If I were to ask you what you believed to be the #1 priority of someone coming to Christ, what would your answer be? Most of us (including myself up until about 2 weeks ago) would say forgiveness. While forgiveness is one of the great benefits and aspects to the Spirit life, I do not believe that forgiveness was priority #1 for God sending Jesus into this world. Well if it wasn't forgiveness then what was it? I'm glad you asked! I'm going to use various scriptures to unpack this topic.
Ephesians 2:1-2 says, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now in the sons of disobedience."
So, Paul tells us that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. So what does the word "dead" imply? I think that the word "dead" can be closely associated with the word "death". As in, not alive. So then, we were dead in our trespasses, which implies that while we were sinners, we were dead. Right? Right.
Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
I have been crucified with Christ. What does that mean? Were we literally, physically hanging on the cross with Christ as He was breathing His last breath 2000 years ago? Of course not. That doesn't make any sense. But He says, "I have been crucified with Christ." What does it mean? Our sinful nature. Who we were before we came to Christ, has been crucified with Christ on the cross. Romans 6:6 talks of this. "We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin." So this old self that we were was crucified with Christ on the cross. Now, let me ask you a question. What is the purpose for crucifixion? I don't think the Romans were in the business of putting people on the cross to weaken them. Crucifixion was good for one thing and one thing only. Death. So if our old self was crucified with Christ on the cross then what does that mean about the old nature? It be dead!
So when we were walking in the old nature we were walking in a state of spiritual death. We were not dead physically no, but we were most definitely dead spiritually. In the garden God tells Adam and Eve, "Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat from it, you shall SURELY DIE." Did Adam and Eve die physically? No. But they were cut off from God spiritually. So when we were sinners, and we were associated with the old man and his nature, we were dead.
When we come to a knowledge of Christ and an understanding that we are sinners and we are destined for hell if we don't accept His grace gift, we are raised up from the dead and resurrected as a NEW CREATION. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."-2 Corinthians 5:17
If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation. We are not the old dirty creation re-created and re-formed into a new being of like kind. We are a completely new creation outside of the way we used to be. We are a totally new creature. We are now associated with incorruptible seed and we are sanctified and righteous already because Christ has made us that way! AMEN!
Now, I said all that to say this. Is the #1 priority of a sinner forgiveness? Forgiveness is a great thing and it is part of the package of salvation. Don't get me wrong. Forgiveness is very integral to our beginning in life with Christ. But, when Christ died on the cross, He was dying for every sin committed past, present, and future. He bore the entirety of our sinful nature on the cross. He took care of EVERY sin that has EVER been committed when He said, "It is finished!" So then, if Christ died for all sin, one time, and took care of the penalty, then forgiveness has already been given. For the worst crime ever committed, to you cheating on that test when you were in the 8th grade. All we have to do to receive forgiveness is just that. Receive it. It is there and has already been done.
Let me ask you something. Does a dead man need forgiveness? Does forgiveness do any good to someone who is dead? I can forgive a dead man all day and it does nothing to or for him. Jesus came into this world to restore LIFE to a DEAD world! Our #1 need at salvation was resurrection! We needed life, because we were dead in our trespasses and sins! Christ did not come merely to forgive a fallen world for the sins they had committed against Him. "Thus it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living being, the last Adam became a life giving spirit."-1 Corinthians 15:45 When Adam was given breath in the garden he became a living being. He wasn't capable of giving life to anything else. Jesus, the last Adam, became a life giving spirit when He was resurrected from the dead. He is in the giving life business now. He wants to see your life resurrected from the dead! In fact He already HAS resurrected your life from the dead! You just have to receive the life that He has given you!
So, we have resurrection life living inside of us because Jesus is living inside of us by way of the Holy Spirit. So it is our identity to walk through life the way that Jesus walked through life! I will address more of this in my next blog. We will tackle the issue of identity crisis inside of the walk with Christ. Until then, be blessed and spread Jesus' love to someone today!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Where the Spirit of the Lord is...
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. That is quoted from 2 Corinthians 3:17. Do you believe it? Do you REALLY believe it? How much of our understanding of "freedom" comes from our limited knowledge based off of our experience? There have been a lot of things in my life that have held me captive. I have been bound by a few different things, and I felt like I would never find this "freedom" that people talk about. I was quantifying freedom with my experience. I may stretch some of you in this blog. I hope I do. I want to see us go deeper and further with God than we ever have.
So freedom. What is it? What does it look like? How do we find it? The dictionary defines freedom as the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint. So we can define it. Freedom is basically just the state of being free. Without bondage. Without walls. So, being spiritually free means that we are completely free from the control or bondage of what the enemy wants us to be under. How many of you believe that is your reality currently? Do you truly believe that Christ wants you to be free? I have great news for you today! If you understand what Christ says about who you are, then you will experience freedom in a way you never have before. I know that I want that!
