Dead to Sin, Alive to God
Key thoughtIn Christ, sin no longer has dominion. We are not under law but under grace. Mortification is not trying harder — it is living as someone who has already been set free.
Today Pastor Mark preaches on Mortification — killing what obscures Jesus. Come to worship ready to hear what God is teaching you about the battle between sin and grace in your life.
11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Paul’s answer to the struggle of Romans 7 is not “Try harder.” It is “Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God.” The word “consider” means to reckon something as true. Paul is saying: Look at what Jesus has already done. Sin does not rule you. Grace does.
This is the heart of mortification. We do not fight sin in our own strength. We fight it as people who have already been rescued. Jesus condemned sin in the flesh so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us. We walk by the Spirit, not by flesh. Come this morning ready to worship the Savior who has conquered what you could not.
As you worship today, listen for one specific thing God is teaching you about what obscures Jesus in your life. Write it down this week.
- What is the difference between trying harder to stop sinning and considering yourself dead to sin?
- What does it mean that sin will have “no dominion” over you since you are under grace?
Thank Jesus that He condemned sin in the flesh so you could be free. Ask God to help you consider yourself dead to sin and alive to Him. Pray that today’s sermon would deepen your understanding of what Jesus has done for you.
Amen