The Word The New Man
Introduction | Salvation | The New Man | To Become a New Man, Old Things Must Pass Away | Born Again, the Change from Old to New | Born of the Spirit | Born of the Word | The New Man is Created in Righteousness & True Holiness | Sons of God | A Pure Heart | The Spiritual Man | Freedom From Sin | Temptation | The Fear of the Lord is to Hate Evil | In The Spirit | Christian Maturity | Conclusion
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The purpose of this booklet is to present the truth of the new man. The gospel message of the New Man is one of complete freedom from the bondage of sin, and of a new life in God. What once was a mystery has now been revealed in Christ Jesus, all who call upon the name of the Lord are made new creatures. “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col.1:26-27)
It is evident that a change had to occur in order for man to return to fellowship with God. Man was found sinful and bent on hell from the time of Adam’s rebellion. Throughout every dispensation, from Adam to John, man was found a rebel. Adam’s sin brought bondage upon all mankind. Adam truly died in the Garden of Eden; He lost the spiritual life, which made him a true son of God. Death has reigned, and sin has become man’s continual pursuit. God has made it very clear that, “the soul that sins, it shall die.” (Ezek. 18:20) He has never changed His mind and never will. The wonder of the gospel is that Christ died for the ungodly and rebellious man.
The first section of this book discusses who we are in Christ. What has God said about those He calls His chosen, redeemed? The Word reveals the mysterious and wondrous adoption of man into God’s family. Although, God had pronounced judgment on man, yet He reveals His plan to adopt him back into His family. God could not have fellowship with sinful man. Therefore, for man to live in fellowship with God it was necessary for God to make a way for man to be changed. He had to make a way for man to become a “New Man.” Adam’s disobedience left all of mankind in the clutches of slavery, ruled by the most evil taskmaster that has ever existed. God made a provision to purge man and make him new, a way to rid man of the sin nature through the blood of Jesus Christ. God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. The Father made us “new” to receive the glory of His own Spirit, that we might know Him. He did this by removing all of our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ and making us new creatures to be filled with His knowledge and ways. The new man is made for the habitation of God by an instantaneous and miraculous new birth. The new man is to be a place wherein only righteousness and holiness dwells.
The second part of the booklet presents practical doctrines on walking in this newness of life. The spiritual man is the man who walks in the Spirit. By knowing the promises of God, and holding fast to those truths, we can walk in this newness of life. Jesus was our example; He walked through life without sin, doing the will of the Father. Now we are to do the works of Jesus, to follow Him, to keep His commandments. God has not left us without the power to do these things. He has given us his very own nature and the fullness of the Holy Spirit. It is God who will bring the Christian to maturity, just as it is God who destroyed the works of the Devil. If we will learn to walk in the Spirit then we will walk like Jesus and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Throughout the Old Testament, the meaning of salvation is understood as deliverance from one’s enemies. When someone is delivered from his enemies, then such a person is no longer under the authority of their reign. Why should salvation be any less than that today? We have received salvation from the enemy of our souls and he no longer has any authority over our lives. We have been translated from the kingdom of darkness where Satan rules into the Kingdom of God where the Father rules. (Col. 1:13)
The promise of being made free from sin was first given to Abraham. God allowed him to see the salvation that He had ordained through the Eternal Word, Christ Jesus. He promised Abraham that his seed would possess the gates of his enemies, thus declaring the total conquest that Christ Jesus would have over Satan. We know that God was referring to Jesus Christ as the seed for Paul wrote to the Galatians saying, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He said not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed which is Christ.” (Gal. 3:16) Throughout the Old Testament the Messiah is described as the deliverer, the one who would free mankind from his enemies. The deliverance that the Messiah would bring to mankind is witnessed in the exodus of Israel from Egypt. Both Moses and the Passover Lamb testify of he work of redemption through Christ Jesus. As Moses was sent to proclaim God’s Word and to move with power and authority to deliver Israel from Egypt, even so the Word was sent from heaven to deliver mankind from the bondage of slavery. Just as the Israelites were under the cruel bondage of Pharaoh, mankind has served under the cruel bondage of Satan. Israel’s salvation was so complete that when they left Egypt, there was no feeble one among them. Every one of the Israelites were touched by the supernatural hand of God. They were no longer slaves to Pharaoh and he had no more authority over their lives. Similarly, all those who have been delivered from the slavery of sin are no longer under Satan’s dominion.
We had been slaves to sin and made to serve with rigor. Jesus Christ faced Satan and defeated him in every confrontation. Even as the Lamb was sacrificed on the night of Passover, God gave the blood of His first born to redeem man. Through the sacrifice of the blood of His firstborn, He broke the power of the angel of death and brought healing and salvation to as many as will believe Him and receive the promises.
God taught all Israel of their need for the blood of the lamb, to cleanse them of their sins, by giving them the law. The law revealed to man his sinful nature by contrasting man’s will with God’s. When man evaluated himself in light of the law, he saw that he was undone. The law made man’s sin “exceeding sinful.” (Rom 7:13) The high priest demonstrated every year that the only way into the Holy presence of God was by he blood of the Lamb. Although the blood of animals could never take away sin, it testified of the blood of Jesus that would be shed to take away sin. The blood of the Lamb of God, once shed, would finish the work of redemption forever. After His sacrifice there would never again be a need for another sacrifice.
Although there were in excess of one million people, which came out of Egypt, there were only two besides Moses that were willing to receive the promise of God. God had not only delivered them from their enemies, but had prepared a land of plenty for them to dwell in, a place where God was their King and His blessings and provision would meet all of their needs. Both of these blessings were granted together. The very night that they were delivered from slavery they were give the land of Canaan. In fact, by faith, these blessings were theirs 430 years prior, for God had promised both to them (Gen. 15:13-21). In reality, the whole point of being delivered from the bondage of Egypt was to receive the promise of the inheritance. These two events are not mutually exclusive. Israel had been sanctified by God to receive the promise that he gave by covenant to Abraham. As long as they were in bondage they could not receive the promise, so it was for this reason that they were delivered. However, the people did not believe God and saw the giants in the land as an impossible enemy that could never defeat. They did not enter into God’s rest because of their unbelief. (Heb. 4) God’s rest would have been complete freedom from all their enemies and total dominion over them.
Today this same example of unbelief is practiced by so many. We hear of the wonderful promises that are in Christ Jesus, and then proclaim that we are unable to live in these promises. Man looks at the lust of the flesh and of the eye, and at the pride of life, and cowers, unable to overcome them. The belief is that lust rules the land, and it is impossible for us to drive them out. The captain of our salvation has appeared to lead us in driving all our enemies before us, yet, there are few witnesses who believe the testimony of God and will declare that the inheritance is ours. Despite the testimony of unbelief, we have been delivered out of the hand of bondage and given a place of complete freedom from all those who would rise up against us. This is the Gospel and Word of the Lord that was once delivered unto the saints. Let us, as Caleb and Joshua, give a good report of the freedom that God has provided to them that will believe.
“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Colossians 3:10)
When Paul wrote to Christians at Ephesus and Colosse, he reminded them that they had put on the new man. In Ephesians 2:15, he stated that God has made, of the Jew and the Gentile, one new man. It is the blood of Jesus which brought this to pass. Without Jesus, and His blood, there is no new man. Through His sacrifice, and the newness of resurrected life, we put off the old man, with his corrupted and evil nature, and take on the new man. Paul reminded them, as well as us, that old things have passed away and turns their attention to the result of salvation. Without the redemption that comes through the blood of Jesus Christ, man is hopelessly lost. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse man from sin and make him new. When Adam sinned, all of mankind died with him and became evil in their hearts and separated from God by wicked works. Through Christ Jesus, all who have believed have been brought back into fellowship with God and have been brought back into fellowship with God and have been given true and eternal life.
