Dead to Sin
I Am Not A Sinner Saved By Grace!
By God
Part I
I went to the dentist the other day to get a tooth filled. As the dentist and I were talking about spiritual matters, he made the statement, "Well, you know, we all sin every day." How many times have you heard someone make that statement? The dentist was exhibiting a sin consciousness that is unfortunately much too common among believers today. He was not letting fall out of his mouth what we read in, (Romans 5.17) For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Although, he would tell you he agreed that all Christians were righteous because of Jesus Christ. But then in the next breath, he would tell you he was a sinner saved by grace. Can we be a sinner and righteous at the same time? Is this what the Bible teaches?
The writer of Hebrews describes the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant.
Simply put -
The Old covenant worshipers had a consciousness of sin, because their need for CONTINUAL sacrifice was a reminder of it. Forgiveness had not come.
The New covenant worshipers need not have a consciousness of sin, because the body of Jesus was offered as a sacrifice, ONCE for all. (see Hebrews 10:1-18) In other words, because Jesus died on the cross, it no longer is necessary to have a consciousness of sin!
You might think this a minor point in the Christian walk but I can assure you that this is what Jesus called the Good News! Start thinking about yourself as righteous. Consider the fact that you are in right standing with your God. Think about how all your past, present and future sin is under the blood and is no more. Beloved, this truth will set you free.
Not Only Forgiven Of Sin, We Are Dead To It
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness." (1 Peter 2:24) Notice the word "die" in the above verse. We are not only forgiven of sin, we are dead to it! Jesus died that we might EXPERIENCE glorious death to sin!
But you say, "I still sin!" If you really believe this, then you do not believe what the Bible says about how God looks at you. Now this is not saying that Christ died so that you MIGHT not sin and maybe live unto righteousness. No. It is saying that you are dead to sin and you are righteous. If it is not saying this, then it is up to "who" to stop you from sinning, you? Did Jesus really die to give you the power to stop sinning. How is it going? Are you sinning less and less or have you stopped completely? If you are able to stop sinning 99.9% the day before you die, how much sin will your Lord allow into heaven? Beloved, it is an all or none thing with God.
We are to think of ourselves as being dead to sin, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:11)
But what does this mean?
Jesus, in His great teaching to the Jews, stated that those who are lost are slaves to sin. Those who are sons, are free from sin. (see John 8:31-36) "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (verse 36) Free from what? Free from sin!
The reason you have so much trouble with sin is that you refuse to believe that Jesus did it all. You look at your behavior not the finished work of the One who paid it all. If God said you are dead to sin then act like it. Talk like it.
This "Free" feeling we all have felt is not just a good feeling we get know that we are forgiven, but it is a feeling that we will always be forgiven!
Dead to sin. Free from sin.
Could these words be any more descriptive? Can there be any question about what they mean? In John 15:1-11, Jesus talks about God's union with man and the fruit that results from it. Christ is the Vine; we are the branches. "You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you." (verse 3) We are righteous branches extending from a holy tree! Did you see that? What make us clean? Right! The spoken word. But even the spoken word by Jesus himself can not cleans is we will not believe it.
In Matthew 7, Jesus does not mince words. He says it straight out, "Every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." (verses 17,18) As branches on a holy tree, we simply can't bear evil fruit. We can't! If you are in Christ then you are a good tree. I know you sometimes think of yourself as a bad tree, but you are not. To say you are a bad tree is to say that Jesus death was not enough for you. Beloved, to think of yourself as a bad tree is falling from the power of grace. Falling from the grace that not only saves you but keeps you.
James confirms this truth
"Does a spring pour forth from the same opening fresh water and brackish? Can a fig tree, my brethren yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh." (James 3:11,12) You are either complete or you are not. You are either saved or you are not. To mix law and grace only confuses your walk of freedom.
Part II
"Death" is an easily understood word. It has a very clear meaning. Anything dead has been deprived of life. Death is the cessation of life.
