Inherent in the human body is a moral gravitational pull called sin, which compels us to commit sins. The power of this disposition is so strong that we commit sins to our shame, even though we hate what we do! (Rom. 7:14-23). We’re then riddled with a desperation by which we cry, “wretched man that I am!” and try harder to get a grip on ourselves.

No matter how much effort we exert, we find those same efforts are as effective as trying to put out a fire with gasoline. “These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body but are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (Col. 2:23).

"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

- Romans 8:11

Romans 8 is not referring to an experience
in heaven, but one on earth. A moral resurrection is available to us before our physical resurrection. At new birth, God sends the same Spirit who animated Christ’s dead body to walk out of a tomb into every child of God. If His Spirit can overcome the power of physical death in Christ’s body, then He can certainly overcome the power of sin in our bodies. We know this because physical death is human weakness taken to its greatest degree. When His Spirit overcame death in Christ’s body, He proved that He is willing to overcome sin in our bodies. When we give up on ourselves and give in to Him, the immortal Life of Christ in our bodies overcomes the disposition of wanting to do the very thing we hate.

The mindset called for is one which is less concerned with who we are and what we do, and more concerned with who He is and what He does (Rom. 8:5-6).

At Easter let us celebrate the historical event of His resurrection as the basis of our assurance that the Spirit who overcame His physical death is the One who will overcome our moral dilemma. “Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 8:24-25)    

For His sake,

Peter Reid
General Director

Peter attended Bodenseehof, the Torchbearers Bible school in Germany. This was the turning point in his life when he first learned that Jesus Christ who died for him also lived in him. In April 2014, Peter took over as Director of Bodenseehof and was elected to serve on the Executive Council of Torchbearers International. Peter travels over 100 days a year engaging in itinerant preaching/teaching ministry. In 2017, he took over as the General Director of Torchbearers International.

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