⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57.

Jesus Christ is ‘the Captain of our Salvation.’

Paul explains how; “he that is ‘dead’ is freed from the power of Sin in the flesh.”

⁶Knowing this, that Our Old Man [of the soul] is [now] crucified with him, [so] that the Body of Sin might be destroyed [Gk. kartargeo, rendered powerless], [so] that henceforth we should not serve sin [the Sin-nature in the flesh]. ⁷he [our Old Man] that is dead is freed from [the dominion of] sin. [the Sin-nature) Romans 6:6-7

Christ’s death alone paid for all our sins – past, present and future.

In the matter of victory over the flesh, in view of our occasional conscious sins, we must come to know, believe and rely upon the fact that we have died ‘with Christ’ on the cross. By our joint-death with Christ our independent “Old Man” died, thereby liberating us from the ‘dominion; of “Sin [the Sin nature] in the flesh,” so that we might enjoy the victory of having daily life in union with… Christ as our new life.

Do we really believe this?

Unlike Christendom’s religious tradition where achievements by self-effort supposedly merit God’s blessing, we know all genuine spiritual gain is by the finished work of the cross of Christ and our Faith In That Truth.

So, there are these two aspects to our victory over our still ‘sin-laden flesh’ that must be understood.

1. Christ died ‘for us,’ paying our sin-debt, forever freeing us from the burden of “condemnation” (Rom. 8:1). Since Christ death was effectual in clearing our sin-debt account there can be “no condemnation.”  The believer’s standing before God is forever securely “sealed” (Eph. 1:13).
2. We as to our soul-self died with Christ and we remain dead, disabling Sin’s power over us. Note that the Police never book dead perpetrators of crimes, no law applies to the dead person.

As soon as a believer’s Old Man is dead ‘by His faith in Christ and His crosswork,’ he is FREED from the Dominion and Power of “Sin in the flesh,” and the believer is ‘dead to the Law’ that Activates Sin.

… the strength (Gk. dunamis, power) of sin is ‘the law.’ 1Cor. 15:56

⁸ But sin [the Sin nature], taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me [in Paul] all manner of concupiscence [sinful desires]. For without the law sin was dead. ⁹ For I was alive without the law once: but When The Commandment Came, Sin Revived, and I died. ¹⁰ And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. ¹¹ For Sin, Taking Occasion By The Commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. ¹² Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. ¹³ Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But Sin, That It Might Appear Sin, Working Death In Me by that which is good; that Sin By The Commandment might Become Exceeding Sinful. Romans 7:8-13

Thankfully, ¹⁴Sin [nature] Shall Not Have Dominion Over You: (WHY? Because) for Ye Are Not Under The Law, but Under Grace. Romans 6:14

The Cross-Death of Christ dealt with both; 1) the Law, and 2) The Dominion of the Flesh over us…

Jesus; ¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances [Laws] that was against us, which was contrary to us, and [He] took it Out of The Way, Nailing It [With Us] To His Cross; Colossians 2:14 (KJV)

¹¹ In whom [in Christ] also ye [plural, all believers] are CIRCUMCISED with the circumcision made without hands, in Putting Off The Body of The Sins of The Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ: ¹² BURIED With Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the Faith of the Operation of God, who Hath Raised Him From The Dead. Colossians 2:11-12 (KJV)

God considers us ‘dead with Christ,’ so Sin no longer has power over us. We have been detached from the flesh, Circumcised by the Spirit. We must believe this critical truth if we are to have victory over the still lying Sin-spirit that is so close at hand, in our flesh “body of sin” (Rom. 6:6)

“Sin in the flesh” is ‘as a tyrannical evil ship captain over our souls’ who is now condemned to the ship’s brig, now rendered powerless over us. We have a new captain of our soul… the Lord Jesus Christ. BUT ‘Sin in the ship’s brig’ of our flesh can still lie to us with his ‘fiery thought darts’ trying to tempt and deceive us with gross sins, all kinds of evil thoughts, and “condemnation” (see Rom. 8:1), trying now to put a wedge between us and the indwelling Lord. But it will not work in ‘knowledgeable believers who know this verse.

¹ There is therefore Now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, [these are they have learned] who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (KJV)

We cling to the truth that Christ died for us and ‘as us,’ as to our “Old Man”; paying the price for our sins, and freeing us from the demands of “the Law” and thereby … from the dominion of the “Sin in the flesh.”

¹⁴ For Sin shall NOT have dominion over you: for ye are NOT under the LAW, but under GRACE. Rom. 6:14

¹ Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them [Jews] that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? Romans 7:1 (KJV) FACT: Grace believers in Christ have died ‘to the Law.’

We are counted as sinless and we are free from the power of “Sin in the flesh.” The believer’s right standing before God is forever sure and secure since the believer has Believed Himself Into Christ. This leads to a further thought revealing the fact that since the saint has been reckoned to have died with Christ, then nothing can ever come up that will in any way damage the standing that he has obtained in Christ. But the believer as a ‘saint of God’ … cannot enjoy peace of mind and heart until this is realized and believed. In fact, it is on this very ground of belief that one is counted as a saint.

²¹ For he [the Father] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; [so] that we might be made the righteousness of God in [union with] him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)