21 October 2021

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From Romans 6:12-18, NRSV

In today’s reading Paul continues to elaborate on the reward to be gained from living lives committed to righteousness. He points out that sin brings no reward but that through living as Christians they are “freed” and will obtain eternal life. Many of those to whom Paul was writing would in fact have been slaves living tough and restricted lives. Although they may have remained slaves, they now had through their baptism obtained a freedom that gave them the same dignity and worth as free people.

• • What difference do you think Paul’s words would have made to those who were actually slaves?
  • What are the “slaveries” from which people need to be freed in our own times?

Give thanks for the dignity and worth given to you by right of your Baptism.

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