October 14, 2011 … Free From Sin

Passage of the Day: Romans 6: 6 - 7 [see highlighted verses in bold/underlined] … 5 If we have been united with Him [Christ] like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. 6 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— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

My Journal for Today: In the last few days I’ve been reviewing truths written by a Spirit-inspired Apostle Paul in the 6th chapter of his prison epistle to believers in Rome in the 1st Century. He has written that true Christians become spiritually dead to sin and then are raised by their new birth [i.e., conversion] to live anew when as they choose to live in an ever growing relationship with Christ. As John MacArthur reminds his readers in Strength for Today, writing that some might argue that we Christians have a “type of spiritual split personality” with this battle continually raging in our souls between the old and new spiritual natures.

However, today’s passage (and others proclaiming the same truth in Galatians 2: 20 and Colossians 3: 9 – 10) negate that view. In Romans 6: 6 (above) Paul says that “ … the body of sin might be done away with.” This latter phrase, which can be translated “destroyed” (as in the NASB), is the Greek term “katargeo,” which actually could (and probably should) be interpreted that our sin nature is rendered inoperable when/if we, as believers, surrender the old being (i.e., the sin nature) to our new, more powerful, Spirit-driven being.

It’s like having a vehicle (i.e., the new life) with two distinct gears. Before salvation we only had one forward gear – the Satan gear. But now our life vehicle has a new gear – the Savior gear. Just like a car with two forward gears, we can choose which gear in which we drive – drive or overdrive; and when we choose overdrive, which is far more powerful at the speed of living than the natural drive gear, this latter gear must yield to the overdrive gear when overdrive is engaged. Overdrive takes over and the drive gear is no longer operating. And in overdrive the car is much more powerful, efficient, and effective than in the normal or natural drive gear.

And that’s the way life for the converted Christian has become. When we, as believers, choose to move out of Satan or self gear and into Savior gear, the old gear is rendered inoperable, yielding to the overdrive of Christlikeness. It’s not that the old gear is not there. It is. But our life vehicle will operate so much more powerfully and efficiently in the Savior gear than it can in the Satan gear. And when we choose to go into spiritual “overdrive,” putting Christ into control, we move ahead with direction and purpose that is far more effective than in the old gear, which will never work as effectively for God’s created purpose as can the new gear.

So, in which gear do you find yourself driving? How are you choosing to move forward in Christ’s overdrive? As for me, I choose to put my life vehicle into Savior gear … and goooooooooooo!!!

My Prayer Today: Help me, Lord, to always choose Your way! Amen