Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
These words express a reality that is fundamental to our Christian understanding. If we do not grasp the reality of what is being said, then we really do not fully understand the work of Christ nor the power of the Gospel to save. And, there is a not so subtle side effect of not understanding our victory over sin - it will be very difficult to relate to God in a normal and healthy manner. If we do not see ourselves as having victory over sin then the work of the Gospel is a foreign concept, not a personal reality, and we will continue to be emotionally distant from God. We're not enemies, just emotionally and intellectually distant from the work of Christ. We cannot feel accepted by Him, for we do not understand the foundation of our acceptance. And, if we do not feel accepted by Him then we cannot enjoy Him and we cannot walk in overcoming faith. If we do not sense our complete victory over sin then we continue to have a guilty conscience and have the emotional status of of one that is unloved and unable to relate to their Father. we do not measure up, we cannot please him. We must be able to emotionally relate to Jesus and emotionally relate to His work of securing our present victory over sin and therefore securing our favor with God. Only in this way can we be fully happy with Christ and inwardly motivated to walk out His victories in this life.
We must emotionally relate to the Gospel. Many know the facts of the Gospel, but it brings no joy, no fulfillment, and no peace. Healthy relationships have an emotional component. If the work of Christ does not bring the highest satisfaction and the highest fulfillment it is because we are not walking in the reality of His accomplishments for us. The Gospel is the work of Christ for us, and must be the emotional and spiritual foundation of our life. It is what establishes our new identity, it is what gives us new meaning and new purpose, it is source of our wisdom, it is the source of our joy, it is the source of our strength, it is that which brings spiritual protection, and it is what secures our relationship to God. Everything and every human relationship is temporary and cannot bring lasting emotional or spiritual health. Emotional dependence on the Person and work of Jesus is the foundation of our emotional and spiritual wholeness. Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” We can be in a good and healthy relationship with God only if we enjoy Him; and we can enjoy Him only if we emotionally relate to our complete and final victory over sin.
It is important that our thinking not get upside down about our victory over sin. Victory over sin is the beginning of our relationship with Christ. It is the starting line; our victory is the reason we run the race. We can see victory over sin as a cause of our relationship with God or as a result of our relationship with God. We can see victory over sin as the cause or as the result of our salvation. This question has to be resolved, for the answer will determine our ability to love and enjoy the Lord. The scriptures teach our victory over sin is the result of Christ's work in us and for us. Our victory over sin lies in forgiveness, in blood atonement. It is forgiveness that makes us right with God; It is forgiveness that results in God's favor, it is forgiveness that results in justification. It is forgiveness that brings the power of God into our lives. Forgiveness is THE victory over sin. This power of the Gospel over sin resides in atonement, i.e. the substitutionary death of Jesus for the sins of those who confess Him as Lord and Savior. The Scriptures tell us that Christ bore our sins and destroyed their power over us. Victory over sin is the beginning of our walk with God and holy living is the fruit grown in the soil of forgiveness. If victory over sin is through my good living, then there is a possibility the victory might not be sure, for I might fail. But what can darkness do with forgiveness, it is the work of Christ, it is already accomplished, it is finished, and it has made me right with God. The power of the Gospel resides in God, He defeated sin for us and He cannot fail.
Romans 6:1-11 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God
2 Tim 1:10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
Col 2:14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Romans 10:1-4 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
1Cor 1:30-31 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Heb 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Heb 10:11-17 (NEV)11 Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. 12Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective for ever, and then he sat down at the right-hand side of God. 13There he now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. 14With one sacrifice, then, he has made perfect for ever those who are purified from sin. 15 And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them in the days to come, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts and write them on their minds.” 17And then he says, “I will not remember their sins and evil deeds any longer.” 18So when these have been forgiven, an offering to take away sins is no longer needed
The promise of victory can be confusing for us. By nature we want to see the finished product. But the Lord does not work this way. He first gives His Word, then we act on what He says to obtain the finished product. The promises of God’s Word have a beginning and an end. The beginning is what He says, the end is possessing what He says, faith takes what God says and brings it to completion. God gives a promised victory over sin, but then we have to walk it out or bring it to completion. The promise of victory does not bring us to completion, but to the starting line of faith. We have a race to run which has been won by Another. We show His victory over sin to be real by winning over sin in our own life. When the Lord gives a promise, He enables us to possess that promise. His purposes will be accomplished when we walk out or bring that promise to completion. In the Gospel we have a promise of victory over sin. We must emotionally and intellectually possess this promise so we can run our race with confidence. We must be assured that the battle has been won and therefore we can win. We must know the gospel enables to do what God commands. If we know the power of the Gospel, then we can emotionally possess forgiveness which is our victory over sin. To be whole we must feel forgiven! We must come to the place that we not only know the victories of Christ but also feel the joy of His victories. The Lord’s power and Spirit reside in the promises of His Word. So, when we give ourselves to possess what He promises, the power inherent in His Word works within us to change us and bring us to completion. Through the power inherent in His Word, He performs what He promises.