Page 5 - lifeandgrace
P. 5
When we sin in our "members" as Paul says (that is, in our body), it is not our spirit sinning. It is not
coming from this new alive spirit which is connected to Jesus but it is coming from our "members" as
Paul teaches in Romans 5 and 6 but particularly in Romans 7. When Satan whispers to us through "sin
that dwells in us" that is, in our "members" we do not accept that but we take the thought captive unto
Christ to obey Christ. This “sin that dwells in us” is what we were separated from and died to when we
died on the cross with Jesus. It may hang around but we are dead to it and it has no power over us! (Our
old sin nature was alive to this “persona” of sin or let us call it Mr. Sin. Since we were alive to it
originally, it could control us and cause us to sin! But that power is broken and the New Man is not
subject to the demands of this Mr. Sin that dwells in our members as Paul puts it.) Though Satan uses our
thoughts to get at us, it has no power except what we choose to give it. If we give in and assume the evil
thoughts are coming from ourselves, if we begin to follow or carry out those thoughts, sure enough, we
will sin. Actions will follow our reception of the thought life from Satan who wants to see us defeated by
sin.
As we learn to allow Jesus to live out His life through us, we begin to move in God's rest. It is all up
to Him. What God wants is a living sacrifice as He says in Romans 12:1. I need to lay down my life to
Him that He might do as He pleases - Jesus in me, the hope of glory.
Gal 2:20 (RSV) "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."
Col 1:27 (RSV) "To them God chose to make known how great among the
Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory."
The scriptures teach us in (Gal 5:4 RSV) “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified
by the law; you have fallen away from grace." And yet Christians all over the world are taught every
Sunday they must keep rules and laws. “You must obey the laws of God” or the ten commandments or
our denomination’s rules of the Christian life or even rules we make up ourselves like “I must read 5
chapters of scripture every day” or “I must pray at least 15 minutes every day” and on and on. These are
all laws we cannot keep. The scripture abundantly teaches that man is incapable of keeping God’s laws -
any laws! That was the Israelites problem in the wilderness - they said “we can do it” and immediately
proved they could not. The Pharisees said, “We can do it” but failed in even comprehending God’s heart
that was in His law. We teach potential converts that “Jesus loves you just as you are!” But as soon as
they say, “Yes, I believe” we immediately begin to tell them what they must do to be a “good Christian”.
What do we need to be telling a new believer? Just this: “You cannot, you absolutely cannot, live the
Christian life!” If you try, you are doomed to failure. Also, “You cannot, absolutely cannot, keep God’s
laws!” We should tell them: “The only Person who has ever kept God’s laws is the Person who now
lives in you. He can keep God’s laws. And if you let Him, He will keep them in you and through you, as
you. But if you try to keep them on your own - apart from Him living in you, you are doomed to failure!
So start correctly - determined that you will allow Jesus Christ, the Life that is now in you, to live out His
life through you.” It is a matter of giving all over to Him and not a matter of our trying. In all our strength
we cannot keep God’s laws. But there is One within us who loves us and died for us that can do it. We
should tell new believers all of this, and we should certainly believe it and live it ourselves! God’s grace
is sufficient for us if we only allow it to flow in us and through us to His glory.
Paul shows us more than once in Romans 7 that the Law only stirs up sin - it does not reduce it. The
Law was given to show man that he could never keep the laws of God and that man needed God to do it
for him. Instead man has kept on thinking “I can do it - everyone else in the entire world has failed but I
coming from this new alive spirit which is connected to Jesus but it is coming from our "members" as
Paul teaches in Romans 5 and 6 but particularly in Romans 7. When Satan whispers to us through "sin
that dwells in us" that is, in our "members" we do not accept that but we take the thought captive unto
Christ to obey Christ. This “sin that dwells in us” is what we were separated from and died to when we
died on the cross with Jesus. It may hang around but we are dead to it and it has no power over us! (Our
old sin nature was alive to this “persona” of sin or let us call it Mr. Sin. Since we were alive to it
originally, it could control us and cause us to sin! But that power is broken and the New Man is not
subject to the demands of this Mr. Sin that dwells in our members as Paul puts it.) Though Satan uses our
thoughts to get at us, it has no power except what we choose to give it. If we give in and assume the evil
thoughts are coming from ourselves, if we begin to follow or carry out those thoughts, sure enough, we
will sin. Actions will follow our reception of the thought life from Satan who wants to see us defeated by
sin.
As we learn to allow Jesus to live out His life through us, we begin to move in God's rest. It is all up
to Him. What God wants is a living sacrifice as He says in Romans 12:1. I need to lay down my life to
Him that He might do as He pleases - Jesus in me, the hope of glory.
Gal 2:20 (RSV) "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."
Col 1:27 (RSV) "To them God chose to make known how great among the
Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory."
The scriptures teach us in (Gal 5:4 RSV) “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified
by the law; you have fallen away from grace." And yet Christians all over the world are taught every
Sunday they must keep rules and laws. “You must obey the laws of God” or the ten commandments or
our denomination’s rules of the Christian life or even rules we make up ourselves like “I must read 5
chapters of scripture every day” or “I must pray at least 15 minutes every day” and on and on. These are
all laws we cannot keep. The scripture abundantly teaches that man is incapable of keeping God’s laws -
any laws! That was the Israelites problem in the wilderness - they said “we can do it” and immediately
proved they could not. The Pharisees said, “We can do it” but failed in even comprehending God’s heart
that was in His law. We teach potential converts that “Jesus loves you just as you are!” But as soon as
they say, “Yes, I believe” we immediately begin to tell them what they must do to be a “good Christian”.
What do we need to be telling a new believer? Just this: “You cannot, you absolutely cannot, live the
Christian life!” If you try, you are doomed to failure. Also, “You cannot, absolutely cannot, keep God’s
laws!” We should tell them: “The only Person who has ever kept God’s laws is the Person who now
lives in you. He can keep God’s laws. And if you let Him, He will keep them in you and through you, as
you. But if you try to keep them on your own - apart from Him living in you, you are doomed to failure!
So start correctly - determined that you will allow Jesus Christ, the Life that is now in you, to live out His
life through you.” It is a matter of giving all over to Him and not a matter of our trying. In all our strength
we cannot keep God’s laws. But there is One within us who loves us and died for us that can do it. We
should tell new believers all of this, and we should certainly believe it and live it ourselves! God’s grace
is sufficient for us if we only allow it to flow in us and through us to His glory.
Paul shows us more than once in Romans 7 that the Law only stirs up sin - it does not reduce it. The
Law was given to show man that he could never keep the laws of God and that man needed God to do it
for him. Instead man has kept on thinking “I can do it - everyone else in the entire world has failed but I
