Romans 6:14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Paul comes to a preliminary conclusion of his explanation about overcoming the power of sin. If a person follows Paul’s explanation of the gospel thus far in the letter, then sin should not and cannot be master. The critical issue is if Jesus is indeed Lord, not just in confession but in faith and lifestyle. The steps are clear:
- Put to death the old life of sin by putting our faith in a new Master;
- Stop the struggle against sin by allowing God’s grace to work in us;
- Realize that we have a power source that is even greater than death itself;
- To participate in this requires the decisive decision of consecration;
- We have the Holy Spirit to help us each step of the way.
Being under the law and attempting to do this on our own will fail, as ch. 7 will demonstrate. In real everyday life, we can experience new life in Christ in tangible and visible ways. Each step moves forward, day be day, decision by decision.
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