207: Dead to Sin, Alive In Christ | Wesley Hodgson

We all know the frustration of setting goals we can't keep—whether it's a New Year's resolution or a commitment to change a bad habit. This message takes us deep into Ephesians 2:1-7 to explore why we experience this disconnect between who we're called to be in Christ and how we actually live. The passage declares we are dead to sin and alive in Christ, yet many of us struggle with cognitive dissonance—knowing the truth but not feeling it. The sermon identifies three enemies we battle: the devil, the world, and the flesh. Against the devil's lies, we wield the truth of God's Word, just as Jesus did when tempted in the wilderness. Against the world's pressure to conform, we find strength in Christian community—like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who stood together against idolatry. Against our own flesh, we align our will with God's will, discovering that grace doesn't eliminate effort but empowers it. This isn't about earning salvation through works; it's about cooperating with the transforming grace that has already saved us. When we engage these spiritual weapons consistently, the gap between what Scripture says and what we experience begins to close, and we truly live as people dead to sin and alive in Christ.