Can We be Free from Sin

CAN WE BE FREE FROM SIN? DO WE HAVE A CHOICE?
Many, I would even go so far as saying most, believe that the Christian cannot help but sin. Of
course there is always the desire of the flesh to deal with, but can the believer overcome those
desires to walk by the new nature that has been placed on the inside?
I have found that the biggest threat to the believer is not the desires in the flesh that try to cause one
to sin…but the lack of knowledge on what the Word has to say concerning who and what one has
become after being born again.
Is the sin nature of the flesh greater than what God has placed on the inside of you?
As I said before, there are many that would say yes, using scripture to entertain their doctrine such
as Romans chapter 7. Where it says such things as: for that which I do I allow not: for what I would,
that I do not; but what I hate that I do.
And:
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me.
So, in all, this looks as though we are bound by sin and cannot get out from under the dominance of
it.
Thus, making a good excuse for sinning.
But then you have verses like Romans 6:12 stating to let not sin reign over you and verse 14 stating
that sin shall not have dominion over you.
As always, when there seems to be a contradiction of truth, wisdom dictates that we dig deep into
the Word and prayer to rightly divide the word of truth. For we will only be set free by the truth, not
our preconceived ideas…or in this case, our desire to sin without conviction.
Paul spends the first part of Romans breaking down the difference in walking in the Law and
receiving the gift of Salvation through Faith. That the righteousness of God is not of the workings of
the law but through Faith, same as Abraham.
As we get into chapter 5 and 6 Paul writes that sin is being exposed by the letter of the law…5:20
Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. And then in 6:1 what shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin (that has been exposed by the law) that grace may abound?
Verse 2…God forbid, how shall we, that are dead to sin live any longer there in.
Verse 11 & 12… we are to reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive to God and to let not sin reign in
our mortal body, that we should obey it in the lust thereof.
And through verses 16- 20 that to whatever you yield your body to will determine to whom you are
servant. Either to the sin that is exposed through the law or that of righteousness through faith in
Jesus Christ.
So now, we meet chapter 7 and Paul starts here saying know ye not brethren (For I Speak to Those
that know the Law) … he references the law and how the law affected them then in comparison to
how the Faith in Jesus works for the believer. And that once you become dead to the law by the
body of Christ; that you should be married to another, Jesus, that we should bring forth fruit unto
God, the same fruit that he speaks of in 6:22. That we being dead to sin, produce fruit of holiness to
God.
Verse 5…for when we were in the flesh (under the law), the motions of sins, which were by the law,
did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Verse 6… But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we
should serve in the newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Continually Paul makes the comparison of the man under the law that could not meet the
righteousness of God and the man through faith that fulfills the righteousness of God.
Once again, he is speaking to those that know the law, or you could say those that live under the law.
Verse 9…for I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and i
died. Because the law exposes the sin nature that by the law sin would be seen as exceedingly
sinful.
So, then Paul goes into an example of himself as a man under the law trying to keep the law to attain
to the righteousness of God. Which he has already stated cannot be done because the law exposes
the sin nature declaring all under sin. A man wanting to attain to the law of God but can’t because of
the sin nature in him. Showing the need for a savior.
Paul declares the answer to this problem in verse 24… O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver
me from the body of this death?
And the answer in Verse 25… I thank my God through Jesus Christ our Lord. so then, (as a man
under the law) with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin (that the
law exposed).
So that, one under the law, attempting to walk out the law, is in constant condemnation because of
the sin nature exposed and the need for a savior made obvious.
So, then he states in Chapter 8:1 & 2…that there is therefore now no condemnation to those that are
in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (sin nature) but after the Spirit. (new nature)
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Verse 3… for what the law could not do (fulfill the righteousness of God) because it was weak
through the flesh (sin nature), God did by sending His Son to condemn the sin in the flesh.
So that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us that who walk NOT after the flesh (sin
nature exposed by the law) but after the Spirit. (That is, the new nature given by Faith in Jesus
Christ…Born again with the nature of God, as he had said in Chapter 2:14 for when the gentiles
which have not the law, do by nature (the new nature, born again) the things in the law, these
having not the law are a law to themselves. Which shew the law written in their hearts.
So it is not Paul writing and saying that he cannot help but to sin…no on the contrary, he reveals that
the sin nature is eradicated through the resurrection of Christ giving us the new nature to fulfill the
law of God…His righteousness.
Verse 8… then they that are in the flesh (old sin nature without Christ) cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh (sin nature) but in the spirit (new nature)
Verse 10… and if Christ be in you (new nature) the body is dead because of sin but the spirit (your
new nature) is life because of righteousness.
Romans 8:11
Verse 11…if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken (give life to or vitalize) your mortal body (your flesh) by His
Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Verse 12…Therefore, (or because He will vitalize your flesh) we are not debtors (Obligated) to the
flesh to live after the flesh.
So then, once a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior and obtains the new nature, that is
the born-again spirit…they are no longer obligated to the old sin nature of the flesh to live in sin any
longer because the Lord will vitalize or give life to the flesh also, so that sin cannot dominate you any
longer.
Rom. 6:14 Sin shall no longer have dominion over you.
According to Romans 8:14 We, as believers having the new nature on the inside, have a choice to make; to live after the desires of the flesh and die (letting the desires of the flesh dominate you and reaping the results thereof) or to live after the new nature on the inside (bringing to a dead standstill the desires of the flesh and having the life promised by Christ.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God (in their new nature), they are the sons/daughters of
God.
Who do you follow? For greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
There is nothing out there that can make you sin. He has provided all you will ever need to conquer
sin in your life.
The choice is yours.
And if you say, “well the Christian life is too hard to live”; He gives a Helper to assist in this.
Rom8:26 Likewise the Spirit (Holy Spirit) also helpeth (jointly helps) our infirmities (our weakness to
the sinful pull in the flesh): for when we do not know what to pray for as we ought, the Holy Spirit
makes intercession for us.
He searches out our heart and prays the perfect will of God for our lives. And in this, we know that all
things (#1 the new nature, #2 Him vitalizing our flesh and #3 the Holy Spirit praying the will of God
for us) work together for our good.
Verse 29…To be conformed to the image of Jesus.
What can we say then, for if God be for us, then who can stand against us?
He has provided all we will ever need to walk a sinless lifestyle.
Sure, mistakes may happen because of our lack of knowledge on who we have truly become in
Christ, but greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world…Greater. So there is nothing in this
world that can make you go against the new nature. Nothing that can make you sin against your
God, …unless you chose too…
This is why he stated in Chapter 12 verses 1 & 2… that we should present our bodies a living
sacrifice (a sacrifice is destined to die) and to renew our mind.
So that we may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. The perfect will of God.
I dare say that the perfect will of God is not a sinful lifestyle, while saying God’s grace is not enough to
help me stop sinning.
But the perfect will of God is to walk out His righteousness in true holiness, fulfilling the law of
God…Love.
Romans 5:17
For if by one man’s offence death reigned (forcing them to sin, the inability to stop) by one (Adam);
Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign (over
sin) in life by one Christ Jesus.