Herein lies the truth of this life and the broken power of sin. Christ died in our place, freeing us from the yoke of sin. He lives in our place unto God, freeing us TO obedience. This HAS BEEN DONE!! It is not a parenthetical possibility, it is an accomplished reality. Therefore, you are free to obey... because you are FREE, because the work has been done, because the King has pardoned, empowered and equipped you. For that reason, you reckon yourself, you embrace with your mind, heart and spirit the simple fact that you are free and obedience is plainly laid out before you. Our basic problem is that we fail to set our minds on all that is, choosing instead to wallow in all that was... we do not remind ourselves of that which Christ has given, of that which He has promised and of that which He died to purchase. My dear, beloved child of God, consider all that is yours because of Him, and then reckon yourself dead, dead to the past, dead to the flesh, dead to sin, dead to all that was and alive to God for the glory of Christ in you!