Category: The Amazing New Covenant

Once for All

 

 

 

 

 

Once for All

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 1 Peter 3:18 (NASB)

How important is the phrase “once for all”? I believe it would be safe to say that EVERYTHING hinges upon it. Does that surprise you? If it does, you have not properly understood the nature of the work which Christ accomplished through His death and resurrection.

In a very real sense, the sin in the garden was a “once for all” sin. Adam’s and Eve’s failure to obey God was a one-time event that doomed the entire human race for all time. What some call the “original sin” resulted in the transmittal of a fallen “sin nature” to every human being who would ever be born the natural way. (Jesus is excluded from this list by reason of the virgin birth.) It set in motion a horrendous sequence of events that is still whirling seemingly out of control today. (However, God is still sovereign over his creation.) The evil we see around us, that sometimes seems to strike the most “innocent” at random, is nothing more or less than the result of that original sin reinforced by the additional sins that each of us have added to the mix and augmented by the malevolent interference of the Devil. Since salvation is God’s means of overcoming the power and effects of sin, it stands to reason that what God would eventually do to rescue mankind would also be a “once for all” event.

God is “Other”. By that I mean that He is very different from you and me, even though we are created in His image. He is not bound by time as we now are in many ways. He sees the end from the beginning and “calls those things which be not as though they were”. (Romans 4:17) This amazing merging of history and eternity is revealed in such verses as the following.

And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made. Revelation 13:8 (NLT)

If you are a believer, not only did God choose you before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), His Son was put to death before history ever began as well. There is an eternal reality to things before they ever show up in what we call “history”. History is the playing out of God’s wonderful plan. As Shakespeare is credited with writing:

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts, (As You Like It)

That which is eternal is what is truly important. It might be said that what we do here in the present (the working out of history) is the outworking of the eternal. It also is part of determining our eternity. God is sovereign and we are responsible agents. That which from God’s perspective was accomplished before the foundation of the earth had to take place at a given point in history as well. In the “fullness of time” (God’s appointed time), Jesus was born, lived, was crucified, and rose again.

When Jesus hung upon the cross, some eternal things were taking place that we must acknowledge and believe if we are to fully appreciate and benefit from what God did.

Romans says that when Jesus died, we died. When He rose, we rose. We were placed “in Christ” so that what He experienced and accomplished is now ours. We were and are identified with Christ.

Identification is one of the most important salvation concepts in the Bible. We were not given salvation as much as we were provided a Savior.

We do not receive grace so much as we are now indwelt by the Gracious One. We have not so much been given life as we are filled with the One who is Life Himself. (John 14:6) All the blessings of God are in a Person, and His name is Jesus. (We experience all this via the indwelling Holy Spirit, God’s most amazing gift.)

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)

When Jesus died on that cross, for the believer He took care of every sin that had ever been committed or would ever be committed.

Does this sound too good to be true? Think about it: when the crucifixion took place, the sins of every person who would ever live and come to believe the gospel was still in the future. How could those sins be included in what Jesus did on the cross?

God, in His eternal wisdom, placed every future sin of His people on His Son. Jesus carried that heavy burden to His death. He substituted for us by taking our punishment for us. Substitution is another big concept. Jesus was our Substitute by paying the price for our sin, but we are identified with Him in that we too died.

God accomplished two things on the cross. Jesus died for us, and we died with Him.

His death for us released us from guilt and condemnation. Our death with him released us from the power of sin (Romans 6)  and the Law. (Romans 7:4) When He rose again, we rose with Him, which empowers us to live a new life in the Spirit.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV)

But let’s get back to our main topic for today, the once for all nature of what Jesus did. The Greek language has more verb forms than English. The past tense can be expressed as the imperfect, which is used for repeated past actions, and the aorist, which is used to communicate a one-time occurrence. An example of this would be: “Johnny practiced (imperfect) his driving skills every day with his instructor. Eventually he got (aorist) his license.” What Jesus accomplished on the cross is always expressed in the aorist tense. It was done only once, never to be reenacted. (This is why the Catholic doctrine of the reenactment of Christ’s death in the Mass is so unbiblical.) Here is how the author of Hebrews put it.

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the earthly high priest who enters the Most Holy Place year after year to offer the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, he would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But no! He came once for all time, at the end of the age, to remove the power of sin forever by his sacrificial death for us. Hebrews 9:25-26 (NLT)

In other words, what Jesus did was permanent and eternal.

When we confess our sins and ask forgiveness from God, we tap into that once for all past work of grace on the cross. I hope you can see the significance of this important truth.

Since His death was “once for all” and it took care of the power of sin “forever”, then our salvation is also “once for all”.

Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever. Hebrews 9:12 (NLT)

God permanently transferred us out of the kingdom of darkness into his kingdom of light and life. (Colossians 1:13-14) He caused us to pass from death to life with the result being we will never ever come under condemnation again.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

Christ removed us from the treadmill of needing to “earn” our salvation or right standing with God through our performance and placed us “in Christ,” where the work is finished.

The New Covenant was inaugurated with the death of the substitute covenant breaker, our Lord Jesus, who upfront paid the penalty for our failures. He actually “became” our sins, and, when he rose again, we became the righteousness of God in him.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

When he rose again, all forgiven former covenant breakers entered a right relationship with God and passed from death to life and from darkness to light.

We participated in his death through identification and in his resurrection, too. It is impossible for us to go back into death and “unbecome” a born-again child of God. Christ’s death and resurrection were “once for all” and so is the resultant new birth and justification. We are now “one spirit” with God. (1 Corinthians 6:17) He lives his life in and through us. (Galatians 2:20) Now God is working in us both to “will and to do” of his good pleasure as we cooperate with his grace. (Philippians 2:12-13) This ought to make us shout for joy!

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How to Use Frustration to Our Advantage

Have you ever wondered why God often chose barren women to become mothers of some of the key people in Jewish history? It cannot be mere coincidence. Our Lord is bound to be teaching us something very important. The recurring theme is for a man to marry a woman he dearly loves only to discover she cannot conceive – Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca, Jacob & Rachel,  Elkanah & Hannah. In those days, God allowed men to have more than one wife, which is important to making my point, because it set up a situation in which frustration, jealousy, mocking, and torment came into play. Hagar mocked Sarah, Leah mocked Rachel, and Peninnah did the same to Hannah.

