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. [romans 6:12-13]
5 times in this passage you, and other derivatives of the word, make an appearance. God is used 2 times nonetheless, when the text becomes about you, you inherently tell God to take the back seat.
are you telling God to take a back seat?
| instrument of sin | Godly instruments |
| absent in relationship- you can’t love a God you don’t know | present with him- desire him rather than what he gives and does for us |
| not in the word- may know a few popular bible verses, but do not seek his word daily | in the word- equip your mind to know who he is |
| selfish- uses knowledge of what you think the bible says to look the part & to be accepted by others | humble- we are called to glorify his name, not our own |
| careless- under the impression that what you do now matter & you can repair your relationship with God down the line because you know that he is a God of forgiveness | obedient- this it not compulsion, rather it is the freedom to worship without shame & guilt |
| envy/comparison- superiority/inferiority complex is used to make yourself feel better & cuts down others | gratitude- choose to see the beauty of him & his creation |
| hard-hearted/inconsiderate- you are stingy by picking & choosing who you share the love of God with | love- so that everyone may see his love through you |
1 timothy 6:11-12- but as for you, o man of God, flee these things. pursue righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. fight the good fight of the faith. take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses
hebrews 12:1- therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
~ angela younger