Romans 6:11-12 (ESV)
11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
So if you’re dead to sin, how could it then reign in your body?
I’m reminded also of when Paul said; I find then a law, when I would do good, evil is present (Romans 7:21).
So, even though we are dead to our former life, we still live in a body that is susceptible to the temptations of sin. It will be a constant fight between our flesh and spirit. Think of your former sinful life of something that is dead, but you have to keep it dead, or it will resurrect. No one is perfect, and we will all make mistakes from time to time, but if we continue in sin, it could then cause the old man, as the Bible refers to it, to come back to life.
We have God’s grace to cover where we fall short. However, I believe grace works as long as we are putting forth an effort. We can’t expect grace to help us if we are not trying to overcome the temptations of sin.
Romans 6:1-2 (ESV)
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
God does not expect us to be perfect, but as long as we are trying, His grace will help us overcome and most of all, allow us to keep ourselves dead to sin. If you’re currently struggling with a temptation, keep fighting for victory and sustained freedom. The moment you give in, it could cause what was dead to come back to life, then your battle will become even worse. Retaining the Spirit of God alive in our lives causes sin to remain dead. So stir up the gift of God that is within you and keep dead what Jesus died to destroy.
