For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:5-7
If we’re honest with ourselves, we recognize there’s a constant struggle within us between the old and the new self. On the one hand, we have been set free from being slaves to sin. On the other, we wrestle with a variety of sin throughout our existence. How to explain the apparent contradiction? There are several reasons for this actually (and theologians have been studying this for centuries).
- First, when we Believe Christ, we make at least one new enemy, the enemy of our souls. He is actively waging war against us, against our flesh, and against our mind. His hatred for us is significantly worse than the colloquial phrase “the devil made me do it” jokingly makes it out to be.
- Secondly, we’re human and we sin. It’s in the core of our DNA, so to speak. Yes we can overcome. Yes we can be victors. Yes we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. But until then, know that it won’t be easy.
- Lastly and the most troubling, we actively rebel against God. Or put another way, we want to sin.
We won’t have far to go to explore these points as the Book of Romans is a great guidebook for sin and overcoming it.
Know this, though, struggling against sin is good. It’s not a sin to struggle. I could even go a step further to say that I would be concerned if we weren’t struggling.
Until then:
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!
Author: J. Wilbur Chapman