own. The people find them dead in the snow. Only God’s grace can keep our lusts from consuming us.

We have died to sin through our identification with Christ’s death on the cross (Romans 6:1-10). Practically, we must live as those who are dead to sin by making God the focus of our lives.

Lust is the 600-horsepower engine of self-life. It revs at full throttle toward sexual desires, material enjoyment, another’s possessions, etc. Apart from God, lust inevitably controls us.

We become a saw that severs relationships. A hammer that pounds others into submission. An awl that makes a point no matter what. A ruler to which others must conform.

Life changes only when we change our Lord. We refuse to be lust’s instruments any longer. We become God’s instruments of righteousness.

Sin has no business mastering us. It does not master Jesus Christ. We are with Him. How has changing your Lord changed your life?

Jesus was a slave to righteousness (Philippians 2:7). He is our example. His food was to do the Father’s will and finish His assigned work (John 4:34). That is our food too.

We move from being a slave of lust to a slave of righteousness when we obey from the heart the pattern of teaching that claims our allegiance (Romans 6:17). Our master’s identity reveals what we genuinely believe.

Sin’s servants are on a downward spiral. They are already spiritually dead.

They are spiraling downward toward making that spiritual death permanent—eternally separated from God. No earthly pleasure is worth that price tag.

An upward spiral reigns in Jesus’ kingdom. When we serve God with reckless abandon, wholeheartedly, and gladly, we grow in holiness and become more like Jesus.

Eternal life is our present and eternal possession. Our destiny is to become like Jesus and enjoy forever all the blessings of being like Him (1 John 3:2). What is your takeaway? See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.

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God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,090 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,150 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.   https://www.christiangrowthresources.com/his-power-for-your-weakness

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