Christ is the incarnate Substitute, that is, the crucified, buried, resurrected, ascended, and glorified Lord! Because of Him, all men may go free with no wrath of God and no penalty for sin placed on them. God offers a free pardon to all men, all people. The cost of this freedom is absolutely free to all people, however, it cost God everything. No one can buy it, earn it, we do not deserve it, nor can anyone work for it. It is freely given, because it is all of grace. In other words, as it has been said, "it is God's riches freely given to man, at Christs expense." Satan has been defeated, man has been redeemed, is now declared righteous, and is in right standing with God. All men are judicially and legally set free from sin, guilt, condemnation, unworthiness, inferiority and the punishment of sin, which is death. However, all of this can only be received on God's terms, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
No longer do we identify with our "old nature" but with our new nature which is in Christ as we will see played out in Romans chapter six. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Romans 6:1-2) If a believer is "dead to sin," it is impossible for him or her to live in sin. If a person lives in sin, then he or she is not dead to it and knows nothing of the true grace of God. The aspect of death is not only physical but also a spiritual state, (not to mention, eternal death) and is spoken here as being "dead to sin," that is, separation from sinful living. Therefore, the expression "dead to sin” speaks of the way that the believers spiritual state is separated unto God from the sin in which he/she formerly lived. Notice that Paul never states that "sin is dead to us" but that we are "dead to sin." The law of sin or the principles of sin is still present in the believer, but it can be rendered inoperative as the believer walks after the higher law. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2)
Paul now asks another question. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3) We need to ask ourselves the same question, and in doing so, also ask, do we truly believe this? The believer became "dead to sin" by being united with Jesus Christ, that is, baptism into Christ. Baptism here refers to immersion into His death. Believers are to see in Calvary not only Christ’s death for him or her, but also his or her death. Every believer by spiritual union with Christ, enters into His death and in water baptism, testifies his or her identification with His death. It goes on, "Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4) Christ was raised up from the dead by the power of the Father. (Ephesians 1:19-21) In this, the believer is also raised up. Christ rose to walk in newness of life. The believer also rises to walk in newness of life, the new nature, not in the oldness of the old life.
Again, believers, by applying faith to God's Word are to, "put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24) and, "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." (Colossians 3:9-10) Believers are to lay aside, renounce, render inoperable the old man and "walk in newness of life" which was instantly imparted at the moment of regeneration. The Holy Spirit seals this reality by saying to us, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:5-6)
If one can believe that they were united together in the likeness of Christ’s death, then we also are to believe that we are also in the likeness of His resurrection. Notice the tense here. Not, is crucified with Him, but, was crucified with Him. The same truth is brought out in Paul's revelation of this very thing, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) This is very important to grasp. This is where faith arises and says, "my old man (old demonic, fallen, spiritually dead, sinful nature) was crucified with Christ and now I have a new nature, Christ lives in me and now I live by faith in Him!"
The Centenary Translation of Romans 6:6 puts it this way, "For this we know, that our old self was crucified with Christ, in order that the slave of sin might be destroyed; so that we should no longer be in slavery to sin." Although I am virtually saying the same thing again, let's make this verse a faith declaration, that is, "I died with Christ, the o1d man, that sinful nature, that was a partaker of spiritual death, died with Christ and now I am no longer a slave to sin." The reality is, by nature, we were born as slaves to Satan and sin. Now, the believer is no longer a slave to Satan and sin but servants, even sons and daughters of God in Christ. The word "destroyed" in this verse means, made void, made without effect; to bring to naught, vanish away, put away, put down, abolished, to cease, rendered inoperative, or inactive. When the body of Jesus was crucified, died, and was rendered inactive, inoperative, the believer's body of sin is the same because of his or her union with Christ in His death. Therefore, we are no longer serving sin but serving Jesus in this brand new, recreated, born again, supernatural life provided by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.PTL...
