Do What Is Right (keyword: "Do")

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. [Romans 6.12-18]

I want to repeat a verse above:

Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

I am a slave to righteous living. What in the world does that mean? 

Well, let's consider what a slave is first. A slave is the property of another. A slave has no rights. A slave exists to do the work of his owner. A slave has no say, except "yes, I will obey."

Then, let's consider what righteous living is. Righteous living is, in this case, doing the will of our owner (as slaves). Our owner is the ruler of His Kingdom. The work we are to do is Kingdom work. Kingdom work is about people. Kingdom work is about putting others above ourselves.

Let's get something straight right now. Being a slave to righteous living is NOT just doing no wrong! It is not enough just to be good as it relates to not being bad. Being good is more than just not being bad. Being good is living righteously and living righteously is living like Jesus toward others (Who laid down His life for His friends). Righteous Kingdom living is proactive.

So, from this talk, we are to understand that in order to be free from sin, we must be proactive in Kingdom work. In other words, if we are to see our bondage to sin broken in our lives, it will be through our Kingdom work.

It is not that our Kingdom work saves us however. Our Kingdom work simply serves notice to our former slave driver that we are no longer his slaves. And, when we are no longer his slaves, we are no longer bound the 'benefits' of unrighteousness (which are no benefits at all really, but curses).

But back to the "proactive" part...

Is it any wonder that people are so beat down by sin (former master) when they do nothing for (or like) their New Master?

Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom of God were not meant to just be nice stories. Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom were meant to teach us how to live. Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom were meant to teach us how to live for others and not for ourselves (But seek first the Kingdom of God...). This is righteous living.

Father, help us to continually rehearse what we are learning about Your Kingdom and put it into practice!