Q090_030626 Preview Of Romans 6. Freedom From Sin. Really?Q090_030626 Preview Of Romans 6. Freedom From Sin. Really?
How it Happens with Colin Cook
Colin Cook offers a preview teaching on Romans 6, linking it with Romans 5–8 to describe “freedom from sin” as a change in identity and status before God. He contrasts a psychological reading of the passage with a gospel-focused view, especially for those struggling with addiction and ongoing temptation.
14:44•3 Jun 2026
Freedom From Sin and Addiction in Romans 6: A Fresh Look with Colin Cook
Episode Overview
- Romans 5–8 are presented as a unified picture of life in the “kingdom of grace”, including freedom from wrath, sin, law and death.
- Colin argues that many people misread Romans 6 psychologically, expecting freedom from sin to mean the disappearance of all desire to sin.
- He insists that “the gospel is not psychology” and says turning it into psychology damages the good news of God’s action in Christ.
- Freedom from sin is explained as being freed from the identity, condemnation and judgment of sin, rather than never feeling temptation.
- Peace with God and release from God’s wrath are described as grounded in Jesus taking judgment upon himself, not in personal self-improvement.
“You and I, through faith in Jesus Christ, have been relieved of the identity of sin, the condemnation of sin, and the judgment of sin.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This preview from *How it Happens with Colin Cook* heads straight into one of the most daunting promises in the Bible: Romans 6 and its bold claim of “freedom from sin”. For anyone struggling with alcohol, drugs, food, sex or obsessive worry, that phrase might sound either impossible or crushing.
Colin breaks things down by linking Romans chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 as a single picture of “life in the kingdom of grace”. He explains that Romans 5 points to freedom from wrath, Romans 6 to freedom from sin, Romans 7 to freedom from the law, and Romans 8 to freedom from death. Instead of talking about flawless behaviour, he focuses on how faith in Jesus changes a person’s standing before God.
A big theme here is the difference between a psychological reading of Romans and a gospel-centred one. Colin states bluntly: “The gospel has a psychological effect upon our minds… But the gospel is not psychology.” He warns that turning Romans 6 into a demand to feel nothing when tempted leaves “the average Joe Blow” in despair, especially those wrestling with addiction.
Rather than promising that cravings will vanish, Colin stresses that Paul is describing a new identity: “You and I, through faith in Jesus Christ, have been relieved of the identity of sin, the condemnation of sin, and the judgment of sin.” That shift, he argues, sits alongside the assurance of peace with God described in Romans 5. This short preview is aimed at people who take sin and addiction seriously but feel crushed by guilt and repeated failure.
With clear references to Scripture and plenty of plain talk, Colin offers a different angle on what “freedom from sin” might mean for someone who still feels temptation every day. It’s a question worth sitting with: what if freedom is about your status before God, even while you’re still working through the mess?
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