"Freed From Sin"

Romans 6:7

The Word of God nowhere teaches us that believers in this world cease to commit sin. Anyone who denies his sin, his present inward corruption of heart and nature, is a liar. He deceives himself. The truth is not in him. He walks in darkness. And he declares that God himself is a liar. All who are born of God freely and fully confess their sin (I John 1:8-10). What does Paul mean, then, when he declares that in Christ we are "freed from sin"?

1. CHRIST HAS FREED US FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN. The penalty of sin is death: spiritual death, physical death, and eternal death in hell. The Lord Jesus Christ, when he died as our Substitute at Calvary, enduring the wrath of God for us, has fully satisfied the law's penalty on our behalf. When he died on the cross, Christ removed our sin from heaven's record, so that the court of heaven records no transgression against us. Where there is no sin, there is no penalty.

2. CHRIST HAS FREED US FROM THE REIGNING POWER AND DOMINION OF SIN. Righteousness has been imputed to us in justification. And righteousness is imparted to all who believe in regeneration. This imparted righteousness is the new man created in us, the nature of Christ imparted to us, the holy seed implanted in us. Though the old man is as evil and corrupt as ever, he no longer reigns. Sin rises in the believer, but never reigns. Sin disturbs the believer, but no longer dominates. Sin corrupts all that we do, but does not control what we do. Sin wars against us, but shall not conquer us. If you are in Christ, "Sin shall not have dominion over you."

3. AND CHRIST SHALL FREE US FROM THE PRESENCE OF SIN. Soon our Lord shall deliver us completely from the being of sin, the presence of sin, and all the consequences of sin. At death, he will take us away from these bodies of sin. In the resurrection he will deliver even our bodies from sin into glory, righteousness and holiness.

Don Fortner