“³ Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His Death?

⁴ Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His Death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6:3-7

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Jesus and that we are baptized into His Death through faith that His Death paid sin’s penalty in full for whosoever will believe upon Him as their Lord and Savior, we should from that point forward no longer serve sin.

Knowing this, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, we should not serve sin…for he that is dead is freed from sin.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12

Instead of fighting with sin, which most religion teaches, the Believer should be fighting for the faith…faith in the Cross of Christ, where our sin was atoned, principalities spoiled and death and hell laid waste.  The power of sin is not broken by the Believer’s fight to overcome sin, for sin has already been defeated, but by the Believer’s fight to maintain faith in the Cross of Christ (the good fight) because knowing this…knowing that our old man is crucified with Christ, baptized into His Death, we know the power of sin is broken and we are freed from sin.

“For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death.” Romans 8:2

The life which we now have by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, freely given to whosoever will believe, comes through the Holy Spirit Who superintends the work of God in the Believer’s heart when our faith is placed solely and exclusively  in Jesus Christ as the Source of life and His Cross as the means by which abundant life is freely given.  Within the parameters of faith in the Cross of Christ, the Holy Spirit is commissioned to free us from the law of sin and death which had us bound to serve our sin nature that we were all born with due to the fall of Adam.

Planted together in the likeness of Jesus’ Death, we shall also be in the likeness of His Resurrection through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our fight is not with sin, our fight is maintaining proper faith in the Cross of Christ, where sin’s dominion is freely given to whosoever will believe.

“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Our fight is in fact denying ourselves (our efforts, intellect and abilities which are worldly ways and vain philosophies given by man as doctrine), picking up our cross (the blessings afforded us by the Cross of Christ) and following Christ Jesus.   We do not deny our sin. God forbid no. We deny ourselves and place our faith in the redeeming work of Christ Jesus and BELIEVE that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit, even so we too shall walk in the newness of life.  Our faith is not in the power of the Holy Spirit but in the Cross of Christ.  The Holy Spirit will not work within the parameters of faith in Himself and neither will He speak of Himself but will glorify Jesus (John 16:13-14).

Know this.  Know this so that the body of sin might be destroyed and we no longer have to serve sin.  Be determined to know nothing else among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

-Donna Clark Warren