We who died to sin.

Romans 6:1-2, What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Since our salvation depends upon Christ alone, our own good works do nothing for us. And indeed, our failings may continue and be covered by his amazing grace, a scandalous proposition from the point of view of the self-righteous person. Even so, we come to the foot of the cross, seeing the shame visited upon the only one who lived a perfect life, and humbly bow to receive his great mercy by the price he paid. Our pastor spoke the past few weeks of doing violence: putting sin to death by the weapons of grace, violently stabbing sin with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. When confronted with my own weakness and when temptation looms large, am I taking up the sword of the Spirit to do violence against the sin that so easily besets me?

Clothe me in the full armor of God, that I may take a stand and put to death violently all that opposes God within me by the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God!

ESV Lectionary