Embracing the Cross: Living in the Freedom Already Won

Inspired by insights from Miles J. Stanford's The Green Letters

"Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin."
— Romans 6:6–7

The cross of Christ is more than a symbol of forgiveness—it is the very foundation of our freedom. At Calvary, Jesus didn’t only bear the punishment for our sins; He also dealt with the very power of sin itself. Through His death and resurrection, our old self— from which our flesh, our sinful patterns were developed—was crucified with Him. This isn’t merely a theological concept but a living reality for every believer.

Yet, so often we live as though we are still enslaved, striving to overcome sin through self-effort, confessing and falling, spinning endlessly in a spiritual cycle. But God’s provision for victory over sin is not found in trying harder—it’s found in trusting that the work is already finished.

Imagine carrying around a set of shackles that have already been unlocked. They no longer have the power to bind you, yet out of habit or unbelief, you keep dragging them along. The truth is, in Christ, those shackles are broken. The key was turned at the cross, and the door has swung wide open. Our role is not to struggle against the chains but to walk out of the cell in the freedom Jesus has secured.

This is the liberating truth of the cross: we are dead to sin and alive to God.

The Cross: More Than Forgiveness—It’s Deliverance

Jesus' death didn’t just cover our sins; it broke sin's grip on us. Through our union with Him, we have been freed not only from the penalty of sin but also from its power. This freedom is not something we need to earn or strive for. It’s already ours.

Romans 6:11 urges us to "reckon yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." This isn’t wishful thinking; it’s recognizing and responding to what is already true. The Holy Spirit takes this truth and makes it real in our daily experience as we trust and rest in Christ’s finished work.

Letting Go of Self-Effort

Many believers unknowingly fall into the Galatian error, believing they are saved by grace but sanctified by effort. We might say, “God saved me, but now I need to fight sin on my own.” But that’s not God’s design.

Trying to overcome sin in our own strength is like trying to escape quicksand by struggling harder—it only pulls us in deeper. The only way out is to stop striving and let the firm ground of Christ’s finished work hold us up.

We are not called to battle the old self; it was crucified with Christ. Our responsibility now is to believe this truth and live in it. The Holy Spirit brings this reality into our experience as we rest in what God has already done.

Living in the Victory Already Won

God's victory over sin is not partial or pending; it is complete. The cross was not a halfway measure—it was final. Jesus said, "It is finished" (John 19:30), and that declaration applies to both our forgiveness and our freedom.

We no longer need to live in cycles of defeat. The old self has been put to death, and we have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. This truth doesn’t eliminate temptation, but it does mean we are no longer powerless against it. Sin has no rightful claim over us unless we give it ground through unbelief.

A Prayer of Confidence in God’s Finished Work

Father,
Thank You for the complete victory Jesus won on the cross. You have already freed me from both the penalty and the power of sin. I stand in that truth today, knowing that my old self was crucified with Christ and that I am alive to You. I trust the Holy Spirit to make this truth real in my daily life. I will not strive or struggle to earn what You have already given. I rest in the freedom Christ has secured and walk forward in the new life You have provided. All glory belongs to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Final Thought

The cross is not just the starting point of our salvation—it is the foundation for every step we take. Jesus didn’t just die for us; we died with Him. And now, alive in Christ, we are free to live the life God intended—victorious, holy, and resting in His finished work.

Walk today in the freedom that is already yours.