Romans
6:1-13; Galatians 2:19, 20
Life and
death are two opposite words. When a person is dead, he cannot be alive at the
same time. To the people around him, the dead has become lifeless. In the
spiritual, when a sinner repents and accepts Jesus as his personal Lord and
Saviour, he becomes dead to sin and self and alive in Christ.
This is possible
because Jesus Christ who is sinless, suffered and died for our sins. In His
death, He died to sin’s influence. By His resurrection He overcame the power of
death. Likewise, children who have repented of their sin are united with Christ
in His death and freed from the power of sin to walk in newness of life.
Have you
been set free from sin? Are you alive in Christ? If no, this is another opportunity
for you to be set free.
(a) Realize
that you are a sinner who needs the Saviour
(b) Repent
of all your sins and confess them to Jesus
(c) Pray
for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus
(d) Invite
Jesus into your heart to be your Saviour and Friend.
These steps
will free you from sin and make you a new creature. The message is in three
parts.
1. DEAD TO SIN AND SELF:
Romans 6:1-7; 2 Corinthians 5:15-17; Colossians 3:9-10.
To be dead means
to cease from existing. When a person dies physically, he cannot move, see,
talk, eat, breathe or do the things that he was doing before.
When a child
is born again, the ‘self’ and ‘sin’ in him dies. He can no longer engage in the
sinful habits of the past. He must daily refuse to allow any part of his body
to be alive to sin anymore. This means that his hands are dead to fighting,
stealing, and cheating; eyes are dead to watching bad films and the things that
adds no value to his life; mouth is dead to evil speaking, gossips, abuse, lies
and deceit; legs are dead to running errands for Satan. His whole body is dead
to the world and it’s attractions.
The body of
sin is completely destroyed. Such a child is dead to self
He is free
from selfish attitudes and desire to please self or do his own will.
This is the
picture of a life that is crucified with Christ. This is God’s expectation from
every saved child. You must be dead to sin and self and live unto Christ.
2. ALIVE UNTO CHRIST:
Romans 6:8-11; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:12-17.
Friends of
Jesus are said to be in union with Christ in His death and resurrection.
Therefore they receive Christ’ power to daily resist sin, and to live a new life
of obedience to God. The first sign of the Christian new life is his total
turning away from all sins. He will then submit himself for water baptism as a
mark of the new life.
Secondly,
the child will press on for the sanctification (holiness) experience. He will
have strong desire for the experience, pray in faith and wait patiently for God
to sanctify him. This step will help the child to (a) have victory over sin,
(b) crucify the works of the flesh and present his body as a living sacrifice
acceptable to God. (c) Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus (d)
manifest the fruit of the spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22, 23. It is
important that you must be alive in Christ as you resist sin and live
righteously all the days of your life.
6
3. ABIDING IN CHRIST:
John 15:1-7; 1 John 2:3-6.
To live a
victorious Christian life, you must continue to abide in the Saviour. This
means the Christian child must continue, abide in and live for Christ. Just as
the branch has life only as long as the life of the tree flows into it, so
believers have Christ’s life only as long as Christ’ life flows into them.
Practical
ways through which we can remain in Christ are:
(i) Reading,
meditation on and obeying God’s word every day (ii) Making the word of God the
guide for our thoughts and actions, (iii) Praying always in order to constantly
draw strength from the Lord (iv) Daily preaching the gospel everywhere, (v) Remain
steadfast in His love and loving the brethren (John 15:12, 17) (vi)
Resisting Satan’s temptation and yielding to the Spirits guidance (vii)
Fellowship regularly with other children of God.
Abiding in
Christ results in great blessings such as God’s presence, fullness of joy,
fruitfulness in evangelism, answers to prayers. At the end, we shall live and reign
with Jesus in His Kingdom. Arise and pray for grace to be totally dead to sin
and alive to Christ.
Romans
6:1-13; Galatians 2:19, 20
Life and
death are two opposite words. When a person is dead, he cannot be alive at the
same time. To the people around him, the dead has become lifeless. In the
spiritual, when a sinner repents and accepts Jesus as his personal Lord and
Saviour, he becomes dead to sin and self and alive in Christ.
This is possible
because Jesus Christ who is sinless, suffered and died for our sins. In His
death, He died to sin’s influence. By His resurrection He overcame the power of
death. Likewise, children who have repented of their sin are united with Christ
in His death and freed from the power of sin to walk in newness of life.
Have you
been set free from sin? Are you alive in Christ? If no, this is another opportunity
for you to be set free.
(a) Realize
that you are a sinner who needs the Saviour
(b) Repent
of all your sins and confess them to Jesus
(c) Pray
for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus
(d) Invite
Jesus into your heart to be your Saviour and Friend.
These steps
will free you from sin and make you a new creature. The message is in three
parts.
1. DEAD TO SIN AND SELF:
Romans 6:1-7; 2 Corinthians 5:15-17; Colossians 3:9-10.
To be dead means
to cease from existing. When a person dies physically, he cannot move, see,
talk, eat, breathe or do the things that he was doing before.
When a child
is born again, the ‘self’ and ‘sin’ in him dies. He can no longer engage in the
sinful habits of the past. He must daily refuse to allow any part of his body
to be alive to sin anymore. This means that his hands are dead to fighting,
stealing, and cheating; eyes are dead to watching bad films and the things that
adds no value to his life; mouth is dead to evil speaking, gossips, abuse, lies
and deceit; legs are dead to running errands for Satan. His whole body is dead
to the world and it’s attractions.
The body of
sin is completely destroyed. Such a child is dead to self
He is free
from selfish attitudes and desire to please self or do his own will.
This is the
picture of a life that is crucified with Christ. This is God’s expectation from
every saved child. You must be dead to sin and self and live unto Christ.
2. ALIVE UNTO CHRIST:
Romans 6:8-11; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:12-17.
Friends of
Jesus are said to be in union with Christ in His death and resurrection.
Therefore they receive Christ’ power to daily resist sin, and to live a new life
of obedience to God. The first sign of the Christian new life is his total
turning away from all sins. He will then submit himself for water baptism as a
mark of the new life.
Secondly,
the child will press on for the sanctification (holiness) experience. He will
have strong desire for the experience, pray in faith and wait patiently for God
to sanctify him. This step will help the child to (a) have victory over sin,
(b) crucify the works of the flesh and present his body as a living sacrifice
acceptable to God. (c) Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus (d)
manifest the fruit of the spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22, 23. It is
important that you must be alive in Christ as you resist sin and live
righteously all the days of your life.
3. ABIDING IN CHRIST:
John 15:1-7; 1 John 2:3-6.
To live a
victorious Christian life, you must continue to abide in the Saviour. This
means the Christian child must continue, abide in and live for Christ. Just as
the branch has life only as long as the life of the tree flows into it, so
believers have Christ’s life only as long as Christ’ life flows into them.
Practical
ways through which we can remain in Christ are:
(i) Reading,
meditation on and obeying God’s word every day (ii) Making the word of God the
guide for our thoughts and actions, (iii) Praying always in order to constantly
draw strength from the Lord (iv) Daily preaching the gospel everywhere, (v) Remain
steadfast in His love and loving the brethren (John 15:12, 17) (vi)
Resisting Satan’s temptation and yielding to the Spirits guidance (vii)
Fellowship regularly with other children of God.
Abiding in
Christ results in great blessings such as God’s presence, fullness of joy,
fruitfulness in evangelism, answers to prayers. At the end, we shall live and reign
with Jesus in His Kingdom. Arise and pray for grace to be totally dead to sin
and alive to Christ.
