Romans 6:12-14
Scripture: Romans 6:12-14 (ESV)
“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. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”
Devotion:
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to fall into habits that aren’t good for us? It’s like we’re on autopilot, repeating actions that we know deep down aren’t what we truly want for ourselves. Paul is challenging us here to wake up and take control of the steering wheel. Sin, he says, doesn’t have to be the boss of you. Just because we’re wired to have certain desires doesn’t mean we have to let them drive our lives into a ditch.
The imagery Paul uses is striking. He’s telling us not to let our bodies be tools for wrongdoing but instead to offer ourselves to God as instruments for good. It’s a call to intentional living—to make choices that reflect our new identity in Christ, not our old ways. Imagine if you had a tool that could either harm or heal, destroy or build. Paul is urging us to choose the latter, to use our lives to create something beautiful for God.
This isn’t about following a set of rules to avoid punishment. It’s about living in the freedom and power of God’s grace. Once you have been set free by Jesus you should live in that freedom. When God saves us, he saves us with a purpose. We don’t wait until we get our pie in the sky when we die. We are set free to live a life that’s aligned with who we were created to be here on earth. Under grace, sin’s power is broken. It no longer gets to dictate our lives because we’re operating under a new kind of authority—one that leads to life, not death.
Prayer:
The content below was originally paywalled.
Lord God, thank You for the freedom and power I have in Your grace. Help me to live fully in this truth, not letting sin control my actions or desires. Show me how to present myself to You as an instrument for righteousness, making choices that reflect my new life in Christ. May my life be a testament to Your transforming grace, breaking free from the patterns of sin and living out the beautiful purpose You have for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Challenge for the day:
Identify one habit or area in your life where you feel like sin has been calling the shots. Commit it to prayer, asking God for the strength and wisdom to change. Then, take a practical step towards that change. It could be setting up accountability, removing a temptation, or starting a new habit that aligns with your identity in Christ. Remember, it’s not about striving in your own strength but leaning into the grace that empowers you to live differently.