“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”~ Rom. 6:12
“For sin shall not have dominion over you…”~ Rom. 6:14
Romans chapter six shows that a believer is either the victor or victim. He or she is one of the two-- master or mastered. The words reign and dominion carry with them the idea of a kingdom. A child of God has been delivered out of Satan’s kingdom into God’s Glorious Kingdom. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”~ Col. 1:13
The Bible teaches one can be truly saved, have a certain type of faith, and be used of the Holy Spirit, yet not have the mastery in their own personal life. Samson is a great example of this. He fit into the above categories yet was lacking. He could conquer others but not himself. Yes, he had faith (Heb. 11), but little or no character. Contrary to the children’s Sunday School quizzes, he was not the strongest man in the Bible; he was just the opposite.
The story is told of a philanthropist in England, years ago, who took a little crippled urchin in and spent thousands of dollars in medical bills in straightening the child's legs, making it possible for him to walk normally. At a conference, years later, he told the story. A woman in the audience said, “I bet he became a doctor.” The reply from the generous and compassionate donor was, “No, he’s a drunkard. You see, I taught him how to walk, but not where to walk.”