I ended last time by asking the question, why bother changing at all if everything depends on Christ? If I already have my security in heaven locked up, why does it even matter how I life my life? Can't I just do as I please?
We find our answer in Romans 6:1 and following:
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" "By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Romans 6:1-2
One who desires to do as they please, or live in sin is not desiring to honor and glorify God with their life. I would also say they really do not understand the gospel and don't see themselves as being in Christ. If a person desires to continue to live as they please they must not understand that in that union with Christ they have been empowered to live a new life! They have been given the ability to live the Christ-life and are able to live HIS righteousness! Every born-again believer is literally dead to sin.
Do you realize that means that we have no excuse to live under the dominion of sin? We have no leeway to say things like, "I couldn't help it" or "It's not my fault" "Something just came over me." None of those excuses apply to the Believer in Christ who has been clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
When you and I sin, it is because we decide to. We actively set aside our righteousness, and we walk (or run) back to the tomb where our former life- dead, stinking, decaying, rotting, maggoty, filthy old formerly-known-as-you- lay waiting for you to resurrect it and give it life once again. We dig it up and strap it on and away we go off to fulfill the wicked desires of our hearts. Like Dr. Frankenstein, once we breathe life into it we find it is very difficult to kill the monster.
Paul says that we do not have to live like that anymore. We do not have to live like slaves to our old sinful selves. On the basis of who we are in Christ we can stop any talk of living like this and excusing our sin. We have been given an exalted position in the heavenlies, in Christ and we have the ability to live like it. Do you believe this?
Is believing this enough to help you overcome sexual immorality? Is it enough to overcome lying, or anger or fear? Believing it is of course crucial and then you must live like you believe it is true. Believe in your heart that because of the gospel you are dead to sin and alive in Christ, and begin to live that way.