Inductive Bible Study February 17

IBS Wednesday February 17

Romans 6:16

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness.

I am a slave to whom I present myself to obey. If I presented myself to obey my selfish desires, I would become a slave to those selfish desires. But, those selfish desires would have turned into sin, and that sin to death. If I presented myself to obey God’s commands, I would become a slave to Him. But, being a slave to God leads to righteousness, and righteousness to life.

If I decided I wanted to cut my ties with my family so that I could be free to do all those things that my parents told me not to do in their house, I would become a slave to my selfish desires. This is a thought I considered many times growing up. It’s natural for a teenager to want to rebel against their parents, but following those natural desires leads to sin, and sin leads to death. As I decided I was going to be a Christ follower, though, I was able to overcome these selfish desires. I realized that I was still immature in my faith, but I could at least follow God’s command in Ephesians chapter 6 that says,

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

I saw the promises of this commandment as I obeyed God through obeying my parents in the Lord. I saw through people I watched that disobeying your parents in the Lord leads to sin which leads to a lot of suffering. I saw these people wreck their lives and decided that I didn’t want a wrecked life as well. I truly desired that life would be well for me and that I would live a long, healthy life. As I honored my parents growing up, I realized that I was a slave to them in a spiritual sense, but it was much better than being a slave to my selfish desires. The blessings that came out of obeying my parents was worth more than what I could have ever gotten had a cut myself off from them. I was able to be a slave to God by obeying Him, and in obeying my parents, I obeyed God.

I know that I was by no means a perfect child. I definitely rebelled and didn’t deserve to be raised as well as I did. I didn’t deserve the parents I was given either. I really didn’t deserve a God who sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for my sins and raise from the dead so that I would have eternal life. But, I am so thankful He did. That’s who I want to be a slave to, not my selfish desires.

Application: As I obeyed my parents in the Lord, I can also obey those who God has now placed in my life now that I am no longer under my parents’ command. I have this amazing home in Guatemala right now. I can either experience the blessings of the freedom that come with obeying those who are taking care of me, or I can do what I want to do in rebellion and have the freedoms of this property taken away from me. Today, I will recognize my authorities in the Lord and obey their commands, knowing that it pleases the Lord and He promises quality and length of life.