Romans 6:12-13 Let vs Yield

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (Romans 6:12) Regarding this verse, I had recently come to a bible truth which can be stated as simply this: We, as Christians, cannot let grace reign in the same manner that we can let sin reign. In other words, it’s not in our power to choose who is king. Either sin is king or grace is king. If grace is king, then grace reigns. If sin is king, then sin reigns. A choice to let sin reign reveals the truth of sin’s power over the child of God; in that is has no power. It reigns only because we let it. But if grace truly reigns, then it is not a matter of our choice like it is with sin. We cannot let grace reign. With grace, that choice is not before us. But with sin, it is.

However, the next verse poses a slight problem to what I thought was a simple truth. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (Romans 6:13) In this verse, it seems that we indeed do have a choice on both sides of the matter. And we do. But after looking carefully at this, I see now that it is two different matters to which these two verses deal with. And the previous truth remains unharmed and unaltered.

Verse 12 deals with the question of Who is King? And verse 13 deals with the question of Whom shall you serve? Verse 12 addresses the sovereignty of the King. While Verse 13 addresses the servanthood of his subjects. We cannot actiively choose for grace to reign. That choice was made the moment we got saved. We don’t keep choosing that to be so. It’s just so. But we can however choose who or what we shall yield to; the true and rightful King or that which has been dethroned and defeated.

I heard a preacher say the other day that this republic of the United States of America is the only form of government on earth that God has sanctioned. I think not. I do however remember an older preacher say this: There’s only one government that God sanctions. And that is the kingdom. And when the King comes, he’ll bring the kingdom. I always thought that was pretty good. Say amen right there. Nationalism without God makes an abomination before God.

I’m glad we don’t have to reelect grace to reign every four years, nor every day for that matter. When you get saved there’s no question, neither will there ever be a question, as to who the King is. The question before us is not Who shall be your King? But Who is your King? Thank God I’m not under the law, but under grace. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Romans 6:18) Like a sore-losing politician, sin does not go gently into that goodnight and is slow to relinquish what it has no hold on. How much more does grace abound? How much more does grace reign in the life of the believer? Grace is going nowhere and grace will never let go.