Romans 6,7 &the first bit of 8 part 3

The old self and the new self

"6knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; " Romans 6:6

The breakthrough "bingo" moment I had with this was that it is only as part of the new covenant that we are given the new nature. The Jews/ Israel/ God's people before this did not get a new nature.

In Ephesians 4:22-23 Paul explains the old nature new nature thing in more detail:

"22that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Ephesians 4:22-24

Before Jesus death, people had to struggle with the old sin nature, sin and the law. Under the new covenant the old sin nature has been replaced with the new righteous nature. Our struggle is no longer with sin and the law, our struggle is now with putting off the old nature and putting on the new.

This is why Paul is able to say in the next verse of Romans:

"7for he who has died is freed from sin." Romans 6:7

How can we be free from sin? Why is it a big deal? Because the people under the old covenant were not free from sin, they were in bondage to it. They had the law but the law as we will see only increased sin. Now instead of a law we have been given a new nature. Does this mean we will not sin any more? No, it means we are free from the power of sin. Which we will look at next time.

When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers he was under Potiphar. He served Potiphar, he had no choice. When he was thrown into prison, he was dead to Potiphar. He could serve Potiphar no more. When he was prime minister of Egypt he kept Potiphar better than he could have ever kept him while living under him. Joseph was now free from Potiphar, but in serving all of Egypt kept Potiphar, one small part of Egypt, almost as a side effect.

In the same way, what Paul is describing to those who new the law is: you were once under the law, you served the law; through Christ you have died to the law and now, through the new nature, you keep all righteousness and in so doing keep the law as well!