“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:8-11 NIV)
Sometimes we need to asses ourselves and recognize the artificial limitations we create for ourselves. When we believe something a certain way, we limit ourselves to that belief position. Now it goes without saying that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). In addition, we can know the Truth and let the Truth set us free (John 8:30-32). And such positions of faith and truth do not waver.
Yet, many of us live with self-imposed limitations because we do not fully grasp the totality of our faith positions. And sometimes those limitations are due to our lack of commitment. The Apostle to the Gentiles addresses both issues: belief and commitment.
If we believe that we died with Christ, then it follows that we will also live with him. Is it possible that someone doesn’t truly believe that his/her old sinful self actually died with Christ? We cannot live with him and have that limitation present with us. Either we are buried with him in his death or we are not (Romans 6:3-4). We cannot scripturally support a claim of life while holding onto death. If we have died to that old way of life then it is NOT alive in us (Romans 6:1-2). So the issue is fully believing in the totality of dying with Christ.
Then there is the commitment issue. Just as Christ died only once for all and now lives continuously to God, his disciples should consider themselves to be truly dead to sin and truly alive to God in Christ Jesus. We are not to walk around with the millstone of limitation holding us back. We are not to claim victory while holding on to defeat. We cannot have life until we turn loose of sin.
Your faith is determined not so much by what you believe as by the attitude you bring to faith; not so much by experience as by how you live after your experience. Five years ago, Lance Armstrong won his seventh consecutive win in the Tour de France race. What was it that steered him to victory? It could only have been a combination of commitment and attitude. And it was his attitude that kept the commitment burning to the finish line.
Make the conscious choice that you are dead to sin and alive to God. You’ll instantly improve the quality of your Christian life. Who you WERE makes no difference when you are dead to that old self and alive to God in Jesus Christ. Declare today “from now on, I AM dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Dear Father, thank you for victory in Christ Jesus. Empower us with the attitude that we are alive to God in Christ Jesus. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today alive to God in Christ Jesus,