Grace - Sin can lay claim neither on Jesus, nor you. Part 2

Here is the first part of an excerpt from Paul Ellis' book "The Gospel in Ten Words":

http://jdkrider.blogspot.com/2013/02/grace-sin-can-lay-no-claim-on-neither.html

Below you may read the second part.

Grace=Peace,

Jeremy

So how do we partake?  How do we walk in this new way of life and resist the temptation to sin?  The wrong way is the old way.  It's trusting in the might of Adam and striving in the flesh to be an overcomer.  It is telling ourselves, "Don't do this.  Don't do that."  Such an approach cannot succeed because it relies on our own resolve and determination rather than the grace of God.  It's flesh-powered Christianity.

The problem is we have been eating from the forbidden tree for so long, we just don't see it.  We think the remedy for bad behavior is good behavior.  We think the solution for sin is to lay down the law.  "Just stop it!"  But this is a misuse of the law.  It's like fighting fire with gasoline.

The law is good, but it is not your friend.  We have a far better friend in Jesus.

"The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."  (Romans 6:10-11)

If our co-inclusion with Christ's death is to remain anything at all, we need to consider the nature of his death.  "He died to sin once for all."  Sin has no claim on Jesus, therefore sin has no claim on you.  Sin's wage has been paid and all outstanding debts have been cancelled.  You don't need to do anything to earn your freedom; you are free.  Freedom is your starting point.

So how do we walk in that freedom?  (To be continued....)