Before we jump into today’s discussion, I want to make sure everyone is on the same page. Let’s review, shall we? Big picture:
What does that faith mean for us? Chapter five does a fine job of explaining it. Because we have the assurance that we get to go to heaven we:
#1 - have peace with God through Jesus (Romans 5:1-2)
#2 – can have joy even if we are facing suffering, because of the perseverance, character and hope it produces in us (Romans 5:3-5)
#3 – are free to live without the immediate wrath of God on us – because of Jesus. (Romans 5: 9-11)
However, there still seems to be this epic death-match between our new life in Christ and sin. But we know that when Christ died and rose again, He conquered death and sin (cf. Luke 24:46) – He wiped it out. Throw-down over, right?
Well….not necessarily. See, throughout chapters 6 and 7 we are faced with this dichotomy – how it should be, and how it actually is.
Chapter 6 tells us that we don’t belong to sin anymore – we belong to God. And when Christ died on the cross and rose again, he took sin with it. According to Romans 6:10 “The death [Christ] died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.” (NIV)
This should mean that sin no longer gives us any trouble. Generally when something dies it can’t come back and bother us because its dead and no longer an issue. That’s how its supposed to be – dead things stay dead.
Enter : The zombie sin-nature.[1]
It stalks you like a crazy ex-boyfriend/girlfriend. It knows where you live. It knows what you’re thinking. It’s like…the scariest, most threatening and devastating version of Santa Claus you’ve ever had the displeasure of being exposed to. It knows where you’ve been, and usually always finds you, regardless of where you’re going. And at your moments of weak resolve, it pounces on you, devouring your goodness and dragging you back into its miserable, flesh-eating lair.
Sounds like either: the best horror zombie flick ever created OR a day in the life of an average Christian.
So basically, the daily throw-down goes a little something like this:
“You have been set free form sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” (Romans 6:18, NIV)
“As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature…” (Romans 7:17-18, NIV)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NIV)
“So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” (Romans 7:21).
So what can we do to combat this zombie-sin nature? Is there any hope for us when we can’t seem to stop sinning? (Or my personal favorite) Does God give up on us when our zombie-sin nature gets the better of us?
Once again, we find our turning point in the following chapter. Romans 8:1 and 8:35-39 dealt to me the greatest hand of hope I’ve ever received – that even after my zombie sin nature nabs me again and again –
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NIV)
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:35-39.
It's as if God has us wrapped in a protective force-field once we accept Christ. Once we're inside that shield, there isn't anything that can make it's way in and wrench us away from God's unending love. And that's a pretty extensive list that Paul gives us in this passage. None of those things - not even ourselves - is powerful enough to break the shield that God has put around us in Jesus Christ. There's no way my zombie sin nature is ever going to make it into that shield and take me away from God. It might still nip at my flesh a little bit, but that has no bearing on whether I go to heaven or not, whether God will still love me or not, whether everything is going to work out ok or not.
which is pretty cool. [2]
[1] This concept was a collaborative discussion between me and John Correia one night at Bible study, which led to him posting a blog about this very issue. See www.biblicalframework.blogspot.com, go to the January archives, click “(Un)Dead to Me!”
[2] I owe my inspiration for the drawings in this blog to the writer of Hyperbole and a Half, www.hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com
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