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Choices


Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:12-17)
       If you live according to the flesh, you will die. Every day, you will die a little more, becoming increasingly the immortal horror described by C. S. Lewis. Not a pleasant thought. The alternative is to put to death the misdeeds of the body. Doing that feels like dying. It is dying to self. Every day, you will die a little more, becoming increasingly the everlasting splendor described by C. S. Lewis. Either way, we die each day, but the type of death we die each day reveals what we become.
          The second expression of the same choice is that we may be either fearful slaves or adopted children and heirs. Can you imagine how life would be if you believed no one loved you, that everyone is out to exploit you? I mean, if you really believed it, and in every interaction you had to look for the knife aimed at your back. Can you imagine what it would be like to live with the belief that the even those closest to you want nothing more than to take what you have and walk away? No one wants to live that way but that’s the life of a slave.
          That doesn’t mean that the life of an adopted child is always easy, pleasant and wealthy. It means relief from the fear. It means peace even when things aren’t going well. It means “no condemnation,” even though we may feel condemned as we share in His sufferings.

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