Chrissy's Day 11: "Sin no longer has dominion over me"

Summary of Romans 6: 1-14

So, should we willingly keep doing bad stuff so that God can be more gracious? Don’t be stupid! Sin no longer has a place in our lives so we can’t!

When we tied ourselves to Jesus, we tied ourselves to his death AND his resurrection. Our old sinful lives died when Jesus did so that we no longer have to be slaves to sin. We are free!

Jesus can’t die again (he’s already beaten it!) so death has no power over him.

So we too shouldn’t let sin have power over us. Don’t give yourself to sin – give yourself to God! Sin has no power over us because we live according to grace not according to the law.

Reflection

Sometimes I get myself all tied up in knots and get myself very confused. You’d think that after a lifetime (30 years tomorrow!) of being in the Christian church, I would have a handle on the basics. But I find them more confusing now than ever!

• What is sin?
• What does it mean to be a slave to sin?
• What does it mean to be free from sin?
• What does it mean to be alive in Christ?

 Is sin just doing bad stuff like lying, eating too much junk food, watching rubbish TV or being judgemental? Or is it more than that? Is it about attitudes of the heart? Or is it even more than that? Is it about the way we treat others? Or is it more than that?

I admit that I find the concept of sin hard to relate to. I’m a good person. Yes I do mean things sometimes and definately have a wrong attitude a lot of the time but is that really what Jesus was all about? Is this whole life really just about being ‘saved’ from bad thoughts and feelings? Surely there has to be more to this?

I guess one of my issues with this way of viewing things is that its so individualistic. Are my personal shortcomings really that important? Did God really make his only son a mortal and allow him to die just to ‘save’ us humans from our pride and subborness? Surely there has to be a bigger purpose to all this.

Perhaps its just the romantic in me but I much prefer the idea of Jesus coming to reconcile whole families, communities, nations. Humans with humans. Humans with nature. Humans with God. Nature with God. I want something bigger! Something grander! Surely my sin is too small and insignificant to be the main purpose.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the work of the cross.
Thank you that sin no longer has dominion over me.
Thank you that I have abundant life because of your reconciling work.

Please help me to understand what sin is and what your work on earth is all about.
Whatever it is, I want to be a part of it.

I want to be your servant, you vessel.

Amen