“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.“
— Romans 6:17 KJV
Reflection on Today's Verse
There’s a before and after in every believer’s story. Paul doesn’t sugarcoat it—we were slaves to sin. Not just struggling, not just messing up now and then—we served sin like it was our master. It told us where to go, what to crave, how to react. And we obeyed, heart and all.
But something changed. Not because we figured things out. Not because we became more spiritual. Because something got delivered to us—the gospel. Not a set of rules, but a form, a mold, that reshaped us from the inside. And when we heard it—really heard it—we didn’t just nod politely. We obeyed it from the heart. That’s no small thing. That’s not just a shift in behavior. That’s freedom.
And Paul’s reaction? He doesn’t pat us on the back. He thanks God. Because he knows this isn’t human effort. This is divine intervention. The rescue of a slave who didn’t know they were in chains—until the chains broke.
Personal Prayer
Lord, I remember what I used to be. You do too—but You don’t hold it against me. You saw me tangled in sin, and You didn’t leave me there. You delivered truth straight into my life, and somehow, by Your grace, my heart said yes. Thank You. Not just for saving me, but for changing what I want. For giving me a new loyalty. A new freedom. A new love.
Help me live like someone who’s been set free—for real. Amen.