This is what sin is like. There is this big obstacle ahead of us (Satan would have us believe). We don't dare pull out and try to get around it. But when we do we find out the situation is quite different from what we supposed.

Christ did not come to forgive the sins of the devil but to destroy the sins of the devil.

All fine and good, we say. But does the New Testament state we do not have to be bound by sin?

Yes, it does. The reason the new covenant is superior to the old is that the old covenant merely forgives sin while the new covenant forgives and removes sin.

For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14—NIV)

The New Testament teaches that sin shall not be our master! Amen!

The above verse is interpreted today as meaning because we are not under the Law of Moses we do not have to worry about sin because Christ has forgiven us.

First of all, the sixth chapter of Romans does not permit this interpretation. This would be to isolate the verse from the remainder of the chapter.

Second, the verse says, "sin shall not be your master." It does not say it doesn't matter whether or not you sin, it states "sin shall not be your master"; "sin shall not have dominion over you"; "sin shall not exercise control over you."

Isn't this what it says?

This was not the case under the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses made no provision for victory over sin. The Law told people what sin was and then left it up to them to change their behavior. In some instances this was entirely possible. In other instances, as in the case of the Apostle Paul citing the sin of covetousness (Romans 7:7), the evil inclination was spiritual in nature and could not be conquered by human will power.

The grace of the new covenant has given us the blood of the atonement to forgive our sins, and then the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome our sins. This is why the new covenant is a superior covenant. The blood of bulls and goats could never remove our sinful tendencies. But the power of the Spirit of God working on the basis of the blood of the cross has ample power to give us victory over every sinful act that binds us. Hallelujah!

Again:

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. (Romans 8:12—NIV)

We are not obligated to live according to the sinful nature! Amen! This is what the New Testament states.

Why are we not obligated to the sinful nature to live according to it? Because we by faith have placed our sinful nature on the cross with the Lord Jesus Christ. Our body is dead because of sin. Therefore we owe it nothing that we should obey its passions.

To be continued.