There are many who would make the argument that we put on the new man while possessing the old. This is not the gospel preached by Paul. In every case and in keeping with the prophets, (Rom. 3:21) Paul, preached that a man was made acceptable to God by a miraculous change wrought by the faith of Jesus Christ. The miracle change delivers from the old nature and brings us into the new. Through this change, the individual becomes “the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21)
To Become a New Man, Old Things Must Pass Away
It is important to realize that the old must be put off before the new can be put on just as a man must die before he can be resurrected. The scripture says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed…” (Rom. 6:6) The “old man” is equated with the “body of sin.” This scripture reveals that the old man is crucified, put to death. Christ Jesus was crucified so that we might be delivered from bondage and slavery to sin. (1 John 3:8) For Jesus, through death, destroyed him (Satan) that had the power of death. (Heb. 2:14) Likewise, Paul wrote to a group of people who had “put off the old man with his deeds.” (Col. 3:9) Clearly, the deeds of the old man are sin, and the very nature and spirit of sin has been destroyed by the work of Calvary.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17) What could be more plain, “old things are passed away.” The old man and his ways no longer lives, they have passed away. Unfortunately, many have believed that they are “passing away”. The only way that we can walk in the faith that works righteousness is to believe the Word of God that imparts the faith. If we do not know the word or do not believe the word then we will be powerless to live a blessed and godly life. It certainly should be no surprise to the people of God, that Jesus was manifested that he might destroy the works if the devil.” (1 John 3:8) When Jesus neared the time of His crucifixion, He testified of the total defeat of Satan and his dominion over man, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) The Lord Jesus went directly to the source of sin and stripped him of his power and authority. The wicked prince of this world has been cast out of the lives through the triumph of Jesus Christ at Calvary. Ultimately, he will be cast out of the world and eternally confined to the lake of fire. The Lord “…spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Col. 2:15)
There are two kingdoms; the kingdom of this world and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. We have been delivered from the kingdom of this world and translated into the Kingdom of God (Col. 1:14). At Calvary Jesus delivered us from the reign of Satan and opened the door for us to be translated from one world to the other. Satan cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, for he is confined to the realm of darkness and death. When Jesus cast Satan out, Satan no longer had the power to dictate his will to the covenant people of God. When Jesus blood poured out at Calvary Satan was cast out of the world of God’s covenant people. The blood of the Lamb was applied to the doorpost of His people’s lives and Satan was no longer allowed to enter.
Born Again, the Change from Old to New
At the very heart of the Gospel is the message of reconciliation. This is one of the most powerful words in the New Testament associated with redemption. It speaks of the change from the old to the new. Reconciliation is translated from the Greek word “katallage,” and it can literally be understood to mean, “changed”. Man had to be changed before God could accept him back into His family. Being change from the old to the new is the miracle of redemption, “…we have now received the atonement (change; katallage).” (Rom. 5:11) God not only changed us from the old to the new but also made us ministers of this change as “old things have passed away; behold all things are become new. And all things are of God.” (2 Cor. 5:17-19) As ministers of change, we are to show forth the fruits of change. These fruits are the evidence that Satan no longer is our father; rather, we are the sons of God having been born from above! Katallage is a word that denotes relationship, one that was severed and then restored. The word “atonement’ is an impropriate rendering here. In fact, ‘atonement’ is only found in the Authorized Version in Romans 5:11. Katallage is not an equivalent for the Old Testament Hebrew “kpr” (atonement). In the New Testament the Greek word ‘hilasterion’ (propitiation/mercy seat) is as close as you can get to the Hebrew ‘kpr’ (atonement). It was upon the mercy seat that the blood was applied on the Day of Atonement. Therefore, one may correctly say that in this sense ‘atonement’ is not a New Testament word. Atonement primarily means, “to cover over”. In the New Testament however, we have received the redemption that has changed us. In the Old Testament when ‘atonement for sins were made it resulted in the individual having their sins forgiven (Hebrew ‘salach;). Now concerning this type of forgiveness Jacob Milgrom says, “The rendering of ‘forgive’ for ‘salach’ is, in reality, not accurate. When God grants ‘salach’ to Moses’ request for it (Num 14:19-20), it cannot connote forgiveness, considering that God qualifies it by declaring that all of adult Israel, with the exception of Caleb, will perish in the wilderness.” Therefore, it must be considered as a word that means that God agrees to be reconciled, in so much that He does not abandon the people.” In this sense there was no restoration of relationship but a willingness of God not to abandon the people in the wilderness. Now, the New Testament concept of forgiveness is not only one of a restore relationship but the removal of the offence in so much that, “God does not remember our sins and iniquities” ( Hebrews 8:12).
It is very clear that this change has come through the new birth. When Adam sinned a real change took place. Adam was no longer in the light and life of God’s Holiness. He fell under the condemnation of death and darkness. The child of disobedience had to be liberated from the condemnation of death and darkness. When the liberation comes by the death and resurrection of Jesus then a radical change also takes place. This radical change that God has granted for us in redemption is much greater than the one that came through Satan to Adam. Instead of death flooding over the entirety of mans existence the life of God comes in and destroys the darkness.
When we are born again, by the Spirit and by the Word of God, the Lord renovates our lives and makes us new creatures. The child of disobedience is set free as the old man is put to death through the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was for this purpose that Christ offered His blood, to cleanse man from sin. Through death, He destroyed the old man for all who will believe. Through His death, burial and resurrection, we are given the privilege of receiving resurrection life. The man of sin is destroyed, and the man of God is raised up. The life that is in Christ Jesus is imparted to everyone that receives the free gift of salvation; for in Him is life, and that eternal life is the light of men. (John 1:4, 1 John 5:11)
When we respond to God’s love, through repentance, we are born of the Spirit. We become the very offspring of the Holy Spirit, and thereby, receive the knowledge of God. Until we receive the Spirit of God, we do not know God or the things of God, “…the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor. 2:11) Before Adam rebelled, he had the knowledge of God and was in perfect unity with Him. When we are born of the Spirit, we are renewed in this knowledge. The knowledge of the Spirit of God enables us to know those things that are freely given to us, which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man.” (1 Cor. 2:9) Through this knowledge we are able to know “…what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; …all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:18-19) This knowledge is “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.” (Tit 2:12) We have the mind of Christ and we understand how to walk in righteousness because we have been renewed in knowledge after the image of God who created us (Col. 3:10).
The Holy Spirit’s work is to testify of Jesus Christ, to draw all men unto Him, and to reveal the life of Jesus in the believer. The very image of God’s spiritual likeness, that Adam had before the fall has been renewed in those who are redeemed. The knowledge of God gives us the understanding of God’s so that we may do them, “Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law.” (Psalm 119:34) Just one small touch of God’s presence brings to us an understanding of the Blessedness and Holiness of God’s Righteousness. Our hearts respond in joy and unison when such a glorious call to redemption is made known by the Holy Spirit. The renewing of this knowledge communicates to us all the will and purposes of God for our life and opens up our eyes to understand the meaning of life.
When we are born of the Spirit, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” (Rom. 8:16) We are thus empowered to live in the ways of God after the Spirit and not after a sinful, fleshly nature. The evil desires of the sin nature (the flesh) are opposite to the desires of the Spirit, and they can never agree. (Gal. 5:17) As long as we walk according to the Spirit, we will not agree with sin, rather, we will reject it. As long as a man remains dead in his trespasses and sins, he can never do the things that God desires for him to do. In Romans chapter 7, Paul described the futility and frustration of a man who desired to be justified by the law. He saw the beauty of the commandment, and the ways of God, but was unable to do these things to please the Lord. But now, because we have been born of the Spirit, “…we live in the Spirit” and we walk in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:25) The Spirit of God leads us in every way that pleases the Father. The Spirit reveals to us every truth of God and gives us the ability to understand that truth. (John 16:13) Through His presence in our lives, we are able to please God and walk worthy, being fruitful in every good work.