Showing posts with label New Nature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Nature. Show all posts
Monday, March 4, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
Crucifixion Means Freedom
One of the big misunderstandings that many believers deal with in the Apostles Paul's epistles is fully understanding the difference between law and nature. We need to understand the difference between the two so that we can experience the freedom that comes through Christ. Nature is defined as the particular qualities, temperaments, affections, appetites, passions, or disposition of a person; that is, who a person is. Whereas law is defined in this sense as the controlling “influence” of sin; what a person does. When we look at Romans 7, Paul is not telling us the struggle that he has as a born again believer who has a new nature, (Ephesians 4:24; 2 Peter 1:4), but what the Jew under the law constantly dealt with. (Romans 7:1) They were not born again and still possessed the old fallen nature. Believers who still deal with ungodly or sinful habits simply need a revelation of who they are in Christ; who Christ is in them; and how the Father sees them. They need to stop identifying with the old nature and live by faith in their new nature and identity in Christ.
We will see this unfold even greater as we begin looking at the Apostle Paul’s revelation of identification. He tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Several times the Apostle Paul uses the preposition “with” in connection with the revelation given to him in his teaching of Christ substitutionary work. Here Paul tells us that “he was crucified with Christ.” This gives us the key that unlocks the teachings of the believers new identification. The question arises, "How is it possible that Paul was crucified with Christ, when Jesus is seen on the cross alone and that He died (depending on various historic records used) one to three years before Paul’s conversion? For some, this seems to cause a dilemma.
However, we must keep in mind that we are dealing with spiritual realities that can only be understood through faith. When Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ” it meant he had been judged, condemned, cast out, stripped naked, and nailed to the cross with Christ. Paul is not speaking theoretically, metaphorically nor is he presenting a fantasy, this is absolute truth; as real as the air we breathe. The very thought of crucifixion to a Jew, and especially to a Pharisee, brought a sense of shame and horror. When Saul of Tarsus confessed Jesus as Lord, he was instantly identified with Christ. Now, like most people when becoming born again, Paul may or may not have had a complete revelation of this at the moment of his conversion, nevertheless, he immediately became a crucified man, an outcast, not only to the Jews but to the entire world.
Paul also tells us, "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14) The world had been stripped naked to Paul. There was no longer any delusion in regard to it. He remembered the stoning; the sleeplessness; the hunger and thirst; the cold and nakedness. He remembered that in every place he went, he faced the anger, bitterness, and jealousy of men. For most believers, there is a lack of truly seeing themselves crucified with Christ in reality. Paul saw his identification with Christ in His crucifixion. Christs' crucifixion did not merely mean His death. It means every person who confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and takes Him as Savior is immediately in union with Him in His disgrace and suffering.
The Apostle Paul says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:6) When a person receives and lives in the revelation of our crucifixion with Christ, verses of scripture such as this become liberating. The Holy Spirit through Paul concerning our identification with Christ tells us, that our old man, the hidden man of the heart, our spirit, the real man who was filled with spiritual death, the satanic nature, was nailed to the cross with Christ. The reality of the meritorious work of Christ reveals that Christ went to the cross, not for Himself, not as a martyr but as a Substitute. When Christ was nailed to the cross, we were nailed to the cross with Him. Although the objective behind crucifying Jesus, in the mind of the hateful, anger mob, was to get rid of Him, in the mind of God it meant Jesus’ identification with humanity in its sin and suffering, as well as humanities identification with Him in His crucifixion.
The moment that Jesus was nailed to the cross, justice began to do its awful work behind the scenes.
Keeping in mind that the people who surrounded the cross were not born again, they could only see the physical man, Jesus, nailed to the cross. However, God could see His spirit. Angels could see His spirit. Demons could see His spirit, that is, the real man, hidden in His body. Here is the good news to end any dilemma that you may have concerning who you are in Christ; Who Christ is in you and how the Father truly sees you. "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. Again, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."" (Romans 6:4-6) PTL
Finally, the Apostle Paul shows us the freedom that every believer can walk in if he/she will apply faith to God's Word. "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, (law) but according to the Spirit. (new nature) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2) Never again confess that you are a sinner saved by grace, but that you were a sinner saved by grace and now you are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...
We will see this unfold even greater as we begin looking at the Apostle Paul’s revelation of identification. He tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Several times the Apostle Paul uses the preposition “with” in connection with the revelation given to him in his teaching of Christ substitutionary work. Here Paul tells us that “he was crucified with Christ.” This gives us the key that unlocks the teachings of the believers new identification. The question arises, "How is it possible that Paul was crucified with Christ, when Jesus is seen on the cross alone and that He died (depending on various historic records used) one to three years before Paul’s conversion? For some, this seems to cause a dilemma.