Satan is called the accuser of God’s people. (Revelation 12:10) Our enemy’s weapons against us include lies, intimidation, fear, mockery, and accusation. Since we are all very imperfect people, there is plenty of ammunition for him to use against us. He is not above making up lies to fuel his accusations, too.

In the days when the Old Testament stories were lived out, the ability to have children was supremely important and a measurement of God’s blessing. Conversely, childlessness was viewed with disdain as a sign of God’s judgment. Children are a blessing from the Lord in so many ways. They bring joy and fulfillment to their parents. In Old Testament times, they helped out with the enormous work load around the home and farm. In addition, children were security in old age before there were government programs for the elderly. To be childless was to miss out on all of this. It also opened a couple up to being looked down upon by family, friends, and neighbors. What’s wrong? Why hasn’t God blessed them? Is there sin in their lives?

What made matters worse for many barren women was the presence of another wife who was able to bear children for their husband. The fruitful wife proved the problem did not reside in the husband. It was all the “fault” of the barren wife. This would be difficult enough in itself, but, if the childbearing wife used her own fruitfulness to mock and accuse the barren wife, it could become intolerable, as in the cases of Abraham & Sarah, Jacob & Rachel, and Elkanah & Hannah. Satan is a mocker, and he is always looking for people to speak in his behalf. We should always be alert to the voice of the accuser, no matter who is doing the speaking. Sometimes we even accuse ourselves. Thankfully God is bigger than all of this. (1 John 3:20)

In every case mentioned in this article, the barren wives were dearly beloved by their husbands. This is very important, because fruitlessness is often interpreted as being a sign that God does not love us or has withdrawn his favor from us. Elkanah and Hannah provide the perfect example. Penninah was the fruitful wife. Hannah was the beloved barren wife. Here is what the Bible says about that triangular relationship.

Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the LORD at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. 4  On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. 5  And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the LORD had given her no children. 6  So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children. 7  Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. 8  “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?” 1 Samuel 1:3-8 (NLT)

Being her husband’s beloved was not enough for Hannah. She could not say that her husband rejected her because she did not give him children. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is an important point. There any many many childless wives who are dearly loved by their husbands; nevertheless, their fruitlessness still gnaws at their souls.

There is something inside us that longs to be fruitful. This is true in the natural realm and the spiritual one.

Spiritually we bear children when we give birth to people through the gospel. Every time a person hears and believes the good news, a person is born again into God’s kingdom. When God uses us to be part of that miracle by being the one to act as a sort of midwife in the birthing process, it brings us great joy and fulfillment. If we are not able to lead anyone or very many into a new life in Christ, over time it wears on us, especially if we see others having great success. We begin to ask the same questions Hannah asked. What’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t God help me? Has God turned his back on me? What am I doing wrong?

Peninnah made matters infinitely worse by mocking her rival, just as Hagar mocked Sarah and Leah mocked Rachel.

Those who operate by measuring their own success or failures against the failures or successes of others are called legalists.

The Bible tells us not to measure ourselves by any other standard than Christ; yet, there is an inner drive in us to compare ourselves to others in an attempt to feel better about ourselves. Sometimes it boomerangs, making us feel frustrated. Hannah fell into the trap. She was already feeling horrible, but Peninnah’s mockery threw gas on the fire. It got so bad that Hannah was inconsolable. Fortunately, she knew what to do. She took her frustration to God.

After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10  She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. 11  And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 1 Samuel 1:9-11 (ESV)

In every case mentioned earlier, either the wife or the husband used their frustration over childlessness to turn to God for help. Doing this allows us to progress from frustration to faith.

When things come easily to us, we may undervalue them. The more important a promise is to God’s plan, the greater the wait and the battle.

Take, for example, Abraham, had to wait twenty-five years for God to fulfill his promise to give him a son. In the interim, he grew weary of waiting and attempted to “help” God by resorting to a man-made solution. When we do that, we may end up with an “Ishmael,” an ongoing thorn in the side. For another example, consider David, who had to wait about fifteen years to become king. He went through some very dark and lonely places along the way when he was tempted to “throw in the towel”. Consider Joseph, about whom the Bible says:

The LORD'S promise tested him through fiery trials until his prediction came true. Psalm 105:19 (GW)

Those who fought in the American Revolution on the patriot or rebel side also went through some very dark and trying days. When things were extremely bleak and many were ready to give up, Thomas Paine printed a pamphlet that turned the tide, entitled The American Crisis. These memorable words are found in it.

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

In Abraham’s case, much more was at stake than his having an heir: a nation was being birthed. In Joseph’s situation, his own destiny was not the only thing God had in mind. Rather, the preservation of his chosen people, the line of the Messiah, hung in the balance. And God was going to use Hannah’s frustrated desire to have a son to birth one of the great prophets of Israel, whom God would use to install its first and second kings.

God seems to enjoy bringing his greatest blessings into the world in miraculous ways, against all odds, using very unlikely people whom the world despises and judges to be worthless.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27  Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28  God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29  As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NLT)

So, if you are frustrated and discouraged that promises God made to you look as if they will never come to pass, don’t listen to the mocker and the accuser. Instead, like Hannah, seek the Lord and ask him to give you what you want so much.

But, like Hannah, be prepared to hold on to the fulfillment very loosely, because God may want to use it for his kingdom. If we give away to God that for which we have waited for a long time, he will make it up to us. Hannah gave her long awaited son Samuel to God’s service, and God gave her more children to call her own. Imagine how proud and fulfilled she was to know her son was such an important man!

The point of this article is that we should never give on God’s promises, even if it is not our lot to experience their fulfillment for ourselves.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Hebrews 11:13 (NLT)

Sometimes God wants us to be faithful so that the next generation can experience the fulfillment. Moses got Israel through the wilderness, but Joshua led them into the Promised Land. Abraham fathered one son of promise, but that son would become the father of a multitude culminating in the Messiah. God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled through his descendants. We are in this for the long haul, which may include multiple generations.

