“Reckon yourselves to be dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 6:11 (NKJV)
An abattoir is an intriguing place where the struggle between a butcher and an animal unfolds. While resisting its fate, the animal must be subdued and restrained before slaughtering. This tug-of-war reflects the tension of resistance.
However, in contrast, scripture presents the story of Isaac, Abraham’s son, who, unlike the struggling animal, submitted himself as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-9). When Abraham bound him, he didn’t resist. When Abraham laid him down on the altar, Isaac obediently yielded to God’s plan, even without fully understanding it, demonstrating a complete willingness to surrender.
Likewise, the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 that we should present our bodies as living sacrifices to God, which implies a state of willingness from the believer.
A ‘living sacrifice’ sounds contradictory, as sacrifices ought to be dead, not living. Indeed, when we offer ourselves to God, death occurs, though not physically, but to our sinful nature, anyone not dead to sin remains its slave, obeying its lusts and desires (Romans 6:12-13, 16).
When Christ died and rose again, He gave us power over sin and death (Romans 6:11). When we believe in Christ and receive His life through faith, like Him, we are liberated from the bondage of sin and are raised to walk in the newness of our born-again life (Romans 6:3–4). Glory!
Since we live in a fallen world, being dead to sin does not stop temptations from showing up. Paul, knowing this, implores the believer not to conform to the world but to have a renewed mind (Romans 12:2). God, our loving and ever-providential Father, has given us His Spirit to empower us as we do so. The Spirit in us is that of life, and the man who walks in the Spirit will not fulfil the lusts of his flesh. Rather, he will bear fruits of holiness and righteousness (Romans 8:10, Galatians 5:16).
Oh! What grand victory we have in Christ! We are no longer shameful slaves to sin, which leads to death. Now, we boast of life through Christ, who has made us holy and acceptable to God.
Dear believer, you have received the Spirit of God and are set free from the power of sin. Even as you go about your day, remember this: You are alive in Christ, a righteous new creature.
Bible Reading Plan: 1 Timothy 1-2