Victory Over Sin

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LESSON 7

*August 7 - 13

Victory Over Sin

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week's Study:

Romans 6; 1 John 1:8–2:1.

Memory Text:

“Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

Having just expounded on justification by faith, apart from the deeds of the law, Paul then proceeds to answer the obvious question: If works can’t save us, why bother with them at all? Why not just keep on sinning? Chapter 6 is his answer to this important question. Paul here is dealing with what commonly is understood as “sanctification,” the process by which we overcome sin and more and more reflect the character of Christ. Yet, the word sanctification itself appears nowhere in Romans. (The word sanctified occurs once, in Romans 15:16.) Does this mean that Paul has nothing to say about what commonly is understood by sanctification? Not at all. He simply does not refer to it by that term. In the Bible “to sanctify” means “to dedicate,” usually to God. Thus, to be sanctified is often presented as a past completed act. For example, “all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). The sanctified ones in this definition are the ones who are dedicated to God. But this biblical usage of “sanctify” in no way denies the important doctrine of sanctification or the fact that sanctification is the work of a lifetime. The Bible strongly endorses this doctrine, but it generally uses other terms to describe it. This week we’ll look at another side of salvation by faith, one that easily can be misunderstood, and that is: the promises of victory over sin in the life of one saved by Jesus.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 14.