The subject of sin is never fun or entertaining. We see the effects of sin all around us in lives that have been shattered and broken by the destructive nature of those who choose to live ungodly, selfish lives. There is a standard that God has set and each day we fail at some point to live up to that standard. We try to be good and do the right things but our efforts fail to hit the target of God's standard.
In Romans 6 Paul teaches extensively on our relationship and attitude with sin, Him and grace. Our relationship to sin is a dead relationship. We are not alive to sin and it's desire to master us or rule us in our mortal body. We are no longer slaves to unrighteousness, nor should we offer our body as instruments of unrighteousness. Sin not dealt with will only bring about spiritual death. In Christ we are dead to sin.
Yet our attitude toward sin is sometimes at conflict with the reality that we are dead to it. If we are not careful, we will fall into the trap that since there is grace we can sin all we want. That is false thinking and presumes upon the grace of God. If we are dead to sin how can we live a lifestyle of sin and wickedness toward God? The other fallacy in verse 15 of Romans 6 is to say we can sin all we want because we are not under law but grace. If we sin, there are consequences we will face. Who are we going to be slaves too? Sin or God? In verse 21 Paul asks this question "What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!" The payment for a lifestyle of sin and rejecting the grace of God is spiritual death. The other side of that same coin is an invitation to receive the free gift of eternal life found only in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Anything we do in word or deed or thought that fails to meet the standard that God has set is sin. In my next post I will be looking at our relationship with Jesus and the necessity of being like God.
Yet our attitude toward sin is sometimes at conflict with the reality that we are dead to it. If we are not careful, we will fall into the trap that since there is grace we can sin all we want. That is false thinking and presumes upon the grace of God. If we are dead to sin how can we live a lifestyle of sin and wickedness toward God? The other fallacy in verse 15 of Romans 6 is to say we can sin all we want because we are not under law but grace. If we sin, there are consequences we will face. Who are we going to be slaves too? Sin or God? In verse 21 Paul asks this question "What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!" The payment for a lifestyle of sin and rejecting the grace of God is spiritual death. The other side of that same coin is an invitation to receive the free gift of eternal life found only in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Anything we do in word or deed or thought that fails to meet the standard that God has set is sin. In my next post I will be looking at our relationship with Jesus and the necessity of being like God.
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