no obligation

There are some things that tend to irritate me when talking to some Christians, you know the ones that walk around beating themselves up because they are horrible sinners and are unworthy of anything. In their eyes their previous sinful nature is stronger than the freedom they have received through Christ. What they don't realize is that attitude and teaching is not only contrary to Scripture, it is contrary to Jesus, Himself.  They in essence are denying the work He did on the cross.
Colossians 3:9-10 "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,"

We need to remember that He gave us the ability to be "New Men" no longer obligated to our pre-Christ ways.  Sin only has as much power in our lives as we allow it. It doesn't. Mean we won't ever struggle or need to work through stuff, but when we recognize Jesus' victory over sin and death in our lives it makes it that much easier when temptation comes.
I also believe that religious leaders that teach contrary to God's work and word, that keep people chained to the si  side of the cross need to have a "rod and staff" experience  so not only their people but themselves can receive the freedom in Christ that He has provided.
It's time for the whole Church to get up and walk in the freedom and power that was intended for us. Thank You Jesus for providing the way.
Romans 6:16-23 "Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."