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 rightness. Romans 6:13 ESV

Sanctification: The state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion. (Webster Collegiate Dictionary)

Christians cannot sin successfully……sin yes, successfully no. The Holy Spirit will not allow this because of the sanctifying process He is completing in you. Your body is to be an instrument used to bring God glory, This is referring to your hands, mouth, feet, and every part of your being. Let me present this to you in another light for the sake of illustration. When I think of instruments outside of this context, I think of musical instruments. If your life was made of musical instruments, what would be the melody and lyrics of your life? Think how powerful music can be to those listening or playing it. A musician doesn’t just wake up one day able to play with great ability. It is the result of a lifetime of effort, and teachers pouring themselves into the life of the musician enabling them to perform. So it is in the sanctification process…….the Holy Spirit teaches us a new melody in life more beautiful than we could ever produce left to ourselves. Yes, it takes practice and effort, but the ability and accomplishment only happen because of the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Lives taught by the Holy Spirit should sing out faithfulness, perseverance, love, mercy, and holiness, which are just a few of the many instruments that make up the symphony of the Christian life. The sour note of sin played on the instrument of life will be more recognizable to the one who practices the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Just as a great conductor of a symphony will point out the improper note, so will the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian. So where do we begin?

First, commit not to live willfully in sin. “Do not present your members to sin.” In other words, “give no opportunity to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27 ESV Satan is more than willing to bring temptations of sin to you …. don’t make it easy for him in your life.

Second, recognize who you are in Christ…… Alive “Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life.”  “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11 ESV

Thirdly, be an instrument in God’s symphony of life. “and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” As an instrument in the hand of a master performer, may your life be lead by the master conductor producing the beautiful music of the Christian life for all the world to hear.

Just a closing thought …..if you are not playing the music of the Christian life, could you be in the wrong symphony? This would be a horrible thought when it is all played back to you someday, standing before the One who created the music of life, realizing you really didn’t know the composer.

Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David