Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  (13)  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  (14)  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:12-14 

Explain:

One of the most important interpretive words in Paul’s epistles is the word translated “therefore”.  He is tying what He is saying or about to say to what has been said.  So, what has been said?  Because we have been justified by faith we are no longer slaves to sin.  We are dead to sin and alive to Christ. 

It is on this basis then that Paul says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obe it in the lust thereof.”   When we reckon, or consider, or estimate that we are dead to sin, then naturally sin no longer dominates in our bodies.  We know longer have to be obedient to sin.  We don’t offer our bodies up to sin to be used to do sinful things.  Rather, since we are alive to God, we offer our bodies up to him to do righteously. 

So the grace that is given, by faith, through justification leads us to righteousness, since it breaks the power of sin.  Sin doesn’t dominate our lives any longer.  Now we are dominated by the grace of God.

Apply:

By saying “let not” Paul implies that a believer can still allow sin to dominate him at times, even though as a believer we are dead to sin.  Have you ever been there?  I’m sure you have.  As believers, we must choose by faith to reckon ourselves dead to sin.  We must consider ourselves alive to God, and rely on His power to help us fight temptation.

Respond:

Today, let these words be on the tip of your tounge:

• No.
• I’m dead to that.
• Lord, please help me to reckon myself dead to sin, and alive to you!