Paul talks about the effects of death when he explains a widow's obligation to her deceased husband, (Romans 7:2,3) "Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress."
This miss understood passage from Romans 7 is not talking about divorce and remarriage but Paul is making an analogy of freedom from the law, which once bound us, to that of a marriage contract. When the one mate dies, the living mate is free from the law. It is no more. They are FREE.
There is NONE whatsoever! She may have memories of her husband. She may even suffer from the effects of their marriage. But the husband has died, and her obligation to him has ceased. Death is cessation. Beloved, you are the living mate! Your old husband, the law of sin and death is no more.
Just don't go walking around saying, " I'm dead, I'm dead!" This will profit you little. If you really are dead to the law that once bound you, then you will stop trying to obey it. (Romans 6.14) 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Of course not!
We are dead to sin. That means we have ceased from sin. And to make this truth even more glorious, Paul uses the word "also" in Romans 6:11. We are as dead to sin as Christ Jesus! Ask yourself this question, "Can a dead man sin?" Well, can he?
"Ceased" is another easily understood word. It means stopped. Quit. And just so there can be no misunderstanding, Peter explains the word's meaning,
"Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human passions but by the will of God." (1 Peter 4:1,2) I think this has a two-fold meaning. 1) Christ did suffer in the flesh and he did die. 2) We will suffer too in our flesh until we finally let our flesh die and realize that we too are just as dead to sin as Jesus.
"to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human passions."
And finally, we have the word "not".
When used with a group of words, it makes them negative. Consider the following, "But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." (Romans 8:9)
So, what is it? Are you in the flesh or are you in the spirit? God says you are in the Spirit. Nowhere, does it say that sometimes you in the spirit and sometimes you are not. To come to understand and believe this is where the real power of the gospel takes hold of you. This is when you will see real power in your life, and not until.
We are NOT in the flesh. And this wonderful reality is based solely on one factor --- the presence of God's Spirit within us! Dead to sin. Ceased from sin. Not in the flesh. Can these statements of truth be any clearer?
Part III
"... whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)
Faith is that wonderful God-given ability to look past appearances and see the eternal reality. In other words, we believe God's truths even when circumstances offer "proof" to the contrary.
As we review history, we see example after example of this.
Abraham believed he would be the father of many nations.
David believed he would slay the giant.
Jesus believed that Lazarus was only asleep.
The same great faith that resided in them resides in us also. So we view our flesh through the eyes of faith. We don't accept the deluded mind state described by Paul in Romans 7:14-24. Instead, we accept his description of our true condition in Romans 8:9-11. Yes, truly, we are not in the flesh. We are in the Spirit!
I asked a person once, "Are you righteous?" to which, they replied, "Yes, I am, through Jesus…" Just then a friend of mine who had been listening to us, interjected something rather interesting. He said to my friend, "When I heard you say, "Yes, I am, through Jesus." I think you mean you believe that Jesus sees you this way but you do not see yourself that way? What an observation!
Many of us believe what God says about us but we really don't see ourselves as God sees us. Until we really believe who God says we are we are destine to walk in defeat and condemnation.
We are to live each day believing this truth. If we do or say something that touches our conscience, we talk to God about it. We certainly don't try to hide or deny anything. We then leave it with Him, knowing that the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, has already cleansed us from all sin. I have learned a wonderful secret of the kingdom of God and that is, to thank God for what he has DONE not to ask him to forgive that which he has already forgiven, all my sin. If we've offended another, we do what we can to make it better. All the while, we reaffirm what we know to be true! "I am not in the flesh. I am in the Spirit." Simply put, we keep believing. Believing the truth, even when appearances scream at us to the contrary.
Over time, as we hold fast to our belief, we see the truth of our death to sin sprout and grow. And then one day we find that it has grown into a glorious harvest of fulfilled promise. And we praise God, who lives through us and as us on planet earth.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
I Am Not A Sinner Saved By Grace!
