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Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned..
I've not met many people, believers or otherwise who would deny their sin nature. The vast majority of people are willing to admit they have made mistakes (just another word for sin). Here we all knew that at one point, and knew that we had to be made right with God, for "the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23) We had to be rescued from our sinfulness that we inherited from Adam. Just as Paul wrote in Romans 5, that was an characteristic/personality trait that we inherited from our father, Adam. When a child is born into the world, we like to look at them and decide whose eyes they have, who's facial features, etc... This is because we all understand the concept of genetic inheritance and that we pass our DNA and personalities and characteristics to our children. This concept in the natural mirrors the concept in the spiritual and that is what Paul describes in Romans 5. Adam sinned and as a result, sin passed from him to all of us, that is our spiritual inheritance. THANKS ADAM! The one who is stuck in this frame of mind will exhibit all the fruits of the flesh as described by Paul in Galatians 5:19-21, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” But this is not a discussion about our fallen nature that we inherited from Adam so let me get to where I'm going here:
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Paul doesn't stop writing after he describes our fallen nature and where it comes from and what results from it. Praise God it didn't end there. You see, when we believed in Christ, we received new birth by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3, 16; John 11:26; Acts 16:31). Born into the family of God, with God Himself becoming our Father (Romans 8:15; Gal 4:5-7). As a result of this process, we become co-heirs with Christ of the inheritance of God (Acts 20:32; Romans 8:17; Gal 4:7; Eph 3:6; 2 Tim 2:12; Titus 3:7; Heb 1:2; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:7). We are literally created brand new by Christ through our faith in Him (2 Cor 5:17). Just as your natural birth resulted in you being born into sin and resulting in condemnation; your spiritual new birth (being born again) results in you receiving the very righteousness of Christ and eternal life. (2 Cor 5:21; John 3:16) So what does this have to do with us outside of another bible post that most here probably already know?
Christians that I have met and known seem to have this one very big problem that I am sure drives Jesus up the wall of New Jerusalem when He hears us talking about it. SIN… When we talk about sin it shows that our minds have been occupied (even if not entirely) with our flesh and our old nature. A nature that we put to death when we believed (Romans 6:1-14) I think Paul brings this out perfectly in Romans 7 when he has an almost amusing conversation with himself about his sin nature and how it came to be. He describes that our sin nature, our flesh, is brought to life through a realization of what the Law says and is. The Law is of course God’s standard of holiness and righteous, something that no one other than Jesus Christ could ever or has ever kept in perfection (Romans 3:10, 23). It is a frame of mind, he said when the commandment came, knowledge of sin came with it for he did not know what coveting was until he heard, Do not covet (Romans 7:7-8). Then he realized just how sinful and dead he was for he knew at that point he could not keep the law for one who keeps the whole law except by one point is guilty of it all (James 2:10). We actually give sin power over us by pondering on it, by dwelling on it, even on its effect on our lives and past. I believe that Paul is describing this almost, for he immediately goes into what our frame of mind should be as believers in Romans 8.
Romans 8:5-8 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
To walk with the Spirit, the first thing we must do is allow Him to dominate our thoughts. If we think on and ponder our sins we allow our flesh to have power over us. Come out of that way of thinking! Thank God for all He has done for you! Let His praise ever be on your lips. Pray always in the Spirit with known and unknown languages (Ps 34; Ps 103; Jude 20; 1 Thes 5:16-18; Phil 4:4)
Colossians 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Some years later when writing to the Colossians Paul reinterates his point to them that we must set our minds, our thoughts on things above, things in the Spirit. Why? Well here he even gives a reason, because we have died (with Christ Gal 2:20). We have died to our sin nature (Romans 6:1-14) and are not to give it any room to breathe and become re-invigorated (Romans 7). Set your mind on things of the Spirit Christian! Do not give your flesh any opportunity for sin! (Gal 5:13; Eph 4:27)
Those who live in accordance with the Spirit, or as the NLT says “those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-18, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Walk, be controlled by the Spirit, and you will NOT satisfy your flesh. Life or death? We choose, it starts with our mind, our thoughts! Let the Spirit control your thoughts, let Him guide your way of thinking. Let love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, and self-control flow out of you as you set you mind upon the heavenly glory that will be revealed in you when Christ returns to this earth.
It starts with a paradigm shift. Perhaps you’ve tried to model your life after Christ but just can’t seem to make it work. Well perhaps, this was meant for you! Sin seems to come at all times, even when we say we don’t want it. But make no mistake about it Christian, we decide to sin, it is not something that just happens. We sin because we take our eyes, our MIND off Christ and upon our fleshly desires, for holiness and sin can NOT cohabitate together. I beg you dear brothers and sisters, if this is you, ask the Holy Spirit to forgive you of allowing your thoughts to be dominated by your flesh and it’s desires. Ask Him then to take control then let Him! As I said, thank God always for His goodness and mercy! Praise Him always and forever! Pray at all times under the Spirit’s promptings in known and unknown languages! See how quickly the Holy Spirit will turn what you thought was a hopeless situation into a glorious exhibition of God’s power! All because you thought He was able.
Oh Holy Spirit, forgive me of setting my mind upon my sinful desires! Wash me thoroughly from my iniquities and forgive my sins. I ask You to do what You were sent for. Remind me of Christ. Remind me that I am righteous in Him and Him alone! Fill me with joy and gladness! Help me set my mind upon You and the things that are above that I have in Christ! Amen.