When we are born of the Spirit, our soul and spirit (inner man) become united with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (John 14:20-23 and 17:20-23) We are privileged to submit to the leadership of the Spirit, so that we may walk in the will of the Father. Doing the will of the Father should be foremost in our hearts and minds. Jesus Christ our Lord did nothing of His own will. He did only those things that were shown Him concerning the will of the Father. In that this was necessary for our Lord who was the sinless Lamb of God, it is even more for us. Jesus was guided by the Holy Spirit who revealed to Him everything that the Father wanted Him to do. Now, it is the same Holy Spirit that leads us today. If there is any difference at all, it will be in the degree of our obedience and submission to His leadership. We have been cleansed and made holy, without blemish, through His redemption. To continue in this “so great a salvation” we must not walk according to our own will. To please God, we must walk in unity with the Spirit and mind the things of the Spirit.
When we become the offspring of the Spirit, we receive the witness of His presence. The witness is the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” (Gal. 5:22-23) In 2 Peter 1:3-4, the divine nature that God has given us reconstructs our lives to be in complete conformity to the nature of the Father “According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” The divine power of God, which has imparted the divine nature, is the Holy Spirit. The glorious beauty of life and godliness has been given to us through the indwelling of the Spirit of God. The divine power of God, through the blood of Jesus, has broken the bands of spiritual corruption and imparted the very glory of the Father in our lives. As new creatures, we have escaped the corruption of sin and ungodliness. As we walk in the light of God even as Christ Jesus is in the light, the Spirit of God works in our inner man bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit. God the Holy Spirit is equipping us so that we do not lack in these things that pertain unto life and godliness, such as; virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity. If these things are not our focus and purpose in life then we are, “blind and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:9)
It is important to emphasize that when we receive the divine nature, we are purged from sin! Understanding this is fundamental to the faith. Sin had to be totally purged before the Spirit of God could come into the temple of our lives, and the blood of Jesus Christ did just that. Now that we are God’s people the only way that we can possibly to that which is pleasing to Him is by the Holy Spirit. Those who had the Law and attempted to walk in God’s ways were unable, because the Law was unable to impart righteousness into their lives. As a result they were dependent upon their own ability, and their ability failed them. “Is the law then against God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.” (Gal. 3:21) The life of God in man brings forth the righteousness of God like rivers from the heart. The only way that we can walk in His glorious ways is first by being born of the Spirit and then yielding ourselves to Him. If we walk in the power of godliness, the Holy Spirit, we shall never fall and “an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:11)
The Lord has not only begotten us of the Spirit but also of His Word. God’s Word is truth and He has begotten by His Word of truth. We are “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23) The Word of God has revealed to us the ways of God, and these ways have been written upon our soul and spirit. The seed of God’s Word enters into our inner man and brings forth that which is holy and acceptable unto God yielding the peaceable fruits of righteousness. The glorious gospel is that the Word of life, Christ Jesus, was made flesh, and by His redeeming work has brought many sons unto glory.
The word of God should have dominion over all of our thoughts. If we will yield to the word of God that has been engrafted into our soul then His word will wash and renew our thoughts. The way that we have thought after the lust of this world if not brought into captivity would led us astray. God wants to so renew the realm of our thinking that we think as He does. When the realm of the demonic cast thoughts of sin in our direction if we will give place to the Word of God that is written on the tables of our hearts then we will bring every though into captivity and walk obedient to God even as Christ Jesus. The washing renewing power of the Word of God, in the realm of our thought life, is testified to by Jesus when He said to His disciples, “Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3) This same message is echoed in Ephesians 5:26 “That he might sanctify it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” In referring to the Church in this scripture, He ultimately refers to the individuals in the Church. The Word of God is the renewing agent of the Holy Spirit. The Word is spirit and it is life. (John 6:63) As a living power, the Word discerns the thought and intent of the heart and, if received, establishes truth there. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13 the Word is described as working “effectually” within the believer. Effectually, is translated from the Greek word “energo” and every place it is used in the New Testament it describes the divine power at work within the life of the believer. In the parable of the sower, we discover that the Word of God is a living, reproductive power in the heart of man. When the Word is received into an honest and sincere heart it brings forth fruit. The fruits that come forth from the Word of God are the manifestation of the very character of God. The sons of God who receive the Word of God are described as being those who cannot sin because they remain in submission and union with its mighty working power. “Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:9) When the Word of God has preeminence then the same power that shaped the Universe shapes the life of the individual.
The Word became flesh and was incarnated as Jesus Christ. The power of the Word was manifested when He created everything in the universe. Just as the Word of God spoke all things into existence, He responds with the same power and authority to the repentant and believing heart. When the Word is received it becomes “engrafted” into the heart. All of this takes place simply by faith in the life giving power of the name of Jesus Christ. We become “living epistles” because His Word abides in us. Because His word abides in us we are strong and have overcome the wicked one. Receiving the engrafted Word results in God’s Word being written upon the heart and mind if man. Being born of the Word we now are required too be obedient to the truth, “…if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples.” (John 8:31) We will abide in Him if we allow His Word to abide in us.
The New Man is Created in Righteousness and True Holiness
God’s Spirit, which has given us the knowledge of God, is living in us. The very truth of God Almighty is written in our hearts. Therefore, it is easy to understand that the righteousness and true holiness of God is in our innermost being. The law of the Spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus causes the life of God to flow out of our hearts. (Rom. 8:2, John 7:37-39) God, through Christ Jesus, has given us an unlimited source of righteousness, a river of life. As a fountain issues forth water, so the life of the Spirit and the Word issues forth righteousness from our bellies. Now, everything about our being has been equipped to walk in obedience to God.
There is only one true example of righteousness and holiness; and that is the righteousness and Holiness of God. God alone is the one who possesses the standard of righteousness and true holiness. God’s Holiness is witnessed by the seraphim crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy” night and day without ceasing, a continual testimony by His creation that Holiness belongs unto Him. As God’s holy angels look upon His manner of living, they cry out continually, “Holy, Holy, Holy”. Gods’ Holiness describes more than merely being set apart unto a particular lifestyle or function. “Holy” is the description of who and what God is. This is more than the utterance of some reverent tone; it is indeed the testimony of God’s character and ways. It is the summation of His judgments, righteousness and purity. His very nature and essence are Holiness. God in His awesome mercy has open the door of life so that we can come and learn from Him and partake of His Godly living. It is greater than kingly or any other manner of existence. It is so great so awesome that it has hardly been revealed to any man. Redeemed men know so little of this realm not because it is unavailable but because we have been unwilling to be obedient to this realm of God.
God has commanded that His people are to be holy because He is Holy.” (Lev. 11:44) If they are going to belong to His family and be a part of His Kingdom, then they must learn not to touch the unclean things of this world. The same command is repeated in the New Testament, “So be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy for I am Holy.” (1 Pet. 1:15-16) Without the holiness of God, “no man shall see God.” (Heb. 12:14) This same message is found in Matthew 5:8 concerning the purity of heart, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Holiness and purity have been imparted to us as free gifts. We could never have earned such a place with God. God’s holiness and purity were put within us, “by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Tit. 3:5).
This degree of holiness and purity could not come as a result of man’s own ability. God the Father took degenerate and unholy man and, through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, regenerated him. God renewed man to the original position and state that Adam possessed before the fall. He did this “not by any works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy he saved us.” (Tit 3: 5) God reached down, and took man as miserable and wicked as we were, and saved us. He cleansed us from all our filthiness through the blood of Jesus Christ and broke every bondage and chain of Satan’s dominion over our lives. He then restored to us the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, which mankind lost in the Garden of Eden. Because of the mercy and work of God, the Holy Spirit brings to our life the full dimension of God’s Holiness and, as a result, we are those who have been renewed and created in “true holiness” in Him.
