Dead to law(sin) alive in Christ

*Recap of Be Inspired Bible Studies Thursday 2nd May 2019*

*Anchor:* Sister Leah Adepeju
*Topic*: Dead to law (sin) alive in Christ

*Text*: ROMANS 7:1‭-‬20‭, ‬22‭-‬23
Or do you not know, brothers and sisters (for I am speaking to those who know the Law), that the Law has jurisdiction [to rule] over a person as long as he lives? For the married woman [as an example] is bound and remains bound by law to her husband while he lives; but if her husband dies, she is released and exempt from the law concerning her husband. Accordingly, she will be designated as an adulteress if she unites herself to another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law [regarding marriage], so that she is not an adulteress if she marries another man. Therefore, my fellow believers, you too died to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. When we were living in the flesh [trapped by sin], the sinful passions, which were awakened by [that which] the Law [identifies as sin], were at work in our body to bear fruit for death [since the willingness to sin led to death and separation from God]. But now we have been released from the Law and its penalty, having died [through Christ] to that by which we were held captive, so that we serve [God] in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter [of the Law]. What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, if it had not been for the Law, I would not have recognized sin. For I would not have known [for example] about coveting [what belongs to another, and would have had no sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, “Y ou shall not covet .” But sin, finding an opportunity through the commandment [to express itself] produced in me every kind of coveting and selfish desire. For without the Law sin is dead [the recognition of sin is inactive]. I was once alive without [knowledge of] the Law; but when the commandment came [and I understood its meaning], sin became alive and I died [since the Law sentenced me to death]. And the very commandment which was intended to bring life, actually proved to bring death for me. For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, beguiled and completely deceived me, and using it as a weapon killed me [separating me from God]. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good [the Law], then become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, in order that it might be revealed as sin, was producing death in me by [using] this good thing [as a weapon], so that through the commandment sin would become exceedingly sinful. We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am a creature of the flesh [worldly, self-reliant--carnal and unspiritual], sold into slavery to sin [and serving under its control]. For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness--my sinful capacity]. Now if I habitually do what I do not want to do, [that means] I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good (morally excellent). So now [if that is the case, then] it is no longer I who do it [the disobedient thing which I despise], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness--my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. For I joyfully delight in the law of God in my inner self [with my new nature], but I see a different law and rule of action in the members of my body [in its appetites and desires], waging war against the law of my mind and subduing me and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is within my members.
ROMANS 7:1‭-‬20‭, ‬22‭-‬23 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/rom.7.1-23.AMP

This evening we will be discussing about Dead to law (sin) alive in Christ.

*Sis Leah Adepeju:* What does it mean to be dead? Or what do we mean when we say something is dead?

*Sis Bimbo*: No longer alive
*Sis Stella:* No more in existence
*Sis Leah Adepeju*: Yes thanks Sister Bimbo
*Sis Leah Adepeju*: Thanks Sister Stella
*Sis Stella*: No breath
*Sis Bimbo*: Passed away
*Sis Bimbo*: Gone

*Sis Leah Adepeju*: I like that because when the breath cease there is cessation of life👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽. Yes passed away. So we all have idea of what it means to say something is dead.
We are also aware that when someone dies the person's name kind of cease to exist in a way you here the "body" instead of the person's name
Because man is a spirit and we dwell in the body but without the breath of life which God gave to us that spirit can no longer function in a body
Am I right?

*Sis Bimbo:* 👍👌 yes
*Sis Stella*: Very true Sis

*Sis Leah Adepeju:* Back to our Topic Dead to law (sin) alive in Christ
So from my understanding if one is dead to law which is what denotes sin and that person is alive in Christ that means that person died with Christ and resurrected with Him in other words such a person no longer dwell in that body of sin but everything is now alive and glowing because you are in Christ.
Hope that makes sense🥺
*Sis Bimbo:* Oh yes
*Bro Themmy:* Absolutely ma

*Sis Leah Adepeju*: Going into the scripture apostle Paul was talking here...
But before we go further in Romans 6:14 which is something we confess in our daily confession same Apostle Paul says: For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law but under grace.
He also clarify that we are not to commit to living a life of sin because we are under grace...
Then in chapter 7 ‘being dead to sin’ was made clearer by using marriage as an example:
That if a person is married to someone and the husband or wife dies the other person can remarry because they are no longer under the oath of that marriage but if they do so while the person is alive then they commit adultery.
Then it was likened to us as believer being dead to the law through the body of Christ.
Do you know without the law we will not be able to actually know what is sin and what is not sin we will just live?

*Sis Bimbo:* True

*Sis Leah Adepeju:* So if the commandments was not there that thou shall not kill anyone could just kill another person and be justified like it's norm because there is no law guiding or guarding such act

*Sis Queeneth*: True

*Sis Leah Adepeju:* So likening being dead to sin with marriage that is dissolve as a result of death is clear. Because if you are dead you cease from moving in the direction of the body which the spirit was occupying.
Something applies to being dead to the law and stating alive in Christ. If you are dead to the law that empowers sin you cease to be driven by that law or the sin that it breeds.

To live or be alive in Christ is not to be driven by what this body you dwell in physically is drawn to. I know at times it may seem rather unclear but you cannot be alive in Christ by your own power. You cannot live or be alive in Christ through your human sense or strength.
From the amplified version of the Romans 7:4 therefore fellow believers you too died to the law through crucifies body of Christ so that you may belong to another to Him who was raised from dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.
So whilst living under the law you and I cannot bear fruit for God because our obedience is guided just to obey the law and not God.

