Paul's Revelation (conclusion) The 'System of Truth'

Is a walk of holiness really possible? Has it really happened to anyone?
Paul says it has. It had happened to many of the people to whom he was writing...

"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. Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness."
--Romans 6:17-18

I am convinced he was not referring to when they first got saved. He says, at one time they were [still] slaves to sin. In other words, just as many Christians have done today, through ignorance of the revelation of our 'union with Christ' in His death and resurrection, they found themselves yielding to sinful temptation on a regular basis--thinking they had no choice.
"But", he says, you have, as one translation says, "Yielded a hearty obedience to that 'system of truth' we delivered to you".
Notice, he does NOT say, "You have been obedient to the law"; but to that 'form of doctrine'--that 'system of truth' which we have taught you. And now--you have become 'slaves of righteousness'.
Just what did they 'obey' if he is not referring to the law?
Once they 'knew' they had been 'crucified with Christ' and 'raised up together with Him', they began to obey the simple formula given to them by the Holy Ghost through the apostle Paul...

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 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.
For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
--Romans 6:11-14

How simple, yet profound. Allow me to review the steps to that 'system' again...

1. You need to 'know' that you were united with Christ in His death--crucified with Him, in order that you may be freed from sin... And you need to 'know' you were 'raised up with Him' that you may be free to walk in righteousness.

2. You need to 'reckon' yourself to have died (past tense) to sin. Consider it a fact--a done deal. DEAD MEN DON'T SIN. They don't respond to temptation.

3. You also need to 'reckon' yourself to have been made alive to God... Dead to sin--alive to God. Many Christians say they never hear God. Why? Because they do not expect to hear Him. They don't 'reckon' themselves (on a regular basis) to be 'alive' (responsive) to Him. Begin to consider it a fact. When God speaks, I hear--where He leads, I follow.

4. Don't let sin 'reign' in your mortal body. Understanding the gospel brings you to know that sin no longer can have dominion over you unless you let it... Don't let it!

5. Instead of yielding your 'members' (your eyes, ears, hands, mind, mouth, etc.) as instruments of unrighteousness, begin to 'yield' them as instruments of godliness, as 'those who are alive from the dead'. If you 'reckon' you are 'alive unto God', and you now hear Him as He leads and directs according to His word; then the next step would be to 'yield' to His direction. Allow God to take you from where you are, to where He wants you. He will not force you--you have to 'yield'. Here is a powerful word... "Cooperate". He has done all the work, made all the sacrifices... He has set you up and ordered your steps. All He asks is your 'cooperation'.

Each letter Paul wrote to the churches addressed somewhat different problems or situations, but the answer to those problems was only delivered in one package--the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and our identification or 'union' with Him, at every point. As he said to the Corinthians, "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Cor. 2:2).
Even with all the problems the Corinthian church had, they needed only one message--the message of the cross, with the resulting revelation that, "...if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17)

Reckon it to be so.