Is Sin More Than Just What We Do?

One of the pitfalls in the Christian life is the individualization of our sins to specific deeds and the tendency to do the same with our righteousness. When we fail or fall off of this hamster wheel of do’s and don’ts, one of the questions we need to ask is, “Is Sin More Than What We Do?” Consequently, we also need to answer the unasked question, who’s righteousness is it?

To be sure, Scripture highlights for us a number of individual sins and warns us against them and on a couple of occasions Paul provides some non-comprehensive list of sins. But the overall concern with sin is not the individual sin(s), rather it is the heart. When we understand that better, we can come to see that an individual sin is rarely, if ever, detached from other sins. Instead, our foe is a comprehensive enemy, a total force or power that may emphasize particular areas depending on our own desires. Let’s unpack this.

In Romans chapter 6 we have perhaps the quintessential passage on the nature of sin along with the command to not let it reign in our bodies. In order to not let it reign or have dominion over us, we have to realize that the Scripture does not have in mind here an individual sin, rather it has in mind a power, that of a king ruling and reigning. In the opening verses of the chapter, which are building off of chapter 5 and the understanding that all mankind fell in Adam when he sinned, resulting in death, but conversely all those in Christ will be made alive through His death and subsequent resurrection. The conclusion of that teaching brings us the encouragement of Romans 5:21, whereas sin reigned in death, grace reigns in righteousness which leads to eternal life in Christ. Naturally, Paul anticipates a response that if this is the case, then would we not continue in sin that we would get more grace? He answers in the strongest of terms, me genoito, “Absolutely Not!” or we might say “Don’t even let that thought come into your mind!” This prepares us for the war on sin discussion as chapter 6 unfolds.

The response begins with clarity on the nature of union with Christ, introduced in chapter 5 of course, but now highlighting the aspects of His death and resurrection into which believers (or more clearly those in Christ’s covenant) participate in. In short, our old sinful self was nailed to the cross with Christ such that when He died, we died. Conversely, as He rose again, we rose again unto life but not the same old sinful self brought back to life, rather a new self, a new life in righteousness. The result of this is that we have been set free from sin (Romans 6:7). Here is where we begin to see that sin isn’t reduced to individual deeds, that is downstream of the doctrine, rather sin is held together as a dominating, death-bringing force. Continuing into Romans 6:10 and we read that in Christ’s death, He died to sin (and conversely in His resurrected life He lives to God). It is from this reality of Christ’s dying to sin, which we can understand simply as His defeat of sin’s power and ability to enslave. That dominion was broken through His death and resurrection.

It is from this ground that our approach to how we think about sin, how we confront it and fight it in our lives, begins. We’re not fighting from a disadvantageous position of lower ground. No, our battle ground is from Calvary, and it is a position of victory over sin which Christ has secured. This higher ground position provides us the advantage in the war against sin, we can see our opponent, attack better, defend better, all advantages are ours in Christ. It is in reality a mental position from which we must reckon ourselves dead to the power of sin and alive to God in Christ. Which brings us to our opening verse from Romans 6:12 and the clear understanding that what is in view is not individual sin, rather a power that seeks to regain dominion.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

After briefly surveying the context, it’s clear that what is in view, indeed what is our chief opponent is sin, as a power to reign in and over us. The instruction here is that sin’s power was broken by Christ. The cell doors are open, the chains have been broken, and we need to realize this. Even more, realizing this such that we do not walk back into the cell, despite the door being opened.

As we walk the Christian life, we need to first comprehend who we are in Christ and the work that He has accomplished on our behalf. We also need to realize that there is actually a war taking place within us, as the flesh wars against the spirit. Romans addresses this in chapter 7 (as does Galatians 5), but before we can even begin that fight we need to come to the understanding and grasp the reality that sin has been defeated by Christ. It’s power over us to rule and reign, have dominion, and to bring death have all been defeated. Real victory over sin begins with awareness that the victory has been won, in Christ. Then, continued victories happen when we understand that while individual sins may appear to trip us up (Hebrews 12:1-2), they’re often entangled with other sins all of which are actually the fruit. The root cause is sin as a power; a force; that which seeks dominion. A dominion that has been broken in Christ.

Realize this dear Christian. Reckon yourselves dead to sin and its power and alive to Christ and His righteousness.