"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." Romans 8:2
The "dying seed" concept (John 12:24) of Christianity challenges all believers. Dying to self in order to grow fruitful in Christ requires a moment to moment attitude of submission, surrender, and obedience to God. (Galatians 5:24-25)
The key to self-crucifixion is found in replacing our carnal interests with love for Jesus Christ. (Matthew 22:36-40) For perspective if we want to lose weight, which is more successful in the long run - to stop eating altogether, or change permanently what we eat to shed extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight? Replacing fleshly indulgence with a spiritual diet of Jesus Christ is most effective in improving intimacy with God.
We are responsible to do whatever is necessary to adjust our lifestyle toward Jesus and away from ourselves. While sacrifice and self-denial is an important ingredient in the sanctification process, there is a big difference between running away from the world, and running to Jesus. (Isaiah 2:22)
Onward Christian soldiers!
Bob Benson
***********************************************
from My Utmost For His Highest. . .
If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, "I can’t surrender," or "I can’t be free." But the spiritual part of our being never says "I can’t"; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin—we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.
God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, "I can’t do that." God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our "arguments . . . and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" ( 2 Corinthians 10:5 )— we have to do it. Don’t say, "Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts." Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.
"If the Son makes you free . . . ." Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, "I have been crucified with Christ . . . ." His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. ". . . you shall be free indeed"—free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.
Amen!
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
