ROMANS 6:18

“and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.”

Every job I have ever had was my choice. No one made me work for someone. Sure, I might have been encouraged by my parents or my wife, but I made the choice in the end. I prayed about those jobs. I wanted to make sure it was His will for my life and not just something I wanted to do. Looking back over my 65 years, some of those choices may not have been the best. But God worked through each of them to bring me to the point where I am today.

Paul has been using the analogy of slavery in the past few verses. It was a system he was very aware of having lived in that environment. The word Paul uses for “became slaves” is doulóō which focuses on the status of being a bond-slave and stresses the results of enslavement. The word is used eight times in the New Testament. The Topical Lexicon says, “The eight New Testament uses of this verb, taken together, testify that the gospel does not merely offer improved circumstances; it effects a total change of ownership, replacing cruel slavery to sin with joyful servanthood to the living God.”

APPLICATION

We’ll see doulóō a few verses later in Romans 6:22. Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 9:19 when he writes, “For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may gain more.” Willfully choosing to enslave oneself is a huge decision. So many people don’t get this. They enter into their relationship with Jesus just to escape the fires of hell. They are not told that when we choose Jesus, we choose enslavement to His will. They think it will hold them back and don’t understand this enslavement actually frees you.

You can also choose enslavement to other things. In Titus 2:3 this word is used to warn women to not be enslaved to much wine. We all know the results of that, right? Our choices have consequences – good or bad. As Paul said a couple of verses back, we can be slaves to sin or obedience. Both have consequences.

But here in today’s verse Paul makes it clear that we have been freed from sin to choose righteousness. We choose to live enslaved to a Master who will give us His righteousness. We did not deserve it and we cannot earn it. His righteousness was given to us the moment we “enslave” ourselves to Him. We become royalty, part of the family of God. What a great enslavement. Will you choose that today? Enslave yourself to Him.

Father, I bind myself to You each day and seek to do Your will.

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