The culmination of the message of becoming a new man is that God calls us His offspring. The truth that we are now sons of God is clear from 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” Adam was a spiritual son of God when he was formed from the earth. (Luke 3:38) However, when he rebelled against God he was no longer a spiritual son. Rather, he became a child of the devil. Mankind is not referred to as sons of God throughout the Old Testament. Rather they are all children of disobedience and as such cannot be children of God. (Eph. 2:2; 5:6) Through the new birth, God becomes our Father. In John 1:12 the Holy Spirit reveals the we are given power to become sons through the redemptive act of Jesus Christ, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
John said that the world would not know us because when we became sons we became as Christ Jesus whom the world did not recognize, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God, therefore the world knows us not because it knew him not.” (1 John 3:1) When Jesus was praying for His disciples He made the most outstanding statement regarding their position and experience with God. He said, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14,16) Jesus testifies here of the consequence of being born again and becoming the sons of God. When we are made sons we are not born of the will of man nor by any natural means, but by the will of God. (John 1:13) Being made the sons of God came through a miraculous birth that made us brothers to the Only Begotten Son of God, and our relationship to the world is suppose to be the same as His.
Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren and surely we should not reject nor shy away from such an adoption. The adoption that we have received has resulted in the Spirit of the Son crying from our hearts’ “Abba Father.” Being the sons of God is far more than a position that we have received with God it is an experience, “the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” (Rom. 8:16) As sons of God we are heirs of God. We have “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled … reserved in heaven.” (1 Pet. 1:4) We are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Rom. 8:17) God has planned for us to sit on thrones and to rule with Him for all eternity. He has declared that we shall judge angels and be clothed with the fullness of His authority. (1 Cor. 6:2-3) what a privilege to be made part of the royal family of God! Jesus unreservedly included us in an equal position in the family when He said, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” (John 20:17)
It is important to understand that our responsibility and position as sons does not begin after we die. We are called to walk as sons now. We are to walk even as the Lord Jesus walked. (1 John 2:6) He is the pattern Son and God has ordained that we should walk in His footsteps. We are to be even as He is in this world. (1 John 4:17) the depth of this call is understood in the statement of our Lord Jesus when He said, “…the works that I do shall ye do also; and greater works than these shall ye do; because I go to my Father.” (John 14:12) Paul testified to this Christian experience when he said that God would reveal His Son in him. (Gal. 1:16) As children born from above, we should walk even as Jesus walked.
The importance of having a pure heart is captured in one very simple statement: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8) It is the pure heart that brings forth holiness, without which “no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14) God not only means that we shall physically behold Him, but also that we would be enabled to understanding Him. The only way that we can know God is by the Spirit. Even so, it is not possible for us to understand Him without a pure heart. Without a pure heart there is no knowledge or fellowship with Him.
In order for the heart to bring forth the sweet water of righteousness it had to be changed. Sweet water cannot come forth out of a bitter fountain, (James 3:11) just as a corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit. (Matt. 7:17-20) Because the blood of Jesus Christ has removed the sin, (Rev. 1:5; 1 John 1:9; Eph. 1:7) the presence of God has come and made His dwelling place in our hearts. Jesus “by himself purged our sins,” (Heb. 1:3) and He guaranteed our position of purity in the Holy Spirit, purified your souls by the Spirit so that we may love one another with a pure heart.” (1 Pet. 1:22; 1 Tim. 1:5) Through the operation of the Spirit He purified our hearts by the supernatural act of His faith (Acts 15:9) Now, we can love like God loves and live according to His perfect will. The very divine love of God issues forth from our heart that was once a deceitful and wicked place, but has now been purged, and made a holy dwelling place for the Almighty God.
Just think of the magnitude of the blessing that we have received into our inner man. The Father and the Son have come and made their abode with us. (John 14:23) All three persons of that one and glorious God are dwelling in our hearts by His Spirit, which He has given unto us. (1 John 3:24) Truly the work of redemption has made their dwelling place a glorious and holy sanctuary. What could be more pure than a heart that has been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb? By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the heart issues forth the life of God out of a good treasure and we may now say that we have this wonderful “treasure in (our) earthen vessels.” (2 Cor. 4:7)
God performed the act of circumcision upon our hearts when He brought us into His covenant. Circumcision of the heart is the removing of the sin nature by the blood of Jesus Christ. A central scripture to the meaning of heart circumcision is found in Colossians 2:11. “Ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:” This is not a progressive work that results from our own discipline; it is a gift of God’s grace! Heart circumcision is the same as that act of putting off the old man. Heart circumcision identifies the individual as belonging to God, just as circumcision in the flesh identified the Jews as God’s chosen people.
It is interesting to note that circumcision was performed on the bodily member given to man to bring forth life. This is a testimony to the promise God gave to Abraham of delivering man from the power of sin. When the power of sin, was broken, the heart of man could bring forth the issues of life. Wickedness has to be cut away from the heart so that the issues of life can come forth. Now the only state that merits acceptance by God is that of a circumcised heart. “…neither circumcisions availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” (Gal. 6:15) The new man has a distinctive mark that identifies him as a covenant child of God; a circumcised and pure heart.
When we talk of the spiritual man, we are referring to the individual that has received the grace of God in Jesus Christ and subsequently has been redeemed and made alive unto God. The Greek word translated spiritual man is “pneumatikos,” and is indicative of both the soul and the spirit, borne out by the following passages; 1 Corinthians 2:15; 3:1; 9:11; 14:37; 15:44-46. Such a person lives in the ways of the Holy Spirit, desiring that which is Righteous, Holy and Godly. Such a one no longer lives under the control of Satan, but rather lives in submission to the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 8:1-13; Gal. 5:16-26) His soul does not desire the lustful and sinful pleasures of the world. Rather, with the mind of Christ, he learns to hate evil and desires those things that are of God.
The natural man of 1 Corinthians 2:14 refers to the man who is dominated by the sin nature, otherwise called the “flesh.” This state of the inner man cannot receive the things of God. It is contrary to the ways of the Spirit and cannot walk in the righteousness of God. The spiritual man, on the other hand, refers to the new man who has been made alive unto God. It is the man who is born of the Spirit that can worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
The spiritual man has experienced the inward resurrection. The inner man, that was dead to God and righteousness, has been resurrected unto life. The inward resurrection is a separate event from the outward resurrection. The inward resurrection, unlike the outward resurrection, takes place at the time a person is born again. It occurs when a spiritually dead person is quickened, or made alive. (Eph. 2:5) Thus, a spiritual man is raised alive to the things of the Spirit of God. When we receive resurrection life and are raised up a new man we are able to walk in “newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4)
The inward resurrection is the result of an inward crucifixion with Christ. This crucifixion is the operation of God; not the self-denying acts of man. The nature of sin, which is the “old man,” was put to death through the death of Jesus Christ. When the old man was crucified, the reign of sin and death, which ruled our inner man, was destroyed. (Rom 6:6; Heb 2:14) God, through the resurrection life that is in Christ Jesus, “raised us up together” in Christ. (Eph 2:6) now that we are raised up together with Christ, we seek those things that are above, where Christ is seated on the right hand of God. (Col. 3:1-3) The spiritual man has not only been brought into existence by the power of God, but walks in the Spirit and maintains that spiritual walk by the power of God.
