Freedom from sin and Life in the Spirit
There are many
Christians that live a life of sin because they think that is how they are.
They have believed the lie that because of their sinful nature that they can
continue in a life of sin or they think that because of grace they have the
freedom to sin. What does God have to say about this? Paul talks about this in
his letter to the churches in Roman about this topic. In Romans chapter six
through eight, Paul shows the process of how sin is defeated in a person's life
and how they struggle with sin and how they have a life through the Spirit.
Paul asks in Romans 6:1 and 2, "What shall we say,
then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died
to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (NIV). This is not given a
freedom to sin so God could give us more grace. Here Paul is stating the fact
that we died to sin. The power of sin is broken in our lives. Osborne (2004)
puts it like, "In response Paul says we died to sin, meaning that death
was defeated when we died to sin at conversion. Therefore the Christian is no
longer under the power of sin" (p.149). Paul goes on to say in Romans 6:6
and 7, "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the
body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to
sin--because anyone who has died has been freed from sin" (NIV). Once a
Christian is justified they are no longer under the control of sin. Guzik
(2002) shares, "Christians have died to sin, and they should no longer live
in it. Before, we were dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1); now we are dead to sin"
(p.1).
Osborne (2004) states, "This former way of life was
crucified with Christ when we were crucified with Christ and can be thought of
as no longer in control of our lives" (p.153). Then he declares, "We are now in Christ
rather than in Adam and so belong to the new self, which is the realm of the
new life" (p.153). Our old nature was crucified with Christ and now we
have a new nature. However, even though our old nature has died, we still have
a war within us between sin and our Spirit. Osborne (2004) puts it like,
"We are no longer under the dominion of sin but are still at war against
it" (p.154). Paul states in Romans 7:8, "But sin, seizing the
opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous
desire" (NIV). The New Living Translation states that it aroused all kinds
of forbidden desires within me. We as Christians wrestle with our desire to
sin. There is a war going on in us between our flesh and spirit because our
sinful nature still exists.
In Romans 7:24, Paul asks, "What a wretched man I
am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus
Christ our Lord!" (NIV). Paul
states in Romans 8:2, "because through Christ Jesus the law of Spirit of
life set me free from the law of sin and death" (NIV). We are set free
from the law of sin and death. He gives us the power to overcome our
temptations and the power to live the Christian life. Osborne (2004),
"living our lives according to the power of the indwelling Spirit"
(p.192). Osborne (2004) was right to say, "Here the Spirit becomes the
active force in believers' lives and enables them to defeat the flesh and live
in victory" (p.192). This is why it is so important that we focus on God
and give him our entire focus throughout the day and focus on Him moment by
moment daily and seek Him through prayer and studying His Word so that our
desires becomes His desires. When we do this then we are guided by the Holy
Spirit and the Spirit becomes the force that helps us defeat our sinful nature
and do the things that please our Heavenly Father. Osborne (2004) shares, “The
power of sin and death are broken in the reign of the Spirit” (p.194). Christians
need to let the Holy Spirit reign in their lives. We must live according to the
Spirit and allow Him to guide us so that we can live a life in the Spirit and
not by our old sinful mature.
Osborne (2004) goes on to say, “Life in the Spirit brings
the Christian into a new family relationship with God” (p.202). Paul tells us
in Romans 8:13-14, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if
by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all
who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (ESV). If we are led by the
Spirit then we are sons of God. We have been set free from the bondage of sin
because the Spirit of life has set us free. According to Paul in the last part
of Romans chapter eight that nothing can separate us from the love of God in
Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).
References
Guzik, D. (2002). Text
Commentaries: David Guzik (Blue Letter Bible: Galatians). Retrieved from http://www.blueletterbible.org
Hansen, G.W. (1994).
Galatians: The IVP New Testament commentary series. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
