5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Stop Sinning
I imagine that if you only looked at the headings for each day’s post, you might be a little confused. Yesterday, I titled the post Keep On Sinning. Today, it’s the opposite. Just trying to keep you all on your toes!
Let me ask you a question. As a Christ follower, is it possible to not sin? I mean, could someone who has turned their life over to Christ live the rest of their days without ever committing another sin? Think about that for a second before you read on.
I asked that question a few months ago at Bikers’ Church. The response was almost unanimous: No, it’s not possible. It’s the same response I get from most people when I ask that question. Most people suggest that it’s impossible to keep from sinning at all when we live in a world as messed up as this one. That even though you might try your best to not sin, you’re going to screw up from time to time.
I don’t agree. I believe it is possible to live your life as a Christ follower without ever sinning again. Is it likely? No. But it is possible. The answer above is partially right: it is tough to live in a world such as this one and not sin. I know I’ve failed miserably more often than I’d like to admit. But just because I fail, doesn’t mean it’s not possible to live sinlessly.
I believe that’s what Paul is getting at in this passage. He’s trying to get his readers to stop seeing themselves as helpless to power of sin. We are not slaves to sin. Sin does not control us. And so, theoretically, as people living under the power of Christ, we have it in us to live free of sin.
Now, having said all that, I will admit that I’ve never met anyone who is living sinlessly since they turned their life over to Christ. Of course, I guess there’s no way to know, because if someone was boasting about it, they would likely be working through the sin of pride! If you’re like me, you struggle with sin. There are days that you are able to fully give yourself over to Christ, and days when it’s a little more of a challenge.
To me, that’s the beauty of the spiritual journey. Every day, I get to mature a little more. I get to grow a little stronger in my faith. When I screw up and sin, I learn from it. Why did I commit that particular sin? Are there ways I can grow so that I don’t fall into that same trap in the future? Each day, each month, each year, I learn and discover more about myself and more about how God calls me to live. And the amazing part is that I can learn all of this from the safety of the Cross.
Don’t beat yourself up when you sin. Recognize it. Confess it to God. Repent of it. Move on. But don’t buy into the lie that you were helpless and had no choice in the matter.
My prayer: Lord, the idea of living a life in which I no longer sin seems unattainable. And yet, it also offers hope. What if tomorrow I could move a little further down the path? It gives me something to aim for. I don’t strive to live without sin so that you will accept me. You’ve already done that. I strive to live today without sin because I want to honour you with my life. I want to celebrate what you’ve already done for me. And so, today begins with this simple prayer. Amen.
Until tomorrow.
