A New Creation
Every child of God is a new creation, because they have been born again. That is, if you truly know Jesus Christ you have been “born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” You have entered into the divine life, which is directed by the word of God, as the Holy Spirit works mightily in you.
As you begin to dwell upon God’s holiness, you will grow more sensitive to sin. You will see the vileness of your old nature that seeks to work iniquity in your life. As a matter of fact, deep within your own affections you will begin to utter the same words as Paul, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.”
“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Because of this igniting passion that burns inside of you to honor God, you will begin to wrestle with your fallen desires, mortifying them, and bringing them into subjection to the Holy Scriptures.
Concerning this, a man in the early church penned, “May I live by Thee, live for Thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress, but as I resemble Christ; and may conformity to His principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life.
“Let Thy unexampled love constrain me into holy obedience, and render my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusion, my actions hypocrisy, may I rejoice to suffer for Thy name.”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I plead with you to closely observe the blood of Jesus Christ and understand that your sins have been forgiven through the death of God’s only son. This is the only way you will see sin in its greatest magnitude.
Gaze upon the thorny crown that pierced His skull. Fix your eyes upon the battered and bruised body of an infinite king and how his flesh was torn asunder! Listen to how his breath becomes shallow, and gasping for air as he cries out, “Father, forgive them: for they do not know what they are doing!”
Beloved, do not turn your meditations away from this subject, but rather let the Holy Spirit sanctify you in truth. So then, cast yourselves before Him. He is the refiner, as well as the savior, the sanctifier, as well as the Redeemer, and he will lift you up upon a foundation of truth, and there you will find an inner peace that surpasses understanding.
Submitting yourself as a living sacrifice to your Savior, Jesus Christ is the greatest privilege in this life. Therefore, do not exasperate the besetting sin that lies hidden in your earthly members, but rather submit your members to sanctification, which will result in righteousness. May God give you the strength to do so today. Amen.
“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh;” Romans 7:18 NASBS