Free to be transformed!
And why are we able to experience this precious process of being changed into the likeness of Jesus?
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that the old man was crucified with Christ so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
In Romans 6 Paul tells us that our "old man" was crucified with Christ so that we are no longer slaves to sin. The "old man" Paul is talking about is the sin nature. Paul is saying, When Jesus went to the cross and was crucified, that is when the enslaving power of sin was smitten with a deathblow.
Here is the picture: While Jesus was hanging on the cross, God took the captivating power of the sin nature and stuck it into His mangled body, and when Jesus died, the enslaving power of sin died with Him.
How did God do that?! It is not something the human mind can explain. It is something only God can do and that makes it divine.
So, do we still have to deal with the sin nature? Absolutely. In Vs. 12 Paul goes on to say, "Let not sin have dominion over you." Sin still has the possibility to enslave us if we let it.
So, we still have to deal with the presence of sin, but the power of sin cannot enslave us anymore.
Beloved, what does this mean to us today? It means by the power of the cross, we are free to be transformed! Because Jesus dealt with the enslaving, captivating power of sin on the cross, we our free to live out our wonderful destiny of being changed into His image. On the cross Jesus annihilated everything that could keep us enslaved to everything the "old man" entails, and now the "new man" is being renewed day by day.
Lord Jesus, thank you for the power of the cross, for by it we are truly being transformed.
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