The Great Dethroning of Reigning Sin – Part 1

Romans 6:10-14, preached Sunday, June 21, 2009, Grace Family Church of Americus

Here is an excerpt:

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There is a battlefield around us that many know nothing about. It is a battle that all must fight, and win, else it cost you your life. The reality of the battle against the dominion of sin is a real one…and he who denies the reality of the battle is a fool. From John Owen's "Mortification of Sin":

"…sin is always acting, always conceiving, always seducing and tempting….If, then, sin will be always acting, if we be not always mortifying, we are lost creatures. He that stands still and [allows] his enemies to double blows upon him without resistance, will undoubtedly be conquered in the [battle]. If sin be subtle, watchful, strong, and always at work in the business of killing our souls, and we be slothful, negligent, foolish, in proceeding to the ruin thereof, can we expect a comfortable [outcome]?

That is not a very popular teaching in evangelicalism today. The teaching that we are to be actively engaged in the battle of killing sin in our lives. It is not a popular thing, to say that those who live sinful lives…those who are ruled and live under the power and reign of sin…even those who are good people in the eyes of the world, but live a life that is oblivious to the battle against indwelling sin that goes on all around us….shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.

This is a huge teaching! And many have taken on the Christianity of culture, which says that there is no standard, postmodernism is the rule, if it feels good do it, let us sin so that grace may abound, I'm covered in the blood, therefore my sin is no big deal, don't waste my time talking to me about sin and death and hell….the Christianity of culture says, "I want to have life improvement, I want stuff, and food, and wealth, and sex, and my own morals that are not dictated to me by anyone else, I want to please myself and my desires"…those who speak thus therefore are dead to what I am saying here today. There is no emotion connected to it, no desire to hear the Word speak to it, to fight sin and pursue holiness…only deadness and lifelessness and numbness to this, one of the greatest teachings in all of the Christian faith – that as Christ has died to sin to live to God, so all who are His, are dead to the reign of sin, and live in the reign and power of God.

O, Father, create life, where there is only death! Create in those who are deaf to your words, hearing, and to those who are totally blind to your truth, give sight! Where there is hardness, create tenderness and emotion! There is a battle, and we are on the battlefield! Let us hear Your Word, and be triumphant in the power of the Spirit of God who raised Christ from the dead!

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