Table of Contents
What do You Believe About Sin?
So, what do you believe about sin? Why would this question be important? It informs your thought process and behavior. How you filter life through your belief system influences whether you’re in bondage, or walk in the freedom of Jesus Christ. Perhaps, something in between. It may play a determining factor of whether you’re religious, or spiritual. One is driven; one is led. Religious people tend to make up self-imposed rules, which they often try to dump on others. Spiritual people are led by Holy Spirit, and therefore, don’t need a bunch of rules.
As a Christian, do you believe you’re free from sin, or sin will always be problem in your life? Have you been struggling with sin, and you’re tired of the struggle? What does the Bible say about sin in relation to believers?
The Remission of Sins
Acts 2:37-38 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Remission is a very important word, one of which to take hold and never let go. What does it mean, exactly? In the Greek (APHESIS, 859, Strong’s Concordance), which is derived from another word (APHEMI, 863); freedom, or figuratively, pardon. To cause to stand away. It means to release one’s sins from the sinner (forgiveness, remission). Remission or forgiveness is the putting away of sin and the deliverance of the sinner from the power of sin.
Remember this: Forgiveness, or remission is never freedom in sin, or freedom to sin for that that matter. It means freedom from sin by God. This is where grace comes into play, which is the ability to do the things of God you couldn’t do on your own. Simply put, remission is freedom from sin!
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
The words, deliverance and liberty, are the same word (APHESIS, 859). This reveals Jesus came to deliver us from anything that holds us prisoner from God. It includes making us a new creature in Him (see 2 Corinthians 2:7-21), which means we’re no longer slaves to sin. indecently, we are no longer considered sinners in God’s eyes.
Grace gave Us Power Over Sin
Do you believe grace gave you power over sin? This is an important consideration, because if you don’t realize grace empowered you, you will allow sin to continually hound you. Yes, allow! It’s more in your court than you may realize. As we dive into some verses of Scripture found in Romans six, be encouraged to slowly examine the entire chapter, along with chapters seven and eight. In fact, study all of this in more depth, and see what Holy Spirit reveals to you.
Romans 8:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
This one verse clearly states sin will not dominion over you. Why? Because you are not under the Law, but under grace. What makes this latter sentence significant?
Romans 4:13-15 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Where there is no law, there is no transgression. The New Covenant is that of grace and remission.
Matthew 26:27-28 And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
The Blood of Jesus Christ set you free from sin. Grace gave you the capability to more than say no to it, which you will see as we pick this up in the next blog, and continue to go deeper in Romans six along with Scripture.
