Romans 6:12, 13 - Being A Christian Is A Matter Of Life Or Death; part 4.

Romans 6:12, 13 (NIV) Therefore do not let sin reign in your 
mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.  Do not offer the parts 
of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer 
yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and 
offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 

FOUNDATION - RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE

We should not obey God out of obligation or fear, but out of 
love, remembering all that he has done for us. (Life Application 
Commentary) 

Grace that saves us is not a license to sin or live in any 
manner we please. The grace that frees us from sin is also the resource 
to live a life of obedient love to the call of God. [Disciple SB] 

Christianity is not an emotional experience; it is a way of 
life... emotion must be translated into action... Many a man has been 
saved from sin, not because of the regulations of the law, but because 
he could not bear to hurt or grieve or disappoint someone whom he 
loved and someone who, he knew, loved him. [Barclay Commentary] 

Christians should devote every member or part of the body to God 
and to his service. Their tongue should be consecrated to his 
praise, and to the office of truth, and kindness, and benevolence; their 
hands should be employed in useful labor for him and his cause; their 
feet should be swift in his service, and should not go in the paths 
of iniquity; their eyes should contemplate his works to excite 
thanksgiving and praise; their ears should not be employed to listen to words 
of deceit, or songs of dangerous and licentious tendency, or to 
persuasion that would lead astray, but should be open to catch the voice of 
God as he utters his will in the Book of truth, or as he speaks in 
the gale, the zephyr, the rolling thunder, the ocean, or in the 
great events of his providence. He speaks to us every day, and we 
should hear him; he spreads his glories before us, and we should survey 
them to praise him; he commands, and our hands, and heart, and feet 
should obey. (Barnes' Notes) 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Most of us have made numerous attempts at self-improvement. 
Perhaps we have consciously tried to improve our attitudes, our 
education, our appearance, or our habits. We probably have had success in 
self-improvement on some level. However, when it comes to our struggles with 
defects of character, chances are we have only experienced deep 
frustration. 
There is a reason for our frustration. These character defects 
can only be removed, never improved! The illustration given us in 
the Bible is that these defects of character must be put to death, 
as Jesus was, with the hope of new life to follow. The apostle Paul 
wrote, "Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with [Jesus]; 
that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, 
so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin's control, no 
longer needs to be a slave to sin" (Romans 6:6). "Those who belong to 
Christ have nailed their natural evil desires to his cross and 
crucified them there" (Galatians 5:24). 
There is no Band-Aid cure for these defects of character. They 
have been fatally wounded and must die on the cross. This process is 
never easy. Who goes to a crucifixion without some measure of anxiety? 
But when we accept this and allow God to remove our defects, we will 
be pleasantly surprised by the new life that greets us on the other 
side. [Life Recovery SB] 

The believer's life is due to Christ and Christ alone. All that 
the believer knows--his glorious deliverance from sin and the 
wonderful victory of eternal life--is due to Christ's death and 
resurrection.... it is the believer who really keeps his mind 
upon the death and 
 resurrection of Christ that walks above sin. [Preacher's  Outline & Sermon 
Bible] 

MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS

What if indwelling sin should prove too strong for us? The reply 
is simple: it will not because it is not too strong for Christ who 
lives in us. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary] 

Although God forgives the sins of His children, He may not stop 
the painful consequences of sin. [Chapter by Chapter Bible 
Commentary by Warren Wiersbe re Rom.6] 

Although sin can plague all believers, they are to consider 
themselves dead to sin and choose to walk in the reign of resurrection 
grace. [New Bible Companion] 

The apostle does not affirm that Christians are not bound to 
obey the moral law. The whole scope of his reasoning shows that he 
maintains that they are. (Barnes' Notes re v. 14) 

Paul summarized this discussion by stating that Jesus in His 
physical death... died to sin (i.e., in reference to sin) once for all 
(; cf. 
Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10). This stands in opposition to the 
 doctrine and practice of the so-called perpetual sacrifice of Christ in 
the Roman Catholic Mass. [Bible Knowledge Commentary re vv. 8-11] 

Eternal Life has nothing to do with Time, [My Utmost for His 
Highest by Oswald Chambers]