Throughout the dealings of God with man, His desire and design for man have been most evident. God purposed that man should walk in the same Purity and Holiness that He has. That purpose is made apparent by passages such as Ephesians 1:4, "According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." He told Abraham to walk before him and to be perfect. (Gen 17:1) He proclaimed to Israel that they were to love Him with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength, (Deut. 6:5) and that they were to keep all of his holy ways by walking in His commandments and statutes. His call to man for perfect holiness and righteousness is declared in every statement that He ever made to Israel and the Church. God¹s perfect will and desire for all mankind is undeniable. He wants man to walk before Him and to be perfect even as He is perfect. (Matt. 5:48)
God wants men to be sinless members of His own family. When we refer to sin, we are simply talking about those things that are contrary to God¹s ways. Sin, in reality, should have been the most unnatural things for man to do. This is so because man was created in the image and likeness of God. That image and likeness naturally does that which is holy and right. Although, man became bound to sin God¹s plan for man has not changed. He will have men living before Him in holiness and purity throughout all eternity. In fact, He has already supplied everything that we need to do by nature those things that are written in the Law (Rom. 8:4).
The Law was unable to impart the life of God, which is the source of righteousness and holiness. Ishmael, Abraham¹s first son, is an allegory of the Law. The Law, like Ishmael, was not what God promised. Through the Law, man had to rely on his own natural ability to fulfill God¹s will but through the Spirit God supernaturally fulfills His will in man. Ishmael was not born the way God promised rather, he was born out of the desperation of man¹s ability. That which is produced out of man¹s own ability is so far from fulfilling the will of God that man is left vexed even as Sarah was vexed over Ishmael and Hagar. God brought forth His promise by His Spirit when Abraham and Sarah were no longer able to in their own strength. Abraham was too old and Sarah was past her time in the flesh to have children. Similarly, the Law stood to convince man that he was unable to fulfill God¹s promise in His own strength. In fact, mans strength is so utterly powerless to fulfill God¹s will that He has regarded us as those who are without strength; therefore Christ died for us, the ungodly ones, when we were without strength. When men are born of the Spirit the strength of God comes to reside on the inside and it is no longer our ability but the ability which God gives. It is this faith realm or the realm of the Spirit that pleases God for it is only in this realm that men are empowered with the life of God to be like Him. In the flesh, which is the realm where man trust in his own strength and ability, he cannot please God.
The first glorious confirmation to the receiving of the promise of God in the New Testament is found in Luke chapter 1. A man of God named Zacharias began to speak by the Holy Spirit when his prophetical son was born. He declared the long awaited deliverance of Israel and of all mankind. He was not speaking of some misinformed ideology of the coming Messiah, but was testifying of the salvation that would be experienced by the receiving of the promise. "And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." (Luke 1:67-75) Now, at last mankind would be delivered out of the hand of his enemies. This enemy was not the Roman Empire or any other Gentile oppressor of Israel. The enemy that the Holy Spirit was referring to is Satan. Finally, after 4000 years of enslavement to that wicked taskmaster and his nature, deliverance had come. Having been delivered out of the hand of our enemy, we can now live in holiness, without fear.
Thirty years after this event, John, the son of Zacharias, proclaimed redemption¹s song. The greatest words that mortal ears have ever heard "Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) God¹s will for man is summed up in these words. Jesus Christ did not merely come to "cover up" sin in the life of man, He came to take it away. He came to destroy it and do away with its presence from the heart of man. Jesus said, with regard to Himself, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36) He had been talking to the Pharisees about their bondage to sin when He made this statement. He made the entire issue very plain and simple. He said, "whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin." (John 8:34) However, the good news is that the redeemer has come to set us free from sin. "You were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." (Rom. 6:17-18) The transition could not be described in more radical terms, we have gone from being slaves of sin to slaves of righteousness.
God has made the issue of sin and its power over us very clear, it should be completely gone because it has been put to death. It is written, "shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (Rom. 6:1) "God forbid!" We have been delivered from sin. The Son has set us free! If after we have received the grace of God and "are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid!" (Gal. 2:17) We are no longer children of darkness. Sin is not a part of the ministry of Christ. We are God¹s holy people, a royal priesthood. We are to "show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Pet.2:9) The Lord has made us children of the light. He has equipped us with the armor of light. He has made us the light of the world; a city set upon a hill that cannot be hid. He has given us His light "in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17) We dwell in His light where there is no darkness at all. We should be fully persuaded that what God has promised He is also able to perform.
"God is light and in him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) This passage sets the standard and the following scripture is the test for every person. "If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth." (1 John 1:6) If we are in Christ, then there is no darkness at all. This is the testimony of faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The entire message of 1 John is "these things write I unto you that ye sin not." (1 John 2:1) This is truly God¹s will for the believer. The entire epistle declares our freedom from sin. If we keep his commandments, we "know that we know him" and we are "made perfect in love." "We know that whosoever is born of God keeps himself, and that wicked one cannot touch him." (1 John 5:18)
"If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) This passage would seem to be a contradiction to all that was said in the last paragraph. Rest assured there is no contradiction at all. The application is very similar to that in John 8. The Pharisees were unwilling to recognize their need for Jesus because they were unwilling to recognize that they had sin. Jesus said, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remains." (John 8:30-36; 9:41) John writes in his first Epistle to two groups the "we" that has fellowship, and the "you" that are invited to come into the same communion. Those who look for some other means to have their sins cleansed and completely removed other than faith in the blood of Jesus are still bound and in darkness. God has concluded that all men without Christ weather Jew or Gentile are under the rule and consequence of sin. However, many of the Jews refused to acknowledge their sinful condition and believed that they were righteous because they were descendents of Abraham. For this reason Paul underscores to all in the first part of Romans their sinful state without Christ Jesus. "All have sinned" (Rom. 3:23). Those who do not see their need for the blood of Jesus are blind and walk in darkness. However, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) As a result of this cleansing and of His indwelling power, we are to walk "in the light as he is in the light." (1:7) He is the light of the world, and the eye kept single upon Him will have his whole being full of the divine and holy light of God.
How are we able to keep ourselves so that the wicked one cannot touch us? (1 John 5:18) It is easy, all we must be willing to do is to yield ourselves to the Spirit in obedience to God and remain in harmony with His word, then we will be "kept by the power of God through faith." (1 Pet. 1:5) The Holy Spirit teaches us to depend on the power of God for all that we do, to dwell in Him. (John 15) When we trust in Jesus, we will be strengthened and God will always make a way of escape for us just as he did for the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. (1 Cor. 10:13) When we walk with God in submission, Satan cannot touch us, and that is a Bible fact! Just how free are we from sin? Free indeed! Completely free!
Just because we are free from sin does not mean that we cannot sin. Adam was free from sin yet he was drawn away with Satan¹s deception and sinned. We are guaranteed by God through the blood that we can be victorious over all sin. It is left to a willful and conscious decision on our part. Every day, through every temptation, we must choose to obey God. If we will continue in submission to His Word, we cannot sin. This is so because in every situation God¹s Word leads us into righteousness. The Psalmist said, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee." (Psalm
119:11) If we obey God¹s Word and are willing to be led of the Spirit, we find strength and understanding to say "no" to sin. Sin cannot overthrow our will, it has no more dominion over us. If those born of the Word are willing to remain obedient to God¹s Word, they will not sin. John was able to give this same assurance to those he pastured and to all of us today when he wrote, "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one." (1 John2:14)
God, in His goodness and mercy, has made a provision for us through our High Priest Jesus Christ, if we sin. If we sin and come to God in true repentance then the mercy of God meets us with the blood of the Lamb. "If any sin, we have an advocate," (1 John 2:1) "If we confess He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) The blood completely cleanses us so that we are as if we had never sinned. Every stain of unrighteousness is removed and we are without offense before God. Now that we are free, we are empowered to walk in the glorious liberty of the sons of God. If God has made us free, we can remain free through the same power that made us free. It is abiding in Christ (John 15), which allows us to walk in this freedom, for without Him we can do nothing.
