How to Escape of the Mastery of Sin?
Romans 6:11-14 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 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. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
In chapter 6 Paul deals with the power of sin in a believer's life. He is trying to avoid two extremes. One, we can avoid sinning if we try really hard to keep the law. The problem is we can't in our own power become perfect. Two, because we are forgiven we can go out and sin more and receive more grace each time. The thinking goes like this, "The more I sin, the more grace I will experience. Therefore I will sin all the more." You can see how the problem with both of these extremes.
Paul is saying grace is the key to overcoming our sinful nature. What do I mean by this? Part of the power of sin is thinking that we can overcome it by trying harder. This is sort of like the alcoholic who says, "I will stop drinking drinking when I (you fill in the blank), but never do so. As many of you might know the first step in A.A. is to admit you are "powerless over alcohol (or other addiction)". What does this statement do? It is a way of surrendering the power of the addiction in your life and turning to a power greater than yourself (God) for help. How does this relate to what Paul is talking about here?
Once you admit you are in bondage to sin and cannot free yourself, which is the actual language of our Lutheran confession, you are turning yourself over to God's power and grace in Christ. It is counter-intuitive, but when admit you are powerless, it actually sets you free to receive the power you actually need to become free. When you receive God's grace it is a not a "get out of hell free card", or a license to sin as much as I want because I will be forgiven anyways. God's grace sets you free to live the life you've always wanted. It sets you free from legalism with its unrealistic demands. It helps us to focus on God's power through the power of the Holy Spirit, the only true way to fulfill God's law.
As you think about your own life are you trying to control and manage your sinful nature? Do you sin knowing that you are just going to do it again anyways? Take some time to realize you are under grace not the law. God has forgiven you so to set you free from yourself. Use the freedom God has given you from sin to serve him and love others. The more we serve God and others, we take the focus off of ourselves and onto God. He gives us the power to live the life we've always wanted. It really is quite a freeing way to live your life.
In chapter 6 Paul deals with the power of sin in a believer's life. He is trying to avoid two extremes. One, we can avoid sinning if we try really hard to keep the law. The problem is we can't in our own power become perfect. Two, because we are forgiven we can go out and sin more and receive more grace each time. The thinking goes like this, "The more I sin, the more grace I will experience. Therefore I will sin all the more." You can see how the problem with both of these extremes.
Paul is saying grace is the key to overcoming our sinful nature. What do I mean by this? Part of the power of sin is thinking that we can overcome it by trying harder. This is sort of like the alcoholic who says, "I will stop drinking drinking when I (you fill in the blank), but never do so. As many of you might know the first step in A.A. is to admit you are "powerless over alcohol (or other addiction)". What does this statement do? It is a way of surrendering the power of the addiction in your life and turning to a power greater than yourself (God) for help. How does this relate to what Paul is talking about here?
Once you admit you are in bondage to sin and cannot free yourself, which is the actual language of our Lutheran confession, you are turning yourself over to God's power and grace in Christ. It is counter-intuitive, but when admit you are powerless, it actually sets you free to receive the power you actually need to become free. When you receive God's grace it is a not a "get out of hell free card", or a license to sin as much as I want because I will be forgiven anyways. God's grace sets you free to live the life you've always wanted. It sets you free from legalism with its unrealistic demands. It helps us to focus on God's power through the power of the Holy Spirit, the only true way to fulfill God's law.
As you think about your own life are you trying to control and manage your sinful nature? Do you sin knowing that you are just going to do it again anyways? Take some time to realize you are under grace not the law. God has forgiven you so to set you free from yourself. Use the freedom God has given you from sin to serve him and love others. The more we serve God and others, we take the focus off of ourselves and onto God. He gives us the power to live the life we've always wanted. It really is quite a freeing way to live your life.
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