Definition time:

Dead– 1: deprived of life: having died: 2: lacking power to move,
feel, or respond

We generally don’t like to talk about death. Death is usually a topic
reserved for quiet talk surrounding a coffin, or in moments of great fear, when
death seems close and you can’t avoid it. Sometimes death is a conversation
because it is so mysterious and powerful. Occasionally, death is something to
celebrate. For example, how do you feel about bread? Personally, I like a good
sandwich, or a biscuit, or a thick, fluffy pancake. All of those things require
something. A seed had to die. Did you know that’s where wheat comes from? A seed
is planted, it dies, and wheat is born from its death.

Yesterday, we talked about your new life, a new beginning that you get to
enjoy because of Christ. Today, we need to talk about the part of you that died.
When Jesus came into your life, He destroyed a part of you that had been there a
long time. It’s called sin. What is sin? The Bible defines sin as missing the
mark – not hitting the exact spot or standard that God has set. In other words,
sin is not being perfect. Sin was in charge of your life before Jesus came in.
You were a slave to sin.

How’s that you say? Get your Bible and open to Romans 6:11-14. Read those verses twice.

Did you get that? Your sin was keeping you from God and Jesus killed it. You
are dead to sin. Your sins do not control you anymore. You are free but
temptation does not end. That is the scary part. Every day your old sins are
going to try to come back. They are going to try to drag you back into the old
way of life. Every day for the rest of your life, you have a choice to make. Are
you going to continue in the freedom you have been given in Christ or are you
going to go back?

How do you keep from going back to your old life? Choose to follow what God’s
Word says. When you want to go back to the old way – pray, talk to a friend who
is a Christian, and get out of the place where you are thinking about going back
to your old ways. When you do mess up and fall back into old sin habits, tell
someone and confess to God as well. This will protect you from falling back into
those old ways again. There is no way to beat sin on your own. Everyone needs
help from God and other Christians.

Take a few minutes to think abut what you know was in your old life that was
not in line with God’s plan for you. Pray and ask God to protect you from going
back to those things.

You never knew death could feel so good, did you?