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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
January 1
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Today's Pathway:
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We can learn much about the Apostle Paul from his opening statement in Romans 1:1. He says three things about himself, two of which would be beneficial for us to follow. First, he calls himself a "servant of Jesus Christ". A servant is one who was purchased and possessed by someone else. Paul understood that Jesus Christ had purchased his salvation with His own blood on Calvary's cross Acts 20:28), and that therefore Paul belonged to the Lord. The Greek word that is translated "servant" in this passage is the word used for a bond slave. Webster defines this as "a person in a state of slavery; one whose person and liberty are subjected to the authority of a master." One commentator put it this way, "Paul uses the word denoting the most servile state one could have in the Graeco-Roman world." In other words, Paul saw himself as being completely subject to the authority of God in every aspect of his life.
As believers, we certainly need to understand this principle. We did not save ourselves. There was nothing we could do to gain or keep our salvation. It was Christ's sacrifice that paid the price for our sin, and therefore we belong to Him. Since I belong to Him, every decision I face must be made based upon what the Lord would want me to do. My will must be totally in tune with His will, and my life no longer revolves around what I want to do, but rather on what He wants me to do.
As we begin 2021, let's decide that we will devote every day to doing what Jesus wants. We have been "bought with a price" (I Cor. 6:20), and therefore we are His. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it is also what is best for us, for we know that His will is always "good, and acceptable, and perfect" (Rom 12:2). There can be no better way to spend our lives than serving our Lord, so let's make a "new year's resolution" that we will put this principle into practice.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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