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ARE WE FREE FROM SIN IN CHRIST OR STILL BOUND BY IT? DOES CHRIST HAVE POWER OR NOT? TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH
True Biblical righteousness by faith is a truth that not many people
in this world, or the churches understand. There is a FALSE "righteousness by faith" message being preached in many churches today. But it is a message
that has no freedom from sin. No power to truly overcome. And all who hold onto this false gospel will find themselves "weighed in the balance and found
wanting" in the day of judgment. We have many studies on righteousness by faith on this website, because it is so important to understand and EXPERIENCE.
Romans 6:1-7 ...'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.'
"Oh but we cannot stop sinning!" - Wait a minute! FREED FROM SIN! Released, set free! Do you not understand those terms?
If you were in literal chains and then someone came and unlocked those chains and set you FREE from them. Would you then turn around and say, "oh but I can't help but keep these chains on"? Of course not! You would be so thankful to the one who set you free and throw those chains down and leave them for good! Jesus Christ has done this very thing for all of us, and yet many don't believe that Christ has set them free. Instead, they put the chains back on and remain bound! What a tragedy! What a deception!
In Romans 5, the apostle Paul tells us that death passed upon all mankind and reigned over man. The 'sting of death,' according to Paul again in 1 Corinthians 15:56 is sin ... "the sting of death is sin." So when we hold onto those chains (sin), we are holding onto death, literally. There is no life in sin, only death. But as the apostle confirmed in Romans 6, when we let go of those chains and through faith and baptism, allow the old man to die, a new power takes hold of us (the life of Christ), and we are resurrected into 'newness of life' with Jesus. And in Him we become FREE from sin. Meaning, we leave sin behind and live a new life of obedience unto righteousness:
Romans 6:16 ...'Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?'
Those who say "Oh we cannot stop sinning in this life" are simply yielding themselves to those chains, even though Christ has unlocked them! And those chains (sin), which many are CHOOSING to be bound to, will bring about eternal death. Jesus worked out righteousness in our flesh while on earth. Did He do this for Himself? No, He was already righteous. He did it for us. Not so that we could just continue in sin. But that He could literally GIVE US His righteousness, so that we would no longer be bound to those chains of sin, but be free to FROM sin to fulfil His righteousness in our lives, look:
Romans 8:3-4 ...'For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be FULFILLED in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.'
2 Corinthians 5:21 ...'For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God in him.'
The Word 'made' in 2 Corinthians above literally means to BECOME. In Christ we can BECOME the righteousness of God. And as Romans 8 says above, the righteousness of the law will be 'fulfilled' (LITERALLY - LIVED OUT) in our lives.
When we, by faith, lay hold on Christ (truly yield ourselves to Him) and become united with Him, then we will have that life and righteousness which He has to bestow. But can righteousness and sin be yoked together? Never! And yet this seems to be the mindset of many a professed Christian today. They believe they have the righteousness of Christ, all the while continuing to serve sin and self. But what saith the Word of God?
2 Corinthians 6:14 ...'what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?'
What is it that pertains to the life that we naturally have in ourselves? It is sin! This sinful nature is in everyone that is born. Paul describes it as "another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Romans 7:23). It is the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. It is envy, malice, evil speaking, evil thinking. All these things make up the natural, fallen nature and life of man, because we see that every man that has the natural life has these things, and are bound by those chains which lead to eternal death. But we can "die with Christ" and take His sinless life instead. When we yield up that life of ours, (letting go of the chains) and decide to yield oursevles unto righteousness, it is then that we receive the life of Christ. And what is the life of Christ? Righteousness! Meaning we will receive His righteousness also. But this yielding up the old man with its sins needs to happen daily, in order to continue to receive the righteousness of Christ. "I die daily" said the apostle (1 Corinthians 15:31). And as we continue to do this, we find that the old sinful nature is replaced with Christ's sinless nature and instead of serving sin unto death, we serve obedience unto righteousness and life. Then instead of it being natural to serve sin. It becomes natural to serve righteousness.
If we have the life of Christ and it is working in us, it must do for us all that it did for Him when he was in Galilee and Judea. Jesus doesn't give us a different life, or a different spirit. Does He? Does Jesus give us a different life and spirit? Does He even possess a different life and Spirit to the one the apostles witnessed? No. There is "ONE Spirit" (Ephesians 4:4). Jesus gives us HIS life and HIS Spirit. Therefore it must work for us exactly that which it did for Him - perfect obedience and righteousness.
But maybe God just doesn't have the power to overcome sin in us? Is that the problem? God's grace has limited power? "Oh no! God has all power without limit," I can here the person who holds onto sin say. Well, why don't you BELIEVE it then? It was down to a lack of faith as to why Israel fell in the wilderness and beyond. And so many are making the same mistake today.
If we are prepared to "count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord", then we can yield ourselves wholly to Christ. Just as soon as we are willing to let ourselves be crucified with Christ, by giving up the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, and all those things which have pertained to our old life, making no provision for the flesh, then the power of Christ comes upon us. Yes, we are still living in this old flesh! But we should no longer 'walk in the flesh' and instead allow the working of the life and righteousness of Christ in us, no longer holding onto those chains, just as the apostle Paul did, look:
Galatians 2:20 ...'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.'
Does the 'faith of the Son of God' work sin or righteousness? It works righteousness and has 'no fellowship with unrighteousness.'
Christ's life is an eternal life. He voluntarily went under the dominion of death. By doing this He demonstrated His power over sin and death. He went down into the grave to show that, while bound by the chains of the prison house of the grave itself, He had power to burst those fetters asunder and come forth free and a conqueror. Therefore since He dies no more and we take that sinless life of His, then we can reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. As death can have no dominion over Jesus, so sin, which is the sting of death, can have no dominion over us, as long as we 'abide in Him' (John 15:5).