By God
Part I
I went to the dentist the other day to get a tooth filled. As the dentist and I were talking about spiritual matters, he made the statement, "Well, you know, we all sin every day." How many times have you heard someone make that statement? The dentist was exhibiting a sin consciousness that is unfortunately much too common among believers today. He was not letting fall out of his mouth what we read in, (Romans 5.17) For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Although, he would tell you he agreed that all Christians were righteous because of Jesus Christ. But then in the next breath, he would tell you he was a sinner saved by grace. Can we be a sinner and righteous at the same time? Is this what the Bible teaches?
The writer of Hebrews describes the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant.
Simply put -
The Old covenant worshipers had a consciousness of sin, because their need for CONTINUAL sacrifice was a reminder of it. Forgiveness had not come.
The New covenant worshipers need not have a consciousness of sin, because the body of Jesus was offered as a sacrifice, ONCE for all. (see Hebrews 10:1-18) In other words, because Jesus died on the cross, it no longer is necessary to have a consciousness of sin!
You might think this a minor point in the Christian walk but I can assure you that this is what Jesus called the Good News! Start thinking about yourself as righteous. Consider the fact that you are in right standing with your God. Think about how all your past, present and future sin is under the blood and is no more. Beloved, this truth will set you free.
Not Only Forgiven Of Sin, We Are Dead To It
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness." (1 Peter 2:24) Notice the word "die" in the above verse. We are not only forgiven of sin, we are dead to it! Jesus died that we might EXPERIENCE glorious death to sin!
But you say, "I still sin!" If you really believe this, then you do not believe what the Bible says about how God looks at you. Now this is not saying that Christ died so that you MIGHT not sin and maybe live unto righteousness. No. It is saying that you are dead to sin and you are righteous. If it is not saying this, then it is up to "who" to stop you from sinning, you? Did Jesus really die to give you the power to stop sinning. How is it going? Are you sinning less and less or have you stopped completely? If you are able to stop sinning 99.9% the day before you die, how much sin will your Lord allow into heaven? Beloved, it is an all or none thing with God.
We are to think of ourselves as being dead to sin, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:11)
But what does this mean?
Jesus, in His great teaching to the Jews, stated that those who are lost are slaves to sin. Those who are sons, are free from sin. (see John 8:31-36) "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (verse 36) Free from what? Free from sin!
The reason you have so much trouble with sin is that you refuse to believe that Jesus did it all. You look at your behavior not the finished work of the One who paid it all. If God said you are dead to sin then act like it. Talk like it.
This "Free" feeling we all have felt is not just a good feeling we get know that we are forgiven, but it is a feeling that we will always be forgiven!
Dead to sin. Free from sin.
Could these words be any more descriptive? Can there be any question about what they mean? In John 15:1-11, Jesus talks about God's union with man and the fruit that results from it. Christ is the Vine; we are the branches. "You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you." (verse 3) We are righteous branches extending from a holy tree! Did you see that? What make us clean? Right! The spoken word. But even the spoken word by Jesus himself can not cleans is we will not believe it.
In Matthew 7, Jesus does not mince words. He says it straight out, "Every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." (verses 17,18) As branches on a holy tree, we simply can't bear evil fruit. We can't! If you are in Christ then you are a good tree. I know you sometimes think of yourself as a bad tree, but you are not. To say you are a bad tree is to say that Jesus death was not enough for you. Beloved, to think of yourself as a bad tree is falling from the power of grace. Falling from the grace that not only saves you but keeps you.
James confirms this truth
"Does a spring pour forth from the same opening fresh water and brackish? Can a fig tree, my brethren yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh." (James 3:11,12) You are either complete or you are not. You are either saved or you are not. To mix law and grace only confuses your walk of freedom.
Part II
"Death" is an easily understood word. It has a very clear meaning. Anything dead has been deprived of life. Death is the cessation of life.
