If there’s anything I personally need to hear on a regular basis and seek encouragement from others about, it’d be reckoning myself dead to sin.
The absolute power of sin over the flesh of the unrepentant man is devastating. I testify to this, since I was consumed by its authority for much of my “Christian” life.
But the consequences of sinning are rarely heralded from our pulpits—or anywhere else, for that matter. Unfortunately, this subject is routinely avoided by otherwise reasonable men. Instead, it’s quietly restrained from raising its ugly head and prompting the Spirit to convict the teetering heart.
And that’s a problem.
Because preaching that the practice of sin is a stumbling block toward the goal of inheriting the very best God has to offer isn’t considered to be a good tool for building congregational membership. So, we adapt. We gather in His name to worship and to have fellowship with one another but any reference to unacceptable behavior—sermonic or otherwise, must never inflict the necessary shame needed to bring about reform.
Meanwhile, Jesus Christ’s faithful disciples are busy teaching the tenets of discipleship to others who are hungry for solid food. Somehow, they’ve discovered that the Bible is packed with insight and encouragement for all those who have ears to hear!
[What’s solid food? see: Weaners Are Winners! [1]]
In his letter to all who [were] beloved of God in Rome, called as saints, the apostle Paul attempted to connect with the reader with what I like to think was some “good news” concerning their struggle with the influence of sin in their lives:
“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united (with Him) in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be (in the likeness) of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified (with Him), in order that our body of sin might be rendered ineffective, 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.” [Rom. 6:4-8] [my emphasis]
In verse 6:4, Paul affirms to the reader that, as a result of their decision to consider themselves “dead and buried” to the power of sin, they were equipped with the ability to live differently as a result.
Imagine that.
Paul regarded baptism as more of a commitment rather than a symbolic gesture. He reiterated his point a few sentences later:
“In this manner, 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, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.’’ [Rom. 6:11-13] [my emphasis]
I’m not so naive to think that, just because I’ve been rescued from the slave market of sin, I’m not capable of wandering back into it. I need to be encouraged and motivated away from presenting any members of my body as instruments for unrighteous conduct.
[What does it mean to be rescued from the slave market of sin? see: Different fruit, same good news. [2]]
This topic would seem to be essential to understanding what Jesus Christ and the Biblical authors actually taught, but then, highly unlikely to pack the pews on Sunday mornings, because the cup of conviction swallows a lot harder than grape juice.
So would it be reasonable to assume that the subject of dying to sin would warrant weekly discussion, study and application techniques among our relevant peers?
Absolutely.
Because this is Biblical meat and potatoes, and only a few are weaned.