Heralds Digest

  “ 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, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6 : 12 - 14 KJV Just as Adam and Eve pawned the garden of Eden on the platters of their endowment as free moral agents, New Testament saints could readily pawn the privileges of grace on the altar of dormant dominion. While the grace of God has appeared to all to teach godliness and righteousness; the redeemed of the Lord have to be deliberate to exercise this dominion. Otherwise, the deceiver is still very much around to provide convenience through compromise, comfort with corruption, and capital from concessions. Even though convenience, comfort and capital represent a token of dominion...

  “ And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ” Romans‬ ‭6:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ A perfect example of a guarded gift to God was demonstrated by one of the Old Testament patriarchs, while he was engaged in a sacred koinonia and a renewed covenant with God. “ And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away ” (Genesis‬ ‭15:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬). Likewise today, there are more sophisticated and unsolicited vultures on every good intention of a man who would prefer godliness to unrighteousness in this evil world. It is not enough for a believer to give his time, talent, and treasure to God in the church and certain places of worship; and then walk away into the hands of vultures. Apostle Paul here is saying we and all our members are the embodiment of the sacrifice; and so, there is no walking away from the presence of the Lord at any ...

  “ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. ” Romans‬ ‭6:8-9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Since the literal death is non-negotiable, it is clear that the use of the word ‘if’ here implies that a different type of death is being referenced. Obviously, the context speaks about the symbolism of water baptism - a public declaration of a decision to follow Jesus Christ, after accepting His provision of freedom from sin and unrighteousness. And the attraction in this desirable death is that the second death no longer has dominion over those who opted for it. Just as the resurrected Jesus became unrestricted by earthly boundaries, those who are truly raised from the dead with Christ (even while still transacting businesses and managing resources here on earth) have become untouchable by the sting of death and the spat of corruption. The grace for a desirable death is f...

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭ 6:12 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/rom.6.12.nkjv   A believer’s wishful thinking will readily approve the shutting down of all sinful enterprises and all avenues that promote lust. The justification of an enticement-free environment is that no one will sin. Notwithstanding, enticement-free environment is not the same thing as freedom from sin. Obedience to simple instructions is clearly an expression of love. And a relationship that cannot accept the responsibility of keeping away from lust is void of the true meaning of love. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body...” is a simple commandment for the Redeemed of the Lord and every beneficiary of His grace. This simply translate into a believer’s commitment to keep the eyes away from immoral looks, the legs away from unrighteous gatherings, the ears away from sinful entertainment, passion away from worldly i...