There have been many saints who have confused temptation with the sin nature. They suppose that only when an individual can no longer be tempted is the nature of sin removed. It is for certain that this is not true. It is extremely important that one does not confuse temptation with sin. Jesus was tempted and yet He was holy and pure, having no sin nature. (Heb, 2:18) From where did His temptation come? Temptation came from the tempter. Temptation is not the product of inward sin; it is the product of the forces of hell that saturate this world. "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (1 John 2:16) It is the filthy and ungodly deeds and suggestions of the god of this world that inspire temptation. Satan wanted to overthrow the sinless Lamb of God, and tried to do so through his wicked suggestions, yet Jesus remained victorious through it all "and condemned sin in the flesh." (Rom. 8:3)
We live in the same situation; evil desires and thoughts now war against our souls. (1 Pet. 2:11) These lust are in the world, not in us. We are of the Father, we are His sons, and we are not of the world. (John 17:14,16) The evil desires and thoughts are not from within the redeemed heart, but from without. It is certain that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Therefore, the thoughts and desires of sin would not be the fruit of the redeemed soul. Satan, from outside the redeemed man, continually attempts to regain dominion over us, yet, as the redeemed of the Lord, we are to eschew all such evil enticement. "Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." (1 Pet. 1:13-15) If we will submit ourselves to the Spirit of God and gird up the loins of our mind, we will only experience strength and victory. If we continue in this faith, we will have the testimony of our Lord, "in all points tempted yet without sin." (Heb. 4:15)
The thought of sin, which is temptation, is not the same as the act of sin. When Jesus said, "Whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart," (Matt. 5:28) He described a person who has conceived wickedness in the heart and will commit the act if given the opportunity. Any involvement with pornography is a good example of this. An example of the progression of temptation left unchecked is described in James 1:13-15, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust is conceived, it brings forth death." The key here is in the conception. Sin takes the God given desires of man, and twists them into evil acts. Temptation will not damn the soul, but sin will.
It is clear from God¹s word that all temptation comes from Satan. God does not tempt man. Men are tempted when they are drawn away as Satan¹s enticement begins to work unchecked in their thoughts. When a thought that is contrary to the ways of God enters our mind, we must gird up our minds and bring it to an immediate stop. If we allow it to continue it will overcome us and conceive sin. Satan many times uses the suggestions and actions of those who are his servants to inspire temptation. This is why we must set no evil thing before us. Paul told Timothy to "flee youthful lust." He was not asking him to run away from some evil thing inside of him. Rather, he was simply telling him not to give place to the devil. You cannot flirt with temptation, for if you do, you will be overcome by it and "of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." (2 Pet. 2:19)
Temptation must not be yielded to; it must be resisted. God will not allow Satan to tempt us beyond what we are able to withstand, "But will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. 10:13) There is a great blessing for those who stand against (endure) temptation: "Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life." (James 1:12) Temptation was a terrible experience for Christ Jesus to endure, yet, for our sakes He endured it. The scripture tells us that "(he) suffered being tempted." (Heb. 2:18) We are told in 1 Peter 4:1 to "arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin." The reason we have ceased from sin is revealed in the second verse of this passage. Such a one does not "live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lust of men, but to the will of God." (1 Pet. 4:2) The individual who is willing to stand faithful to God will be given strength to endure temptation.
As long as Satan is free to continue to propagate his wickedness in this world, the redeemed child of God will have to endure temptation. We will experience this battle against our souls for the remainder of our natural lives, "But be of good cheer I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Christ Jesus has given us the ability to overcome even as He has overcome (Rev. 3:21) It may be very difficult for you to stand right now because you are experience what Peter described, "now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:" realize that it is "the trying of your faith," (1 Pet. 1:6-7) God wants our faith to be more pure than gold, and every time we say no to sin our faith is strengthened. It is shown to be the faith of Jesus Christ in operation. On that great and wonderful day of the appearing of our Lord and Savior it will be "found unto praise and glory and honor." (1 Pet. 1:7)
The wages of sin is death, both for the believer and unbeliever. Our strongest desire should be to do the will of God. Being lead away into the lust of sinful desires should never be an occurrence in our lives. We should realize that there is no room in our heart for the love of God when the lust of the world dominates our desires. "If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him." (1 John 2:15) The world and all of its lust is going to pass away, "but he that does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17) This should be incentive enough to say "no" to sin and not allow it to be conceived in our hearts. The cure to every temptation is to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) The more time you will spend enjoying the joy of His salvation and the pleasures that are in His presence the more the pleasures of sin lose their appeal.
The victory of our faith is found in knowing that we are "the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21) and that Satan has no part at all in us. If we think that sin is an inevitable reality then we will be defeated before we begin. If we believe such a lie, then we will never have the faith by which to stand and be victorious. We will be defeated before we ever face the temptation. When temptation comes to draw us away, if we believe that somehow we are its servants than certainly we will be overcome. We are called to do the will of God and, "he that does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17) When temptation would try to draw us away, we are called to be doers of the Word. We are not to follow after the desires of men, but rather, submit our members "as instruments of righteousness unto God." (Rom. 6:13) If we stand on the Word of God and proclaim to the tempter that we are the holy property of God, and refuse to obey his wicked lies, then, by the shield of faith, we will quench every fiery dart of the wicked one.
The Fear of the Lord is to Hate Evil
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Prov. 9:10)
Many things have been said about the meaning of the fear of the Lord. Most often people refer to it as a reverence for God in the light of judgment. But there’s a much clearer understanding given to us in the scripture. In Proverbs 8:13 we discover the definition for the fear of the Lord, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the forward mouth do I hate.” God’s wisdom hates evil and the heart that is united with Him learns to hates evil as well. We discover throughout the scripture, that every blessing on earth and in heaven is established in our lives through wisdom. The fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins. Wisdom is described as being the fear of the Lord and the fear of the Lord is also referred to as the beginning of wisdom. When we walk in the wisdom of God, which is the knowledge of the holy, then we hate evil.
When God made us new creatures, He placed within our hearts a godly sorrow concerning sin and a true hatred for evil. We became a peculiar people “hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Jude 23) He gave us a true remorse for past sin and a desire and conviction to turn from it. The grace of God that brings salvation has taught us to hate evil and to deny and refuse all ungodliness. (Titus 2:11-12) God, through Jesus Christ, gave us this wisdom when He renewed us in the knowledge of God. This great gift is a part of the new birth. Have we found in our hearts the knowledge of this rich treasure? The knowledge of the holy was imparted to us through the Spirit of God, but the only way that we can realize what God has done in or lives is by living according to His Word. The things that many holy men desire to see and understand, and sought earnestly for and never came to possess, have been freely imparted into our lives. In order not to neglect so great a salvation we should have the same adoration for the knowledge and ways of the most high.
In Proverbs 2:1-5, we receive the instruction of how to understand the gift of wisdom. “My son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with you: So that you incline your ear unto wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures; Then you shall understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” The fear of the Lord is a great inheritance. It is like great riches, for which a man would apply himself and search earnestly all of his life. Now, it is easily obtained, it is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus. We have been given this treasure, and it should be daily our delight. By regarding it as valuable hidden treasure, it will have preeminence in our lives.
Wisdom’s testimony to us is, “Whoso finds me finds life.” (Prov. 8:35) Wisdom was with God from the very beginning, “she was daily his delight.” The role that wisdom played in the heart of God was the guide for all that He did in creation. (Prov. 8-9) Wisdom leads in the way of righteousness. The way of righteousness is true life and living. Life and righteousness are equated throughout the scripture. God’s very own Word is a product of the wisdom that He possesses and a description of how to walk in life. If we walk in wisdom we will walk according to God’s Word, and we will naturally do those things that are contained in His Word. Righteousness and life will be seen in those things, which we do because wisdom is our sister and understanding our kinswoman. We will by nature do those things that are contained in the law because we are possessors of the same wisdom that set forth these principles.
