If our “old man” is dead, why do we still sin? Paul wrote, “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me…Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Romans 7:17, 20). Paul says, “We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?” Sin is part of the old man that is now dead. Why would anyone want to walk around with a stinking, decaying dead person strapped to his back? But that is what it is like when we sin—we carry around the dead “old man” with us. It’s a heavy burden.
Unfortunately, the only time many pastors emphasize grace is after they themselves have done something wrong. Suddenly, they start using grace to excuse their own failings. Because of this, there has been a lot of criticism of the “radical grace” or “hyper-grace” message.
Sin is a symptom. If sin is mastering someone that is a sign that they do not fully understand grace. If you know how to cook but never cook, what use is it to you? If you understand the love of Christ, but never let it change you, then what is the point of knowing about the love of Christ? The solution to sin is to hear more about grace and more about Jesus. The more time one spends with Jesus, the less one wants to sin.
