Romans 6:17, But God be Thanked!
Romans 6:17 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.
The Christian’s testimony before God and men is that we were servants of sin but now no longer. Scripture gave to us in the book of Job, the earliest recorded writing of Scripture such a man of God – Job 1:1 “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed (hate) evil.” The word “perfect” does not mean sinless perfection but holiness. He was a man who walked with God, who made right with God by that close communion with God. He made right with God and he interceded for his children daily. God Himself pronounced him “perfect.”
It is indeed thankworthy that God enables us to live holy lives. We have the Word of God to our guide us. The Scripture that teaches what doctrines to hold and what doctrines not to hold, for the purpose of imparting knowledge concerning God’s revelation in all its facets. It is from the doctrines or principles that we derive our practice. Our faith is an objective faith. Therefore, the people who go wrong in practice are always those who are not sure of their principles. Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones made an insightful observation when he said, “We live in an age of specialist, and the specialist is almost invariably a man who is so lost in details that he often forgets principles. Most of the breakdown in life today is due to the fact that certain basic principles have been forgotten.”
This word “doctrine” is first used in the book of Matthew where Jesus reproved the Pharisees for teaching doctrines of man or man’s traditions and putting aside the doctrines of God (Matthew 15:9). The Apostle Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10, but thou hast fully known my doctrine, the principles that undergirded my action, why do I do what I do. The Apostle Paul was taught of God and imparted the truth as had revealed to him. Timothy was his trusted disciple.
The Apostle Paul declared the blessed state of the Christians in Rome with obeyed the doctrines of God from the heart. It enabled them to overcome sin and bear a good witness for Christ. May the Lord help us to bear a good witness to the glory and honour of His name. Amen.