| In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. |
| —Romans 6:11 |
As believers in the life-transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ, what is our relationship to sin? We know that we were cursed by the sin of our parents, which they inherited from their parents all the way back to Adam. Therefore, we were born already sinful—already condemned by our sin. We also know that as we have progressed through our lives, because the enticement to sin is built into our human nature, we have sinned over and over and over again. We are twice guilty: first because of our inherited sin and, secondly, because of the sin we have willfully committed on our own.
God has redeemed us—paid the penalty for our sin—through the birth, life, suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of His precious Son, Jesus. And, through the Holy Spirit’s power of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, we have been given a guaranteed place in heaven for all eternity. This prompts me to ask again, as believers in the life-transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ, what is our relationship to sin
To answer this, we can turn to a very instructive passage of Scripture from the pen of the Apostle Paul. In writing to the Christians gathered in the newly formed church in Rome, Paul writes these words, found in Romans 6:1-14:
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Therefore, sin is no longer our master. As long as we live on earth in these frail and sin-scarred human bodies, we will sin. But, we can make a determined effort to choose to set aside as many besetting sins as possible. We can choose to not purposely sin. Will we still sin? Of course! We simply can’t help ourselves. But, we can sin less and less the more we give our selfish human will over to God through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
At the beginning of this new day, let’s determine to follow Paul’s instruction. Let’s choose to set aside those sins that we can conquer through the power of the Holy Spirit and through God’s love and grace. Let’s also recognize what a tight grip many of these sins have on us.
Once we begin to devote ourselves to following Jesus with sincerity and determination, we will find that we can overcome a long list of besetting sins. Effort to do so will bring us a great sense of peace and joy. And, most importantly of all, it will please God that we love Him enough to make this effort.
