As we continue studying Romans 6 notice verse 19; “I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves.” Paul is explaining to believers the positional realities in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Christians are dead to sin and alive to God.
Though this is true positionally, it might not be true in your life experientially. Counting on it to be so is the faith part. The will part involves both negative and positive steps. Dr. Wuest translates verses 12 &13: “Stop… allowing the sinful nature to reign as king in your mortal body with a view to obeying it in its passionate cravings…stop putting your members at the disposal of the sinful nature as weapons of unrighteousness.”
Sin doesn’t readily give up its reign, even when defeated. You must deny sin’s reign and stop obeying its evil desires. The parts of your body that were instruments of wickedness in the past must not be offered to sin. Hands that have hurt others, feet that have taken you to the wrong places, eyes that have lingered to look at what God has forbidden, ears that have listened to what is an offence to God, and your tongue which has lied, ridiculed, or dishonored God. These parts of your body must not be offered to sin to keep on doing what they’ve done in the past.
You know the answer to his next question: Was there any benefit “when you were slaves to sin, free from the control of righteousness?” (verse 20). No, of course not! As a Christian, you’re ashamed of what you did (verse 21). You realize the end result of living that way is death! So stop it!
