REIGNING IN LIFE
“For sin shall not have dominion over
you, for you are not under law but under grace.” – Rom6:14
When God made man in His image and after His likeness, one of
the blessings bestowed upon man was dominion—ability to rule and be master over
life! Unfortunately, Satan conned man out of his dominion blessing by causing
man to fall. But thanks to God! What the first Adam lost, the second and the
last Adam restored. What the first Adam failed to do, the last Adam succeeded
to do.
Before Jesus came, men have lived under the dominion of sin,
with a few exceptions of men like Enoch who walked with God, Joseph, and
Daniel. All men who lived under the law lived under the dominion of sin. It was
not their fault really but the limitation imposed on them by the dispensation
to which they belonged—dispensation of law. For it is written that law made
nothing perfect (Heb 9:17). God never
designed law to make anybody perfect. Law was given to remind man of the fall;
law brings sin to the forefront! For without law, there would never have been
any knowledge of sin. So we see that law gives strength to sin.
“The sting of death is sin, and the
strength of sin is the law.” – 1Cor 15:56
So, to break the strength, the power, and the cruel dominion of
sin, the law must be out of the way. For it has been given to those who are
under the law to be under the dominion of sin. On the other hand, it has been
given to those who live under grace to have dominion over sin (Rom6:14). Therefore,
it is an aberration for sin to have dominion over those who are under grace.
“For what the law could not do in
that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending
His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned
sin in the flesh” – Rom8:3
So we see that the law failed, so also those who lived under it.
If the law had not failed, there would not have been any need for Jesus! But unfortunately,
there are many who claimed to be under grace that are still mastered by sin. Now
something is wrong with such claim! A close examination of such people will
reveal that they are still under the law—they are still functioning with the
Old Testament paradigm! They have not embraced the fullness of the grace of our
Lord Jesus.
It is important to know this; while the law demanded so much but
it gave no strength to do. Grace on the other hand, demanded much more than the
law but gives the strength to do. Halleluyah! So, to break free from the
dominion of sin, you must submit under grace. It takes the abundance of grace
to reign in life (Rom5:17). To reign
means to have dominion. If you have not gained freedom from sin, don’t even
talk about reigning in life. To reign in life, you must have dominion over sin—that
is what Jesus offers! The choice is yours today. You may choose to live under
the law and be under the dominion of sin every other day of your life. Or choose
to be under grace and reign in life.
We should not think this message is for sinners; on the contrary,
it is for saints who are still living under the law. God bless you!
