less than<\/em> human. \u00a0From that point on, then, it was not that we sin because we were “only” human, but that we weren’t human enough.<\/p>\nWhen Christ came, He lived a perfect life, not because He was God, but because through perfect obedience to the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2), He was a perfect HUMAN. \u00a0He was what we were designed to be, and because of His work on the cross, made it possible that we no longer needed to be overwhelmed by sin again.<\/p>\n
Look at this:<\/p>\n
“…our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” \u00a0Romans 6:6<\/p>\n
Done away with. \u00a0That’s pretty strong. \u00a0Sounds pretty definite. \u00a0Not managed or minimized…done away with. \u00a0Does that mean I no longer have to sin? \u00a0Well, sounds like it. \u00a0I think as I meditate on this, it means that as improbable<\/em> as it is that I will no longer sin at all (because I still have the residual sin nature that was left in me because of Genesis 3), I cannot say that it is impossible<\/em>. \u00a0Scripture seems pretty clear that Jesus has made it so.<\/p>\nSo, then, what’s the take away? \u00a0I stop giving myself a pass. \u00a0I stop using the excuse that, because I’m only human, I’m going to sin. \u00a0Instead, I need to decide that sin WILL NOT reign in me. \u00a0I will no longer allow myself excuses as to why I still fall to the same old vices. \u00a0I have to “consider myself dead to sin” (Romans 6:11) which means that it is no longer an option for me. \u00a0As Oswald Chambers said, “You cannot [do this] until you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.” \u00a0That’s really it: Is it going to be my will or God’s will? \u00a0Who is the sovereign in my life? \u00a0If I’m honest, I have to say that it depends on when you ask me and what the subject is. \u00a0Sometimes, it’s God (at least in the easy parts of my life), but sometimes, when I’m dealing with my favorite flavor of evil, it’s me.<\/p>\n
The only thing left for me to do is to realize the truth in the power of Christ in me to “consider myself dead to sin,” to be in constant prayer for that power to be manifest in me, and to be vigilant<\/em> to daily make the mortification of sin in my life my aim.<\/p>\n“Lord, identify me with your death until I know that sin is dead in me.”<\/p>\n
That’s a tough one to pray.<\/p>\n