How many of us have failed to resist temptation that comes our way? Though we have been born again yet we find that in our lives, there are certain “sins” that still seem to control us. It could be anger, hypocrisy or just being self-righteous, etc -these if not mastered will lead us into a spiritual disaster.

 

Paul in the book of Romans 6 addresses the Gentile believers not to take the grace they have received so cheaply. He begins the chapter with a very profound question (paraphrased): “Are you continuing in the same old wrongs thus taking God’s grace for granted?”  Today are you and I doing the same? Are we justifying ourselves saying that “God’s grace” will never condemn us?

 

How then can we master these sins that are repeatedly pulling us down?

 

Paul gives us two steps to remember every day and one step to practise daily, to have victory over sin.

Step 1- Buried to be raised- We need to remember the day we were baptized into the death of Jesus (Rom 6:3). This is a spiritual burial where our old man was buried. It’s just like a seed that has life, a definite shape and made of a particular substance when it goes under the ground. But once it bursts forth out of the ground everything about that seed changes. It is never the same. Our spiritual life reflects this. Once we are buried with Christ with our old nature, when raised by God’s Glory, we begin to live a new life in him (Rom 6:4). Can we say this of us today?

 

Step 2- Crucified to be set free- Not only were we buried with Christ into his death but our old self was crucified with Him so we would no longer be slaves to sin (Rom 6:6). Who could better explain this than Paul himself, in Galatians 2:20 when he says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live.” Paul  once  a slave to pride and self-righteousness, who boasted about his heritage and his status considered them rubbish, that he could win Christ and be found in union with him (Phil. 3:8). He knew that the only way to be free from sin is to become one with Christ. Is this true of us?

 

Step 3- [ to be practiced daily] We are dead to sin and alive to God- We need to live with this conscious understanding that we are dead to sin and so will not let it control us. This was what Jesus told the woman who was caught in adultery (John 8:3-11). He told her to “Go. From now on sin no more!” (NASB). The only way she could do this was to continuously remember that she was forgiven of her old way of life and not give in anymore to any evil desires (Rom.6:12), present her life to God daily thereby offering her body as an instrument of righteousness (Rom.6:13). Then and only then would she be able to break free from the dominion of sin and walk in the grace of God.

 

The Bible does not record the choice she made. Was it back to sin or toward the Saviour? But you and I can. As we choose to walk in His grace, Paul in the verses 15-23 tells us the three benefits we receive from being set free from sin:

​

• We become slaves to righteousness (Rom 6:18)

• We have our fruit to holiness (Rom 6:22)

• We receive the gift of eternal life (Rom 6:23)

 

Let’s make every effort to receive these blessings that God in Christ Jesus has given us.

​

​

Thought for the Day:
“For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.”

2 Peter 2:19

​

Listen- ‘In Christ alone’