Trailblazin Ministries Blog

LaRosa

Romans 6 Resolutions (2008 Resolutions)

Written by LaRosa Johnson
Monday, 10 December 2007
Filed under: LaRosa

Before reading this entry, I recommend reading part one of Romans 6 Resolutions.

Now that I'm done reflecting on the year 2007 that still has a few weeks left, I'm ready to start focusing on 2008, Lord willing and if He doesn't decide to blow the trumpet before then. As I said prior, I'm not the greatest when it comes to making resolutions as they tend to last only a few weeks before they're broken. They don't even last long enough to even have a chance at becoming habit, which I think is pretty sad. Sure, I grow and get stuff done over the course of the year, but I still look back and find many areas of disappointment and see where I could have done more or better.

I've already started making a few resolutions, one of which I've already implemented into my daily routine. That one is going good thus far; a challenge, but good nonetheless. I don't want to stop there though. While listening to Way of the Master Radio, Todd Friel, my freakishly tall brother, said that he wanted all of the listeners to do something before they made any resolutions for 2008; he had a challenge for all of us, and it was a very interesting one at that. What is it? He wanted each of us to read the entirety of Romans 6 everyday until the new year (or as many times as necessary) and then think on what your resolutions should be.

With the challenge in front of me, I gave Romans 6 a good thorough read last night and it was a very convicting time of study. You see, the chapter deals with the reality of believers being dead to their sins and being alive to God. This is the reality that is true for every believer who has repented and put their trust in Christ, at least it is supposed to be. The chapter begins with Paul asking whether we should continue sinning so that grace might continue to abound? The answer: absolutely not! Paul then goes on a discourse to describe how believers have been crucified with Christ and have had our sins put to death through the work of Jesus Christ. As a result, we have been raised in Christ and sin should no longer be a part of our lives. The ultimate point then is that we are to then present our bodies as instruments of righteousness walking in obedience to the commandments of God.

All of that got me to thinking. Throughout the course of 2007, I have been made aware of a great deal of sin within my life. Many I have taken care to eradicate from my life for good, through the working of the Holy Spirit within me. That is truly something to be proud of, but I am constantly made aware that there is even more sin in my life and some in particular that I continue to be a slave to, instead of walking in His righteousness. I am not perfect, far from it.

So, after reading Romans 6, it was clear what my primary motivation and resolution needs to be. I need to be an instrument of righteousness more than I already am. I need to be perfect just as God is perfect (1 Peter 1:16) and walk in holiness. Those pet sins that I keep close to me, I need to get rid of them for good and keep them at bay, no matter how hard it may seem. Sure, my sins may not be murder or adultery or anything like that, but as we find in James 2, the same God who said to not murder is the same who said to not commit adultery. If I falter in one letter of the Law, then I am guilty of it all, since God is the giver of all the Law.

This is nothing to wait for the new year though, being an instrument of righteousness is something that needs to begin today. Tomorrow is not promised, as my life could be required of me this very moment; I must walk as one anxiously awaiting the return of the Lord. But not only do I want to simply be an instrument of righteousness, I want to be a slave to righteousness. I must constantly keep in mind the mercies of God (as outlined in Romans 1-11), the mercies of God that saved me from the full force of God's wrath. It is the daily realization of those mercies that should make me desire to live righteously.

That is my primary resolution for 2008. Every other resolution shall stem from that. What are my other resolutions? A few would include: 1) eating healthier and exercising more, 2) continuing to study God's Word and be diligent in my ministry training, 3) be more diligent in my work in the ministry, 4) be a better father and husband, and priest over my household, and 5) managing the daily priorities of my life much better, to name just a few.

Indeed, I look forward to 2008. Amen & amen.