Best of Daily Reflections: Consider Yourself Dead!?

So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11

In Romans 6, Paul responds to a possible implication of the fact that we are brought into right relationship with God by grace, and not by our works of the law. If we are saved by grace, can we just keep on sinning? In fact, if grace is so wonderful, and if our sin leads to a gracious response by God, then should we sin more so that there will be more grace?

Paul answers these questions with a decisive No! As God’s grace comes alive within us through faith, it puts to death the power of sin. This means that when we receive the gift of salvation by grace, we also find that sin’s grasp upon us is loosened, though not completely this side of the age to come. Even as Christ died to break the power of sin, we should think of ourselves as dead to the power of sin over us.

Every Christian struggles with sin, even though we have begun to enjoy the freedom from sin that we have through Christ. Most of us have certain areas in which we feel especially vulnerable to temptation. Yet the truth is that, in Christ, sin has lost its domination over us. If we think of ourselves as dead to sin, we will begin to access the new life we have in Christ. Thus we’ll find the ability to choose not to sin. The more we grow in Christ, the more we’ll be able to choose right over wrong, by God’s grace and for his glory.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have you experienced the “deadness” of sin in your life? In other words, from what areas of sinful behavior have you experienced freedom through Christ? Where do you continue to struggle with sin?

PRAYER: Gracious Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for me, not only so that I might have life forever in relationship with you, but also so that I might live this life with greater freedom from sin. What a wonderful gift you have given me!

Yet you know, dear Lord, that I continue to wrestle with sin and its lingering power. Today I claim the truth of your Word, that I am dead to sin and its power. In you, Lord, I can choose what is right. Help me, by your Spirit, to live in the freedom you have given me. May I be free from sin so that I might give you even more of myself and live for you more fully each and every day. In your powerful name, Amen.