By wisdom we are able to see the end of all sin and understand the foolishness and vanity of it. We will be able to see how sin twist and corrupts the way of life insomuch that it is no longer considered life but death. We will be able to look beyond its temporal and meaningless pleasure and see the evil and destruction that is associated with its act. In the wisdom of God, we find a great strength and resolve to say no to sin. Wisdom affords us such a great insight to the way things really are that we see sin for what it is and we learn to hate it. What man desires that which he hates? We see the plague of death for what it is and understand the justness of God for creating an eternal hell where all sin is bound eternally.
One of the oral traditions of Jews is the “fear of sin.” In God’s dealings with Israel, He made very clear to them His attitude toward sin. He portrayed before their eyes the eternal consequence of sin and they learned how abhorrent sin was to God. They were made to understand that “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) and “the soul that sins it shall die.” (Ezek. 18:20) The children of Israel were commanded to put sin away from their midst. If a person was found in sin they were to be stoned and burned or hanged. We know that they were to die without mercy if they sinned (Heb. 10:28). They came to an understanding of the horridness of sin. From all of this, it is easy to understand why the oral tradition of “the fear of sin” existed. The Israelites had a wonderful school master to teach them the necessity of God’s wisdom and show them their great need for Christ.
God’s hatred for sin has been undeniably made clear to all humanity by the severity in which he has dealt with it. God is a God of love, but His burning hatred for sin caused Him to hollow out the earth and set it on fire; a fire so great that it will burn for all eternity with God’s hatred for sin. Sin is not a small matter that can be easily overlooked. It is not something that God lightly excuses and tolerates in His creation. Sin cannot be permitted, for it is the very plague of death. God’s love for humanity is unquestionable, as demonstrated at the cross, but His hatred for evil is also unquestionable. He is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish, but unless a man is willing to turn from his sin and accept the way of escape from the wrath that is to come, he will surely perish. The sinner will be thrust into outer darkness. The ungodly will burn forever with the torment of hell. Every person who goes on in sin will experience the eternal consequences of sin. It does not matter if you claim to be saved by grace; God does not have an unequal balance of justice. He hates divers weights and measures. (Prov. 20:10, 23)) Those who sin will die!
The man who will not walk in the hating of evil will not walk in the Spirit. He will not have the operation of the Spirit in his life. He will be barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of God. The new man, which is renewed in the knowledge of God, hates evil and we are called to walk in the hating of evil, “perfect holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1) It is the very nature of the Spirit of God to hate evil, and therefore it the nature of the new man that is renewed in His image. Those who would accept anything less are like a city without walls. They are defenseless against the reign of sin and the corruption of this world, and it is certain that such shall perish.
Sin is a deadly poison; it is the “sting of death.” (1 Cor. 15:56) Those who would regard it as any less are foolish! The idea of living free from sin is a ridiculous fairy tale for those who have never learned to hate it. Consider the strength and stability that there would be in your life as a consequence of yielding to the hatred of evil. In every situation you would be more than a conqueror. Sin would not be given a chance when you yield to the hating of evil that is at work by the Spirit in the life of the believer. Just as you would naturally abhor the thought of drinking sewer water, likewise, by the Spirit, you will abhor sin and therefore not yield to temptation.
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phil 2:12-13) We must gear and tremble that we are the masterminds and strength of our own salvation. We must recognize that if we are going to walk pleasing to the Lord then it is necessary for us to yield to the Spirit. This walk of Grace is not by our power or strength but by His. If we are to do all that He desires in our lives then we must know that it is God who is at work in us and we are called to submit to Him and yield to His working. One of the greatest confessions of truth that you can make, “Is Lord I hate evil just like you.” The very presence of God’s own Spirit is within you and He is the master of hating evil. If we will yield our will and thoughts to Him in this matter, we discover the vast supply of the hatred for evil that He has freely given us. “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives… liberally” (James 1:5). If a person is going to be taught of God, then they will yield their members to Him as servants. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.” (Rom. 6:12) The body is the Lord’s; it belongs to Him as a possession, which He bought with the blood of Jesus. It is His’ very own. As God’s servants, we are not to obey the lust of sin. We are to obey God alone. However, God will not force us to obey; we must submit our will to Him, or He will not be able to work in us.
All who sin against wisdom by choosing to do things contrary to the righteousness of God “loves death.” (Prov. 8:36) Learning to choose the good and refuse the evil is a great pleasure. As we delight ourselves in God, we find pleasure in righteousness, our eyes are opened to the path of life and we discover that in His presence is fullness of joy. God sets before us life and death, good and evil and He petitions us to choose life. Each time that we choose that which is good, we are choosing life.
“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.” (Rom 6:13) When sin knocks upon our door we should rise up in the anointing of the fear of the Lord and put it to flight. Even as Samson rose up in the anointing of God with a jaw bone of a donkey and overthrew the Philistines. Our members are holy and undefiled and we are not to make them unholy with sin. God forbid that we should desecrate His holy dwelling place. Instead, “Yield yourselves unto God.” (Rom. 6:13) This is the work of the believer. With this act, God, by Himself, takes care of all the rest. Whether it is salvation or maturity, everything is by Him and given to us as a free gift. Our calling is simply yielding ourselves unto God.
God has created this new man by the Word, which was made flesh who gave His life that we might receive remission of sins. If there is to be a witness of redemption in our lives, then we must yield to Him. If the new creature is to be manifested, then we must submit to His working, that Jesus might be expressed through our lives. If our members are going to be the very instruments of God by which He declares His righteousness, then we are going to say no to sin. As His anointing works in our life, the love for righteousness and the hating of evil will work through our members and the righteousness of the new creature will be seen. The new man is the willing “servant of righteousness,” (Rom. 6:18) not the captive slave to sin.
What does it mean to be “…not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,”? (Rom. 8:9) Paul is declaring the effects of redemption to the Romans, summarizing the discussion of the preceding two and a half chapters. He is definitely not referring to the natural body when he says, “we are not longer in the flesh.” It is certain that he is referring to the transformation of the inward man. The “flesh nature” of sin is what we are not longer in, after being born again. Rather, we are now in the Spirit. He concludes that, if we are not in the Spirit then we do not belong to Christ. The divine nature has been given to the man who previously was in bondage to the flesh, or sin nature. Instead of sin reigning, the Sprit reigns over the life of God’s people.
The motions of sin are no longer at work from within as they were “when we were in the flesh.” (Rom. 7:5) Under the dominion of the sin nature there was only the condemnation of death. (Rom. 7:8-25) Now that we are “free from the law of sin and death” and are under the “law of the Spirit of life.” (Rom. 8:2), “There is no condemnation. (Rom. 8:1) There is no condemnation or death sentence because the dominion of sin has been removed and we are those who “walk not after the flesh.” (Rom. 8:1) God’s opinion of sin and its dominion over man has not changed, it is still under condemnation. Through the miracle of salvation God delivered us from the condemned state by changing our heart. The once polluted heart, over which sin reigned, has been set free and brought into the liberty of the Spirit. There is therefore now no death sentence upon those who are in the Spirit and not the flesh. We have been delivered from the condemnation because we have been delivered from the sin nature that dictated to our desires a slavery to sin.