However, we must keep in mind that we are dealing with spiritual realities that can only be understood through faith. When Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ” it meant he had been judged, condemned, cast out, stripped naked, and nailed to the cross with Christ. Paul is not speaking theoretically, metaphorically nor is he presenting a fantasy, this is absolute truth; as real as the air we breathe. The very thought of crucifixion to a Jew, and especially to a Pharisee, brought a sense of shame and horror. When Saul of Tarsus confessed Jesus as Lord, he was instantly identified with Christ. Now, like most people when becoming born again, Paul may or may not have had a complete revelation of this at the moment of his conversion, nevertheless, he immediately became a crucified man, an outcast, not only to the Jews but to the entire world.
Paul also tells us, "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14) The world had been stripped naked to Paul. There was no longer any delusion in regard to it. He remembered the stoning; the sleeplessness; the hunger and thirst; the cold and nakedness. He remembered that in every place he went, he faced the anger, bitterness, and jealousy of men. For most believers, there is a lack of truly seeing themselves crucified with Christ in reality. Paul saw his identification with Christ in His crucifixion. Christs' crucifixion did not merely mean His death. It means every person who confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and takes Him as Savior is immediately in union with Him in His disgrace and suffering.
The Apostle Paul says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:6) When a person receives and lives in the revelation of our crucifixion with Christ, verses of scripture such as this become liberating. The Holy Spirit through Paul concerning our identification with Christ tells us, that our old man, the hidden man of the heart, our spirit, the real man who was filled with spiritual death, the satanic nature, was nailed to the cross with Christ. The reality of the meritorious work of Christ reveals that Christ went to the cross, not for Himself, not as a martyr but as a Substitute. When Christ was nailed to the cross, we were nailed to the cross with Him. Although the objective behind crucifying Jesus, in the mind of the hateful, anger mob, was to get rid of Him, in the mind of God it meant Jesus’ identification with humanity in its sin and suffering, as well as humanities identification with Him in His crucifixion.
The moment that Jesus was nailed to the cross, justice began to do its awful work behind the scenes.
Keeping in mind that the people who surrounded the cross were not born again, they could only see the physical man, Jesus, nailed to the cross. However, God could see His spirit. Angels could see His spirit. Demons could see His spirit, that is, the real man, hidden in His body. Here is the good news to end any dilemma that you may have concerning who you are in Christ; Who Christ is in you and how the Father truly sees you. "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. Again, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."" (Romans 6:4-6) PTL
Finally, the Apostle Paul shows us the freedom that every believer can walk in if he/she will apply faith to God's Word. "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, (law) but according to the Spirit. (new nature) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2) Never again confess that you are a sinner saved by grace, but that you were a sinner saved by grace and now you are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...
Monday, February 26, 2018
Say Goodbye to Yourself
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul presents some of the most important news for the liberation of the believer. We are told to, "Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24 AMP) This is not accomplished by self effort or by entertaining a barrage of rules and regulation, but by grace through faith. Yes, the same principle that one is saved, is the same way that we live our Christian life, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)
A biblical definition of grace is, "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." (Philippians 2:13 AMP) and a biblical definition of faith is, "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]." (Hebrews 11:1 AMP) So, grace is God's favor, ability and or strength at work in believers giving them the power and desire to do His will. Faith, is completely trusting in and acting on what God says (His Word) without any proof in the natural realm, even when the natural realm is completely contrary to God's Word. Therefore, to put off the old nature, which grows corrupt and put on the new nature which is created in God in true righteousness and holiness we look to His Word and simply believe, receive and act on what God's Word says. Let's begin with Romans chapter six...
Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" If a believer is "dead to sin," it is impossible for him or her to live in sin. If a person lives in sin, then he or she is not dead to it and knows nothing of the true grace of God. The aspect of death is not only physical but also a spiritual state, (not to mention, eternal state) and is spoken here as being "dead to sin," that is, separation from sinful living. Therefore, the expression "dead to sin” speaks of the way that the believers spiritual state is separated unto God from the sin in which he formerly lived. Notice that Paul never states that "sin is dead to us" but that we are "dead to sin." The law of sin or the principles of sin is still present in the believer, but it can be rendered inoperative as the believer walks after the higher law, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2)
Now Paul asks another question, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3) In asking ourselves the same question, also ask, do we truly believe this? The believer became "dead to sin" by being united with Jesus Christ, that is, baptism into Christ. Baptism here refers to immersion into His death. Believers are to see in Calvary not only Christ’s death for him or her, but also his or her death with Christ. Every believer by spiritual union with Christ, enters into His death and in water baptism, testifies his or her identification with His death. Next...
"Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4) Christ was raised up from the dead by the power of the Father. (Ephesians 1:19-21) The believer is also raised up. Christ arose to walk in newness of life. The believer also rises to walk in newness of life, not in the oldness of the old life. Knowing this, gives us a key to the believers new nature. Believers are to lay aside, renounce, render inoperable the old man, by God's grace through faith in what He says. Newness of life was instantly imparted at the moment of regeneration and we now are called to walk in this new life. Look at our oneness with Christ...
"For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:5-6) If one can believe that they were united together in the likeness of Christ’s death, then we are to also believe that we are in the likeness of His resurrection. Notice the tense here. Not is crucified with Him, but was crucified with Him. The same truth is brought out in Galatians. 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ…" This is very important to grasp; the old man (old demonic, fallen, spiritually dead, sinful nature) was crucified with Christ!!! The Centenary Translation puts it this way, "For this we know, that our old self was crucified with Christ, in order that the slave of sin might be destroyed; so that we should no longer be in slavery to sin.” (Romans 6:6)
This verse is a declaration to ourselves by faith, we can say, "I died with Christ, that is, the o1d man, the sin nature that was a partaker of spiritual death, died with Christ." By nature, we were born as slaves to Satan and sin. Now, the believer is no longer a slave to Satan and sin but servants of God, even sons and daughters of God in Christ. (1 John 3:1) The word destroyed in the above Centenary Translation means, made void, made without effect, to bring to naught, vanish away, put away, put down, abolished, to cease, rendered inoperative, or inactive. When the body of Jesus was crucified, died, and was rendered inactive, inoperative, so the believer's body of sin should be the same because of his or her union with Christ, in His death, no longer serving sin but serving Jesus.
"For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him." (Romans 6:7-8) This literally means "he that has died" in a physical sense. Note that the physical truth points to the spiritual truth. Freed means, justified, acquitted, absolved. That as Christ was once dead but now lives to God, and will no more die, so we, being dead to sin, but living unto God, should not obey sin, but should live only to God not only in the next life but now! So far, we see that the believer has, died with Christ; was buried with Christ; is united together with Christ; is raised with Christ; was crucified with Christ; and is alive with Christ. To say goodbye to our old nature, believers need to see not only Christ’s substitution in these things, but also our identification with Him in these things. Paul continues...
"Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts." (Romans 6:9-12) To reckon means, to not imagine or count something true that is not true.
Verse eleven is another faith declaration; "I conclude that it is true, I am dead to sin, and I am alive, I have life in Christ Jesus my Lord." The believer is to allow Christ, as King, to reign over him or her, not sin. The law of sin has not yet been eradicated from the believer simply due to believers having a mortal body that is subject to physical death. Physical death is the last enemy to be destroyed. (1 Corinthians 15:26) There is the constant need to say no to sin and yes to life in Christ Jesus. (Remember, this is talking about the law of sin, not the nature of sin)
"And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:13) This is our identification with Christ’s death and resurrection. Sin is a spiritual law and needs a person, their body, as an instrument to express itself. The heart of the whole matter concerns yielding the body's members as an instruments of sin or instruments of righteousness. The Holy Spirit through Paul also gives us the solution to this, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2) Paul gives us another wonderful nugget of truth...
"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:14) There it is. Paul is clear that the believer can live a victorious life in Christ. Sin does not need to have dominion (reign as king) over the believer. The believer can have dominion (reign as king) over sin. This does not mean that the believer has reached a state of sinless perfection, but rather the believer no longer needs to be ruled or dominated by sin. The believer is not under the law (that is, the dominion of the law of sin as the context is dealing with), nor is the believer under the law which was given to Moses (as Romans seven points out), but the believer is under a higher and stronger law, grace, which is actually being under the law of Christ, that is, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2) "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Corinthians 3:17) PTL!!!
What we have seen here in Romans chapter six, is the sanctification and identification of the believer in and with Christ. Sanctification is the operation of the new law of life in Christ Jesus, a higher spiritual law, which makes us free from the law of sin and death. So, in the mind of our Heavenly father, when Christ was crucified, we were crucified; when Christ died, we died; when Christ was buried, we were buried; when Christ spent three days and three nights as our substitute in hell, we were in Him; when Christ met the claims of justice, our old satanic, sinful nature was put away; when Christ was raised, we were raised; when Christ ascended, we ascended; when Christ sat down on the throne with all things under His feet, we also sat down on the throne with all things under our feet; as Christ lives, we also live; we are no longer slaves of sin; we have been freed from sin, and should walk in the newness of life!!!
In the mind of the Father, the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, brought us into a perfect oneness with Christ. Just as Jesus conquered death by submitting to it, (John 10:17-18), we, the new creations in Christ, conquer Satan by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus. So, say goodbye to your old self and exceedingly rejoice, for Christ has truly set us FREE!!!
A biblical definition of grace is, "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." (Philippians 2:13 AMP) and a biblical definition of faith is, "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]." (Hebrews 11:1 AMP) So, grace is God's favor, ability and or strength at work in believers giving them the power and desire to do His will. Faith, is completely trusting in and acting on what God says (His Word) without any proof in the natural realm, even when the natural realm is completely contrary to God's Word. Therefore, to put off the old nature, which grows corrupt and put on the new nature which is created in God in true righteousness and holiness we look to His Word and simply believe, receive and act on what God's Word says. Let's begin with Romans chapter six...
Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" If a believer is "dead to sin," it is impossible for him or her to live in sin. If a person lives in sin, then he or she is not dead to it and knows nothing of the true grace of God. The aspect of death is not only physical but also a spiritual state, (not to mention, eternal state) and is spoken here as being "dead to sin," that is, separation from sinful living. Therefore, the expression "dead to sin” speaks of the way that the believers spiritual state is separated unto God from the sin in which he formerly lived. Notice that Paul never states that "sin is dead to us" but that we are "dead to sin." The law of sin or the principles of sin is still present in the believer, but it can be rendered inoperative as the believer walks after the higher law, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2)
Now Paul asks another question, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3) In asking ourselves the same question, also ask, do we truly believe this? The believer became "dead to sin" by being united with Jesus Christ, that is, baptism into Christ. Baptism here refers to immersion into His death. Believers are to see in Calvary not only Christ’s death for him or her, but also his or her death with Christ. Every believer by spiritual union with Christ, enters into His death and in water baptism, testifies his or her identification with His death. Next...
"Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4) Christ was raised up from the dead by the power of the Father. (Ephesians 1:19-21) The believer is also raised up. Christ arose to walk in newness of life. The believer also rises to walk in newness of life, not in the oldness of the old life. Knowing this, gives us a key to the believers new nature. Believers are to lay aside, renounce, render inoperable the old man, by God's grace through faith in what He says. Newness of life was instantly imparted at the moment of regeneration and we now are called to walk in this new life. Look at our oneness with Christ...
"For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:5-6) If one can believe that they were united together in the likeness of Christ’s death, then we are to also believe that we are in the likeness of His resurrection. Notice the tense here. Not is crucified with Him, but was crucified with Him. The same truth is brought out in Galatians. 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ…" This is very important to grasp; the old man (old demonic, fallen, spiritually dead, sinful nature) was crucified with Christ!!! The Centenary Translation puts it this way, "For this we know, that our old self was crucified with Christ, in order that the slave of sin might be destroyed; so that we should no longer be in slavery to sin.” (Romans 6:6)
This verse is a declaration to ourselves by faith, we can say, "I died with Christ, that is, the o1d man, the sin nature that was a partaker of spiritual death, died with Christ." By nature, we were born as slaves to Satan and sin. Now, the believer is no longer a slave to Satan and sin but servants of God, even sons and daughters of God in Christ. (1 John 3:1) The word destroyed in the above Centenary Translation means, made void, made without effect, to bring to naught, vanish away, put away, put down, abolished, to cease, rendered inoperative, or inactive. When the body of Jesus was crucified, died, and was rendered inactive, inoperative, so the believer's body of sin should be the same because of his or her union with Christ, in His death, no longer serving sin but serving Jesus.
"For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him." (Romans 6:7-8) This literally means "he that has died" in a physical sense. Note that the physical truth points to the spiritual truth. Freed means, justified, acquitted, absolved. That as Christ was once dead but now lives to God, and will no more die, so we, being dead to sin, but living unto God, should not obey sin, but should live only to God not only in the next life but now! So far, we see that the believer has, died with Christ; was buried with Christ; is united together with Christ; is raised with Christ; was crucified with Christ; and is alive with Christ. To say goodbye to our old nature, believers need to see not only Christ’s substitution in these things, but also our identification with Him in these things. Paul continues...
"Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts." (Romans 6:9-12) To reckon means, to not imagine or count something true that is not true.
Verse eleven is another faith declaration; "I conclude that it is true, I am dead to sin, and I am alive, I have life in Christ Jesus my Lord." The believer is to allow Christ, as King, to reign over him or her, not sin. The law of sin has not yet been eradicated from the believer simply due to believers having a mortal body that is subject to physical death. Physical death is the last enemy to be destroyed. (1 Corinthians 15:26) There is the constant need to say no to sin and yes to life in Christ Jesus. (Remember, this is talking about the law of sin, not the nature of sin)
"And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:13) This is our identification with Christ’s death and resurrection. Sin is a spiritual law and needs a person, their body, as an instrument to express itself. The heart of the whole matter concerns yielding the body's members as an instruments of sin or instruments of righteousness. The Holy Spirit through Paul also gives us the solution to this, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2) Paul gives us another wonderful nugget of truth...
"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:14) There it is. Paul is clear that the believer can live a victorious life in Christ. Sin does not need to have dominion (reign as king) over the believer. The believer can have dominion (reign as king) over sin. This does not mean that the believer has reached a state of sinless perfection, but rather the believer no longer needs to be ruled or dominated by sin. The believer is not under the law (that is, the dominion of the law of sin as the context is dealing with), nor is the believer under the law which was given to Moses (as Romans seven points out), but the believer is under a higher and stronger law, grace, which is actually being under the law of Christ, that is, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2) "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Corinthians 3:17) PTL!!!
What we have seen here in Romans chapter six, is the sanctification and identification of the believer in and with Christ. Sanctification is the operation of the new law of life in Christ Jesus, a higher spiritual law, which makes us free from the law of sin and death. So, in the mind of our Heavenly father, when Christ was crucified, we were crucified; when Christ died, we died; when Christ was buried, we were buried; when Christ spent three days and three nights as our substitute in hell, we were in Him; when Christ met the claims of justice, our old satanic, sinful nature was put away; when Christ was raised, we were raised; when Christ ascended, we ascended; when Christ sat down on the throne with all things under His feet, we also sat down on the throne with all things under our feet; as Christ lives, we also live; we are no longer slaves of sin; we have been freed from sin, and should walk in the newness of life!!!
In the mind of the Father, the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, brought us into a perfect oneness with Christ. Just as Jesus conquered death by submitting to it, (John 10:17-18), we, the new creations in Christ, conquer Satan by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus. So, say goodbye to your old self and exceedingly rejoice, for Christ has truly set us FREE!!!
Monday, January 7, 2013
It Wasn't Me, it Was Me
The title may seem a little strange, but it has a point that deals with understanding new birth. The Holy Spirit through the apostle Peter tells us, "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul tells us, "What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?" (2 Corinthians 6:15) Both of these verse reveal a wonderful truth, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Many Christians believe that when a person confesses the Lordship of Christ and receive Him as Savior that they receive eternal life but the old nature is not removed and that the new and old nature war with each other. The reason for this comes from a teaching from Romans chapter 7. However, if we take a closer look at the entire chapter we will notice the the words, grace, believer, beloved, etc. are not seen in any part of these verses. What we do see is the word law mentioned twenty three time in the KJV of the Bible. Many church leaders have extracted and taken out of context verses fifteen through twenty three. They miss the entire point that the apostle Paul is conveying to the Jewish believers, Paul is not explaining the experience of a believer, but of himself before his conversion, that is, as a Jew under the law. He reveals that the law awakens the conscience to sin which opens the door for his flesh which desires sin. The conflict that he experienced as a Jew under the law was between his mind recognizing the law is good and his flesh that wants to operate contrary to the law, that is, its desire is sin. Paul conclusion to the matter is, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)
Paul honors and attributes the Lord as the only way that one can be deliver from this war between the flesh and mind. To make it simple, faith in Jesus Christ stops the war. For the believer, there is no dual nature at work. The believer is not under the law but under grace. Let's look again at the above verses that the Holy Spirit has spoken through Peter and Paul, (1 Peter 1:23) "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." To say that the believer still has the old nature in him is to say that the believer is not completely born again because he still maintains a measure of the satanic fallen nature, that is, corruptible seed and that corruptible seed shares the believer with God's incorruptible seed. But look again at what Paul says, (2 Corinthians 6:15) "What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?"
When a person is born again, they are born of the Holy Spirit and their spirit is recreated, but the flesh and the mind have not been recreated. However, in God's eyes, the believer is in fact "a new creation; old things (satanic nature) have passed away; behold, all things have become new." This is a fact but it takes faith to realize, accept and walk out in our lives. There is certainly nothing wrong with the physical body. God formed the body as a means to operate in the natural realm and to be a servant to the human spirit. Mans spirit was to rule over the flesh and mind. However, the fall of man caused spiritual death "And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh...Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:3, 6) Through the spiritual death of mankind, his flesh, the servant, has become the ruler leading him into confusion and anarchy (look around). Now you can see the dilemma that believers face. It is not a dual nature, but letting the flesh continue to have rule over the recreated spirit. But there is a solution that eliminates this dilemma. .
Paul continues into Romans chapter 8...
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:1-11)
Honestly, does this sound like a man who has experienced new birth and still is a sinner? Absolutely not! The Holy Spirit reveals through Paul the solution of being freed from sin, that is, the believer is no longer a sinner if he/she lives a life in fellowship with the Holy Spirit and does not let their flesh have control of their life. For church leaders to tell the saints that they are sinners, because after the great apostle Paul was also a sinner even after his conversion, reveals their lack of understanding the Pauline Epistles. It also is apparent that they are apparently not having fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Instead, they are excusing sinful behavior by accepting doctrines of the church over the Word of God. The greatest problem with this erroneous teaching is that the believer has no hope of living the victorious life that the Father has provided through Jesus Christ. After all "I'm just a sinner saved by grace and still have the old sinful nature."
I share these things because I sit with pastors from various denominations who I believe love the Lord but believe that they are just sinners or beggars. However, look what Paul tells us in his first letter to Timothy...
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life." (1 Timothy 1:15-16) Paul was not saying that he was still a sinner, but that Jesus came to save sinners and due to him persecuting the church (his past) he, Saul of Tarsus, considered himself to be a great sinner, but we see that he obtained mercy, that is, he Paul the believer, was forgiven.
Paul tells us to, "...Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) He also tells us to, "Put off the old man (old fallen nature) and put on the new man (new created nature)" (Ephesians 4:22, 24) But how does one do this? "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Ephesians 4:23) and "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2) The way that a believer can walk by the Spirit and not fall prey to the lust of the flesh is to renew their mind through reading, studying and most important, meditating on the Word of God. God's Word feeds and strengthens the spirit, renews the mind and grows faith. This takes a process of time (it depends on the individual) but as your spirit grows your mind and body (flesh) will once again become the servant to your spirit. Again, this has nothing to do with having a dual nature, but everything to do with faith in Christ, His redemptive work and in God's Word which says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
A final thought concerning new birth it that the new man (the new nature) that one receives from God, is given immediately upon confessing the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving Him as Savior. Paul tells us concerning the new man, that it "was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) So logically thinking and looking at all that is shown hereon, how can a believer have God's nature (the new man) and the devil's nature (the old man) ruling their life at the same time? They absolutely cannot! Jesus said, "And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:25) So let us stop living our Christian life as who we were, sinners, but who we are in Christ, the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Many Christians believe that when a person confesses the Lordship of Christ and receive Him as Savior that they receive eternal life but the old nature is not removed and that the new and old nature war with each other. The reason for this comes from a teaching from Romans chapter 7. However, if we take a closer look at the entire chapter we will notice the the words, grace, believer, beloved, etc. are not seen in any part of these verses. What we do see is the word law mentioned twenty three time in the KJV of the Bible. Many church leaders have extracted and taken out of context verses fifteen through twenty three. They miss the entire point that the apostle Paul is conveying to the Jewish believers, Paul is not explaining the experience of a believer, but of himself before his conversion, that is, as a Jew under the law. He reveals that the law awakens the conscience to sin which opens the door for his flesh which desires sin. The conflict that he experienced as a Jew under the law was between his mind recognizing the law is good and his flesh that wants to operate contrary to the law, that is, its desire is sin. Paul conclusion to the matter is, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)
Paul honors and attributes the Lord as the only way that one can be deliver from this war between the flesh and mind. To make it simple, faith in Jesus Christ stops the war. For the believer, there is no dual nature at work. The believer is not under the law but under grace. Let's look again at the above verses that the Holy Spirit has spoken through Peter and Paul, (1 Peter 1:23) "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." To say that the believer still has the old nature in him is to say that the believer is not completely born again because he still maintains a measure of the satanic fallen nature, that is, corruptible seed and that corruptible seed shares the believer with God's incorruptible seed. But look again at what Paul says, (2 Corinthians 6:15) "What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil?"
When a person is born again, they are born of the Holy Spirit and their spirit is recreated, but the flesh and the mind have not been recreated. However, in God's eyes, the believer is in fact "a new creation; old things (satanic nature) have passed away; behold, all things have become new." This is a fact but it takes faith to realize, accept and walk out in our lives. There is certainly nothing wrong with the physical body. God formed the body as a means to operate in the natural realm and to be a servant to the human spirit. Mans spirit was to rule over the flesh and mind. However, the fall of man caused spiritual death "And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh...Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:3, 6) Through the spiritual death of mankind, his flesh, the servant, has become the ruler leading him into confusion and anarchy (look around). Now you can see the dilemma that believers face. It is not a dual nature, but letting the flesh continue to have rule over the recreated spirit. But there is a solution that eliminates this dilemma. .
Paul continues into Romans chapter 8...
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:1-11)
Honestly, does this sound like a man who has experienced new birth and still is a sinner? Absolutely not! The Holy Spirit reveals through Paul the solution of being freed from sin, that is, the believer is no longer a sinner if he/she lives a life in fellowship with the Holy Spirit and does not let their flesh have control of their life. For church leaders to tell the saints that they are sinners, because after the great apostle Paul was also a sinner even after his conversion, reveals their lack of understanding the Pauline Epistles. It also is apparent that they are apparently not having fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Instead, they are excusing sinful behavior by accepting doctrines of the church over the Word of God. The greatest problem with this erroneous teaching is that the believer has no hope of living the victorious life that the Father has provided through Jesus Christ. After all "I'm just a sinner saved by grace and still have the old sinful nature."
I share these things because I sit with pastors from various denominations who I believe love the Lord but believe that they are just sinners or beggars. However, look what Paul tells us in his first letter to Timothy...
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life." (1 Timothy 1:15-16) Paul was not saying that he was still a sinner, but that Jesus came to save sinners and due to him persecuting the church (his past) he, Saul of Tarsus, considered himself to be a great sinner, but we see that he obtained mercy, that is, he Paul the believer, was forgiven.
Paul tells us to, "...Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) He also tells us to, "Put off the old man (old fallen nature) and put on the new man (new created nature)" (Ephesians 4:22, 24) But how does one do this? "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Ephesians 4:23) and "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2) The way that a believer can walk by the Spirit and not fall prey to the lust of the flesh is to renew their mind through reading, studying and most important, meditating on the Word of God. God's Word feeds and strengthens the spirit, renews the mind and grows faith. This takes a process of time (it depends on the individual) but as your spirit grows your mind and body (flesh) will once again become the servant to your spirit. Again, this has nothing to do with having a dual nature, but everything to do with faith in Christ, His redemptive work and in God's Word which says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
A final thought concerning new birth it that the new man (the new nature) that one receives from God, is given immediately upon confessing the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving Him as Savior. Paul tells us concerning the new man, that it "was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) So logically thinking and looking at all that is shown hereon, how can a believer have God's nature (the new man) and the devil's nature (the old man) ruling their life at the same time? They absolutely cannot! Jesus said, "And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:25) So let us stop living our Christian life as who we were, sinners, but who we are in Christ, the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)