We cannot properly measure the value or significance of our lives and ministries. Only God can do that. Ours is to be faithful, possessing a loyalty and steadfastness that comes from being full of faith.

We must not cave to discouragement, frustration, or fear. As Winston Churchill so famously said, “Never, never, never give up!” We must not give up on God’s promises. He is absolutely faithful to his Word. He will never let us down. He prizes faith, especially faith that keeps going when the chips are down. Who knows? God may use us to give birth to another miracle.

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The Cruel Husband

Once there was a very handsome and well-respected man who married a lovely woman with great hopes of having a family. After a few years, the woman was not able to conceive, which made the husband frustrated and angry. He began to accuse his wife of being barren and a great disappointment to him, which hurt her deeply. After several years of childlessness, his frustration turned to bitterness and rage. He began to beat his wife in addition to the verbal abuse and condemnation. She became extremely discouraged and was ready to give up when Jesus paid her a visit. She poured out her heart to him as he patiently listened. When she had finished, he explained that it was not really her fault that she was not able to conceive. Her husband was to blame because he was impotent and had no ability to father a child.

Now the woman was even more distraught. What was she to do? She truly wanted children, but now it seemed that she could never have any. Jesus explained to her that the only way out was through death, since marriage is for life. But her husband was in very good health; so, now she wondered if Jesus wanted her to kill her husband! Then he explained that she was the one who had to die! Well, now she was alarmed and confused. She would rather be alive and childless than dead and childless!

In Romans Chapter 7, Paul used the analogy of marriage to shed light on our relationship with the Law.

Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4 (NASB)

Before our new birth, we were “married” to the Law. The Law is a demanding  and cruel husband, who is always right in pointing out our fruitlessness, but who has absolutely no ability to help us do better. His continual criticisms make life frustrating and painful.

When it comes to being fruitful toward God, the Law is absolutely impotent.

Because of our inherited sin nature, the Law can never produce anything good in us. It only highlights our sinfulness and actually goads us to become more sinful, because the more we try to be “perfect” by using our own resources, the more we fail. In addition, the more the law condemns us and goads us to try harder, the more discouraged and resentful we become, which propels us in a negative direction.

For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Romans 7:5 (NASB)

Our relationship with the husband called the Law can only produce frustration, discouragement, and death; yet, the Law continually condemns our fruitlessness toward God. It is like an impotent husband criticizing his wife for not bearing children to him. It simply cannot happen. That is why our heavenly Father united us with his Son in his death.

When Christ died, so did we, which liberated us from our marriage to the Law.

Before his death, our Lord perfectly satisfied the requirements of the Law. His death also satisfied God’s righteous judgment against us for breaking the Law. Since we were included in Christ’s death and resurrection, we benefit from his perfect righteousness and his perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Now that we have died with Christ, we can be spiritually “married” to Christ without violating God’s righteousness.

Jesus is the perfect “husband” through whom we can now bear fruit to God. This is because his Spirit lives in and through us, causing us both to desire and to do God’s will.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13  for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)

If we in frustration for our apparent lack of fruit toward God turn back to our own efforts to try to make it happen, we have fallen from grace and returned to an impotent husband. How foolish!

For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 (NLT)

Our faith-love relationship with our Lord Jesus via the indwelling Holy Spirit is the only way we will ever bear fruit to God. As we learn to fully trust and obey him, we will see what God can do in and through us.

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The Hidden Message in Jacob’s Deception

Most Christians who know anything about the Bible are probably familiar with the account in Genesis when Jacob stole his brother Esau’s blessing by deceiving his father. (Genesis 27 – I recommend you read this chapter to familiarize yourself with the details.) Jacob has always been one of my favorite characters, not because I think he was a great guy, but because, if God can love and use him, there is hope for us all. He was a deceiver, a conniver, and a schemer. He was not overly courageous, nor a man of great faith; yet, God loved him and made him part of the chain that began with Abraham that launched a nation and ushered in the Messiah and the New Covenant.

What can we learn from Jacob’s deception? Most of what happened was anything but recommended behavior. God had previously spoken to Rebecca (Genesis 25:23) that Jacob would rule over his elder brother, Esau, but Isaac loved Esau better for very human reasons and planned to give him the double portion blessing that ordinarily would go to the elder brother. Apparently Isaac did not highly regard the previous prophecy about Jacob having the rule, maybe because women were not regarded as highly then by many, or maybe Rebecca had not told him, or maybe he did not greatly fear the Lord in this matter, if he did know about it. He went with his natural instincts instead. Rebecca, however, did remember what God had said, and she preferred Jacob over Esau. Instead of quietly approaching her husband to remind him of what God had already spoken, she determined to deceive her husband instead. Perhaps she knew that Isaac would not change his mind. We left in the dark. Regardless, nowhere does the Bible suggest that Rebecca illustrated the kind of behavior we should imitate. Rather, what happened serves as a cautionary tale. The results of her actions split the family apart, but it did accomplish God’s will to bless Jacob. (Romans 8:28 – God works all things together for good.)

One can feel the tension in the air as Jacob brought the delicious meal to his father that his mother had prepared. Since Isaac was blind, he had to rely on his senses of smell, touch, and hearing. Apparently he did not rely heavily on spiritual discernment. The voice was Jacob’s but because he was wearing Esau’s clothing, the deception worked. Despite his misgivings, Isaac gave the younger son the elder brother’s blessing. When Esau found out what happened, he was enraged and determined to kill his brother. So Jacob was sent far away to find a bride and his destiny. He never saw his mother again, but his great adventure had begun. He would one day return a humbled, wealthy, and changed man. Esau got over his rage and they were later reconciled. The story ends well.

