When The Man Who Does Dead Works Is Done Away With
2009-01-24 21:53
If we conduct in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, it is dead works, not living works. It is becuase those works belong to the ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan.
It is written, "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:3-8).
For those who partake of flesh and blood, their living itself is sin. Therefore, all those who partake of flesh and blood belong to the devil who holds the power of death through sin. God did not leave it as it is. In order to save his people who are slaves to sin and are held by death, He made His Son share in the same flesh and blood, and forgave them their sins by his blood, and made them cross over from death to life.
It is written, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:14-17).
Because he came in the body of sin into the world and took up the cross to make atonement for the sins of the children who partake of flesh and blood, they also ought to do away with the body of sin by being united in the likeness of his death. Therefore, there is no other way for those, who are by nature children of wrath and fulfill the desires of the flesh and the mind, to be freed from the wrath except crucifying the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Only by this way we can completely be freed from the devil who holds the power of death and become the people of Christ Jesus the author of life.
The children have been set free from sin by his death, and have become slaves to righteousness by their death. It is written, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." (Romans 6:18). If anyone who has been set free from sin has not become a slave to righteousness, it is as if there is the one who makes men holy but there are no men who are made holy. It makes his death in vain.
Therefore, the Bible said, "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, 'I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.' And again, 'I will put my trust in him.' And again he says, 'Here am I, and the children God has given me.'" (Hebrews 2:11-13).
As the Bible says, "In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid," (John 8:17), two deaths united become true death. His death has been fulfilled, but if my death has not been fulfilled, true death to sin has not been completed yet. His death and my death are not two, but one. When I am found dead in him, the sin is finished.
If anyone is waiting for the Lord Jesus to come again into the world, he should do away with the body of sin through death with him in full assuarance of faith. When those who have done away with their old man wait for him, apart from sin, the Lord Jesus will be brought into the world a second time to bring salvation to them. It is written, "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28).
Therefore, when the man who fulfills the desires of the flesh and the mind is done away with, the testimony in the Bible will be fulfilled, "children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:13).
"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24). With the Lord Jesus...Amen. Thank you, Lord.
It is written, "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:3-8).
For those who partake of flesh and blood, their living itself is sin. Therefore, all those who partake of flesh and blood belong to the devil who holds the power of death through sin. God did not leave it as it is. In order to save his people who are slaves to sin and are held by death, He made His Son share in the same flesh and blood, and forgave them their sins by his blood, and made them cross over from death to life.
It is written, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:14-17).
Because he came in the body of sin into the world and took up the cross to make atonement for the sins of the children who partake of flesh and blood, they also ought to do away with the body of sin by being united in the likeness of his death. Therefore, there is no other way for those, who are by nature children of wrath and fulfill the desires of the flesh and the mind, to be freed from the wrath except crucifying the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Only by this way we can completely be freed from the devil who holds the power of death and become the people of Christ Jesus the author of life.
The children have been set free from sin by his death, and have become slaves to righteousness by their death. It is written, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." (Romans 6:18). If anyone who has been set free from sin has not become a slave to righteousness, it is as if there is the one who makes men holy but there are no men who are made holy. It makes his death in vain.
Therefore, the Bible said, "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, 'I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.' And again, 'I will put my trust in him.' And again he says, 'Here am I, and the children God has given me.'" (Hebrews 2:11-13).
As the Bible says, "In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid," (John 8:17), two deaths united become true death. His death has been fulfilled, but if my death has not been fulfilled, true death to sin has not been completed yet. His death and my death are not two, but one. When I am found dead in him, the sin is finished.
If anyone is waiting for the Lord Jesus to come again into the world, he should do away with the body of sin through death with him in full assuarance of faith. When those who have done away with their old man wait for him, apart from sin, the Lord Jesus will be brought into the world a second time to bring salvation to them. It is written, "so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28).
Therefore, when the man who fulfills the desires of the flesh and the mind is done away with, the testimony in the Bible will be fulfilled, "children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:13).
"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24). With the Lord Jesus...Amen. Thank you, Lord.
