As you'll recall, the underlying focus in this series has been that many Christian believers these days act and believe like they're still living under the Law instead of the New Covenant even though the Bible says the new one's a way BETTER deal (Hebrews 7:22, 8:6). Why then do so many Christians insist on trying to go back and pick up parts and pieces of an INFERIOR Covenant? Is it perhaps to try to show everybody including themselves how righteousness they are? It isn't necessary that we do that because Believers have ALREADY been FULLY credited with the righteousness of Christ. That's how God SEES every Believer: fully and completely righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21), a NEW creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
As we continue developing this series, keep in mind the foundation we established in earlier articles: the Law still exists and it will never pass away until all has been accomplished (Matthew 5:18). Also, it IS definitely very holy (Romans 7:12). HOWEVER, it remains in effect ONLY for the benefit of non-believers (1 Timothy 1:8-9) so they can find their way to Christ in the same way you and I did (Galatians 3:22-26).
It was NEVER expected that folks would ever be successful at actually living under the Law but that we would finally conclude in the frustration of our failure that we needed a Messiah to make for us a DIFFERENT way back to the Father. And so, the way back that Jesus secured for us is the NEW Covenant that's based simply on our response of FAITH to God's initiative of GRACE. In fact, there's not actually even one thing any of us are capable of doing anyway beyond just BELIEVING that would get us anywhere. Moreover, even after we get back to the Father, there's NOTHING we can do to please Him unless it goes through FAITH (Hebrews 11:6). In sum, it's no longer about what we DO that makes us righteous, it's about what we BELIEVE and what Jesus has ALREADY done on our behalf that saves us from a long, hot eternity.
The Leading of the Flesh
Now, one of the things that leads believers back to The LAW is our Flesh. Even though we've been created a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), there are habits and ways of doing things from the past that have to be transformed (Romans 12:1-2) over a period of time. Our tendency to slide back into those old ways of thinking; and, allowing them to determine what we do and decide in life is the essence of what the Bible calls being led by the Flesh. Believers will either be led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14) or by the Flesh. There are only two ways of being led and they constantly contend against each other for supremacy. That is, they're opposed to one another, OPPOSITES. Indeed, life under the New Covenant is about the transformation from being more susceptible to the leading of the Flesh to a renewed lifestyle where the Spirit overcomes the Flesh to provide righteous leadership and direction. And by the way, according to your Bible we cannot be simultaneously led by the Spirit and live under the Law (Galatians 5:16-18) even though so many of us keep trying to do it that way.
The truth is, believers are somewhat afraid of allowing themselves to be led by the Holy Spirit because it requires FAITH which operates beyond the natural ways of doing things by the five physical senses: seeing, hearing, tasting feeling and smelling. Let's make clear then a basic principle that applies here: to be led by the Spirit requires the exercise of our FAITH and a corresponding suppression of the FLESH by whatever means is necessary. That's why it's advisable for life under the New Covenant to include a vibrant and aggressive FASTING program and/or some other means of self-denial. It's not a religious requirement because under the New Covenant there are only the "laws" of believing and loving. But to deny the Flesh is to elevate the Spirit and even mature Christians benefit from finding ways to suppress the influence of their flesh. Even the great Apostle Paul saw the need to discipline his body which he apparently pursued aggressively on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 9:27).
The Influence of Sin Accountability
Examining this confrontation between the Flesh and the Spirit is leading us to a really important benefit of life under the New Covenant: the fact is, believers have been INSTRUCTED to stop feeling guilty about our sins (Hebrews 10:1-3). Even as new creatures, we DO continue to sin because we're still imperfect. Only the spirit part of us has been fully redeemed and made perfect while the other parts are still involved in the process of transformation. But the Bible says we're to change the way we think about our sins.
Under the Law before we were believers, we often felt really guilty about how we acted and it produced dejection and depression and helplessness and hopelessness as we looked within ourselves trying to find enough goodness in there to make us feel better about ourselves. But there was none to be found so we attached ourselves to definitions of self-worth developed by the World. But they only worked temporarily. Finally, we got born again and our self-worth was redefined according to the righteousness of Christ. What He did on our behalf was such a complete work that according to our Bible there's no basis for us to continue to feel guilty about our sins.
Now that doesn't mean we should feel good about them or go out and commit more sins because we won't feel guilty about them anymore. No the truly born again believer doesn't want to sin but understands that even though they happen, Jesus has ALREADY paid for them and that there's no work or good deed we can do to make up for them. Rather than feeling guilty about our sins though, the correct response when we commit one is to thank God that Jesus ALREADY took our sins on Himself and then ask the Holy Spirit to show us how to work with Him to overcome that particular area of our lives.
Look, under the New Covenant God isn't holding believers accountable for our sins, and the reason's BECAUSE we're no longer under the Law (Romans 5:13, 2 Corinthians 5:19). In fact, He has chosen to NOT even remember them (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17). If God has decided to not take note for our sins because Jesus has already taken care of them, who are we that we should focus on them and feel guilty about something God has chosen to not remember? Feeling guilt is, of course, a form of self-punishment but how can we punish ourselves for something God is no longer holding against us?
The purpose of God's desire for us to stop being concerned about our sins is that He wants to enter with us into an increasingly intimate LOVE relationship together. By taking the guilt out of the way, the relationship is free to prosper and achieve the objectives God has for us. By taking the guilt out of the way, our ability to LOVE God and other people is strengthened. And our Faith which works by LOVE (1 Corinthians 13:2) is made stronger so that we can please God (Hebrews 11:6) by moving mountains (Mark 11:22-24) out of the way so we can finish the job of taking the gospel to the world and making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). In sum, REJOICE if you're a believer that God is no longer counting your sins against you and then get yourself fully committed to the loss of sin consciousness in your life!
Thanks for joining our discussion tonight. We'll be looking for you again NEXT Sunday night on April 10. In the meantime may the Lord bless you with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3), pushing you to VICTORY in every area of life!
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Sinners' Prayer
If you've never invited Jesus to be your Lord, you can do so today by believing and saying out loud the following simple prayer:
Jesus, I declare today with all my heart that I believe in you and I believe that God raised you from the dead. I acknowledge that my sins have been forgiven for all time and I ask you to come into my life today and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for salvation and eternal life.
If you were sincere as you prayed, God has already come into your life and you're a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.
When you get a moment have someone help you look up the following scriptures because they confirm what you've done by saying this prayer and believing what you said:
Romans 10:9
2 Corinthians 5:17
Ephesians 2:8
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