One of the basic principles for understanding Scripture is that everything points to Jesus. (Luke 24:27) Such a pivotal story as the one we just summarized tells us much about Jesus and how we receive the blessings of the New Covenant. But the beauty is hidden from plain sight. Paul tells us to “clothe” ourselves with Christ. (Romans 13:14, Ephesians 4:24) Isaiah prophesied that the New Covenant would allow us to don “garments of salvation.” (Isaiah 61:10) The New Covenant reveals that when we put our faith and allegiance in Christ, Father God “imputes” or gives Christ’s right relationship with himself to us. This is called justification. The Spirit of the Son (the Holy Spirit) unites with our spirits, giving us the same relationship with Abba that Jesus has, minus the divinity, or course. (Romans 8:15-16)

In other words, the new birth gives us Christ’s clothes, so to speak. To refer back to the Jacob story, we receive the elder brother’s blessing because we are wearing his clothes. But in our case, the Father is not deceived. It was his plan all along, and Jesus is not resentful, as was Esau. He gladly distributes his never ending blessing.

So the next time you read Genesis 27, keep in mind the rest of the story. And if you have never asked the Father to clothe you with Christ’s righteous clothing, do so now. Do not miss out on the blessing.

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An Important Key for Understanding the New Covenant

The New Covenant is often misunderstood, even by those of us who call ourselves Christians. It is such a radical departure from the Old Covenant that it boggles the imagination. We are so conditioned to think in terms of our performance in relation to the Law’s demands that we often fail to grasp the enormity of the shift the New Covenant brought.

An important key to understanding the New Covenant is the new birth. The New Covenant give us a new identity, which is an unseen internal change, rather than something external that is obvious to the observer and easily measurable.

When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again, he wasn’t being poetic. He shared a fundamental truth related to the New Covenant.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8 (NLT)

The Old Covenant failed because it was fundamentally flawed. (Hebrews 8:7) The Law is perfect, but we are born into this world under the thumb of sin. It was impossible for humans to attain or maintain a right relationship with God through adequately keeping the Law. It always ended up condemning us before God. The best it could do was point us toward our desperate need for a Savior. (Galatians 3:22-24) God’s solution to the problem of human depravity was to provide the absolutely ingenious New Covenant way to be made right with God. This is called a “new and living way.” (Romans 7:6)

The first real clues about the nature of the New Covenant are found in Jeremiah.

“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32  This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33  “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34  And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT)

Later Ezekiel added his prophetic insights.

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, 20  so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20 (NLT)

Both prophets spoke of God’s doing something altogether new and different in his people that would fundamentally alter their behavior by putting a different spirit and heart within them. How could that be done? When Jesus told Nicodemus about the new birth via the Spirit’s work inside a person, the mechanism for this radical change was clarified.

Paul called it a new creation.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

The new thing God has done is the fusion of our Spirit with the Holy Spirit via what Jesus called the new birth. When we are born of the Spirit, we are joined to the Holy Spirit in a radical and unprecedented move by God. (1 Corinthians 6:17) We become sons of God because the Spirit of his Son lives within us!

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5  God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6  And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7  Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7 (NLT)

The innermost part of our being, the spirit, is born anew or recreated in the image of God, being united with God. God’s own life invades ours in the new birth. This is why our hearts now want to do what is right and pleasing to God. Our deepest desires spring from God now. This is a big key to understanding the New Covenant.

At first this may sound too good to be true, and our experience often seems to contradict it. Those of us who have experienced the new birth still battle with sin. How can this be, if our spirits are united with God? Paul dealt with this issue in Romans Chapter 7. After explaining in Chapter 6 that we are now dead to sin due to being united with Christ in his death and resurrection, he goes on to recognize the ongoing problem we still have with sin in the following chapter. The essence of the problem is that, while we have recreated spirits, we also have bodies that are very much part of the sinful old order of things under Adam. These bodies of ours are condemned to die because of the judgment against Adam’s (and our) sin. Jesus will one day resurrect our bodies from the dead and replace them with glorious spiritual bodies that will no longer be subject to sin and death, thus completely ending sin’s reign in our lives.

Until the resurrection, however, we live in the paradox of being dead to sin yet being still pulled by sin. Paul called this the war between the flesh and the spirit.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Galatians 5:16-18 (NLT)

Jesus acknowledged this problem when he told his disciples that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

Paul went a little further in his explanation in Romans Chapter 7.

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15  I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16  But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17  So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:14-17 (NLT)

Even the best intentioned God-fearing believers, such as Paul, battle with sin that originates with the “flesh,” that part of us that is still connected to the mortal body in which we live. Our souls are the result of the spirit being “breathed” into our bodies. (Genesis 2:7) The fusion of a born again spirit with a mortal sin-corrupted body makes us conflicted to say the least.

What Paul is saying in the above passage is that we have a decision to make: will we identify with the new creation part of us or with the “flesh”? Paul chose to say that his true identity was the new man in Christ.

Jesus said much the same thing in John Chapter 8.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:34-36 (NLT)

In his typically mysterious way of speaking that requires us to unpack his words, Jesus said the following:

  • Slavery to sin results from our being a child of the devil, an enslaved descendant of the first Adam.
  • Slaves are not God’s children, only those who are born of the Father.
  • When we are born again, we are set free from slavery to sin because we become new creations whose inward motivation derives from God himself.
  • Therefore, all born again children of God are no longer slaves to sin.

This agrees with Paul’s teaching in Romans 6-8 and John’s first letter, where he wrote the following.

Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 1 John 3:9 (NLT)

In other words, if we are born again, we cannot continue to sin without suffering internal conflict of a major sort. It goes against our fundamental nature now to continue to sin. Yet, we all struggle in some area of our lives because we still live in these bodies.

Paul tells us that now we must learn to live above the downward pull of sin by “walking in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

We are also able to escape the enervating power of condemnation because we realize that sin no longer defines us and the Law does not control us any longer. We have a new identity in Christ that transcends sin’s power to dominate and control and we died to the Law so that it can no longer condemn us. (Romans 7:4)

We are still responsible for the sins we commit, but we are not defined or condemned by them.

God wants us to acknowledge and renounce them without allowing them to tear us down or make us doubt our true identity in Christ. We dare not become careless or flippant about sin, because we have a loving Father who knows how to discipline his wayward children.

