What does "died to sin" mean for our daily Christian walk? The Reality Declared: Died to Sin Romans 6:2: “By no means! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?” • The phrase “died to sin” is not a metaphor; it is a literal, spiritual fact accomplished the moment we were united with Christ. • Just as physical death severs a person from this world, our co-crucifixion with Jesus severs us from sin’s ruling power (Romans 6:6–7). • Sin still exists, but it no longer owns us; its legal claim has been cancelled (Colossians 2:14). What Happened When We Died with Christ • We were spiritually placed into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). • Our “old self” was crucified, breaking sin’s mastery (Romans 6:6). • We now live by a new life-source: “Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). • Because we share His resurrection life, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) and citizens of a new realm (Colossians 1:13). Daily Implications: Alive to God, Dead to Sin • Identity first, behavior second. We do not try to die to sin; we reckon what God already did (Romans 6:11). • Temptation comes, but its authority is broken. We may still stumble, yet we never return to slavery (Romans 6:14). • Our default posture is now responsiveness to God. The Spirit within inclines us toward righteousness (Romans 8:9-11). • Growth is a process, but victory is the baseline: “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). Practical Steps to Walk Out Our Death to Sin • Renew your mind with truth (Romans 12:2); let Scripture reshape thoughts that still assume sin is inevitable. • Count (reckon) yourself dead to sin each time temptation arises (Romans 6:11). • Present your body and its members to God as tools of righteousness, not to sin as instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6:13). • Rely on the Holy Spirit’s power—“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). • Pursue fellowship and accountability (Hebrews 3:13); isolation feeds old patterns. • Replace sinful habits with righteous ones (Ephesians 4:22-24); dying to sin is always paired with living to God. • Keep short accounts: confess quickly, receive cleansing (1 John 1:9), and move forward in grace. Encouragement: God Guarantees the Outcome • “He who began a good work in you will perfect it” (Philippians 1:6). • Temptation is never beyond God’s provided escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). • The Lord “is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless” (Jude 24). Living each day from the fact that we have already died to sin liberates us to enjoy Christ’s life, pursue holiness, and walk in assured victory. |
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