Someone may say ... "You make it sound like we should never sin any more!"
Yes! Isn't that what the Bible says? "We are crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be DESTROYED ... He that is dead is FREED FROM SIN ... Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be DEAD INDEED TO SIN" (Romans 6) We belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. How? By death. Can a dead man sin? Well can he? No. There is such a thing as a complete surrender to Christ, when we give up everything and then trust to His power to keep us in that state. And I thank and praise God that He is able to do it! But praise God also that "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). IF, IF, not 'when,' but IF we sin, we have Jesus Christ as our advocate with the Father. Praise God!
Jude 1:24 ...'Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.'
Hebrews 2:18 ...'For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.'
Hebrews 12:2 says that "for the joy that was set before Him" Jesus endured the cross. Can I, for the sake of sharing that joy, ENDURE THAT CROSS? Can I give up the pleasures of sin for a season in order to share the riches of Christ and the joy of His salvation? These are the questions we must ask ourselves. But anyone who treats the question of sin lightly, or thinks they can share in the reward of Christ while holding onto cherished sin, are utterly deceived, and are in dire need of the truth of the righteousness of Christ.
There is the joy of having an infinite power working in us. For that joy which we can have now, are we willing to give up everything and to become sharers of the sufferings of Christ and to be made partakers of His death and the power of His resurrection? This is a joy that will last forever, so let us burn the boats and the bridges behind us! Can we give up all these things that have been so dear to us? Can we give them up forever? That is the hard part. But oh, the joy that is set before us! The joy! Focus on the joy of eternal salvation and peace that is set before us, if we make that sacrifice and endure the cross of suffering with our Lord and Saviour.
Someone might say ... "I have tried to give up these things but keep on falling, I will never be able to stop sinning." And therein lies the problem - I. Focusing on self is the problem. We look too much at self and all we will see in self is weakness and sin. But when we turn that gaze and behold Christ, and I mean BEHOLD Him. Not just a casual daily glance, but BEHOLD - to "observe intensely, to watch carefully." When we do this each day, instead of seeing our own weakness and sin, we will see the power of God and His righteousness. And through FAITH. And I mean true, full believing faith, Jesus will impart His righteous life into ours. And we will be able to say like Paul ... "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Reacquaint yourself every day with the Word of God and His power. Keep praying each day for that power to overcome, telling yourself ... "I know that there is power in God's grace. And that same power which spoke the world into existence, that same power which brought Christ forth from the tomb, - into the hands of that power I will yield myself and let it sustain and keep me in the new life." And day by day as we do that, our hearts will go out in thankfulness to God for His wonderful power working in our lives. And when we feel that power working, that miracle which is wrought in us, the temptations to which we have yielded so often, the sinful practices to which we have given way, will be overcome and we will rise superior to them. Then we can go out into the world, in the power of Christ and carry the message as we never have done before.
Romans 6:10-11 ...'For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'
"Likewise." Like what? Like Christ died once and will never die again, but lives unto God for eternity, we too should die unto sin that we sin no more, but live unto God through Christ Jesus. That is what the Bible says! We are not under the law, but under grace. Does sin have more power over us than the grace of God? God forbid! Then why do many of us live as if sin has more power? But really? Is it really true that we can live now without sin? Yes. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations" (2 Peter 2:9). And if you read what the apostle Peter said, you will see that the only people who "cannot cease from sin," are the wicked, look:
2 Peter 2:10-14 ...'But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness ... these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed ... shall receive the reward of unrighteousness ... Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children.'
Do you see? These are the wicked who will be 'destroyed.' This is the only time the Bible mentions not being able to cease from sin, and it is talking about the wicked who will be destroyed. It is talking about those who focus on the world. Those who focus on the pleasures of this life. Those who are not willing to 'die to self' in order for Christ to live in them. Is this you? I pray you will flee from this condition if it is. Flee to Jesus. Yield your life to Him and He will give you His power to overcome all sin, right now!
We cannot serve two masters friends. We will either "hate the one, and love the other; or else we will hold to the one, and despise the other" (Matthew 6:24). And if this be true, which it is, because it is the Word of God. Then we cannot serve sin and righteousness at the same time. We will either hate the one and serve the other. Or we will hold onto the one and despise the other.
"In all our Christian experience we have left little loopholes here and there for sin. We have never dared to come to that place where we would believe that the Christian life should be a sinless life. We have not dared to believe it or preach it. But in that case we cannot preach the law of God fully. Why not? Because we do not understand the power of justification by faith. Then without justification by faith it is impossible to preach the law of God to the fullest extent. Then to preach justification by faith does not detract from or lower the law of God but is the only thing that exalts it." (E.J.Waggoner, General Conference Daily Bulletin, March 18, 1891)
Is sin stronger than righteousness? Is Satan stronger than Christ? No! Christ is stronger. His righteousness is stronger. God's grace is stronger. So then just as when we were the bond-servants of sin, it had power to keep us free from righteousness, so too when we yield ourselves as bond-servants unto Christ, He has power to keep us FREE FROM sin. Didn't Christ say that "ALL POWER is given unto me in heaven and earth" (Matthew 28:18)? Then the key is yielding to that power. The VICTORY is yielding to that power. Oh that every one reading this may be filled with the desire to HAVE Christ and His righteousness. Then we will be among that number who "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12).
WHICH HAS MORE POWER? GRACE OR SIN?