“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.” (NLT)

I have a confession to make… I love Jason’s Donuts. I know I shouldn’t eat them, but they call to me about once per week. It is a bad habit when I am trying to lose some weight.

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Have you ever tried to change a habit—really change—and found yourself back in the same rut days or weeks later? Maybe you said, “That’s the last time,” only to repeat the cycle. As you can see, I have. That lingering struggle can make us feel like we’ll never be free. But Paul reminds us of something radical: if you’re in Christ, the old you—the one ruled by sin—is dead.

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Let that sink in. Dead. Not weakened, not reformed, not temporarily on pause—crucified with Christ.

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When Jesus died, He didn’t just defeat death for Himself. He defeated it for us, too! His resurrection broke sin’s power permanently. And if we died with Him, then our old sinful nature—our addiction to rebellion, selfishness, and shame—died with Him too. This doesn’t mean we never sin again. It means sin is no longer our master. We don’t belong to it anymore.

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This changes everything. You are not who you used to be. Christ didn’t come just to forgive your past; He came to free your present and future. You can look at temptation and say, “That’s not me anymore.” Because the real you—the new creation—is alive in Christ.

Here are some questions I use to ensure I am not losing focus of the fact that I have been set free from the control of sin:

• What lies about my identity do I need to stop believing today?

• What would change in my daily life if I truly believed and acted like the “old me” is dead?

• How can I remind myself throughout the day that I am alive with Christ?

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These reflection questions can help me, and maybe you too. I encourage you to consider making the leap through confession, repentance, and accepting God’s grace and forgiveness. If you have already made that step then, like me, consider asking the Holy Spirit that resides in you to help you remember where you stand positionally in Christ so that you can have the strength and resolve to turn your back when sin comes trying to tempt and trap you.

Lord Jesus, thank You for putting my old self to death with You on the cross. Help me live in the freedom You purchased, believing that sin no longer defines or controls me. Teach me to walk each day in the new life You’ve given. Amen.