*Sis Bimbo:* Hmmm

*Sis Leah Adepeju:* When we were living in the flesh (trapped in sin) the sinful passions which awakened by (that which) the law (identifies as sin) were at work in our body to bear fruit for death (since the willingness to sin led to death and separation from God)
But as we died and rose with Christ we had liberty from living a life that only ends in bearing the fruit of death because the law eventually leads to death not redemption.
The apostle now clarify something that the law isn't sin because without the law we wouldn't have recognized sin because without the law the recognition of sin is inactive.
The law brought about the recognition of sin but not the solution to overcome sin or not be subject to sin.
Do you know you can live by the book and still fall short of the right policies?

Okay let me break it down for example in school they have rules every nation have legislation and policies that guides the nation
The fact that you live in the nation and follow all the rules doesn't make you a perfect sinless citizen
Right?
We can compare that to living a life that is dead to the nature of sin and alive in Christ… by living a life guided and guarded by the law doesn't make you sinless.

The only life that can keep you and make you have dominion over sin is the life that is alive in Christ Jesus.
From verse 11 of that chapter 7 of Romans Apostle Paul said

*_For sin seizing it's opportunity through the commandment beguiled and completely deceived me and using its weapon killed me(separating me from God) so then the law is holy and the commandment is holy and righteous and good_*

So the law is just upright but does not necessarily keep the one who is under it upright because as long as you are not dead to sin you will still fall short and be slave to sin but you can only be dead to sin when you are ready to live in Christ
You cannot say you want to be alive in Christ and still be under the law because it will contradict your understanding and your vision.

Do you know you cannot stay away from sinning except you have the Holy Spirit in you but can the Holy Spirit rule in a body that isn't dead to sin?
Two masters cannot rule a body because as you kind of yield to the enticement of sin, the Holy Spirit will kick against it within you
Whilst we dwell in our body and it's is still under the subjection of flesh it can be and I will say it is rather difficult in fact a struggle to live in Christ.
From verse 15 apostle Paul says For I do not understand my own actions (I am baffled and bewildered by them) I do not practice what I want to do but I am doing the very things I hate (and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness my sinful capacity) now if I habitually do what I do not want to do (that means) I agree with the law confessing that it is good (morally excellent).
Because something is morally excellent doesn't mean it is divinely acceptable or excellent.
We can be a Sunday, mid-week attender of church and yet be so deep neck deep into sin than we are dead to it.
I am not condemning attending church but to be able to live in  and be alive in Christ it is beyond marking attendance but living a life that marks a significant attendance in heaven.

I go back to Romans 6:15 For sin will no longer be a master over you, since you are not under the law (as slaves) but under (unmerited) grace (as recipients of God's favour and mercy)
Are you dead to sin?
Am I dead to sin?
Are we dead to sin?

The nature of Christ that daily manifest in us will proof of indeed we are dead to sin or we are very much kissing and romancing sin while we put the whole  veil of righteousness on and wear unrighteousness underneath the veil.
Brothers and sisters to live a life that will always bless God we must be and always stay alive in Christ.
We must always embrace that our righteousness as human without Christ is filthy rag.
We must be ready to stand and keep standing in Christ.
Living or being alive in Christ doesn't limit you and I from achieving great things in life
Many of us will think that to be alive in Christ I will have to do this or that we begin to create another law for ourselves to follow.
To live in Christ or be alive in Christ is to allow His word to live in you and you live in the world.
Do you know your struggle with sin can be overcome when you live in Christ?

The fact that you attend church daily doesn't stop that masturbations
It doesn't stop that stealing
It doesn't stop fornicating
It doesn't stop lying
It doesn't stop unforgiveness
It doesn't stop envy
It doesn't stop hatred
It doesn't stop bitterness
But allowing Christ to live you and you being alive in Christ will stop it because that is the time you are no longer slave to sin
That is the time you and I can boldly say ‘Sin shall not have dominion over me’
Your title as a pastor deacon brother HOD highly esteemed royal mother and father in Israel without Christ living in you and you being alive in it.......
It is an empty thing that sin can dwell in.

*Let us pray*
Let us thank God for His word that He has sent to us this evening.

Father we do not take it for granted or joke we thank you for speaking to us. Thank you for speaking to me lord. Thank you for letting me know that the only way to rule over sin is to be alive in you. Thank you father for opening my eyes and senses to see that my weakness can only be overcome through the strength I receive directly in you.

Lord in anyway sin is still dominating me either through stealing, lying, cheating, fraud, hatred, sexual sin, jealousy, unforgiveness, envy, covetousness whatever sin it may be I decree my deliverance and freedom henceforth in Jesus name.

Lord henceforth I receive a new life in you as I die to sin and sinful nature in Jesus name.

Pray over any personal struggles things you do not wish to be doing that you keep falling into ask for strength today to overcome such weakness and begin to decree your liberty and dominion over such in Jesus name.

Father we thank you for the Bible studies this evening lord we pray that even after our gathering you will minister to us audibly, in vision, in revelation and every means you can and help us to live a life of dominion over sin and to continually be alive in you till we see you in glory in Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Amen!!!!