Read

Romans 8:12–13 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

Think

Debt has a way of weighing on you, even when no one is knocking on your door. It lingers in your mind, changes how you spend, and adds tension to every financial decision. When you owe something, you feel it. And when that debt gets canceled, the relief is unforgettable.

That’s the picture Paul gives us here, but he’s not talking about money. He’s talking about sin. More specifically, about our relationship to it. He says we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh. In other words, you don’t owe your old nature anything.

The flesh used to run your life. It made demands. It drove your decisions. It pulled you in directions that felt good in the moment but led to regret, shame, and distance from God. It promised life but delivered death. And now, Paul says, you are no longer in its debt.

That might sound obvious on paper, but in practice, we often live like we still owe something to the flesh. We entertain thoughts we know are toxic. We revisit habits we’ve already confessed. We make excuses for anger, lust, jealousy, pride. We tell ourselves it’s just part of who we are. We assume that since the temptation still exists, the obligation does too.

But Paul says no. You are not obligated to live according to the flesh. The contract has been broken. The balance has been paid. The chain has been severed. You don’t have to say yes anymore. Not because you’re strong, but because you’re free.

This is not just about resisting sin. It’s about remembering your position. You are not a debtor to your old life. You don’t have to negotiate with your old habits. You don’t have to answer the door when temptation comes knocking. The flesh may speak, but it no longer has authority. You are under new management.

Paul makes the stakes clear. If you live according to the flesh, you will die. That’s not a scare tactic. It’s spiritual reality. Sin always leads to death. Not just physical death, but soul-level decay. The kind that slowly robs you of joy, peace, clarity, and intimacy with God. It hardens your heart. It numbs your sensitivity to the Spirit. It leaves you spiritually tired and distant.

But here’s the good news. Paul says that “if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Notice the contrast. Death comes from living by the flesh. Life comes not from trying harder, but from relying on the Spirit to put sin to death.

This is active language. It’s not passive or casual. You don’t drift into holiness. Paul is talking about spiritual warfare—but not the kind that’s fueled by guilt or fear. It’s fueled by the Spirit. By a deeper desire to live free.

Putting sin to death doesn’t mean you never struggle. It means you no longer make peace with what God has declared war on. You no longer allow sin to sit comfortably in your life. You expose it. You name it. You resist it—not in your strength, but through the Spirit’s power.

Sometimes this means making a hard choice. Ending a toxic relationship. Deleting the app. Setting a boundary. Asking for accountability. Not to earn God’s love, but because you already have it. Grace is not opposed to effort. It’s opposed to earning. And Spirit-led effort is part of the process of life and freedom.

Think about it like this: if your house caught on fire, you wouldn’t negotiate with the flames. You wouldn’t try to manage the blaze. You’d put it out. You’d do whatever it took to protect what matters. That’s how Paul invites us to treat sin. Not casually. Not with excuses. But with urgency. Because it’s not just about behavior. It’s about life.

But remember who gives the power. Paul says “by the Spirit.” You don’t fight sin with willpower alone. You fight it by staying close to the One who has already overcome it. The Spirit reveals what needs to go. The Spirit gives strength to say no. The Spirit reminds you that you are not alone, not condemned, and not powerless.

And when you fall, because you will, the Spirit doesn’t shame you. He convicts, gently and clearly, always pointing you back to the cross. Always reminding you that grace is still yours. The call to put sin to death is not a call to fear. It’s a call to freedom.

You are not in debt to your old self. You are alive in Christ. The Spirit lives in you. And the power that raised Jesus from the grave is now available to help you walk in freedom every single day.

So don’t settle for survival. Don’t make room for sin just because it feels familiar. You have an obligation now—not to the flesh, but to the life God has given you. Walk in it. Breathe it in. Live like you’re free.

Because in Christ, you are.

Apply

Today, take five minutes to ask the Spirit to show you if there’s anything you’ve been excusing or entertaining that needs to be brought into the light. Not out of fear, but out of freedom. Write it down, confess it, and ask for the strength to walk away from it. You don’t owe it anything.

Pray

Father, thank you for breaking the power of sin over my life. I confess that I sometimes live like I still owe something to my old ways. But you have set me free. Help me live like it. Help me walk by the Spirit. Give me the courage to put sin to death and the strength to walk in your life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.