Unlimited: Sin Does Not Reign
Oct 17, 2022 714
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires (Romans 6:12).
Through the use of the word “therefore” Paul is indicating that he has now come to the concluding point of his argument here. Earlier, Paul told us that sin and death entered and reign in the world.
Yet just because sin reigns in the world, it doesn’t mean that it should reign in our lives. Not at all! When the apostle Paul says that we are not to let sin reign in our bodies, he means to obey its promptings.
Sin does not reign.
It’s important to understand what Paul isn’t saying here. He isn’t saying that we will have no evil desires. This side of eternity, those evil desires will always be with us, as a result of our sinful, fallen human nature. We all will have them, and if you think you don’t, consider the words of Jeremiah 17:9:
The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
Paul also is not telling us here that someone who has been saved will not sin. Sin remains, but it does not reign. We will struggle against sin. We will stumble and even fall. But it will be a hated thing for us. We will not slavishly obey it anymore. Christ will reign instead, and lead us into the paths of greater trust and obedience to him.
Spiritual Application
Are there any areas of your life in which you are still allowing sin to reign? Is the Lord calling you to fully surrender?
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