Welcome to 10 minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life in the time it takes to get to work.

I'm Keith Simon.

Hey, we've been asking some of our friends to share with

you their favorite Bible verses and why those verses are important to them.

Today I want to introduce you to one of our good friends. His name is Raphael

Nieves Rizario. I hope I got that name right. Raphael and his wife Monica

grew up in Puerto Rico. In fact, they just moved to the States a few years ago.

He's getting his master as a divinity from Covenant Seminary and he's an incredible musician.

Okay, here's Raphael.

When I was growing up, I thought that if I became a Christian, my life was going to change for the better in an instant.

I would understand everything, there was not going to be any suffering, I would not struggle with sin anymore and then maybe you did too

Maybe we all had this expectations of what coming to Christ was going to look like

Of course we rejoice in what is true. Being in Christ means that we have peace

with God, that we have new meaning and purpose for our lives, that we enjoy God's presence, and many other incredible things. But it does not mean the end of our struggle

with sin, at least not in this side of reality, and certainly not overnight.

So let's look at what the verses of Romans 8 have to say about our struggle with sin.

It says this, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.

By sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and fores in the flesh,

and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law

might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the

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