For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourself to someone to obey them as slaves, you are slaves to the one to whom you obey- whether you are slaves to sin which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6: 15-18, NIV.
LORD, here we are once more in your presence, anxious to hear a word from You. So please speak to our hearts in tones of love, as we study Your precious Word. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen and Amen.
We will continue where we left off yesterday, “There is no law, in society or in the church, or the home, that condemns the fruit of the Spirit! Therefore, they that are led by the Spirit are not under the condemnation of any law!” Today as we continue our study in the Word of God, let us take a look at the first sentence in the Scripture that has served as the foundation, for our series on Grace and Law:
“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” What a powerful assurance for every son and daughter of God, who want to be set free from the deadly yoke of sin! Hallelujah! There is a way out! That way has been offered to us by God; through the third Person of the Godhead – the Holy Spirit! What a blessed assurance, “Sin shall have no dominion over you [or me]!” Praise God! That is something worth celebrating! For us to be able to appreciate just how much is ours in this promise, let us look at a definition of the word dominion: “Sovereign or supreme authority; the power of governing and controlling; independent right of possession, use and control; sovereignty, supremacy” (Online Dictionary, emphasis provided).
Based on this definition, were it not for God’s grace, the sinful tendencies in our flesh, would easily gain sovereign or supreme authority over us. The power to govern and control our behavior could be taken from us. The Adversary could exercise an independent right of possession over us; and we could be used, and controlled, by evil forces. That is what our lot could be; if sin had dominion over us! But glory be to God for His matchless grace that frees us from the condemnation of the law, by enabling us to follow the Spirit’s leading! The grace of God in our lives breaks the yoke of sin, and empowers us to live above the condemnation of the law.
We will continue tomorrow.