2Corinthians 5:16-17 (Amplified) says, "If any person is ingrafted in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation."
The new creation we've become means that we're not only a "forgiven sinner," but we're a new creature altogether. This is what God's Word has proclaimed and pronounced about His born-again family. We've been taught more by sense knowledge, rather than by revelation knowledge.
Romans 8:7 (Amplified) tells us that the carnal mind is at enmity with God, saying, "(That is) because the mind of the flesh (with its carnal thoughts and purposes) is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot." With our natural, carnal mind, we cannot and will not accept what God has done and spoken about us. We acknowledge by our intellect that the Word is true, but we have no Spiritual revelation of this Truth, to accept or walk in it. This way of carnal thinking allows us to appease the flesh with religious traditions, while not walking in the Light of the Truth.
As new creatures in Christ Jesus, we have a completely new way of walking, talking and living, because of the new life we have in Him. We must learn to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, as our new Teacher in righteousness. The carnal minded Christian continues trying to become righteous, while the Spiritual minded, new creation Christian has now become righteous by faith. Both have actually already "Been made to be the righteousness of God, in Christ Jesus," according to 2Corinthians 5:21.
This isn't something to be done by our efforts, but something that has already been done by Jesus. The new creation man has already been raised from death into life by Jesus' resurrection. Most of the Church have been taught the Truth, but never really understood it. We've been taught the Word from the Bible, but only in the carnal mind, which brought about using our efforts to become what the Word says we already are.
The Truth of God's Word is so high above the carnal mind that it seems "too good to be true." Therefore, we devise such ways as rituals, traditions, and works we perform to make our own righteousness. We do righteous works because we are righteous and not to become righteous. Some would ask, even now, whether these two things are the same. No! Not even close. Romans 10:2-3 (Amplified) says, "I bear them witness that they have a (certain) zeal and enthusiasm for God; but it is not enlightened and according to (correct and vital) knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness that God ascribes (which makes one acceptable to Him in word, thought, and deed) and seeking to establish a righteousness (a means of salvation) of their own, they did not obey or submit themselves to God's righteousness."
In this new creation, we are created in right standing with our Father. This isn't something that is to be done, but a thing that was already done when we were born of God. We were born into righteousness by our union with Jesus and now we must learn by the Holy Spirit what this actually means to our relationship with the Father.
Many of God's children seem to be like children looking into a candy store window. We would like to have what we see, but believe it's still not available to us. One might ask why I am so persistent on the subject of righteousness. If we do not understand our right standing with God, then it undermines our entire walk with Him. Right standing brings confidence in our prayer life, boldness in our spiritual walk, authority in our words, and ministry (Yes, you have a ministry) and assurance knowing God will fellowship with us in our daily lives. This assurance allows us to hear the Voice of our Shepherd and not be led off by the voice of a stranger.
God said in Isaiah 54:14 (Amplified), "You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness in conformity with God's will and order), You shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not and from terror, for it shall not come near you."
When we know and understand (by His revelation and not the world's knowledge), we can become so established in His righteousness and have boldness, confidence, courage and the ability in His right standing that fear and oppression can't attach itself to us or hold us back. God says in the very next Verse 15, "This fear and oppression, and terror may gather together to stir up strife, but it i not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you."
The Father intended that once we became established in righteousness, nothing could ever make us be led astray by the words of others and we would become secure in Him. Satan would like you to believe that this righteousness is dependent on our good works (which will fail us), instead of the work of Jesus which is now and forever secure.
I'm not saying that we can live any way we life, but we're not to be constantly afraid of losing our righteousness, should we fail in our right doing. Of course, we are to live right and do right, but until we renew our minds to God's will and Word, we will still make dumb decisions. His righteousness is forever and you are born into it by Jesus.
If we do dumb things (and we should strive not to), then we can come "Boldly to His throne of grace and receive mercy and grace to help in our time of need." Thus, Hebrews 4:16 (Amplified) says, "Go to His throne of grace, and receive mercy and grace" to learn how to stay out of the carnal way of thinking. We've tried many times to escape a bad situation by our own understanding. This only makes things worse, because we are leaning on our own understanding and not His wisdom. This is the carnal way of reasoning at its best.
As new creatures, we must learn by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, to walk in our newness of life with Him. We change our way of talking, walking, thinking and doing by the newness of our new birth. We are in a new life, a new Kingdom and new Laws that govern our new life. This requires time fellowship with our Father to only do what we hear the Father and see the Father do.
No comments:
Post a Comment