There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2 ESV
How does this truth play out in your day-to-day life...? do you feel free...?
I know I struggle... struggle with sin... fear... anxiety... struggle to find peace... wrestle with feelings of guilt... and shame...
What about you...?
But He says... we are free... dead to sin...
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36 ESV
Seems to boil down to a belief issue... or more to the point... unbelief...
Do you believe it...? that you are free...? from the power of sin... and death...?
Is unbelief keeping you from living the resurrected life...? living out what is already yours...?
This has been a theme in my life lately... books... songs... reminding... explaining... what it means to be in Him...
Oh, it is a great thing to see that we are in Christ! Think of the bewilderment of trying to get into a room in which you already are! Think of the absurdity of asking to be put in! If we recognize the fact that we are in, we make no effort to enter. If we had more revelation, we should have fewer prayers and more praises. We spend so much time praying for ourselves just because we are blind to what God has done.
---Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian LifeAre you fighting for what you already have...? blind to what He has done...? in you...? for you...?
Before going to bed the other night... I tried to lock the back door...
The lock had been sticking lately... but I literally could not turn the deadbolt...
I was getting really frustrated...
then I realized... it was already locked...!
A picture for me... of the reality of the frustration... anger... confusion... we face when we try to achieve something that's already been done for us...
All there was for me to do... was accept that the door was locked... and go to bed (wondering if early onset dementia was in my future)...!
How often do we struggle with sin... wondering why God won't answer our prayer... make us more patient... kinder... merciful...? give us power to resist temptation...?
Well... consider... you are already dead to sin... it has no power over you... it does not need to be fought for with your will... and your strength... it's already done...
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:8-11 ESV
The Greek translated as... must consider... is an accounting term... a record keeping term involving debits and credits (Louw-Nida)... so Paul is telling us that we must believe ourselves dead to sin... and alive to God... in the same manner and surety... as we balance our checking accounts...
Believe it with the same acceptance... as I did the locked door...
I suppose I could have kept on struggling with the lock... letting unbelief have its way... but that would be stupid... insane actually...
Perhaps we need to consider... and count on... the promises and truths... He says we have in Him... and stop trying to get something... do something... be something... we already are... if we would just accept it...
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:13-14 ESV
(emphasis added)
Just simply present yourself to Him...
accepting His death... as yours...
accepting His life... as yours...
He doesn't want your effort... or sacrifices... He wants you...
He wants your heart...
Are you willing to give it to Him...? wholly...?
Believe Him wholly... and live free...
And my God will supply every need of yours
according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father be glory forever and ever.
Philippians 4:19-20 ESV
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