The power to rise above the condemning power of the Law is absolutely essential in the process of learning to walk by faith in the Spirit.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)

So the next time you fall for the same old lie and commit some besetting sin, do not beat yourself up or start doubting if you are even saved. If you know that you have put your faith and allegiance in Christ, acknowledge your sin, ask forgiveness, renounce it, and move on, trusting that the Spirit will help us live out of our new identity as God’s child. Claim your God-given freedom from sin by faith. The Bible says that sin will not rule over us. (Romans 6:14) Learn to walk in the freedom and power of the Spirit. Then we will experience all that Christ died to give us, for if the Son sets us free, we are free indeed.

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Please stop trying to be good enough!

One of the most telling stories in the Bible takes place at the death of Jacob. The family was living in Egypt under the protection and care of Joseph, who is second in command there. The brothers, who years earlier had hated, betrayed, and sold Joseph into slavery, were afraid that, now that their father was out of the picture, Joseph would take vengeance on them. They could not imagine that their brother held nothing against them for their previous treachery.

They approached Joseph with a fabricated story begging him to spare their lives on behalf of their father. Here is how Joseph responded.

...And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 21 “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:17–21 (NASB95) —

Joseph’s brothers imagined that he was like them and would be unable to let go of his offense. They did not understand that forgiveness is the complete and utter release of a debt. Nothing remains to be paid or collected. All motivation toward revenge is gone without a trace. The memory and knowledge of what happened remained, but not the offense or any thoughts of revenge.

Many Christians are like those brothers. We have a difficult time releasing others from what they owe us and imagine God is like that, too. I remember when my youngest son, Clark, was about 5 or so. He was sitting on my lap as I explained to him that Jesus did nothing wrong but chose to die for our sins. He took our punishment upon himself so we could go free. He turned to me and asked a most insightful question: “Daddy, does he still like us?”

It is difficult, if not impossible, for us to fathom the depths of the love of God’s Son, who freely laid down his life for his enemies.

We often think that surely we owe him something in return. Surely somehow we can pay back this debt we owe to him! Such thinking is a root of legalism, the attempt to gain or maintain a right relationship with God through self-effort. Legalism cannot produce life. It always ends poorly in anger, discouragement, despair, or self-righteous pride, depending on our personality and how well we think we are doing. It is impossible to be good enough for God. The sooner we give up on this, the better.

Jesus taught a parable that perfectly illustrates this way of thinking. It’s found in Matthew 18:21-35. I encourage you to read it now. You can click on the linked Bible passage to easily do this.

This servant was hopelessly in debt. There was no earthly possibility that he could repay the enormous sum. He begged for more time, thinking that he could actually pull it off, but the master knew that the only way out was to release him from the debt completely, which he did. The servant, however, either did not hear or did not accept the master’s mercy. He still determined to pay back the debt. The human heart dislikes receiving “charity.” We want to earn our way. We want to be “self-made.” That was the sin of Adam and remains the driving force much of our behavior today. Simply put, we want to be God.

It is humbling to realize that we are unable to pay back to God what we owe him.

The wages of sin is death, and unless we die, we still owe God, unless someone else takes our place. Even though the servant was totally absolved of his debt, he did not accept it and began to work hard at collecting all the debts owed to him. He mercilessly threw into prison someone who owed him a small amount, but was unable to pay it. This what we Christians sometimes do. When we don’t really believe God has forgiven us for our impossible sin debt, we take it out on others.

When we are unable to receive God’s mercy, we find it impossible to show the same to others.

If we think we are “pretty good” people, we deceive ourselves into thinking that our offenses are not too bad in the grand scheme of things. Our sense of needing God’s forgiveness is lessened, and our appreciation for the mercy he has shown us is diminished.

Merciless people illustrate their own poverty of understanding.

If we are unable to fully receive God’s mercy, we may become like that servant. He heard the master fully release him, but he could not really hear it. He could not believe it or receive it.

Jesus gave us another clear illustration of this principle. 

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:36–50 (NASB 2020) —

Our recognition of our own poverty in relation to God sets us up to fully receive his mercy. (Matthew 5:3) When we imagine we need little or no mercy from God, our hearts are closed to his amazing offer of complete forgiveness, but when we know we are sinners without a prayer besides God’s mercy, we fully receive it and share it with others.

When we doubt whether God has fully forgiven us, we reveal that we have not truly heard the good news that Jesus completely and irrevocably released us from the debt of sin.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, every sin that we would commit was in the future. God foresaw it all and made provision for it.

By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES ARE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “THIS IS THE COVENANT WHICH I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, DECLARES THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEARTS, AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR MIND,” He then says, 17 “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL NO LONGER REMEMBER.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required. Hebrews 10:10–18 (NASB 2020) —

Many people think that Jesus simply erased our past sins, but maintaining a right relationship with God in the future is still in our hands. What we do from here on out is up to us. This kind of thinking puts us on the treadmill of trying to be good enough. People on that hopeless errand eventually collapse in discouragement, despair, or even anger against God, all because they did not understand or receive the full forgiveness of God when it was offered.

Let me share a couple of verses that have greatly impacted my own heart and helped me escape the lost cause of trying to be good enough.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:8–11 (NASB 2020) —

I hope you have “ears to hear” what this passage says.

  • Jesus died for us before we ever made any move toward God. We were his avowed, inveterate enemies. We were spiritually dead and actually incapable of doing anything to save ourselves. Nothing in us deserved the mercy he showed to us.
  • His death not only provided forgiveness. It also transferred his right standing with God to us. Now we are justified – not guilty. In God’s eyes there is nothing to make him dissatisfied with us.
  • In addition, because of Jesus’ resurrection, we shall be saved by his life. That means that if Jesus lives, so do we. As long as he is alive, we will never die. His well being translates into our well being. His favor with God is our favor with God. Everything he has and is has been given to us. In other words, God’s own Spirit lives inside us, making us authentic children of God with complete access to the Father’s heart and blessings! We have passed from death to life.

