LT,
Romans 6, which speaks of baptism by the way, teaches that we have died with Christ when baptized into His death to such a degree that we can present ourselves alive from the dead, since we died with Christ to sin and arose with Him, for God to empower us to dominate sin in our lives. Calvinism and Lutheranism deny this. But Paul said Christ died to -- of all things -- sin. And we died with Him to -- of all things -- sin.
Romans 6:10-11 KJV For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The whole point is that the work of the cross in our lives in dying with Christ, rising with Him and being seated with Him over all powers, including sin, has caused us to be veritable powerhouses if we can only accept this and act upon it by faith.
If people believe they cannot have victory over sin, they will find a way to fulfill it. We look forward to the things we expect. If we expect to sin, we will.
Romans 6 removes the expectancy to sin away from us by walking through the understanding that we are dead to sin to engender faith in us, so why should we expect it to dominate us all our lives if we have HIS GRACE upon us to empower us over it?
This is the victory of the cross after the cross saved us.
I like what one teacher said. The blood was shed ON EARTH to save us, and the BLOOD IS SPRINKLED IN HEAVEN to empower us with FAITH of HIS WORK that saved us to LIKEWISE keep us above sin. Paul also called this walking after the Spirit. So long as we walk after the Spirit, and not the flesh, by not looking to the flesh to make itself ANYTHING powerful, God can continue to work as He first worked to save us. In both cases, it takes our faith.
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