Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. - Romans 6:16 –18 (ESV)

One of Martin Luther's most notable quotes is 'Love God and sin boldly.' This has been used from several corners to accuse him of blatant disregard for God's commands. After all he was a nun-marrying, nail-driving monk with a mallet.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." - John 17:20 –21 (ESV)

I sometimes wonder what would happen if the Apostle Paul stepped out of a time machine. What would he think of the church culture? Would he be encouraged or discouraged? What New Testament letter would he demand we go read? Would he wonder how we went from THE church at Corinth or Thessalonica to 6 Baptist, the Roman Catholic church, a couple Methodist, some Church of Christ, a few non-denominational gatherings and more?

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. - Romans 6:9 –11 (ESV)

We doubt if anybody can really change. This doubt is driven not by what we know about others but what we know about ourselves. It seems as much as we try, resolve, plan, and seek help, change is an elusive character.

What Christianity offers however is not resolve or self-control leading to change, but a change that is occasioned outside of us and without us. In fact, in one way you could say it's change that is imposed on us.

For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. - 1 Corinthians 3:9 (ESV)

There is a new classification of folks that have been identified in the church world - the de-churched. These are people who have been to church, maybe were even a part, but now have left. Asking these folks to return is a big ask. Often this is because they have been hurt by something or someone. Or they look at the news and read about the scandals. Or they didn't see anything of value in giving of their time, energy, and money to an organization. Maybe you aren't de-churched, but you might be 'under-churched'. You wonder if it is worth it. Or you feel a tinge of burnout or relational strain.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. - Romans 6:3 –4 (ESV)

How do you grow in your Christian walk? To answer that question many of us will run to habit, methods, studies, lists, and actions. We see our Christian life as something that comes out of us. When we falter, fail, don't achieve, or just sin we feel like a failure and sense the displeasure of God. We go to the Christian book store and look through the aisles and aisles of books of how to be a better mom or dad, husband or wife, or student or teacher, or employee or boss, or scientist or astronaut (Yes, the how to be a Christian astronaut book exists). All the while, I wonder if we truly understand what sanctification is, where it comes from, and who achieves it.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. --- Romans 5:18 –19 (ESV)

You can say that the story of the Bible is the story of two people. These two representatives are the head of two humanities, but they are not the same story. They go in opposite, unequal directions. Their stories define our story.