It is important to rightly divide the intended meaning of the word “flesh” from the context in which it appears. Sometimes, for example, “flesh” is used in reference to the earthly body. Jesus “was made flesh.” (John 1:14, Rom. 8:3) Paul said “that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” (2 Cor. 4:11) It would be wrong to understand the meaning of “flesh” as something sinful in these passages. However, many times the word flesh is used in light of the power and source of sin. In Galatians 5:19 the works of the flesh are revealed to be those things pertaining to sin. We understand that those who sow to the “…flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.” (Gal. 6:8) In the case of the flesh of Jesus, sin cannot be implied; however, when used of the sinful state of man, we understand it as the ruling nature of sin.
When the flesh is used in contrast to the Spirit, it emphasizes the opposition of two natures. The Spirit is the nature of the redeemed, and the flesh, of the unredeemed. These two natures are contrary to one another and can never agree. The redeemed child of God has the nature of God within. The lust of the flesh and all that is of the world, is in the world. The child of God, who is of the Father, is not of the world (John 17:16). The child of God has the love of the Father in him not the lust of the world. The lust of the flesh in him, the lust of the eye and the pride of life are not in the child of God it is in the world.
The Spirit nature is very much at home in the corruptible body of man. In fact our bodies are referred to as being the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was incarnated into humanity to prove to all men that sin did not belong. He did this by being made “in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.” (Rom. 8:3) Sin plainly does not belong in humanity! God made humanity to be holy and without blame before Him in love. The sin nature was put to death when Jesus was crucified. As a result those who are “in Christ,” have “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Gal. 5:24) We are now living and walking in the Spirit. The old man is crucified with Christ and the body of sin no longer lives, Christ lives. The flesh nature was crucified with Christ that “the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin.” (Rom. 6:6)
“This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16) You will not fulfill the world’s sinful desires when you walk in the Spirit, because the two are contrary to one another and will never agree on anything. Just as light cannot dwell with darkness, neither can the Spirit dwell with the flesh nature. The lust of the flesh brings forth the works of the flesh and those who do such are the servants of sin and their father is the devil. “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not do righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother.” (1 John 3:10) The lusts of the flesh are of the “Prince and the power of air” the “god of this world” the “spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.” The Righteousness of God on the other hand is the working power of the Holy Spirit manifesting the ways of God in our lives. Those who are the redeemed of the Lord have this evidence in their lives that they are under the control of the Spirit.
There is no one who, by his own discipline, can subdue much less destroy the sin nature. This is only accomplished through repentance and faith in the finished work of Calvary. Those who were under the law could not change their own heart nor master sin through their discipline. The law was powerless to impart the life of God, the source of all strength and power to do His will. The law could only declare to man his bondage to sin, but was powerless to free him from it.
A man cannot walk in the Spirit and the flesh at the same time, because these two natures lead in opposite directions. The privilege of being in the Spirit is given to us a free gift. As a result, we are able to resist all temptation and walk free from sin. By the Spirit of God we grow and learn to move beyond our frail human ability and reason. God’s children do not walk in the Spirit as a result of doing good, they do good as a result of walking in the Spirit. Without the operation of the Spirit we could not do those things that please God. Without the Holy Spirit, we would not be able to grow and mature in the ways of God.
To grow and mature in Christ is not to become free from sin. God has brought about this change in our lives by His own work. Now, that we have been made righteous by God, we learn to walk in that righteousness. Sin should be a dead issue for the believer. Jesus Christ our Lord had to learn obedience, “Through he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Heb. 5:8) The sinless Lamb of God, who was never disobedient, learned obedience. To learn does not mean we have to fall. We are strengthened in our inner man when we resist temptation and yield to the Holy Spirit. As newborn believers we are to “desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.” (1 Pet. 2:2) God made us holy and perfectly righteous before Him that we might learn how to walk in holiness and perfect righteousness. God has given a perfect salvation that we might learn perfect obedience.
We learn obedience by submission to God. We previously spent our lives in the kingdom of darkness, walking in wicked works. God, by His glorious power, translates us into “the Kingdom of His dear Son.” Now we must learn how to walk according to the ways of the kingdom of God. Jesus learned obedience in the midst of being tempted to be disobedient. Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered, and that suffering was temptation. (Heb. 5:8) We will learn obedience in the same way. We will be tempted to follow after the prince and the power of the air, the god of this world, but we perfect holiness in the fear of God by saying no. As we grow in the Word of God, we come to “full age or maturity” as we have our “senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Heb 5:14)
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.” (Heb 6:1) The foundation must first be laid that we might build on it and move forward. The foundation is the work of salvation that was given to us while we were yet sinners, a transformation that took place apart from our own works. Rather, it came by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The foundation and principles of salvation are repentance from dead works and faith towards God. We turn from sin and wickedness to serve the living God. These principle things are settled in our hearts at the new birth. We are established in the truth of God’s Word as we are taught the doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. From these principle truths, we are able to grow and mature in the things of God. If any of these things are missing, it will hinder our ability to grow in God and we will spend our life working on laying the foundation.
We must know that these principles are established in our lives by Grace, then we can properly grow in God. We go on to perfection as we daily come to understand the work of salvation that has been completed in Christ Jesus. Through His Spirit, which works within us mightily, we learn to walk in perfect obedience. Paul said, “but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4:16) By daily yielding ourselves to Him, the presence of the Holy Spirit can work within us. The finished work of Calvary has brought us as close to God as we can get. Maturity does not make man more acceptable to God, the blood of Jesus alone makes man acceptable. Maturity is the perfecting of our submission and obedience to the operation of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The most dangerous thing that one can do is to look at sin as an inevitable power that will have dominion for the remainder of time spent on this earth. Under such a lie one will never learn obedience. Such a one will never be able to resist the devil steadfast in the faith. Instead, he will always be defeated. Believing such a lie, a man does not have the defense of God’s word as a buckler and a shield. When you know that you are able to depart from every wicked thing, then faith will work righteousness and you will be able to stand in the strength of the Lord and the power of His might which Satan cannot overcome.
God placed Adam in His garden. He gave him a place of ruler ship with Himself and expected His man to walk in perfect obedience. Adam refused. Through the obedience of Christ Jesus, God has redeemed us back unto Himself. He has set before us life and death, even as He did for Adam. God has restored us to the same position of Holiness and Righteousness and asked of us perfect obedience to His Word and Spirit. As we reign in life by Christ Jesus, we have the opportunity to be God’s man and stand against all of the forces that would slander God’s Holy name. The choice is ours. Satan has no more dominion over the redeemed child of God than he had over Adam. If you will fulfill God’s will and plan for your life, then you will do as Christ Jesus did, instead of what Adam did. Determine in your heart today that you will stand with the Lord and say, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”
A son who will not learn obedience will not reign with Christ. A son who will not learn obedience is not a son at all, for as many as are led by the Spirit are the sons of God. As a child of God, if you will simply walk in a place of repentance and brokenness before God, and will allow God to teach you to hate evil, you will grow. You can be certain that sin shall not have dominion over you. If you sin, it is because you allowed it; you were not forced. Our heavenly Father has mercy and longsuffering enough to bring you to a place of perfect obedience. However, if your heart becomes hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and you begin to accept sin as an inevitable part of your life, your faith in Jesus Christ has been made shipwreck. You will not learn obedience and you will die in your sins. Only the truth of God’s word causes us to grow. Only by yielding to His Spirit and Word will we ever learn obedience.
This message of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God is one of glory and blessing. It brings joy and strength to our hearts and empowers us with the Word producing faith that makes us more than conquerors. The call to obedience is good news to the man who recognizes sin for the bondage that it truly is. Bless the Lord, and forget not all His benefits, including the benefit of being made a new man by the work of Grace. Take this message of joy and hope and cry out to God in thanksgiving for a great and marvelous salvation. Enter into God’s presence with all boldness; with praise and thanksgiving for fellowship in the family of God. This glorious message of the mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory!