Living in the Garden of Grace: The Obedience That Places the Believer Under Grace
Reflections on David Kuykendall’s Living in the Garden of Grace
“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” — Romans 6:14
David Kuykendall’s chapter titled The Obedience That Places the Believer Under Grace invites us to embrace the abundant life Christ offers by aligning our daily walk with the reality of our crucifixion, burial, and resurrection in Him. Romans 6:14 reminds us of this truth: sin’s dominion has been broken because we are under grace, not law. Kuykendall assumes obedience to the commands Paul outlines in Romans 6 as the key to experiencing this grace-filled life.
To better understand these truths, we must clarify our terminology. The "sin nature," or the old man, has been crucified with Christ. This is a past, completed action. However, sin still dwells in our members—the remnants of Adam’s legacy—and the flesh refers to the residual thought patterns and coping mechanisms left behind by the crucified old man. These distinctions shape how we approach obedience to God’s commands.
The Obedience of Faith
Kuykendall underscores an essential principle:
"There are things true of us in the Christian life that we will not experience until we believe they are true of us and choose to experience them."
Our union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection is a positional truth, but to experience its fullness, we must appropriate it by faith. Paul’s five commands in Romans 6 serve as the pathway for living under grace.
The Five Commands for Living Under Grace
Believe You Are Dead to Sin and Alive to God
“… reckon [believe] yourself to be dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6:11To “reckon” means to count as true what God declares about us. Our old man—our former identity in Adam—was crucified with Christ. While sin still dwells in our members, its authority has been broken. We no longer need to live out of the flesh, the residual “know-it-all” thought patterns of the crucified old man. Instead, we are alive to God, free to live out of His wisdom and power.
Refuse to Let Sin Reign
“… do not let sin reign in your mortal body …” — Romans 6:12This command calls us to resist the influence of the sin that still dwells in our members. Choosing God’s perspective over our own prevents the flesh from controlling our actions.
Do Not Offer Your Members to Sin
“… Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin …” — Romans 6:13aWe are instructed not to yield any part of ourselves—our thoughts, words, or actions—to sin. This involves refusing to allow sin dwelling in our members to express itself through our bodies.
Yield Yourself to God as One Alive from the Dead
“… present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead …” — Romans 6:13bYielding to God is an act of faith. Recognizing that our old man was crucified and buried with Christ, we present ourselves to Him as vessels for His purposes. This surrender opens the door for His life to flow through us.
Offer Your Members to God for Righteousness
“… and [present] your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” — Romans 6:13cFinally, we are to actively present every part of ourselves—our hands, minds, and hearts—to God for His righteous use. As we yield, He works through us, expressing His character and accomplishing His will.
Grace in Action
Obedience to these commands is not about striving but about surrender. Kuykendall reminds us that we are not under law—self-effort, human timing, or personal performance—but under grace, where God provides all that is needed.
When we trust in His grace, we experience:
Freedom from self-effort: Recognizing that only God can produce righteousness in us.
Victory over sin: Living free from the influence of sin that dwells in our members.
Fruitfulness in Christ: Allowing His life to flow through us, producing eternal results.
This continual obedience leads to a life of grace, where we live not by the flesh or self-reliance but by the indwelling life of Christ.
Practical Reflections
Are there areas in your life where you still rely on your own strength to overcome sin or achieve righteousness?
How can you practice yielding yourself to God daily, trusting Him to live His life through you?
Prayer
“Lord, thank You for the truth that sin shall not have dominion over me because I am under Your grace. I choose to believe that my old man was crucified, and I no longer have to live out of the flesh. I yield every part of myself to You as an instrument of Your righteousness. May Your life flow through me today, accomplishing all that You desire. Thank You for the gift of living under grace, where Your power and wisdom sustain me. Amen.”
A Final Thought
Living under grace is not about trying harder; it’s about trusting deeper. The commands in Romans 6 are not burdensome but freeing. They guide us into the abundant life Christ offers—a life where His grace reigns, His righteousness shines, and His purposes prevail.
As Kuykendall concludes, continual obedience to these commands results in continually living the life of grace. Let’s choose that life today.