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Romans 6:12, 13 - Living The Old Nature Or The New?Romans 6:12, 13 (NLT) Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires ... Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.CONTEXT 6:1-8:39 This section deals with sanctification - the change God makes in our life as we grow in the faith. Chapter 6 explains that believers are free from sin's control. Chapter 7 discusses the continuing struggle believers have with sin. Chapter 8 describes how we can have victory over sin. [Life Application SB] INTRODUCTION We can have fellowship with God through Christ. We can enjoy our new life in Christ because we are united with him in his death and resurrection. Our evil desires, our bondage to sin, and our love of sin died with him. Now, united by faith with him in his resurrection life, we have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin's hold on us. [Life Application SB] COMMENTARY PEARL We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. DA324 Every soul that refuses to give himself to God is under the control of another power. He is not his own. He may talk of freedom, but he is in the most abject slavery. He is not allowed to see the beauty of truth, for his mind is under the control of Satan. While he flatters himself that he is following the dictates of his own judgment, he obeys the will of the prince of darkness. DA466 COMMENTARY Grace Against All Odds When the world looked at the 13 colonies, it saw a bunch of untrained, unorganized farmers and storekeepers incapable of defeating the superior British army. The American Revolution, the war for independence from 1775 to 1783, proved otherwise. The Continental Army should not have withstood the great numbers of British redcoats and their allies, or the harsh winters, or bad economy, or multiple mutinies. Yet despite these odds, the colonists emerged victorious, ultimately founding the United States of America. It would seem that the human race doesn't stand a chance against the devil and his supernaturally powerful demonic army. As 1 John 3:8 says, "He who sins is of the devil." The devil has claimed the victory over us because we all have sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20), or broken God's law (1 John 3:4). But Christ's death on the cross won the war against sin. Christ paid the penalty of our sins with His own sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), and by this promises that "sin shall not have dominion over [us]." In other words, "by grace you have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8). Galatians 2:20 says that having "faith in the Son of God" means that I allow Him to "[live] in me." If the sinless Christ lives in you, you will cease to surrender to the devil's temptations to sin. You, by faith, are living "under grace." You can choose to live "under law," attempting to keep God's law on your own. But we know how that turns out. Living "under law" ends only in the penalty of sin - death (Ezekiel 18:20). Instead, the Bible promises that "under grace" you can win every battle over sin. My Savior, I invite You to be the commanding officer of my life and claim Your victory over every sin. [The Most Amazing Bible Promises by Amazing Facts] LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Romans 6:12, 13 - WHAT'S CONTROLLING YOU? https://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200330-0837.html Romans 6:11 - Consider Your Sinful Nature Dead And Live For Christ. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240713-1254.html Colossians 3:5 - Dying To Our Fallen Nature. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20231005-1023.html Colossians 3:9-10 - Putting On The New Nature. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240827-1236.html Ephesians 4:22-24 - Putting on the New Nature. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240620-0855.html 1 Peter 4:1, 2 - Living the Will of God. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20111125-1324.html Psalm 19:13 - Presumptuous, Willful, Deliberate Sin. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060306-0953.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |