Romans 6: 12-14
Now that we have died to sin and have been raised in righteousness, how should we respond to it? We are called to no longer offer our bodies to sin but to offer our bodies as instruments of righteousness. It sounds easy but it is a great challenge. Lets look at the different parts of our bodies.
Mind
It starts from here. The mind controls the body’s actions. Further in Romans 12:1, Paul says we are to offer ourselves to God by being renewed in the mind. Basically, what you do with your mind determines what you will become as a Christian. If our minds are occupied with secular things like money, career advancement, material gain, fame, etc, we will live our lives according to it. But if we fill our minds with the things of God, by being disciplined in reading the bible, reading Christian literature, have godly conversations, we will realise that there’s no better way to learn biblical truths than this. Then we will grow in godliness.
Eyes and Ears
Calculate the amount of time you spend watching trashy soap operas and listening to secular music that teach all the wrong ideas. How many secular books or magazines have we turned to for self-help? Honestly, all the help we need is from the bible. If you haven’t realised by now, these secular media bombard you with godless ideas. Their messages build around personal gratification and self-worship. In other words, they deny and oppose God. How is anyone to grow spiritually if all he or she does is watch or read all these secular material? How many hours do we spend exposing ourselves to such secularism? How can we claim to contend for the faith if we get caught up with these wrong beliefs? What if we commit the same amount of time to praying and studying the bible?
Tongues
The tongue might look small and meek but it is the deadliest organ in the body (James 3:5-6). As a matter of fact, it can potentially cause a war between countries. The first sin we commit with our tongues is boasting. We proclaim about our own strengths and not the greatness of God. Then we use our tongues to lie to escape consequences or have something done our way. Then we gossip and spread malice among members of the body, compromising the unity of the body of Christ. How many times have our very words hurt the feelings of others? If we can memorise the lyrics of so many secular songs, there is no reason for us to not be able to worship God the same way, by singing his praises and reciting scripture. If we have the time to participate in idle chatter, how is it that we do not have time to tell others about Jesus? Remember our purpose, now that we are no longer in sin. Every Christian has a calling, and it is to witness (Acts 1:8).
Hands and Feet
Our hands and feet determine what we do and where we go. Paul mentions in 1 The 4:11-12 that we are to use our hands profitably, so that we may win the respect of outsiders and not be dependent on anybody. In Eph 4:28, Paul says that we are to do something useful with our hands so that we have something to share. We do not only want to avoid idleness but also, we are to allow others to benefit from our profits. Where do we allow our feet to take us? Do we spend most of our time in entertainment areas or attending social parties? Do these take precedence over the time we should spend worshipping God or studying his word? Here’s a challenge. For every secular function we attend, are we able to spend the same amount of time attending a Christian function or reading the bible? If we absorb ourselves more into the world, we will have the tendency to follow its ways and desires.
Dear friends, we have been made alive in Christ and sin should no longer have mastery over us. Take heed and do not be influenced into secularism and be fooled into thinking your spiritual life is doing well. When we promised to follow God, we promised to use our bodies for his purpose (Remember Romans 12:1 and 1Cor 6:19). And it is by grace that we are able to offer ourselves. We will do well by not taking it for granted.