I've not met many people, believers or otherwise who would deny their sin nature. The vast majority of people are willing to admit they have made mistakes (just another word for sin). Here we all knew that at one point, and knew that we had to be made right with God, for "the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23) We had to be rescued from our sinfulness that we inherited from Adam. Just as Paul wrote in Romans 5, that was an characteristic/personality trait that we inherited from our father, Adam. When a child is born into the world, we like to look at them and decide whose eyes they have, who's facial features, etc... This is because we all understand the concept of genetic inheritance and that we pass our DNA and personalities and characteristics to our children. This concept in the natural mirrors the concept in the spiritual and that is what Paul describes in Romans 5. Adam sinned and as a result, sin passed from him to all of us, that is our spiritual inheritance. THANKS ADAM! The one who is stuck in this frame of mind will exhibit all the fruits of the flesh as described by Paul in Galatians 5:19-21, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” But this is not a discussion about our fallen nature that we inherited from Adam so let me get to where I'm going here:
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Paul doesn't stop writing after he describes our fallen nature and where it comes from and what results from it. Praise God it didn't end there. You see, when we believed in Christ, we received new birth by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3, 16; John 11:26; Acts 16:31). Born into the family of God, with God Himself becoming our Father (Romans 8:15; Gal 4:5-7). As a result of this process, we become co-heirs with Christ of the inheritance of God (Acts 20:32; Romans 8:17; Gal 4:7; Eph 3:6; 2 Tim 2:12; Titus 3:7; Heb 1:2; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:7). We are literally created brand new by Christ through our faith in Him (2 Cor 5:17). Just as your natural birth resulted in you being born into sin and resulting in condemnation; your spiritual new birth (being born again) results in you receiving the very righteousness of Christ and eternal life. (2 Cor 5:21; John 3:16) So what does this have to do with us outside of another bible post that most here probably already know?
Christians that I have met and known seem to have this one very big problem that I am sure drives Jesus up the wall of New Jerusalem when He hears us talking about it. SIN… When we talk about sin it shows that our minds have been occupied (even if not entirely) with our flesh and our old nature. A nature that we put to death when we believed (Romans 6:1-14) I think Paul brings this out perfectly in Romans 7 when he has an almost amusing conversation with himself about his sin nature and how it came to be. He describes that our sin nature, our flesh, is brought to life through a realization of what the Law says and is. The Law is of course God’s standard of holiness and righteous, something that no one other than Jesus Christ could ever or has ever kept in perfection (Romans 3:10, 23). It is a frame of mind, he said when the commandment came, knowledge of sin came with it for he did not know what coveting was until he heard, Do not covet (Romans 7:7-8). Then he realized just how sinful and dead he was for he knew at that point he could not keep the law for one who keeps the whole law except by one point is guilty of it all (James 2:10). We actually give sin power over us by pondering on it, by dwelling on it, even on its effect on our lives and past. I believe that Paul is describing this almost, for he immediately goes into what our frame of mind should be as believers in Romans 8.
Romans 8:5-8 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
To walk with the Spirit, the first thing we must do is allow Him to dominate our thoughts. If we think on and ponder our sins we allow our flesh to have power over us. Come out of that way of thinking! Thank God for all He has done for you! Let His praise ever be on your lips. Pray always in the Spirit with known and unknown languages (Ps 34; Ps 103; Jude 20; 1 Thes 5:16-18; Phil 4:4)
Colossians 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Some years later when writing to the Colossians Paul reinterates his point to them that we must set our minds, our thoughts on things above, things in the Spirit. Why? Well here he even gives a reason, because we have died (with Christ Gal 2:20). We have died to our sin nature (Romans 6:1-14) and are not to give it any room to breathe and become re-invigorated (Romans 7). Set your mind on things of the Spirit Christian! Do not give your flesh any opportunity for sin! (Gal 5:13; Eph 4:27)
Those who live in accordance with the Spirit, or as the NLT says “those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-18, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Walk, be controlled by the Spirit, and you will NOT satisfy your flesh. Life or death? We choose, it starts with our mind, our thoughts! Let the Spirit control your thoughts, let Him guide your way of thinking. Let love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, and self-control flow out of you as you set you mind upon the heavenly glory that will be revealed in you when Christ returns to this earth.
It starts with a paradigm shift. Perhaps you’ve tried to model your life after Christ but just can’t seem to make it work. Well perhaps, this was meant for you! Sin seems to come at all times, even when we say we don’t want it. But make no mistake about it Christian, we decide to sin, it is not something that just happens. We sin because we take our eyes, our MIND off Christ and upon our fleshly desires, for holiness and sin can NOT cohabitate together. I beg you dear brothers and sisters, if this is you, ask the Holy Spirit to forgive you of allowing your thoughts to be dominated by your flesh and it’s desires. Ask Him then to take control then let Him! As I said, thank God always for His goodness and mercy! Praise Him always and forever! Pray at all times under the Spirit’s promptings in known and unknown languages! See how quickly the Holy Spirit will turn what you thought was a hopeless situation into a glorious exhibition of God’s power! All because you thought He was able.
Oh Holy Spirit, forgive me of setting my mind upon my sinful desires! Wash me thoroughly from my iniquities and forgive my sins. I ask You to do what You were sent for. Remind me of Christ. Remind me that I am righteous in Him and Him alone! Fill me with joy and gladness! Help me set my mind upon You and the things that are above that I have in Christ! Amen.
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