Romans 6:12-13

Romans 6:12-13

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Transcript

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Hello, this is Dr. Bill Branks, author of Love the Word. Allow me to read today's text for us. Romans 6 verses 12 to 13. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. The Apostle Paul uses the word reign five times in Romans. It is used over two hundred and fifty times throughout Scripture. We should know what it means to us. It is the perfect word to describe a king's occupation. Ruler, kingship, and sovereignty are its best synonyms. In some cases, to reign means to be king. It is a position that allows one to exercise supreme influence. Reign means absolute power. There were many kings written about in the Old Testament, and one of the best and one of the worst were father and son. Hezekiah reigned for 29 years. By restoring the neglected temple worship and eradicating idol worship, he ignited a spiritual awakening that reverberated throughout Judah. This transformative era under Hezekiah's reign serves as a powerful reminder that true leadership is rooted in faith and courage. The story of King Manasseh of Judah, the son of Hezekiah, is found in 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33. Manasseh ascended to the throne at just 12 years old and reigned for 55 years, the longest reign of any king in Judah's history. Unfortunately, his reign is marked by extreme idolatry and rebellion against God. Both men reigned. Both had their opportunity to exercise supreme influence, and they certainly did, but with very different outcomes. Who or what we allow to reign in our hearts, minds, and bodies will significantly impact our outcome. We are commanded to not allow sin to reign. Paul writes, Do not let sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. God created our mortal bodies with much potential for passion. Paul begins by using our members, or body parts. Seems a little too explicit, but we need to understand that inappropriate use of our members can lead to out-of-control passions. For instance, there are as many as 16 million U.S. adults who struggle with compulsive sexual behavior. This is sinful passion reigning in mortal bodies, and lust is only the beginning. Other members include hands, feet, tongue, mind, and thought. How we employ our work, hobbies, words, thoughts, and entertainment reflects what we allow to reign in us. When Christ reigns in us, righteousness flourishes. When sin reigns, unrighteousness consumes us. Human beings can develop sinful passions for almost anything, such as money, power, food, envy, anger, bitterness, and self-indulgence. These areas, left uncontrolled, can lead to our destruction. When we stop resisting, we surrender power to our passions, and they begin to reign over us. They control us. They reign because we give them the right, we appoint them king of our mortal bodies, and they will surely exercise the highest level of influence over us. We become instruments for unrighteousness. Here's the bottom line. Remember, every day we present ourselves to God. What will he see today? Will he see thoughts, words, and behaviors of a sinful mortal body that is subtly giving authority to sin, or will he see a battle for purity and holiness as those who have been brought from death to life? How will you assure your mortal body will be committed to God as an instrument for righteousness today?