God planned from the beginning free choice for man to live life on earth as it is in heaven. However Adam chose to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil and lost his son ship. He became a slave to his affections and was cut off from fellowship with the Father. A curtain was drawn and he was forbidden to eat from the fruit of the tree of life. Thus we too have become bound to the flesh and its desires and find ourselves in a struggle for liberation from the flesh. God provided us with a choice by sending His son Jesus to die for us. He was the sacrificial lamb that was crucified for our sins. This once and for all sacrifice replaced the sacrifice of lambs in the Old Testament. His blood now is available to us much through His resurrection.
Resurrection makes it possible for the blood to continuously cleanse us from all sin and the power of sin. Now we can live a life free from the desires of the flesh. However we have to make a daily choice to avail of the power of the blood. We have to walk in the Spirit and not according to the flesh. The Cross was necessary for the resurrection. No Cross, no resurrection. We too must carry the cross daily to avail of the resurrection power. This power is available now for all who will call on His Name. Here lies the key to abundant living. We have access to a supernatural power that only the saints before the Cross could hope for. God led Israel to Canaan, the promised land. We now are in the land of milk and honey for eternity. Praise God for His salvation that sets us free from sin and death.
3 comments:
"Now we can live a life free from the desires of the flesh". Not really!
Our souls are NOT born again!
The Bible is clear that even though our spirits are born of incorruptible seed, our minds (souls) still need to be purified, that is, cleansed:
1 Peter 1:22-23, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever."
Our spirit is instantly reborn, but the soul is not born again. Our souls are transformed by the renewing of our minds:
Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Ezekiel 36: 26-27
"A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances."
To add on: We are a spirit being, we live in a body and we possess a soul. The real person inside of us is our spirit. Our soul consists of our mind, will and emotions. Our bodies are obviously what we live in while we are here on earth. How did demonic spirits vex and possess (control) people in the Bible? It was through their souls (minds, as in mental illness and insanity), and their bodies (as in the woman who had the spirit of infirmity).
Example of physical (bodily) demonic affliction: Luke 13:11, "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself."
Example of mental (soul) demonic affliction: Matthew 17:15,18, "Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water... And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour."
Thanks Ronny. I agree. However we have the power to overcome sin now that we are in Christ. Whether we do or not is up to us. God has provided us an escape
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