We live in a world where we are at war every day with the world, the flesh, and the devil. Our own sinful flesh tempts us to give in to our passions instead of exercising self-control and walking in holiness. The world throws the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life in our direction at a dizzying pace. It constantly tells us that the path of truth and holiness is the path for suckers and the path of unrestrained self-fulfillment is the way of life. The temptation to believe this lie can be overwhelming. The devil knows our greatest weakness and pokes at them every day. This evil master-strategist tempts us in a myriad of ways, and none of them come at us with flashing lights to warn us of the impending danger.
Basking in the truths of the Gospel every day helps us to fight against our temptations to sin. The death of Jesus reminds us that our sin cost Jesus his life, and we do not want to walk in that which Jesus died for. Furthermore, his death stands as a powerful testimony to the death that our old self died when we came to him. His resurrection shines a light on the new life that we have through him. Just as he was raised from the dead never to die again, we have been raised from the dead to walk in newness of life. We don’t have to walk in slavery to sin anymore because we are new people through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.