I RECKON
ROMANS 6:10-12 NKJV
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
You know you are from the South if you have ever heard anyone say, I reckon so. In a day where regional dialects are gradually disappearing, phrases such as I reckon are seldom heard. However, with our passage for today, we all, or ya'll, get a chance to say, I reckon.
Paul is in the middle of his Holy Spirit inspired revelation of our identification with Christ. Jesus died to sin once for all. Now the life that He lives, He lives to God.
And here is where we get to say that classic Southern phrase. We can now say I reckon myself to be alive to God just like Jesus. This is much more than Southern; this is biblical.
To reckon means to count. The word is an accounting term. I put it in my account that I am dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
We must reckon ourselves dead to sin because we do not feel dead to sin. We reckon or count ourselves as being alive to God because that fact is not tangible. But it is spiritual.
We know these things are a spiritual reality because of Paul's next words. Verse 12 tells us to not let sin rule in our mortal bodies. We are no longer to obey the desires of sin.
If not letting sin rule was a nice idea, but out of reach, Paul would not have directed us in this way. But because we are dead to sin, then we do not let sin call the shots.
APPLICATION:
So when sin declares, this is what we are going to do, we need to respond. Our best response is nope, I reckon not. I am dead to sin and alive to God.
A good idea would be to not give your feelings a vote in the matter. Our feelings did not get the memo that we are dead to sin through Christ. So, we'll need to constantly profess our deadness to sin and being alive to God. Consistent resistance to sin builds strength in that area.
Conversely, talking about our habits, addictions, and our inability to be free gives sin a stronger foothold. So, when sin comes knocking, tell it I reckon you’ll have to leave because in Christ I am dead to sin.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord that I am so closely identified with You. You have made me dead to sin and alive to God.