From today's devotional
There's a shift in Romans Chapter 6. Up to this point, Paul has been addressing the issue of sin positionally. He's been showing us how faith has moved us from a position of guilt to innocence before God. Now, he addresses the issue of sin practically, by discussing sin's actual presence in our lives.
We're exhorted to "just say no" to sin. But he also knows that for us to say no to sin, there's things we need to know about sin. First, we need to know dead things don't sin:
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with... (Romans 6:6 NKJV)
Death destroys sin, and Paul tells us our old sinful nature died as we identified with Jesus' death. Our old sinful nature has been put to death and lacks the power it once did over us. But the next thing we need to know is our new life in Christ is liberating:
Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more...Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:9-11 NKJV)
Jesus didn't just die. He was also raised to new life. In the same way, we don't just die to sin in Christ, but we receive a new spiritual life that gives us freedom from sin, not the freedom to sin. Finally, we also need to know we're going to have to serve somebody:
Do you not know... you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (Romans 6:16 NKJV)
We're either going to obey the old sinful life or we're going to obey our new life in God. There's no neutral ground. We'll either go forwards in new life or go backwards in the old...and knowing all of this gives us what we need to say "no" when sin comes calling.
We're either going to obey the old sinful life or we're going to obey our new life in God. There's no neutral ground. We'll either go forwards in new life or go backwards in the old...and knowing all of this gives us what we need to say "no" when sin comes calling.
Think about it...
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
