Victory Over Sin
Earlene Davis
We must go to Romans chapter Six to learn what God has to say on this subject. God would have us to have victory over sin practical in our lives. There are three key words in this chapter: know 6:3-10, reckon 6:11-12, Yield 6:13-19.
KNOW
What are we to know? V. 3-5, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”
The basic truth of the believers identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, is a fact of God. Chapter 5:17, The believer can reign in life by one Christ Jesus. Just as we were identified with Adam in sin, so we are now identified with Christ in righteousness and justification. Jesus Christ not only died for our sins, He also died unto sin and we died with Him.
Water baptism is used as an illustration: it figures the believer being buried with Christ and brought up again in resurrection life with Him. The outward symbol of an inward experience. When He died in my place, I died. When He arose, I arose in Him. I no longer want to continue in sin. I can now walk in the power of His resurrection in newness of life. Gal: 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Sin is a terrible master and finds a willing servant in the human body. The body itself is not sinful, but can be controlled either by sin or by God. It is so important for us to know as believers, that we now have two natures. The old nature here called the old man. The word “destroyed” in V. 6 means, rendered inactive, made of no effect. Sin wants to rule, but that old sinful nature was crucified with Christ, So the body needs no longer to be controlled by sin.
RECKON
V. 11-12, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
The Greek meaning of reckon is count (agreeing with God), or impute (putting to one’s account). It is simply believing what God’s Word tells us. We can reckon with God that it is true. Faith in action, acting upon an eternal fact of God that it is a finished work, accomplished at Calvary. Claim it for ourselves. Jn. 19:30, Jesus said, “It is finished.”
YIELD
V. 13, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” God does not command the old nature to become dead to sin, He says we are dead to sin and alive unto God. Then He expects us to act upon it. Even if we don’t, the fact is till true. The word yield means to place at ones disposal, to present, to offer as a sacrifice. Rom. 12:1 says, I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, “to present your bodies a living sacrifice (for His glory), holy, acceptable unto God, which is you reasonable service.”
The Lord asks all of us to live for Him. To yield, an act of our will, based on the knowledge we have of what Christ has done for us. An intelligent decision to not allow sin to reign. For this allows the members of our body to be tools of unrighteousness to sin. But let us surrender to the life of Christ within us. The longer we walk with Christ in surrender, the deeper the fellowship with Him becomes. We daily surrender afresh to Him. It is clear the believer has a choice.
V. 16-19, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? … I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
The believers body is God’s temple and he wants to use it for His glory. I Cor. 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
The Old Testament tells us of people who permitted God to take and use their bodies to fulfill His purposes. Also Paul is an example in the New Testament along with others. Why should we yield? Well, we will please God having His favor, also freedom, being no longer a slave to sin, and having fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life (V. 22).
It has been proven that we are not saved by the Law, nor do we live under the Law. Grace does not give us an excuse to sin, but gives us the reason to live godly in this present world. Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
In closing: Now we know these truths, and reckon them to be true in our life, and we yield ourselves to God. God will be glorified in us and we will be blessed abundantly.