Paul talks about the effects of death when he explains a widow's obligation to her deceased husband, (Romans 7:2,3) "Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress."
This miss understood passage from Romans 7 is not talking about divorce and remarriage but Paul is making an analogy of freedom from the law, which once bound us, to that of a marriage contract. When the one mate dies, the living mate is free from the law. It is no more. They are FREE.
There is NONE whatsoever! She may have memories of her husband. She may even suffer from the effects of their marriage. But the husband has died, and her obligation to him has ceased. Death is cessation. Beloved, you are the living mate! Your old husband, the law of sin and death is no more.
Just don't go walking around saying, " I'm dead, I'm dead!" This will profit you little. If you really are dead to the law that once bound you, then you will stop trying to obey it. (Romans 6.14) 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Of course not!
We are dead to sin. That means we have ceased from sin. And to make this truth even more glorious, Paul uses the word "also" in Romans 6:11. We are as dead to sin as Christ Jesus! Ask yourself this question, "Can a dead man sin?" Well, can he?
"Ceased" is another easily understood word. It means stopped. Quit. And just so there can be no misunderstanding, Peter explains the word's meaning,
"Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human passions but by the will of God." (1 Peter 4:1,2) I think this has a two-fold meaning. 1) Christ did suffer in the flesh and he did die. 2) We will suffer too in our flesh until we finally let our flesh die and realize that we too are just as dead to sin as Jesus.
"to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human passions."
And finally, we have the word "not".
When used with a group of words, it makes them negative. Consider the following, "But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." (Romans 8:9)
So, what is it? Are you in the flesh or are you in the spirit? God says you are in the Spirit. Nowhere, does it say that sometimes you in the spirit and sometimes you are not. To come to understand and believe this is where the real power of the gospel takes hold of you. This is when you will see real power in your life, and not until.
We are NOT in the flesh. And this wonderful reality is based solely on one factor --- the presence of God's Spirit within us! Dead to sin. Ceased from sin. Not in the flesh. Can these statements of truth be any clearer?
Part III
"... whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)
Faith is that wonderful God-given ability to look past appearances and see the eternal reality. In other words, we believe God's truths even when circumstances offer "proof" to the contrary.
As we review history, we see example after example of this.
Abraham believed he would be the father of many nations.
David believed he would slay the giant.
Jesus believed that Lazarus was only asleep.
The same great faith that resided in them resides in us also. So we view our flesh through the eyes of faith. We don't accept the deluded mind state described by Paul in Romans 7:14-24. Instead, we accept his description of our true condition in Romans 8:9-11. Yes, truly, we are not in the flesh. We are in the Spirit!
I asked a person once, "Are you righteous?" to which, they replied, "Yes, I am, through Jesus…" Just then a friend of mine who had been listening to us, interjected something rather interesting. He said to my friend, "When I heard you say, "Yes, I am, through Jesus." I think you mean you believe that Jesus sees you this way but you do not see yourself that way? What an observation!
Many of us believe what God says about us but we really don't see ourselves as God sees us. Until we really believe who God says we are we are destine to walk in defeat and condemnation.
We are to live each day believing this truth. If we do or say something that touches our conscience, we talk to God about it. We certainly don't try to hide or deny anything. We then leave it with Him, knowing that the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, has already cleansed us from all sin. I have learned a wonderful secret of the kingdom of God and that is, to thank God for what he has DONE not to ask him to forgive that which he has already forgiven, all my sin. If we've offended another, we do what we can to make it better. All the while, we reaffirm what we know to be true! "I am not in the flesh. I am in the Spirit." Simply put, we keep believing. Believing the truth, even when appearances scream at us to the contrary.
Over time, as we hold fast to our belief, we see the truth of our death to sin sprout and grow. And then one day we find that it has grown into a glorious harvest of fulfilled promise. And we praise God, who lives through us and as us on planet earth.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
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