Some of us believe that there must be a “but” in there someplace. The gospel cannot possibly be this level of good news. Well, if that is you, I am glad to tell you that you are mistaken. The gospel is far better than people allow themselves to believe, just as the master’s declaration of complete release from debt was too good for the servant to believe, but not too good for the woman who washed his feet with her tears.

Here is another life-changing verse, if you can hear it and receive it.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT) —

If you can believe this one verse, you will be set free. Jesus clearly confirms Paul’s words. We cannot ever again be condemned for our sins. Why? Because once a debt is paid, it cannot be owed any longer. The devil and our own hearts condemn us by deceiving us into believing that God has not truly or completely or irrevocably released us from our debt of sin, but it is a lie.

Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NASB 2020) —

We cannot die because we are already dead. We cannot be condemned because Jesus took our condemnation. When Jesus died, so did we. When he arose, so did we. We cannot go back and undo what he did for us on the cross. Why would we want to do that? The good news is that we have already escaped from the shadowland of legalism and death and have been transported by the Spirit into the wonderful new realm of life in the Son of God. We cannot ever die again!

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” John 11:25–26 (NLT) —

Ask the Lord to help you believe this glorious truth. It will change your life.

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Defining Some Confusing Bible Terms

 

 

 

 

This is the second article in this series. You may wish to read the introduction, if you have not already. Before going further into this topic, establishing the meaning of certain terms is beneficial. Have you ever noticed that we Christians, everyone in fact, use words and concepts regarding which we have very little real understanding? In the church, we sometimes call this way of speaking “Christianese.” We assume everyone who is listening to us understands our meaning, but often it is questionable if we do ourselves. This is especially true regarding the following words and phrases. I hope you will take the time to think through each of these. Understanding the following concepts will enable us to grow in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom regarding the Scripture and our great salvation.

The “old man” – (Greek: palios anthropos)

When God created Adam, he formed his body out of the dirt and breathed life into his spirit.

Then the LORD God formed man (his body) of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath (Hebrew: breath, wind, spirit) of life; and man became a living being (literally: soul). Genesis 2:7 (NASB)

Adam became a living soul or being. I define the soul as being the mind, will, and emotions – what we call the personality. Greek and Hebrew use three distinct words for spirit, soul, and body. In both languages, the word for spirit also means breath or wind. Paul acknowledges this three part construction of humans in 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NASB)

God created us in his image. He is a Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and so are we (spirit, soul, and body). Understanding how God’s great salvation affects each part is necessary to have an excellent understanding.

I have written in more detail about spirit, soul, and body in these three articles.

Before the Fall, Adam’s spirit, body, and the resultant soul were in complete harmony.

Neither sin nor death had entered the world; nevertheless, Adam’s state of moral innocence was no match for the sinful allure of being independent from God and the clever accusation and deception of the enemy. When Adam sinned, his spirit was alienated from God and “died.”

but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." Genesis 2:17 (NASB) 

remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12 (NASB)

Adam’s body also began to die. God placed the death principle into his and, now, our DNA. The telomeres in our strands of DNA get shorter with each cell division, putting a time clock on our physical lives. Death permeated humanity spiritually, physically, and in the personality, or soul. In addition, the entire universe entered into a kind of death spiral, which Paul called “slavery to corruption.” (Romans 8:20-21)

This post-fall-of-man combination of a spirit alienated from God and a body programmed to die resulted in a new version of the soul that was in harmony with sin and deception and fully committed to forsake God and to live a self-directed life, instead of being in submission to and in partnership with God. This fallen spirit-soul-body configuration I call the “old man.”

Adam passed down this sinful combination of spirit, soul, and body to all his descendants. The “old man” we all inherit at conception is naturally inclined toward evil. The essential element of the “old man” is the alienated spirit. It is the driving force behind sin.

People who have never been born again (and have their spirits regenerated through the operation of the Holy Spirit) can only experience human life through the “old man.”

The “old man” is incapable of being reformed or rehabilitated, because the core problem is an alienated spirit. It has to be put to death and replaced with what the Bible calls  the “new man.” This is precisely what God did through Christ on the cross over 2000 years ago.

We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6 (NET1)
 

The “new man” – (Greek: kainos anthropos)

When a person is born again, God regenerates the spirit, the innermost being, which previously had been alienated from God and spiritually dead.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6 (NASB)

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5 (NASB)

This supernatural rebirth causes people to become new creatures spiritually.

The driving force of the “old man,” the alienated spirit, is replaced with a regenerated, reborn spirit which is in complete harmony with God.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB) 

and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image — in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. Ephesians 4:24 (NET1)

God’s Spirit becomes one with our spirit, fusing God’s life to ours in the innermost part of our being.

The “new spirit” or “new heart,” which was promised by the prophets, is the result of a supernatural union of the human and the divine in the spirit.

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NASB)

"I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me. Galatians 2:20 (NASB) 

"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NASB) 

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.Romans 8:10 (NASB)

The “new man,” as I understand the scriptures, is the combination of the recreated spirit (“inner man” – Greek: eso anthropos), which resides in every believer, with the pre-resurrection Adamic body (“members of my body”), which is still largely influenced by the fall of man.

The regenerated spirit’s desires are in complete harmony with God’s will, but the residual pull of sin remains associated with the pre-resurrected body.

I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23  but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7:21-23 (NASB)

The “inner man” or recreated spirit is the source of the believer’s new identity in Christ.

Eventually, at his Second Coming, Jesus will raise our Adamic bodies from the dead, completing our salvation; but for now we only have the “down payment” of the new birth and our union with the indwelling Spirit, which serves as “earnest money” guaranteeing that God will eventually fulfill his promise to fully redeem us – spirit, soul, and body.

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14  who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB)

The soul in this “in between time” – the period between the new birth and the resurrection – is being transformed or sanctified (made holy or set apart to God) by the Spirit of grace on a daily basis as we choose to believe the truth (the renewing of the mind) and “walk in the Spirit” – live in dependence, harmony, and obedience to God’s Spirit who indwells us.

But you did not learn about Christ like this, 21  if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. 22  You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, 23  to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24  and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image — in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. Ephesians 4:20-24 (NET1)

The challenge for us followers of Christ is to identify with Christ’s Spirit, who indwells and is in union with the “inner man,” and realize that the Holy Spirit empowers us to  live above the downward pull of the Adamic body of death, which is called the “flesh.”

 The “flesh” (Greek: sarx)

The flesh is the sinful pull still present in the born again person’s soul, which is connected to the old Adamic order through the body, which has not yet been fully redeemed through the resurrection.

Until then, we are “saved in hope,” which means we are still waiting confidently for the last installment of our great salvation.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24  For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:22-25 (NASB)

As I wrote before, a born again person is the combination of a new justified spirit (the “inner man”) and a body, which is still linked to the old order of the first Adam.

Until the resurrection, when our bodies are renewed and fully redeemed, believers experience a bipolarity in their souls, a warfare between flesh and spirit.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Galatians 5:16-17 (NASB) 

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15  For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16  But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17  So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19  For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20  But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21  I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23  but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7:14-23 (NASB)

Being “saved in hope” means we are completely and firmly confident (Greek: hope – elpis) that God will fulfill his promise to raise us from the dead, which will lift us out of our current conflicted state and make us whole again by transforming the Adamic body into something radically new and unaffected by sin and death.

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54  But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" 56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57  but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 15:52-57 (NASB)

After the resurrection, we will no longer have a struggle between that which is connected to Adam (the “flesh”) and that which is reborn by God, since there once again will be complete harmony between spirit and body, but this time oriented fully toward God.

In the present however, the “flesh” is the source of spiritual weakness.

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Romans 6:19 (NASB)

Even though all believers have “flesh,” we are not ruled by it so that we must live “in the flesh,” which means under the domination of sin.

For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Romans 7:5 (NASB)

Walking in the Spirit means we set our minds on God’s truth – the things of the Spirit. When we do this, the power of God enables us to walk in freedom from the downward pull of sin.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4  so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5  For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7  because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8  and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:1-8 (NASB)

Walking in the Spirit is called “putting on Christ,” an act of faith by which we choose to identify with the regenerated “inner man” and rely on the indwelling life of God’s Spirit to give us victory over sin.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13:14 (NASB)

Even though, the old man (See above.)  has already been crucified with Christ, the flesh must be crucified or put to death by us on a daily basis. This is equivalent to what Jesus called denying ourselves.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25 (NASB)

To conclude, our great salvation has past, present, and future components. Jesus accomplished our justification, making us perfectly right with God, when he died and rose again. This was a once for all past event. In the future, we confidently expect God to raise us from the dead, fulfilling his promise and completing our salvation. In the present, we are engaged in an ongoing process called sanctification or transformation, in which we cooperate with the Holy Spirit through belief of the truth and surrendered obedience.

God is changing us day by day into Christ’s image in how we think, speak, and act. Living in the present requires us to draw upon the eternal truth of justification and lock into the hope of the resurrection. It requires us to walk by faith in Christ’s finished work while dealing with the unfinished business of still living in a pre-resurrection Adamic body. It leaves us in a “conflicted” state that necessitates us to keep our eyes firmly upon Christ and his promises.

The “body of sin” – (Greek: soma tes hamartias)

We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6 (NET1)

This term is more or less synonymous with “flesh.” The body is not evil, but before the resurrection it is linked to Adam’s fall and is an instrument through which we sin.

We can say that the “flesh” is derived from the “body of sin,” since it will only be present as long as these fleshly bodies are still alive. Once the body dies and is resurrected, it will no longer be a “body of sin,” and the “flesh” will disappear.

The “body of sin” participated in Christ’s crucifixion in the sense that we were spiritually identified with (or “in”) Christ when he died and rose again. Obviously our human bodies were not crucified, only the spiritual component. What this accomplished was the nullification of sin’s power or right to enslave us.

We can still choose to sin, but those who died with Christ now have the authority and power to walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh.

The “body of sin” or the related “flesh” was not annihilated at the cross. It was rendered ineffective in its power to rule us. We can let it dominate us, but we do not have to submit to it. In fact, now it is against our inmost being, nature, and identity in Christ to do so.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body (Greek: thneto somati) that you obey its lusts, 13  and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14  For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14 (NASB)
 

The “body of death” – (Greek: somatos tou thanatou)

This term is synonymous with “body of sin,” but emphasizes the pre-resurrected body’s connection with death through Adam’s sin.

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25 (NASB)
 

The “body of flesh” – (Greek: somatos tes sarkos)

and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Colossians 2:11-12 (NASB)

This term is synonymous with “body of sin” and “body of death.”

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5  Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6  For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7  and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8  But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9  Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11  a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:1-11 (NASB)

By faith we understand that the power of the flesh, the sinful tug of the pre-resurrected Adamic body, has been stripped of its power to rule us. As long as we “walk in the Spirit” by faith in Christ’s finished work and in cooperation with the Spirit’s ever present power indwelling us, we are able to live above the downward pull of sin. This is a daily, even moment by moment, interaction with God’s grace.

Conclusion

My purpose in this article is to provide clarity to some potentially confusing terms. Some may disagree with my definitions, which are an attempt to better understand a mystery. Perhaps God has given you a better understanding than I have. In that case, I hope you will share your insights with me. The important thing is for us to believe what the Bible teaches. We never want to nullify the Word of God just because it has not yet been our experience or is difficult to comprehend. To the degree that what I have written helps our faith, I will consider that I have been successful. Now we can move on to applying these marvelous truths.

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Are you prepared to experience something beyond comprehension?

When Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, he taught us a very important truth about God. He often saves the best until last. It was true at creation, and it is certainly true regarding our great salvation.

You may think that having our sins forgiven is better than anything else, but you would be wrong. The forgiveness of sins is a means to a greater end.

