God says that we have died to sin. The first step we take is to believe that what He says is the truth.
The next step is to “count” ourselves dead to sin on a daily basis (Romans 6:11). The word “count” in this verse is an accounting term which refers to “putting it in that column because it goes there”.
A powerful illustration of what it means to “reckon yourself dead to sin” came home to me when I flew into (I think it was) Spain from England. When I arrived, my watch told me that it was 3.00 pm, but the people there said that in Spain it was 4.00 pm. Did I wander round the country saying to myself, “They’re wrong — but while I’m here I suppose I’ve got to force myself to believe that it’s 4.00 pm”? Of course not! In Spain it was 4.00 pm. So I adjusted my watch and adjusted my thinking to the reality of the situation.
When we count ourselves dead to sin we are not exerting our will power in order to make it true. We are believing it because it is true. We have stepped out of Adam and into Christ. Sin is powerless to control us. As you believe this truth and consistently reckon on its releasing power, you will experience the freedom that Jesus promised you. “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4).
From Enjoying God’s Grace by Terry Virgo.
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