In our last post, we discovered that there is a vast difference between sin (an action), and having a sin-nature (a condition or state of being).
We learned that Adam and Eve’s original sin (their act of willful disobedience and rebellion against God) separated them from the life of God. And because they were no longer connected to Him, they both died spiritually.
This is confirmed in the warning God gave Adam prior to their disobedience:
¹⁶ “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’ ” (Genesis 2:16-17)
God warned that they would surely die in the same day they ate of the fruit, yet Adam lived another 930 years after his fall. We don’t know exactly how long Eve lived, but she must have lived about as long as Adam since the Bible says she had “other sons and daughters” after Cain, Abel, and Seth.
So God warned that they would die on the same date they ate the fruit, yet they lived many, many more years. So what’s up with that?
It’s simple. Adam and Eve did indeed die on the same day they ate the fruit. They died spiritually. They were cut off (separated) from God’s life by their sin.
Adam’s physical death was delayed for almost a thousand years, but he and Eve lived out their lives as creatures who were physically alive, but spiritually dead.
Their spiritual nature was radically altered from a “son-nature” to a “sin-nature”. This sin-nature gave them not only the capacity to sin, but the inclination and desire to sin, continually, and compulsively.
And the most tragic consequence was this: their corrupted sin-nature began to be passed down to every successive generation, so that we read in Romans 3:23: “…for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
JESUS CHANGED EVERYTHING!
So spiritual-death was the condition of the entire human race for thousands of years, until the substitutionary sacrifice and glorious resurrection of Jesus, who declared in His revelation to the Apostle John on the island of Patmos:
¹⁷ “… I am the First and the Last [absolute Deity, the Son of God, and the Ever-living One, living in and beyond all time and space].
¹⁸ I died, but… I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys… absolute control and victory over death and of Hades…”
(Revelation 1:17-18, Amplified Bible)
At last! The sin-nature and spiritual-death were absolutely conquered, once and for all, by Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection! And we are connected to His victory and His eternal life through faith!
That’s why the next verse after Romans 3:23
goes on to say, “…being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:24)
And in Ephesians 2:4-9…
⁴ “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
ETERNAL LIFE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, MERCY, AND GRACE… THE GIFT OF SALVATION!
Notice these powerful phrases in this passage:
… justified (made righteous) freely…
… rich in mercy…
… saved by grace…
… the gift of God…
Throughout the New Testament one thing is crystal clear: Jesus accomplished that which we never could. He utterly defeated sin and death. And, as believers, we are saved simply through faith in His perfect, completed work.
There is one absolutely essential element that separates true Christianity from every other religion in the world. And it is this:
“FAITH ALONE, IN CHRIST ALONE!“
We emphasize and embrace the necessity of man’s total reliance upon, and faith in, God’s gift of salvation, not in our own fatally flawed religious works!
But this must also be said: While salvation is by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone. Good works cannot and do not earn our salvation, but rather they are the natural result and evidence of genuine faith.
Let’s go back now to the issue of sin and man’s sin-nature.
Why do so many Christians struggle with sin? We proclaim to the world that we are forgiven, and we are! Why then do we find that it’s so easy to do the wrong thing, and so difficult to do the right thing? Do we have two opposite natures inside us, competing for control of our lives?
Good questions! We will find the answers we seek in a passage of scriptures that has often been used by the enemy to confuse us:
WHY THE STRUGGLE?
From Romans, Chapters 6 – 8:
● Selected verses in italics are used from The Message.
● My comments are presented in bold font
PAUL: “What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it. I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.”
[Many Christians wrongly believe that the dilemma, which Paul is describing here, is the portrait of the normal Christian life. They think, “If even the great Apostle Paul struggled like this, what hope is there for me? I’ll always be a slave of sin until I get to heaven.”]
PAUL: “I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?”
[If Romans 7 is the “normal” Christian life , then Christianity offers us nothing but endless struggle, failure, guilt, and defeat. That is a depressing thought. Thank God it’s not correct!]
[Actually, Romans Chapter 7, when it is read carefully, and understood correctly, isn’t a description of Paul’s Christian experience.]
[Instead, it’s the testimony of Paul’s life as a devout Pharisee, trying to keep the law, but failing at every turn.]
Romans 7 is about LIFE UNDER the LAW, not about LIFE IN CHRIST!
[Trying to save ourselves by keeping the law is an effort that is doomed to failure! Self-effort doesn’t overcome sin. Instead it does the opposite. It stirs up sin, and revives our old sin-nature, making the problem much worse. Please see Romans 7:5,9]
PAUL: “The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can, and does (overcome our sin-nature and spiritual death – my emphasis). He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions.”
Thank God! Romans Chapters 6 and 8 tell us a totally different story than Romans 7!
SELF-EFFORT vs. GOD’S SALVATION
● We’re dead to sin, and alive to God!
(Romans 6:11, NKJV)
● Sin shall not have dominion over us, for we are not under the law, but under grace!
(Romans 6:14, NKJV)
● There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ! (Romans 8:1, NKJV)
“The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2, The Message)
Finally… it all makes sense!
Romans 7 is the self-effort way of religion!
Romans 6 and 8 are God’s way of grace!
“When God lives and breathes in you (and He does, as surely as He did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. The best thing to do is to give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do, and places to go!” (Romans 8:13-14, The Message)
PUT THE SIN-NATURE IN THE CEMETERY!
In Christ, we are dead to sin, and alive to God. We may “stumble over the gravestone” of our old sin-nature occasionally, but we must never forget that the old sin-ruled man was co-crucified with Christ. He’s dead. He’s gone forever. Therefore, we’re not doomed to live our lives in perpetual slavery to sin!
We have one spiritual nature, not two! We have the divine nature, God’s life, His Spirit, His righteousness and His holiness, within our spirit right now! That’s the eternal part of us… the “real us”!
The flesh? meh… a passing distraction… a temporary hindrance… powerless to stop us!
GRACE, GRACE, AND MORE GRACE!
Grace is the power that finally sets us FREE from our old sin-nature!
Grace is transformative! It trains us and it empowers us to live godly, holy lives!
Grace takes us FURTHER than forgiveness… all the way to the FREEDOM IN CHRIST!
Grace… we can never have too much of it!
************************************************
************************************************
My wife, Grace, and I are very proud to be in partnership with Student Life Organization, Inc. We believe in the great work they are doing in Cebu City, and throughout the central part of the Philippines.
SLOI provides educational opportunities to
many physically disabled and financially disadvantaged children, helping them reach their God-given potential.
Your generous giving will help Founders Anne Ruiz, Ian Rustia and their team, as they faithfully declare and demonstrate God’s love to these children and their families.
“I mention this not because I’m requesting a gift, but so that the fruit of your generosity may bring you an abundant reward.”
(Philippians 4:17, TPT)
Would you please give today? If so, please use this link: paypal.me/anaferuiz
Thank you! We pray that you will experience God’s richest blessings as you give freely and cheerfully in Jesus’ name!
Leave a Reply