Jesus fulfilled three ministries during his time on earth. He died as the Lamb of God to provide us with all the things associated with that ministry: forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship. (If you do not know the difference between those words, I suggest you read my articles on the subject.) All those glorious aspects of the Lamb of God ministry are absolutely wonderful and necessary if we are to enjoy God and be with him forever, but they are not the end all.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he did so as the glorious and powerful Son of God, Lord of Lords, and Messianic King of Israel. (Romans 1:4)

Christ’s resurrection confirmed the efficacy of the Lamb of God ministry and introduced the means for us to obtain our great salvation, which is putting our faith and allegiance in the risen one. (Romans 10:9)

Through faith in and obedience to our risen Lord, we gain all the benefits of the Lamb of God ministry.

Thirdly, when Jesus ascended into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God the Father, as Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and Lord of the Harvest, he poured out his Holy Spirit upon the church to enable her to fulfill the Great Commission and partner with him in his great harvest and disciple making mission and adventure. Being God’s partner in this huge endeavor is perhaps even more exciting than getting saved, but, alas, many in the church have no clue, having succumbed to the temptation of “forting up” in the local church, celebrating what God has done for us instead of going into all the world to spread the good news.

Fourthly, and this one has not yet happened, Jesus will one day return as the glorious Son of Man prophesied in Daniel 7 to judge the living and the dead and install his eternal kingdom here on earth.

Participation in Christ’s eternal rule will no doubt be the most glorious aspect of our great salvation. We cannot even comprehend as yet regarding the glories God has reserved for those who believe and receive all that Christ died to give us. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

If we are convinced that Jesus saved us from our sins, we should be even more convinced that he will save us from the wrath of God that will be poured out upon those who reject God’s fabulous offer in the Gospel at the Second Coming. As Paul put it, we have been appointed to salvation, not wrath. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:8-10 (NASB)

This is what Jesus meant in John 5:24 when he taught that those who believe in him have already passed from death to life and will never be condemned. We have this directly from the lips of the glorious Son of Man who will be our judge. I rejoice in that. Don’t you? Now, let’s be about fulfilling the Great Commission!

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Eternal Life Is a Person

This is what the LORD says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them. Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel and assign it to its own people again. Isaiah 49:8 (NLT)

There is a humorous adage that, if a student answers “Jesus” to most any Sunday School question, he or she will usually be right. That is because Jesus is the focus or goal of the entire Bible. Everything points to him in the Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27), and all of mankind’s history that is still unfolding is pointing to his soon return in glory. Not only is he the goal of all history, since it is “his story,” Jesus is the means by which God accomplishes his will. In other words, Jesus is the end all and be all of all. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 21:6) , the beginning and the end, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer of mankind (Hebrews 1:1-3), and the goal of all things. (Colossians 1:16)

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Romans 11:36 (NLT)

Paul wrote that his glorious responsibility before God and to the disciples was to preach and teach what he called the “unfathomable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)

Unfortunately, many people, even Bible believing disciples, think that Jesus merely provided the means for us to be forgiven by paying the price for our sins, giving us a “fresh, clean slate” in life. It is true that the offering of his body upon the cross as the Lamb of God paid for our sins, but Jesus did so much more than that! He also restored us to a right relationship with his heavenly Father, birthing us spiritually into God’s eternal family, thereby providing us with the indwelling Holy Spirit and the eternal life that resides in him. Jesus’ resurrection conquered death, disease, demons, and everything else that tries to hold people in slavery. We have the promise of reigning with him at God’s right hand forever, too. Salvation is far greater and more extensive than most people dare to imagine!

The reason all this is possible and true is because Jesus did not simply provide these things: he is these things for us. He is the covenant.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he conquered Satan and all his dominion. Everything connected with sin, Satan, and death was defeated.

All those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ the Lord participate in that victory for themselves, based on the FACT that we were and are “in Christ,” making everything that is true for him true for us, too.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)

May God open our eyes to the reality of everything that God the Father has given us in his Son, who is the New Covenant! May we stop thinking of God as being somewhere “out there” looking at us and realize that he dwells within every believer by means of his glorious Spirit.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NASB)

And since God’s life dwells within us, it is not something that comes and goes. Jesus promised that his Spirit would be with us forever. (John 14:16-17) That is why we have eternal life if we trust in Christ. Ask yourself, “How long does eternal life last?” The answer, of course, is as long as God’s Spirit lasts, which is forever. We are as secure as the promises of God. As long as God lives, so do we. And the Judge of all mankind has promised those who trust in him that they will never, ever be condemned! (John 5:24) Chew on that for a while. That should make your day and your eternity.

Now I hope you see why I entitled this article the way I did.

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 (NASB)

 

Prayer

Holy Spirit, please open my spiritual eyes and heart to perceive and believe in all the glorious riches Father has given to me in Christ. Father, thank you for making me complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28), lacking no good thing (2 Peter 1:3). Help me now to live up to my high calling in Christ and tell others about your amazing gift to all who will believe and receive. Amen

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Can you perceive the new thing God is doing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)

Some wise person once said that the enemy of the new thing God is doing is the beneficiary of the last move of God. Jesus said the same thing using the analogy of wineskins.

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38  But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39  And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” Luke 5:37-39 (ESV)

Human pride is at the root of this phenomenon. We cannot imagine God doing something different than what we have experienced. We tend to limit God by what we have known. May God’s Spirit open our hearts to new possibilities.

God is doing something new on the earth and in our nation. We have watched Satan and his servants unfold their plot to destroy America using deception, intimidation, and the familiar trio of stealing, killing, and destroying. Many in the Body of Christ cannot imagine something different, being convinced that we are under God’s judgment for our many sins. But what if the time of reaping judgment is ending? What if God is about to do something new and altogether different? What if God is preparing to bring down the strongholds of darkness in this nation and globally, bringing evil to justice? Would we perceive it? Would we believe it? Could we receive it?

After three years of no rain, Elijah the prophet informed the wicked King Ahab that judgment was ending and rain was on the way. It had not rained in so long that many could not believe that it would. Elijah prayed fervently until he saw the first puff of a cloud. That was all it took for him because he believed what he perceived. He expected the blessing. He knew that rain was on the way.

Many in this country have been praying fervently for God to save our nation from the evil that currently holds sway. Help is on the way. God is doing something new. Now it is appearing, even if faintly at this point. Can you see it? Can you believe it? Will you receive it?

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