In Acts 2 something happened that had never happened in the history of the world. God sent His Spirit to dwell inside of man forever. That was huge. When the dispensation (pouring out) of the Holy Spirit happened, it was an incredible thing. So much so, that the people believed that the disciples were drunk. They had never seen anything like this before. Sure, there were people all throughout the bible that the Holy Spirit came upON, but never before had the Holy Spirit come to live withIN! This is great news! 1 Corinthians 3:16 says that we ARE the temple of the Holy Spirit. Friend, YOU, if you have said "Yes." to the finished work of the cross and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, YOU are the dwelling place of the Most High! That's shouting ground right there!
A perfect and Holy God chooses to come and dwell inside of us! What does that say about you and me? Can Holiness dwell with unholiness? Can perfection dwell inside of imperfection? Can new wine be poured into old wine skins? NO! You and I ARE holy, we ARE made perfect, and we HAVE BEEN made new! These things that we strive for, long for, fight for, and die for are already ours! They are inside of us already! Victory is not some far off magical thing that only spiritual "Superstars" gain access to. Victory is in our midst. Victory is inside you and it is inside of me.
Once we understand fully who Jesus has made us to be, we will stop struggling to overcome these things that have us so bound! We won't have to fight because the fight has already been won! The nails in the coffin of the enemy were nailed into Jesus' hands and feet! He has made us victorious! He has made us free! He speaks of His destiny when He goes to the temple and opens the scroll of Isaiah and reads Chapter 61. Behold the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Jesus was anointed and purposed to set captives free. So why do we struggle with being free? Why do we continually fight this battle? Because friends, we do not realize who we are!
When we accepted this free gift of grace and came into communion with Christ, did we have to do anything to gain it? No! We came into it because we COULD NOT do anything to earn it! See before Jesus came into this world and changed the game forever, God's people were bound by the law. This thing that was supposed to show them who God was, was something that they absolutely could not accomplish. The law demands personal perpetual perfection. You know what that means? We are ALL disqualified. Then this man, Jesus came into the world and fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law ON OUR BEHALF! We have liberty and freedom through our crucified and risen Lord!
1 John 4:17 tells us that we can stand boldly on the day of judgement...why? Because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE in this world. That is a NOW word. That isn't a verse speaking of some future idea and future identity. If we have accepted the finished work of Christ on the cross, then when God looks at you and me, He doesn't see some dirty, unholy sinner who couldn't hack it. He sees you and me exactly as He sees His boy Jesus!
Friends, when this becomes more than just an idea in our head and we actually start walking like who we truly are...this world can not stay the same. There's a story in Acts about how Peter would walk down the street and his SHADOW would heal people. Are you KIDDING me?!?! His shadow? He didn't even have to say anything? What?!?! You wanna know why? Because Peter finally understood who he was. We can have boldness in the day of judgement, not because of anything that we've done, but because of who Jesus has made us to be. You and I are new creations. The word new is a word that means of a different nature. We aren't the same person remade. We are a completely new being altogether.
So, where the Spirit of the Lord is...there is freedom. Do you believe it? This is the last thing I want to show you. If we are the tabernacle of God, and His Spirit dwells inside of us, then what does that mean? You. Are. Freedom. If the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of you and me, then that same POWER is inside of us! We just have to catch the understanding that we are not just some dirty filthy sinner who has their ticket to heaven punched. We can't place our identity in our weakness and in our struggle, but in the power that is inside of us and the victory that God has already placed in our lives! Friends, you are not defined by who you used to be. You are not defined by what you do or do not do. You are defined by what God did! Jesus said "It is finished." Let's start believing, living, and walking that way. Amen?
So, I understand that this is a lot to take in. I am still trying to understand and figure this whole thing out, but I know that the freedom I am experiencing now is greater than any other time in my life. When we live our lives out of the power that Christ has given us, then life ceases to be a struggle and we can just walk through in peace and rest. Yes, I know that we will still stumble and we will still make mistakes...but those mistakes and struggles do not define us. We need to start allowing Jesus to define us, instead of letting our sins define us. As we put our faith, life, and trust in Jesus, these things that we battle will fall away. To quote the band Audio Adrenaline, "If I keep my eyes on Jesus, I can walk on water." So walk in freedom. Proclaim the freedom and liberty over yourself! Claim the identity that Jesus has given you. You are no longer a slave to sin. You are a slave to righteousness. And You! Are! Free!
