“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”
Plenty of parents and teenagers will tell you that the moment someone says not to do something, it becomes the very thing they will zero in on to do. Why? That is a great question. The simple answer is our sinful nature. When laws and orders come down from authorities, they are often met with ones who will simply not listen to the right ways. For the parents out there, we see it everyday with our own children. The ones who obey and the ones who don’t.
Paul talks about this sinful nature in chapter 7 of Romans. He starts out with an analogy. If a woman is married and sleeps with another man while she is still married, it is adultery. If her husband dies, then she is released from this bond and free to marry another man. In the same way, once you accept Christ, you are released from the sinful nature you have been a slave to. Now, Christ and the Holy Spirit become your masters. They are the ones we should heed correction from and obey.
The law paints us a picture of what sin looks like and how it deceives us into doing what we should not to do. All the while, if you are a Christian and sin is not fun for you any more, then that means the Holy Spirit is guiding you from sinful behavior. It is wise to heed this direction and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is only by the power of God given to you when you accept Christ by faith that you will be able to refrain from sin. In verses 24 and 25 it says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Today, stop trying to muscle your way out of sin. It will not work. All the self help books and motivational speakers will not get you free from sin. Only Christ can do that. Alcoholics anonymous uses Christ to free people from addiction. There are lots of places to go to get help but successful ones are based upon Jesus Christ and guiding those people to a relationship in Christ. Why? Because that is the only way we free ourselves from sin.
He changes us from the inside out. You can dress up a pig, put lipstick on a pig, spay all kinds of perfume on a pig but in the end it still is just a pig. Christ will change you from the inside out and all you have to do is say, “Jesus, I want help. I am a sinner in need of your grace and I accept all you have for me.” The Bible says he stands at the door and knocks. Do you hear Him? Are you going to let Him in or ignore Him?
Prayer: Father, today we submit to you and bow our knee to the one true God who made the earth and everything in it. I know we all struggle with sin in our lives, but I also know that the Bible says you have overcome the world and when I accepted Christ, I became a new creation in you Lord. Old things, old sin, old habits, old ways are passed away and behold ALL THINGS are new. I submit my entire life to you now oh Lord. Strengthen our faith Father just as you told Peter when you were going to pray for him. We all know we become weak sometimes and it is at this point that we need to be strong and stand on the promises of your Word. Thank you Father that we are redeemed from the curse of the law and set free from the bondage of sin today. In Jesus name, amen.
Let It Go 
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