For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 (NIV)
Imagine yourself on a field of battle. Your unit comes under heavy fire, and you are captured. You surrender your weapon, and along with others in your unit, you are carted off to a massive cage. The cage is opened and you are pushed inside.
The man in charge shouts orders and you notice that when he does, the people in the cage do exactly what he says. You value your life and so you decide to do the same.
For the next year, your whole life is in the cage. You are permitted to eat, sleep, and exercise, but all the while you are under the power of your enemy.
Then one night you’re awakened by a brief struggle in the dark. Your captain emerges from the smoke with his unit to set you free. The gate is opened, you run out, climb onto a jeep, and head for the hills. On the way, your captain hands you a weapon. “You’ll need this,” he says with a smile. “You’re back in the battle.”
The following day, the man who runs the cage comes looking for you. He shouts orders, telling you to come back. But you do not move. You are no longer under his power. You are not in the cage. You are out in the field. You can move, you have a weapon, you can engage in the battle.
Sin will always be your enemy, but it is no longer your master. When you are in Christ you are in a different position. You are free but you are also in a fight.
If you hear the voice of sin today, you can say: “You’re no longer my master. Jesus Christ is, and I only take orders from Him!”
