Tyranny of Sin

Once bound by sin’s grip, I now walk in the freedom of union with Christ—the chains shattered where I once stood.

Devotional Source: Abide Above
Photo Credit: Unsplash

You Were Set Free from the Tyranny of Sin

Romans 6:18, Weymouth

The heart of today’s devotional rests in the breathtaking dual reality of the Cross: Christ died for our sin—and we died with Him unto sin. These are not theological ideas to file away but transformational truths to boldly reckon as reality.

The tyranny of sin once loomed over humanity like an unshakable empire. For the lost, Christ’s sacrificial death paid the full penalty of that tyranny. But for the believer, our union with Him in that same death does something equally radical: it ends sin’s reign over us. We are not merely forgiven; we are freed. The Cross did not only settle our past, it redefined our present.

This is not freedom in the cultural sense—doing what we want. It is a holy liberty, a Spirit-infused deliverance from sin’s rule. The shackles didn’t just fall off—they were nailed to the cross with Christ. “You were set free from the tyranny of sin,” says Romans 6:18. E.H. and L.E.M., quoted in today’s reading, urge us to boldly reckon this to be true: that Christ’s death is our death, and in that death, sin’s claim is exhausted. Its dominion is annulled.

But J.N.D. reminds us of a vital warning: when victory becomes an end in itself instead of leading us deeper into worship, we part company with the very One who won the victory. We don't celebrate freedom from sin as a trophy to wave, but as an invitation to further delight in the One who is now our life.

Personalized Journal Entry in the Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture

You are no longer a subject under the cruel rule of sin. You were once enslaved, but through Christ, you were brought out—not just to wander, but to live in Me. I have united you with My Son in His death, and by that union, you died to sin's dominion. You have been raised to walk in newness of life.

The old self was crucified so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless. Sin is no longer your master. You are not under law but under grace. Just as death no longer has mastery over Christ, so sin no longer has mastery over you.

You now present yourself not to sin, but to Me—as one alive from the dead. I bear fruit in you now, fruit leading to holiness, because you belong to Me. I am your holiness. I am your freedom.

You are Mine—and because of that, you are free. Not free to return to the wilderness of self-effort, but free to abide in Me. This freedom is not a pass—it is a Person. And I am in you, living through you, bringing forth the righteousness that is already yours.

When you consider your day, reckon yourself dead indeed unto sin, but alive to Me in Christ Jesus. I am your Source, your confidence, your joy, and your victory.

(Romans 6:2–14, 18, 22; Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 1:30)

My Prayer of Trust

Father, thank You for freeing me from the tyrant that once ruled me. I don’t live under that authority anymore. You’ve placed me in Your Son—and in Him, I died to sin and rose to life. I acknowledge that I don’t need to strive for deliverance—it has already been given in full.

Let my daily walk not just reflect the joy of freedom, but the intimacy of worship. Let me live as one who belongs to You—yielded, expectant, and delighting in Your indwelling presence. Thank You for Your life within me. This freedom is not my doing—it is Your gift, and I walk in it with peace and praise.