The Death of Sin
Jesus said that in order to follow Him one must be willing to deny himself, for what profit is made if a man gains the whole world yet looses his soul? (Matthew 16:24, 26). Few are willing to deny their hearts desires. In fact, we pray the Lord almost daily for our desires in essence asking for the freedoms to pursue them. We justify it utilizing scripture such as Psalm 37:4, Matthew 7:7; 21:22, Mark 11:24, Luke 11:9, John 14:13; 15:7, 16, and 1 John 3:22; 5:14. Unbeknownst to most, all these Scriptures and those not mentioned, have “qualifiers.” We tend to skip right over and ignore these qualifiers. In a nutshell, those qualifiers are first seeking God in spirit and truth. If one truly seeks God in spirit and truth, he will quickly find out how his personal desires amount to nothing, regardless of whatever those desires may be. He will quickly find out how insignificant the world actually is in comparison to the divine things of Christ.
If we look at the sins in our world stretching back to ancient times, they were rooted by those in power and filtered down throughout nations and ultimately the world. One thing that Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini had in common for instance, in addition to a great many others who pursued wickedness in their power was that they all possessed a “freedom.” What was this freedom? It was an unadulterated freedom to pursue their heart’s desires. You see the problem with pursuing our hearts desires is that the heart is deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Left alone, the heart immediately runs to sin and wickedness. Instead of seeking the face of God to gain our hearts desires praying for this sort of freedom, we should instead pray that the Lord restrains us from such desires that we may be kept from doing sin and evil.
The Apostle Paul wrestled with understanding sin. He realized that even though he wanted to do that which was good, his flesh warred against his mind to do that, which was evil. He realized that though he hated evil, his flesh if left unchecked would not walk towards evil, but run to it. Certainly, we have all been in such a position to do what was right, but ended up doing wrong. We repent of our sins, yet turn around and sin again knowing our wrong as we sinned. The point Paul makes concerning his battling against his sins, gives us hope and understanding of just who we are in Christ.
In this bible study, let’s look at Romans chapters five through seven to ascertain what sin is and how we came to recognize it, for there was a time when there was no law. Thus, sin in us was dead. When God issued forth His law, sin came alive and we became dead in our sins and trespasses. Did I loose you? Hang on, you will see just what the Scriptures have to say about this and you will rejoice and praise God! He is so wonderful! Glory to God!
For
when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him. Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned: For until the law sin was in the world:
but sin is not imputed when there is no law (Romans 5:6, 9, 12-13)
Sin was in the world long before God gave Moses the Law, but until God gave His law, sin was not charged to men’s account because there was no law to transgress. The law however had to be given so that men could know that they were enslaved to sin. In other words, the only way that people could have known that they were sinners (dead in their sins and trespasses) in the eyes of God was for God to establish a guideline by which they were to compare their lives to—the Law. When the Law was established, sin came alive.
In Romans chapter seven, Paul describes how the allure of sin seized him and aroused and stimulated all kinds of forbidden desires, such as lusts and covetousness. The legal ordinance, (Law) which was designed and intended to bring life, actually proved to mean death. The power of God being greater than sin used what Satan had intended for evil, for Good. God allowed sin to kill the flesh (Romans 7:11), for the Lord knew that through Christ, He would raise us up from death whereas we would be delivered from sin.
The law was never designed to bring one into righteousness with Christ, for by the Law, the Lord had set up the foundation that would lead everyone to Christ who would be the atonement for all sin. The law as it were could only point one toward his sin. The purpose was to fulfill man’s acknowledgement that he needed a Savior to rescue him from death. When Jesus came and died on the cross, a wonderful thing happened. We whom believe died with Him and thus were raised up with Him.
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection (by a new life lived for God): Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:3-7) [Parenthesis and underline mine].
Law for instance, binds a woman to her husband unless he dies. If she unites herself with another man while he is alive, she is an adulterer. If her husband however dies and she then unites herself with another man, then she is no longer bound to that marriage law. Though she is no longer bound, the marriage law itself remains “holy.” “For he that is dead is freed from sin,” illustrates the same principle. We are no longer bound to sin because Christ, who took upon Himself all sin, died. When he died, we were delivered from the law that binds us to sin (which was not for our detriment, but for the purpose of us recognizing our sin). Does this now give us the license to sin? Certainly not. Jesus’ flesh (our sin) was nailed to the cross. The Holy Spirit raised Him up from death in a new glorified body that bore no sin. In other words, we have undergone death as to the Law through the crucified body of Christ, so that now we may belong to another and not sin. We can now belong to Christ who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God (Romans 7:4), whereas before we could only bear fruit for death. We are no longer bound nor should be subservient to sin, but the Law is nevertheless holy. Each commandment therein is holy, just and good (Romans 7:12).
Because we died in Christ and was raised up with Christ (Colossians 3:1-4), we no longer have anything to do with the lusts of this world, to do them or desire them in anyway. We are discharged from the Law and all our associations with it having died to what once restrained and held us captive. We no longer serve under the old code of written regulations, but under the obedience to the promptings and unction of the Holy Spirit. As Christ Jesus is not of this world, neither are we. So why do we still sin and do things that can lead us away from God? Paul gives us a wonderful explanation.
“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin (Romans 7:14-25 NLT).
Though one is born again in Christ having died unto sin, was raised up with Christ, and given a new spirit or heart from God, until Christ returns he remains in his carnal flesh, which is subject to sin. Because the Law was introduced and given, he is now aware of his sin, but not enslaved to sin. He can now choose not to abide in sin, though he has a sinful nature. This nature wars against him to enslave him to sin. Those who partake in this war because their heart desires to do good and that which is holy are those who are saved by the grace of God. They are in agreement with God’s Law and see that it is good. Those in danger of damnation are those who are not at war, but have allowed sin to enslave them. We are victorious by the saving grace of our Lord and Savior. Only He can free us from this life that is dominated by sin and death. Those of us who are at war with our sinful nature should rejoice because it proves that we belong to God.
To cap, consider how Paul concludes the understanding of his freedom from sin in Romans chapter eight:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2).
“For
to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Romans 8:6-10).
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh” (Romans 8:12).
Soon, Jesus will return to rapture His people and for them, sin will be no more. I cannot fathom an existence without sin, but I am so ecstatic that the Lord says it will be so!
What a thought, a sinless life!
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Your brother in Christ forever,
Rick Wynn