Who Is In control? Who should be? What are the results? |
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [His] resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [Him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
You see the "old man" is put to death by faith. Do you believe this? Then again in Romans 6:11 Paul tells us: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This word "reckon" means to "consider it so". We reckon by faith , in other words we BELIEVE GOD. This is how we can obey God in Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Also, Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.
When God commands |
Remember when God commands, He also supplies the strength and anything else we need to fulfill His command! If we stop walking by faith we soon find that our "old man" is back from the grave and ruling in our lives again. if we don’t repent immediately, we will backslide, our conscience will be stained. Soon to follow will be thoughts about whether or not we ever were born of God’s Spirit! When this happens we need to remember the apostle Paul’s admonition in Galatians 3 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Understand this now, we were set free from sin by Grace through Faith and are kept free of sin’s power by Grace through Faith. When we stop walking in faith we will be under the power of sin once more! Now read verse 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Remember the "old man" will never be of any help to the "Christ" life! only to our old "Self" life. Having begun in the Spirit we must continue in the Spirit!
Paul said something in Romans 8 that bears repeating Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. The word enmity here means WAR! The "old man" must remain in the grave!
Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness. Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Greek words translated "are led" literally means "being led" (Present tense) . We must follow the Spirit of God always, obey always. Remember the "old man" is always ready to take over and make war against God’s precious Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ sent us His Spirit to lead us into all truth and to comfort us. We can take comfort in the fact that no matter what tomorrow brings, God’s grace will be more than enough . We are more than conquerors through Christ! The Lord has more to say about this subject. Read Acts 24:16, And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men. And also 2 Peter 1:3 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: It’s done! Rejoice and believe! Don’t allow the "old nature" to rule in your life, instead by faith allow the Lord Jesus Christ to rule. You will be "joyful ", and have a "conscience void of offence". You will be a child of God! You will overcome the world, the flesh and the devil! You will be exactly what God wants you to be.
I have tried before to live my life the way the Lord wants me to but . . . |
If this is your response, "I have tried before to live my life the way the Lord wants me to but . . . ." Please read Ezekiel 36:25 - 27, and take note of the fact that God is the one who does all of these things! Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]. What a promise! God will cleanse us from all of our filthiness! That word filthiness means sin! What a promise, but that’s not all, God will remove all of the idols in our life! There’s more, God will remove our heart of stone.
The Bible uses the word heart to refer to man’s will, the place we make our decisions (the decision to obey God or disobey God). Notice here that God refers to a stony heart, this means a stubborn, rebellious will (heart). We won’t stop being rebellious and stubborn on our own, so a God of love removes this rebellious (heart) from us and replaces it with a moldable (heart) (And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.) And now after heart surgery, we are ready to receive the most precious gift anyone could possibly receive! God’s Spirit. And I will put My spirit within you.
But God knows that this is still not enough. Look at the next part of this promise. And cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do [them]. Now God has committed Himself to cause us to obey Him! Do you see the magnitude of God’s promise in Ezekiel 36:25 - 27. The Holy Spirit is calling you now if you are not saved, or if you are a believer but not sanctified and need to be set free from a particular sin or sins, believe now! Don’t wait for anything.
The God of love has already given us all things pertaining to life and Godliness. Read the following: 2 Peter 1:3 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. Remember, FAITH is the victory. FAITH can make Ezekiel 36:25 - 27 A reality in your life! All that I have written applies only to those who have already repented. Repentance is the first step toward God. Ask John the Baptist or Jesus!
I hope this little tract helps you with your walk with the living God,
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