Truth or Lie #9: The Cross of Christ is Sufficient to Conquer My Sinful Flesh

Truth:    The cross of Christ is sufficient to conquer my sinful flesh.

Lie:         I can’t help it. It’s my nature to sin.

What would you say if I told you a man who grows beautiful roses in his yard suddenly began a “Protect the Aphids Society”?

You might call him “crazy;” “out of his mind.”

Maybe even “insane.”

Dr. David Needham likens this man to a sinning Christian.

The Christian who sins is acting completely contrary to who he really is -- choosing destructive behavior completely opposed to the beautiful person Christ has re-created.

We could say . . . sinning, for a Christian, is a state of temporary insanity.

We might defend that statement with excuses like these:

“I couldn’t help myself.”

“It’s more natural to sin. Doing right is too hard.”

“I was born a sinner. Yes, I’m a forgiven sinner. But I’m still a sinner!”

The truth is . . . the Cross of Christ is sufficient to conquer my sinful flesh.

When Christ died, the Bible tells us, “our old man is crucified with him, and . . . [we are] freed from sin.” (Romans 6:6,7)

The truth is . . . we don’t have to sin, because we’ve been set free from its power and dominion.

When we sin, that’s a choice we make -- a choice to follow an old master.

A choice to be temporarily insane.

“Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; 
death hath no more dominion over him . . .
Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin.” (Romans 6:9,11)

Related Post:  The Cure for the Common Sin

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This is Part 9 in a series, called “Truth or Lie,” based on the book, Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

In the final chapter, Nancy highlights 22 freeing truths that are essential to our Christian lives.

Come back each Monday (or subscribe to this blog) as we look together at these 22 truths one-by-one. 

(And feel free to share your own thoughts below!)