YOU ARE A “DEAD MAN”

While teaching a class of young converts someday, I walked up to the first person and pinched him. He responded as he felt it. I went to another person who now knew what I wanted to do and pretended like he would not respond, but he did. 

Then I asked them, “What if I pinched a dead man? Would he respond?”. They all had an obvious answer. The dead man does not respond to any form of touch. What happens when we are dead to sin? We stop responding to its touch and its call. No matter how much or how loud or how hard you call a dead man, he does not have the capacity or wiring to respond to you any longer. 

In Christ, we become dead to sin. 

By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

(Romans 6:2 NIV)

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

(Romans 6:11 NIV)

But you have an assignment and a responsibility. You carry a certificate by the blood of Jesus that says you are dead to sin. You now have to live according to that reality. What do you do? 

Do not let sin reign in your body again. Give that ambassador of the devil no room at all. 

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

(Romans 6:12 NIV)

You ensure this by not giving any part of your body as an instrument for sin to use. 

Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

(Romans 6:13 NIV)

Do you remember that right after the salvation of the Jews from Egypt, Pharaoh still came after them? The devil will come after you because he never wants a sinner to be delivered. 

He prefers that you pray in tongues but still curse with the same mouth. He won’t stop you from singing godly songs, but he will still ensure that those strange sounds and songs that “turn you on” are still “no big deal” in your playlist. He wants to keep a foot in your space. You must deny him his working tools in your life. 

You must insist that no part of your body will be an instrument of unrighteousness. It is your insistence that makes this work. As the devil throws his suggestion, remember that a dead man does not respond. 

If a “dead man” is driving in traffic, no matter what happens, no vulgar words can come from provocative moments. 

If a “dead man” is seduced by evil, he cannot respond. 

If a “dead man” is insulted, he is not even aware of it. A “dead man” knows no pride or lust. 

Why? You are dead to sin but alive to Christ. The life you live now only responds to things and signals from your Lord and Saviour. 

Lay your life on the altar as a “living sacrifice.” Every sacrifice dies, but this sacrifice is dead yet living. Why? Dead to sin but alive in Christ! 

Say it: “_______, you are dead to sin. You are alive in Christ. You respond to signals from your Lord Jesus Christ. You are under the reign of righteousness. Sin is an enemy. Sin is poison. It must be treated as such”. 

Live in that reality. That is your safe space. 

© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa