"Sin shall not have dominion over you..." Yes, but how? Romans 6:14 is triumphant but leaves us wondering why we still feel ruled by sin and how we can overcome it. Paul clarifies in Romans 7 that we cannot conquer sin by keeping the law in our strength. To live for God, we sever our former ties to the law. In Romans 8, Paul explains what God has done to empower us to live in victory over sin.

In the struggle with sin, we can feel exhausted or defeated. You may be told to "try harder” only to fail again. We relate with Paul in Romans 7, "The good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice." It’s a believer’s relationship with the law. Living by the law in our strength, we will fail. Only Jesus can save and sanctify us, empowering us to live for Him.

No one likes being told what to do or forced to follow rules. We love our liberty and fight for freedom. When the Bible says, "You are not under law, but under grace," we get excited! We can conclude, "I'm free to live how I want!" However, Paul points out that the only way to live free of sin is to live for God. True freedom is not found in living how I want, but in freely choosing to obey God.