Down for the Count

The struggle against sin is an ongoing battle. As wrestlers may grapple and brawl against each other, so our heavenly desire fights against our earthly lusts (Rom 7:15-20; Gal 5:16-17). This conflict of spirit against flesh shows our devotion to Christ (Gal 5:24-25). Where others may embrace their carnal side, letting sin have free rein, Christians resist (Jam 4:7). We seek to improve ourselves through the Master’s teaching (Php 3:12-14) to become useful for the kingdom. Paul kept his body under subjection (1 Cor 9:26-27) because he desired not just to become a servant, but also to maintain his effectiveness. Let’s focus in on Paul’s words from Romans 6:6, “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

Crucifying or putting to death our old man of sin is accomplished when we share in the death of the Savior. By submitting to baptism, in obedience to the gospel, we are planted together in Christ’s death (Rom 6:3-5). The aim according to verse 6, is that the body of sin might be done away with. The King James renders this phrase, “might be destroyed” and the ESV reads, “brought to nothing.” The original language speaks of rendering a thing useless, idle, or inoperative. It means to totally deprive of power, until all effectiveness is gone.

Through Christ and our obedience to the teaching of grace, we are knocking out sin! We each overcome and overpower our former wicked selves until they are “down for the count.” Sin no longer has dominion over us (Rom 6:14). What a joy that God provides a pattern of teaching which you and I can follow to become free from sin (Rom 6:17-18)!

In a similar text, Paul talks of “putting to death” our old sins and carnal mindsets. We deprive of power things like uncleanness, evil desire, and covetousness (Col 3:5). These all represent wicked conduct that separates from God and earns His wrath (Col 3:6). Again, it is emphasized that this evil has been “put in the rearview mirror.” You “once walked” in these ways “when you lived in them,” but you have since “put off” that old man (Col 3:7-9). As followers of Christ, we don’t just knock out sin, we work to make sure it stays down (Rom 6:1-2). We have a new rule to live by as we have put on the new man, modeled after Christ’s righteousness (Col 3:10).

This all speaks to God’s will and purpose for our lives. His desire is for each one to turn from sin and overcome through faith (1 Tim 2:3-4; 2 Pet 3:9; 1 John 5:4). The Lord has dealt sin and death a punishing blow (1 Cor 15:50-58). By learning from Him, we can put the body of sin down for the count!