Romans 6:14-15

In Romans 6, Paul gives some very helpful and practical information about the spiritual battle we all face daily against sin. It is not a fight you can afford to neglect either, as John Owen emphasized: “Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work? Be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.”

All of us at times are beguiled into complacency by the knowledge that God’s grace has washed away our sin, and are fooled into believing that it really doesn’t matter much if we give in to sin now and again. We remember, “You are not under law but under grace” but conveniently forget “sin shall not have dominion over you.” As if anticipating this devilish compromise, the Spirit urges Paul to make the point absolutely clear: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”

So, let us not dabble in sin by easily giving in to evil thoughts, evil words, and evil mouse clicks. “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren,” James admonished us. You cannot fight sin without equipping yourself for the battle, taking on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6, of which the word of God is the only offensive weapon. Immerse yourself in the word; memorize specific verses to fight specific temptations. Instead of being a couch potato watching unedifying or enticing programs, slay that sin with Psalm 101:3: “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes.” Kill sin, or it will kill you!

Tom Day