Our Victory Over Sin

“Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts.” Romans 6:6-12

Believers wrestle with besetting sins. We pray, confess, believe, and more often than not - relapse. Is there any remedy? Or are we sentenced, by our natures, to endure until we are with the Lord? Praise God, there is a profound hope for believers’ victory - regardless of the nature of our struggles.

First, we must come to the point of a biblical confession which means that we “agree” with God about the vile nature of our sins, understanding how they grieve His holy character. We ask Him to show us our sin from His perspective, seeing its consequences. Such genuine confession leads to being “made sorrowful to the point of repentance” (a definite change of direction) (2 Cor. 7:9).

If we have done so and still cannot escape, there is still hope. Our sinful acts as believers are the result of the principle of sin that still seeks to enslave us. But Paul says in Galatians 2:20 that he has been “crucified with Christ.” At the cross Jesus not only took care of our sins but also our sin natures. Victory over our besetting sins is through faith - confessing (agreeing) that our old sin natures are crucified and that we have been freed and liberated by Christ to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Christ, your life, can overcome any sin habit. Your victory is in Christ.

“For he who has died is freed from sin.” Romans 6:7