Camping Out

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Romans 6:16

The death and righteousness Paul is referring to have a little different context from a Hebrew perspective than what I normally read into this passage To be in death is to be outside of God's blessing. Righteousness, is being under God's blessing. There are two realms, the realm of life (righteousness) and the realm of death. Neither have an effect on salvation. Confess Jesus as LORD, accept His sacrifice on the Cross as atonement for your sins and receive salvation. Living in death or life comes down to obedience.

Numbers 12 tells the story of Miriam and Aaron gossiping and slandering their brother Moses over their sister-in-law. The LORD is angered, Miriam is stricken with a skin affliction and has to leave the camp for seven days. When she returns she's all better. Because of her sin/transgression (slander is a sin, Lev 19:16) Miriam was in the realm of death, put outside the protection of the camp.

When we transgress we are put outside the LORD's blessings. He still loves us, we are still saved however we are put outside the camp. While outside the camp we are to examine our ways. Pray for guidance and revelation, play back the tape of our lives in our minds. Today I know when I'm outside of God's blessings. I'm moody, things seem to get in the way, there is general discord in the house. Sometimes I can relate to a direct sin or transgression sometimes it's not obvious. When I've had enough of the frustration I pray and examine my ways. I always come to an understanding during one of these periods.

When I have identified the transgression and I always do, loud and clear, I know there is no way that I will be able to overcome the nagging problem on my own. I'll try and fall flat on my face again. This is where the magnificence of Christ comes in. I lean on Him to deliver me. Being in the realm of death, outside the camp, actually strengthens my relationship with Him.

When the transgression rears it's head again, and it always does, I start to pray like a fiend for strength to overcome. It's hard. When I'm obedient then I start to feel the blessings, I feel confidence like I've never felt before.

As Paul states in Romans 6, obedience leads to righteousness. Jesus gives us the strength to obey. When we obey we live an ordered life. God desires order. When we live an ordered life we bless others, it's inevitable. It really is a perfect plan.