This Changes Everything
Sanctification — The Reflection War
Romans 5–7 (NLT)
1 | The Two Reflections (Romans 5)
“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.”—Romans 5:17–19 (NLT)
You don’t wake up neutral — you wake up in one of those reflections.
Adam says you are what you did; Christ says you are what He did.
“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”—John 3:30 (NLT)
2 | Dead to Sin, Alive to God (Romans 6)
A. Paul’s Anticipated Question
“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”—Romans 6:1–4 (NLT)
B. Grave Mirror vs. Grace Mirror
“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.”—Romans 6:6–7 (NLT)
C. The Consider Moment
“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”
“Sanctification = learning to talk back to the mirror.”—Romans 6:11–14 (NLT)
D. Sin is Misbelief
Sin isn’t misbehaving — it’s misbelieving.
Sanctification is the ongoing correction of misbelief.
When you believe wrong, you live wrong. When you believe right, you begin to live right.
3 | The Honest Struggle (Romans 7)
“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”—Romans 7:15 (NLT)
“And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”—Romans 7:18–19 (NLT)
If you’ve ever said, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ — welcome to Romans 7.
“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”—Romans 7:24–25 (NLT)
Paul doesn’t ask what — he asks who.
4 | Four Sanctification Shifts
Shift 1 — Fixing Myself → Reckoning Myself
Stop renovating what Jesus already condemned.
Shift 2 — Behavior Management → Belief Alignment
“Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law.Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”—Romans 6:14 (NLT)
Behavior eventually bows to belief.
Shift 3 — Hiding Cracks → Letting Grace Shine
Your cracks are where His glory leaks through.
Shift 4 — Occasional Glances → Settled Gaze
“For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.”—James 1:23–24 (NLT)
Faith isn’t distance — it’s direction.
| Declarations
- “I am dead to sin.”
- “I am alive to God.”
- “Sin is not my master.”
- “My past is not my reflection.”
- “I choose the grace mirror.”
- “I align myself to Jesus today.”
| For This Week
- Start with the right mirror “Jesus, I choose Your reflection today.”
- Locate the lie → Replace with Romans “What lie did I believe before I behaved?”
- Ten-second alignment “Father, align me with what You say.”
- Romans Reset Read Romans 6–8 in one sitting.
- Face the Word before the world
No responses yet