war of the flesh (Romans 6:1-140

[jars of clay]

6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 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. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.


Evangelicals are very proud that they know the way to be saved, that they are saved by grace through faith. But as the Roman Catholics bluntly, and accurately point out, this often leads to the idea that we can live in any fashion we see fit. This is completely contrary from the truth. Paul makes it very clear that we are not to live in the same manner as the world. So how are we to live?

What things are wrong and what thing are right? This is something Christians focus a lot of their attention on, and not to their credit. If you go to a Christian bookstore, you will find countless books on what things are right, from drinking alcohol being a sin, to listening to a certain type of music being wrong. I dislike these types of books because they miss the point, God has (through His Spirit again) shown each of us a path to follow, these paths may be the same, and they may not. Just like there are different rooms in a house, and not all rooms are the same, there are different things that God has called some to abstain from, and others to not, So who are we to judge another believer? Are we so perfect that we can cast the first stone?

But there is another side to this, and that is what truly is sin, Paul is clear that there are things we should not do. In verse 12 he says to not let sin rein in your mortal bodies. One struggle that some of you might know about in my life is my war with pornography. I have to fight every day to not allow that sin to rein or have control over my body or mind. We all have our struggle, and we all are going to be tempted but Paul writes in another letter that God has not allowed any temptation that is too strong for us, and that he has provided a way out for every situation. If we would depend on him, instead of looking to our own means, if we would stand in His power and holiness and not our own, we might see more fruit, and we would probably see more victories in this area.

[Gavan Johnson]

wow.. once again.. this is a very good devotional... mainly because it touches upon the subject of different denominational beliefs... and how those who do not stay int he word get easily confused as to the rights and wrongs of this world... becaue they listen to the words of man not God... and although the words of man can be trusted when man speaks the word of God.. we never know when one speaks the truth or is lying to us.. which is why we should ourselves read our Bibles and learn from God's word... and that way we shall not be confused and fall easily into the hands of Satan...
for me personally a great passage in the Bible is Romans 14-15 an dI would encourage all of you who are confused as to what is right or wrong in life to read it... congrats and kudos to you randel onthis devotional.. it is very powerful whether you realize it or not and as for everyone else I hope you gain understanding and wisdom from it and apply it to your every day lives