You don’t have to live defeated—discover the 3 Keys to Break Sin’s Grip Through Christ and step into the freedom Christ has already secured for you.
3 Keys To Break Sin’s Grip Through Christ
Let’s be real—sin is stubborn. We love Jesus, but sometimes old habits, thoughts, and temptations still try to control us. Maybe you’ve promised yourself, I’ll never do that again, only to fall back into the same struggle. It’s frustrating, isn’t it? But here’s the good news: God never intended for us to fight sin in our own strength.
Romans 6 gives us the blueprint for breaking sin’s grip. Paul doesn’t say, “Try harder.” Instead, he teaches us three key truths that lead to freedom. When we understand, believe, and apply them, real transformation happens.
Today, we’ll unpack these 3 keys: what we must know, what we must consider, and what we must present. When we embrace these, sin loses its control, and we experience the freedom Christ died to give us. Let’s examine them in greater detail!
1. We Must Know Something (Romans 6:1-10)
“know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death…knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin…knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.” (Romans 6:3, 6, 9)
A. We Must Know Our Union with Christ (6:3)
When we placed our faith in Jesus, something radical happened—we became new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul says we were baptized into Christ’s death (Romans 6:3), meaning we are fully united with Him. Just as Christ died and rose again, our old life died, and we were raised into a brand-new life. This isn’t symbolic—it’s a spiritual reality!
Think of baptism. When someone is submerged in water, it represents burial; when they rise, it symbolizes resurrection. That’s us! Our past no longer defines us because we’ve been raised with Christ. We now live in His power, not our own.
B. We Must Know Our Freedom from Sin (6:6)
Paul says, “our old self was crucified with Him” (Romans 6:6). That means the sinful nature that once controlled us is dead. Sin is no longer our master! Before Christ, we had no choice but to obey sin’s demands. Now, we have been set free.
Imagine being in prison your whole life, and suddenly, the doors swing open. Would you stay locked inside? No! That’s what Paul is saying—stop living like a prisoner when Christ has already broken your chains. Freedom isn’t just possible; it’s ours in Christ!
C. We Must Know Our Victory in Christ (6:9)
Jesus didn’t just die—He conquered death forever. “Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him” (Romans 6:9). Sin and death lost their power over Him, and because we are in Him, they have no power over us either.
Picture a boxing match where Jesus knocks sin and death to the ground, never to rise again. The victory is secure! Because He lives, we live in victory. We don’t fight for victory—we fight from victory. The battle is over. Jesus already won!
2. We Must Consider Something (Romans 6:11)
“Likewise you also, reckon [or consider] yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:11)
A. We Must Consider Ourselves Dead to Sin (6:11a)
Paul says, “Consider yourselves dead to sin” (Romans 6:11). That means sin’s authority over us is broken. Before Christ, we had no choice but to obey sin. Now, because of His death and resurrection, we are no longer slaves—we don’t have to give in.
Think of sin like a dethroned dictator. It may still try to issue commands, but it has no real power. We don’t have to listen! Every time temptation comes, we remind ourselves: That’s not who I am anymore. Sin has no claim on a dead person.
B. We Must Consider Ourselves Alive to God (6:11b)
Paul doesn’t just say we’re dead to sin—he also says we’re alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). That means we don’t just turn from sin; we step into a new, powerful way of living. Christ’s resurrection power now fuels us.
Imagine being rescued from drowning and then placed on solid ground. You don’t stay lying there—you stand up and start walking! That’s the Christian life. We don’t just avoid sin; we actively pursue God, knowing we are fully alive in Him.
3. We Must Present Something (Romans 6:12-14)
“And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:13-14)
A. We Must Present Our Bodies to God (6:13)
Paul tells us not to let sin reign in our bodies but to “present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life” (Romans 6:13). Our bodies are now instruments of righteousness, meant for God’s purposes, not sin’s control.
Think of a musical instrument. In the wrong hands, it creates chaos, but in a skilled musician’s hands, it makes beautiful music. When we surrender our bodies to God, He uses them for His glory. Every action, thought, and decision becomes an act of worship.
B. We Must Present Our Lives Under Grace (6:14)
Paul reminds us, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Grace changes everything. We don’t live under the weight of condemnation; we live empowered by Christ’s victory.
Picture a prisoner released but still living like he’s behind bars. That’s not us! We don’t serve God out of fear of failure but from a place of freedom. His grace enables us to live righteously, not by force, but by love.
Conclusion
Sin doesn’t have to control us anymore. Through Christ, we are dead to sin, alive to God, and empowered by His grace. But knowing the truth isn’t enough—we must live it. Every day, we choose who we listen to: sin or God.
Imagine standing at a fork in the road. One path leads back to old habits; the other leads to freedom in Christ. Which will you take? Paul calls us to know our identity, consider ourselves free, and present our lives to God. That’s how victory happens.
So today, let’s stop fighting sin in our own strength. Let’s walk in the freedom Jesus already won for us. The grip of sin is broken—let’s live like it!
Source Material
The Grace Awakening by Charles R. Swindoll
Romans 1-8 New Testament Commentary by John F. MacArthur
Romans: The NIV Application Commentary by Douglas J. Moo
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