The book of Romans doesn’t teach us that we will never sin again. Declaring that sin has lost its power over me is different from saying sin will never again happen in me. If (and when) I do mess up, I won’t have to pay with my life because Jesus already paid the wages for sin. 1 John 2:1-2 says, “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” (NLT)

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. That power within you gives you everything you need to resist temptation. Not only does the Spirit of God within you empower you to “put to death the deeds of your sinful nature”, but Jesus, through his death and resurrection, stripped sin of its power over us. 1 Corinthians 15:56-58 says, “For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NLT)

 

Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.com

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This week's scripture: Romans 8:11-13