Dead or Alive, Don't or Do!

Rom. 6:1-14

Can we who died to sin still live in it? What a question! Paul endeavors to develop the answer to this question logically. He explains that if we were baptized into Jesus, we were baptized in His death. [Something we know in our heads and actually hear at baptisms] Just as Christ died, was buried, and then rose again. So must we! Before we can have resurrection life, we must die! Life and death do not peacefully co-exist.

Our old self was crucified so that our body of sin might be brought to nothing thus eliminating our slavery to sin. If we have died, we have been set free from sin. But at the same time, if we have died, we shall also live with Him. Of course, we all want and cling to eternal life with our entire beings. But do we espouse our death to the flesh with the same degree of passion? 

Since Christ was raised from the dead, He will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over Him! His death was to sin, and His life is to God. So too for us! We must consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Consider it! What does that mean? In the footnote of my Bible it says, "dead to the pervasive love for and the ruling power of sin. Christians must realize  that the mastery of sin has been broken in their lives." If not, are we the walking dead? Zombies? 

But how? Verses 12-14 proffer an answer. Don't let sin reign in our bodies. That command implies an action on our part. Don't do it! Just like an alcoholic, don't drink or put yourself in a place where drink is a temptation. Don't obey sin's passions or give any part of yourself as an instrument of unrighteousness. Don't do it! Just don't! Instead give all of yourself to God as an instrument of righteousness. Sin has no more dominion over you so don't live like it does! Perhaps it like someone who has received a great inheritance, millions of dollars, yet chooses to live as a homeless person. He does nothing with the inheritance. Merely lets it go untouched! We have received the great gift of grace. Are we using it, to strengthen our resolve or even to give us resolve? Are we using it to become an instrument of righteousness?

We are not under law but under grace. Grace for every moment of our lives. Grace to keep us from caving to the passions of our flesh. I notice that Paul has included an 'instead'. If we clean out sin, we can't leave an emptiness. Like it says in the gospels, 7 more demons will come in to take the place of that one. We must put something in its place. And that is using all ourselves for righteousness. Don't should not be the only word in our heads. Do should be in there just as strong if not stronger. 

Father,

By your grace, strengthen me in my resolve against sin. Open my eyes to see where I have fallen and then to quickly confess and repent. Teach me to grieve over this sin. 

In Jesus name,

Amen