The Way of Deliverance and the Life of the Soul — The Spiritual Man

The Way of Deliverance and the Life of the Soul

Volume Three – The Soul

The path of deliverance from sin, as revealed in Romans 6, is the foundation for a believer’s release from sin. This release is something God has prepared for every believer, and therefore, it is available to every believer. One point must be clearly stated: the release from the power of sin described in Romans 6 is something a sinner can experience the moment he is born again by accepting the Lord Jesus as Savior. There is no need to wait for a period of time as a believer, nor for repeated failures, to receive this gospel. Yet, because many believers hear an incomplete gospel, or are unwilling to fully accept it, or do not fully obey, they must often revisit the gospel of Romans 6 after some time in the Christian life. In reality, this blessing is common to every newly born believer.

For the sake of many, let us review what we have obtained through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Romans 6 begins by calling us to remember, not to hope. It draws attention to what we have already received. Verse 6 says:

"Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

This verse reveals three entities: (1) “sin,” (2) the “old self,” and (3) the “body” (translated more precisely as “the body of sin”). These three are distinctly different, and they play different roles in sin. “Sin” refers to what ordinary people call the root of sin. The Bible says that we were once slaves of sin, meaning sin is the master. Thus, regarding sin, we understand: first, “sin” has power; it enslaves us. This sin constantly exerts its power to draw the old self into committing sin. The old self is what we inherit from Adam.

To understand the “old self,” we need only understand what the “new self” is, because everything apart from the new self belongs to the old self. Our new self is what we receive from the Lord at regeneration. Therefore, the old self is the part of our personality apart from the new self—it is the old person, the old nature. The reason we commit sin is the old self, which loves sin and is subject to the power of sin.

The “body of sin” refers to our physical body. When sin is committed, the body is inevitably used as an instrument; it is the material part of man. It is called the body of sin because it is under the power of sin and full of sinful desires. Sin expresses itself through the body; otherwise, sin would be merely an invisible force.

In summary:

• “Sin” is the power that draws us into sin.

• “The old self” is the spiritual part inherited from Adam.

• “The body of sin” is the physical part inherited from Adam.

The process of sin occurs in this order: sin exercises its power and compels the old self to act, the old self inclines toward sin and directs the body, and the body executes the act. Each act of sin is the cooperative result of these three.

So how can one be delivered from sin? Some teach that to overcome sin, one must eliminate its root, believing that all evil originates from sin itself. Others teach that conquering the body is sufficient, as sin is executed through it, leading to ascetic practices in the church. But these are not God’s methods. Romans 6:6 makes God’s method perfectly clear: God does not remove the root of sin, nor suppress the body; He deals with the old self. When Christ went to the cross, He bore not only our sin but also our person—the old self was crucified with Him. This is a completed fact.

The apostle tells us, “We know that our old self was crucified with Him.” The verb “crucified” is in a perfect tense, indicating a once-for-all, completed action. Just as no one doubts that Christ was crucified, we should not doubt that our old self was crucified with Him. Many believers, upon hearing the truth of being co-crucified, think they must crucify themselves by their own effort, yet they fail to experience deliverance from sin. The Bible never calls us to crucify ourselves; Christ has already done this for us.

Because our old self is crucified, the body of sin is rendered powerless. Although sin continues to stir and exert its power, the old self, now replaced by the new self, no longer responds. Therefore, the body of sin has no function—it is “unemployed.” Its natural occupation, sin, cannot be carried out. Praise the Lord! This is what God has prepared for us.

Why has God crucified our old self with Christ and rendered the body of sin powerless? So that we might no longer be slaves of sin. From now on, we need not obey sin, nor be oppressed by its power. Sin can no longer rule over us. Hallelujah!

Two conditions are necessary to enter this blessing:

1. Faith: Verse 11 says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” We count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God based on God’s word, trusting His completed work. Many fail because they insist on seeing, feeling, or experiencing it first, instead of believing God’s word. Faith comes from revelation; without God’s revelation, there is no faith.

2. Dedication: Verse 13 says, “Do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” If we withhold anything from God, sin retains power. We must yield fully, both in mind and in action, just as we fully accepted Christ as Savior.

If we practice this faith and dedication consistently, God’s word is clear: “Sin shall not have dominion over you.”