January 21 | Dead to the Flesh, Alive in the Spirit
Colossians 3:3, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
The moment you accepted Jesus into your life two things instantly occurred. First, there was a funeral. Then, there was a rebirth. The funeral was for the death of your old life, because of the sinful nature that resided in your earthly body (“your flesh”). The rebirth was for your soul (mind, will, and emotions) and your spirit (“your spiritual life”). From that moment on, your old life has been dead and you have been given a new life with Christ. As Jesus’ disciple, you are now empowered to no longer live according to your old sinful ways, but according to the new ways of the Spirit (Galatians 5:24-25).
Sadly, some misinformed Christians have been wrongly taught to believe they are two different persons on the inside; imagine, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” One person is evil and the other one is good. As a result, they feel they have to fight the evil side of their personality, everyday, and let the good side win.
Not only is this weird, basically saying Christians are schizophrenic, it is totally unbiblical! When the Holy Spirit said through Paul, the apostle, that you “died,” and “your life is now hidden with Christ,” He meant it. It is now your choice to stop living the old life and choose to live the new life, with Christ, in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Think of it this way, even though I graduated first grade, I still have the choice to go back and repeat all the work I already did that year. No one is stopping me from doing first grade work everyday; however, to do so would be foolish. I am already a first grade graduate; I should act like it. You are already a new person, in Jesus, so act like it and stop doing the things you did when you were a sinner. Remember, you are either a sinner or a saint; you can never be both at the same time. That would be equivalent to being a circle-square or a married-bachelor at the same time. It’s logically impossible to be two things because the two are contradictory.
Some may think it doesn’t matter how we view ourselves, but King Solomon taught that as a man thinks, so is he (Proverbs 23:7 KJV).
It is very important to believe we are who God says we are so that we can do all that He said we can do. If you believe you’re still a dirty rotten stinky sinner, you’re going to keep living like a dirty rotten stinky sinner.
However, if you believe what God said about you is true, that you’re old life is dead and your new life is with Christ, then you’re going to live a new and abundant holy life. A man once said, “If you believe Jesus made you sinless, you will sin less!”
Reflection
Action
- Take captive any thought or wrong teaching that has given you permission to live less than how God commanded you to live.
- Believe you are who Jesus said you are.
- Live like your old sinful life is dead and your brand new life is with Christ because it is!