ROMANS 6:8-11 DEATH HAS NO DOMINION Christ's death and resurrection has changed everything for those who have died with Him. The old person has been crucified with Christ and now lives with Him in fellowship and can participate with Him in all the activities of this new life. This is in contrast to our death with Him, not to our eternal future although that is a fact as well. This life we live has begun but is not completed. This new life affects all of our activities. Our home life, our family life, our business and our worship - everything about this new life, we are able to live with enthusiasm and vigor. Death and that old life no longer has mastery over us.
The wages that sin held over us has ended. This resurrected life in Christ is forever. On our sins, death had its time of dominion but it is over now. Death held the Lord for three days and nights. But all that has passed and is finished for us too. Our bodies may be temporarily in the earth until the Lord's coming, but death has no dominion over us. This resurrection life will never end.
Christ died unto sin once. This is not His death for our sin but has to do with our relationship to sin, not the payment of sin. So we have now been made the righteousness of God in Him. We have been released from the old dominion of death because of Adam's sin. Now we are given righteousness and holiness of our own through the new Head. We have started a new life in Christ Jesus. This life has a new occupation and goal. We now live unto God.
The effect produced by dying to sin is that an act has been accomplished and is finished. We have died unto sin in our Great Substitute and Federal Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are now connected to God because we are in Christ Jesus. He was raised from among the dead ones. That is over, it has passed, so we are dead unto sin and present ourselves as those who are alive also from among the dead ones. It may be difficult to reckon this to be true because of our bodily attraction to the things of the earth. We wouldn't have to "reckon" this if sin was gone from our bodies.
This reckoning is something we do by faith. Faith doesn't follow the path of human consciousness in our bodies, but recognizes the facts because God says they are facts. God says we are dead to sin, so it is a fact that we are dead to sin - even if we do not "feel" like it. Our history now is one we share with Christ. It becomes real to us as we walk according to God's Word by faith. Faith knows that God has dealt with all that separated us from God. Now we can deal with the problems that arise to tempt us by the promises that God has given us - you are dead to sin and you are alive to God through Jesus Christ.
We may not always feel like this is a fact. But God has assured us that when Christ did act On our behalf, He gave us new life To live unto God as we walk in the light.
We sometimes have a problem to live this out. But the Spirit of God assists us to bring this about. His grace has made this real to us, but still it must be I reckon myself dead to sin, and alive in Christ and free.
The authority we live under is no longer sin. We are dead to that tyrant and alive to Him Who has died unto death, sin and all their claims, And has given us authority of new life by the power of His name.
"Father God, the freedom from the mastery of sin is certainly true liberty. Many people live in fear of death and consequently do not really experience the joy of life in Christ daily. I truly thank Thee for allowing me to live alive unto Thee. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."