That We Might Die to Our Sins

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we might die to our sins and live for righteousness . . . .” 1 Pet. 2:24.

It is one thing that Christ died, but that we are to die is a completely different matter. Yet Peter tells us that this is the very reason for which Christ died. How can we possibly die now while we are still alive? By reckoning or considering ourselves to be crucified with Him and dead to everything that opposes God’s will, mind, nature, goodness, and righteousness. Thus we can, without hindrance, “live for righteousness,” as Peter writes.

Once we have placed ourselves on the cross and faithfully remain there (we must not get down from it), we will certainly die to sin. In a way it is true what people say in their unbelief, that we sin as long as we live. We just have to understand it correctly: As long as we are alive—as long as we are not crucified with Christ—we will continue to sin. We cannot stop. But now we have the opportunity to die by faith while we live—to die to sin. “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Rom. 6:2.