You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Romans 8:9
Paul identifies three areas where we see the work of the Holy Spirit:
- The higher law of the Spirit superseding the law of sin and death
- The Holy Spirit functioning to transform the life of the believer to be Christ-like
- The Spirit-led Christian living victoriously through the power of the Holy Spirit
The work of the Holy Spirit can be seen in the fruit of the lives of believers. As we yield to His work, we are co-laboring to be more like Christ. The good news is that the law of the Spirit supersedes the law of sin and death, and that is terrific news! Frankly, if this ever made the front page of worldwide newspapers and people believed it, the world would be radically transformed. Humanity goes through the motions of living day in and day out, but imagine humanity transformed by an understanding that Jesus Christ came to set them free from the law of sin and death. Not only that, but He sent His Holy Spirit to enable them to live out their new life in Christ, free from the bondage of sin! This is the good news of Jesus Christ, and this is the message to which Paul dedicated his life.
Do you find yourself in bondage to sin? Perhaps you are thinking of sin in terms of murder, stealing, fraud – but what about greed, anger, lying? All are sins and all make us subject to the law of death! Our lives are filled with areas where we fall short of living in the freedom of obedience to God’s Word. Paul writes about the transforming power of God that sets us free from all sin. As Christians he tells us that we are not controlled by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit. Are you willing to surrender to the work of the Spirit in you?
Heavenly Father,
Forgive me for believing that my sins are small and I do not need to worry about them.
Forgive me for gossiping, for hurting someone with my words, for being self-centered. As I turn back to You, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will be in control of my life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
