No Status Change!

Coming to acknowledge Christ as Lord in our lives brings many changes. However, there is one thing that does not change when we turn from the world to follow Christ and that is our status. Perhaps you are immediately thinking, “Now, wait a minute. My status changed considerably. I went from being lost to being saved. I went from being dead in sin to being redeemed by the blood of Christ. What do you mean there was no change of status?” You are right! All of that is correct and reflects a wonderful change of status and it is the reality God has made possible through Christ. However, there is still a part of our status that did not change!

In his letter to the church at Rome Paul wrote. . .
“(15) What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! (16) Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as OBEDIENT SLAVES, you ARE SLAVES OF THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God, that you who were ONCE SLAVES OF SIN have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and, having been set free from sin, HAVE BECOME SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Roman 6:15-18 ESV)

Notice the status Paul said did not change! We WERE SLAVES THEN and we ARE STILL SLAVES NOW! Though the Master we serve has changed, the status is the same. While we can find joy and blessing in serving the new Master, the status is still that of A SLAVE. We simply changed from one master to another.

So, what should mark our life lived now under Christ? We are to live and serve under His command. We are still not in a position to go and do our own thing! It is the Lord’s Will we are to submit to as we live our daily life. May we keep these important aspects of daily living in mind as we seek to live a life useful and pleasing to Jesus, our Master.

Have a great day ENSLAVED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Carl
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[This focus was originally sent 11/13/1998 (Edited some with passage changed to ESV)]

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