Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin, for one who dies has been justified from sin. Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, being roused from among the dead, is no longer dying. Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God. Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul to the Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament
This week our discussion touched on a few aspects of the former issue of sin. I say former because that's what it is, in the past. Yet there continue to be believers who struggle each and every day with the issue of sin as if it was still important to us. I've mentioned my friend before who grew up in the Eastern Orthodox church system. He struggles each day with feelings of guilt and shame for the sins he believes in his heart that he has committed. When I bring up the truth of Christ Jesus, that He gave Himself that our sins would be no more, he insists that was only for his sins of the past, but that each day he behaves in bad ways. This got me thinking about what we classify as sin. Doing some digging, I found an interesting definition of the word sin. Sin is, in effect, "A vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God" {Merriam-Webster}. Well, two things I'd like to point out here, there is NO independent self and we are NOT estranged from God. This goes back to the lie the deceiver spoke unto Adam and Eve in the garden. Satan told Eve that if she were to eat of the forbidden fruit that "You will not surely die" {Genesis 3:4}. Instead, once she ate of the fruit that "Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" {Genesis 3:5}. How could Adam and Eve had known that, having been created by God, that they were already like Him. God was already a intimate part of them. Instead, the lie of our separation from God was born. The original sin. Therefore, when Christ died on that cross, He put the original sin, the lie that we are separated from God, to death {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. So, what is it that we continue to feel guilty from? What sin has Jesus left untouched? When He died on the cross, Jesus proclaimed, "It is accomplished!" The sin debt has been paid in full. Tell me again what sins you continue to fret over.
And you are aware that He was manifested that He should be taking away our sins, and in Him is no sin.
First Epistle of John 3: 5, Concordant New Testament
I made the comment the other day in our conversation that the scriptures tell of the works of Christ Jesus. Scripture tells us that Jesus became sin on our behalf {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}. Scripture tells us that Jesus died once for all of mankind {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. I believe that the scriptures themselves have not let us down, but our own interpretation of them. Indeed, someone can look at the gospel of Jesus and formulate a totally different meaning than the Lord intended. I believe that this is why John warned us to 'Test the spirits to see if they are from God" {First Epistle of John 4:1}. Why is it that we would celebrate the fact that Jesus died for our sins yet continue to worry over them? The reason that I brought up the definition of sin is that many well meaning believers have mistaken their wrong behaviors for outright sin. You know that Jesus died for your sins, yet you continue behave in a way that you feel is contrary to what you believe. Paul asks this very same question in Romans. Should we be persisting in sin since we've already been forgiven? No! Or, as Paul claims, "May it not be coming to that!" {Paul to the Romans 6:1-2}. How can it be that we who have died unto sin should continue to live in it? It's a false narrative. What we should be doing is living our lives in the truth that Christ has died to put sin to death once and for all. This is part of our freedom in Christ Jesus.
What, then, shall we declare? That we may be persisting in sin that grace should be increasing? May it not be coming to that! We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it?
Paul to the Romans 6: 1-2, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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