So freedom. What is it? What does it look like? How do we find it? The dictionary defines freedom as the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint. So we can define it. Freedom is basically just the state of being free. Without bondage. Without walls. So, being spiritually free means that we are completely free from the control or bondage of what the enemy wants us to be under. How many of you believe that is your reality currently? Do you truly believe that Christ wants you to be free? I have great news for you today! If you understand what Christ says about who you are, then you will experience freedom in a way you never have before. I know that I want that!
In Acts 2 something happened that had never happened in the history of the world. God sent His Spirit to dwell inside of man forever. That was huge. When the dispensation (pouring out) of the Holy Spirit happened, it was an incredible thing. So much so, that the people believed that the disciples were drunk. They had never seen anything like this before. Sure, there were people all throughout the bible that the Holy Spirit came upON, but never before had the Holy Spirit come to live withIN! This is great news! 1 Corinthians 3:16 says that we ARE the temple of the Holy Spirit. Friend, YOU, if you have said "Yes." to the finished work of the cross and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, YOU are the dwelling place of the Most High! That's shouting ground right there!
A perfect and Holy God chooses to come and dwell inside of us! What does that say about you and me? Can Holiness dwell with unholiness? Can perfection dwell inside of imperfection? Can new wine be poured into old wine skins? NO! You and I ARE holy, we ARE made perfect, and we HAVE BEEN made new! These things that we strive for, long for, fight for, and die for are already ours! They are inside of us already! Victory is not some far off magical thing that only spiritual "Superstars" gain access to. Victory is in our midst. Victory is inside you and it is inside of me.
Once we understand fully who Jesus has made us to be, we will stop struggling to overcome these things that have us so bound! We won't have to fight because the fight has already been won! The nails in the coffin of the enemy were nailed into Jesus' hands and feet! He has made us victorious! He has made us free! He speaks of His destiny when He goes to the temple and opens the scroll of Isaiah and reads Chapter 61. Behold the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Jesus was anointed and purposed to set captives free. So why do we struggle with being free? Why do we continually fight this battle? Because friends, we do not realize who we are!
When we accepted this free gift of grace and came into communion with Christ, did we have to do anything to gain it? No! We came into it because we COULD NOT do anything to earn it! See before Jesus came into this world and changed the game forever, God's people were bound by the law. This thing that was supposed to show them who God was, was something that they absolutely could not accomplish. The law demands personal perpetual perfection. You know what that means? We are ALL disqualified. Then this man, Jesus came into the world and fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law ON OUR BEHALF! We have liberty and freedom through our crucified and risen Lord!
1 John 4:17 tells us that we can stand boldly on the day of judgement...why? Because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE in this world. That is a NOW word. That isn't a verse speaking of some future idea and future identity. If we have accepted the finished work of Christ on the cross, then when God looks at you and me, He doesn't see some dirty, unholy sinner who couldn't hack it. He sees you and me exactly as He sees His boy Jesus!
Friends, when this becomes more than just an idea in our head and we actually start walking like who we truly are...this world can not stay the same. There's a story in Acts about how Peter would walk down the street and his SHADOW would heal people. Are you KIDDING me?!?! His shadow? He didn't even have to say anything? What?!?! You wanna know why? Because Peter finally understood who he was. We can have boldness in the day of judgement, not because of anything that we've done, but because of who Jesus has made us to be. You and I are new creations. The word new is a word that means of a different nature. We aren't the same person remade. We are a completely new being altogether.
So, where the Spirit of the Lord is...there is freedom. Do you believe it? This is the last thing I want to show you. If we are the tabernacle of God, and His Spirit dwells inside of us, then what does that mean? You. Are. Freedom. If the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of you and me, then that same POWER is inside of us! We just have to catch the understanding that we are not just some dirty filthy sinner who has their ticket to heaven punched. We can't place our identity in our weakness and in our struggle, but in the power that is inside of us and the victory that God has already placed in our lives! Friends, you are not defined by who you used to be. You are not defined by what you do or do not do. You are defined by what God did! Jesus said "It is finished." Let's start believing, living, and walking that way. Amen?
So, I understand that this is a lot to take in. I am still trying to understand and figure this whole thing out, but I know that the freedom I am experiencing now is greater than any other time in my life. When we live our lives out of the power that Christ has given us, then life ceases to be a struggle and we can just walk through in peace and rest. Yes, I know that we will still stumble and we will still make mistakes...but those mistakes and struggles do not define us. We need to start allowing Jesus to define us, instead of letting our sins define us. As we put our faith, life, and trust in Jesus, these things that we battle will fall away. To quote the band Audio Adrenaline, "If I keep my eyes on Jesus, I can walk on water." So walk in freedom. Proclaim the freedom and liberty over yourself! Claim the identity that Jesus has given you. You are no longer a slave to sin. You are a slave to righteousness. And You! Are! Free!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)