"So also you, consider yourselves to be indeed dead to sin, moreover living to God in Jesus Christ."1
Consider or reckon yourself dead to sin. This word for reckon is logízomai (from logos, "speaking to a conclusion" and omai "I") from which we get our English terms "logic, logical" – properly, compute, "take into account"; reckon (come to a "bottom-line"), i.e. reason to a logical conclusion (decision). It means a word, being the expression of a thought; a saying. Logo or word expresses the thoughts of God through the Spirit. Logos is important in knowing, a faith kind of knowing, as faith is divine persuasion.
"Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life."15 Here is the truth right in front of us but we try to devise other means. Paul writes we are baptized into His death, so we too are to consider to be dead to sin, entombed with Him in death. So we see this powerful principle of the renewing of the mind through repetition. Is not this point of communion to remember this principle? "Indeed, as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, the death of the Lord you proclaim, until he comes."6 Bring this principle to remembrance, do not take it lightly!
No Longer Slaves
Consider or reckon yourself dead to sin. This word for reckon is logízomai (from logos, "speaking to a conclusion" and omai "I") from which we get our English terms "logic, logical" – properly, compute, "take into account"; reckon (come to a "bottom-line"), i.e. reason to a logical conclusion (decision). It means a word, being the expression of a thought; a saying. Logo or word expresses the thoughts of God through the Spirit. Logos is important in knowing, a faith kind of knowing, as faith is divine persuasion.
How can one be persuaded without the logical reasoning of the mind? This is why we have free will, without such we are just robots, blindly obedient to a master, who programs or tells it to do something. Now God requires obedience but such comes through relationship and trust, not the demanding of allegiance. We are by nature logical creatures, that is why God gave us such a large brain, and unlike any other creation he has put His Spirit within us. We are as the Bible says a new creation, we can communicate with God, and we will command angels. But this is the point, this type of discerning is not trivial, we lean on rules and regulations so much because it is easier.
Reckon or considering is important in faith. We are to be renewed in the Spirit of our mind, Paul writes. Part of the brain's ability to renew itself by Spirit and Truth is through meditation, memorization, and repetition on God's word. To help understand knowing as applied or experienced knowledge, lets look at the truth "and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."4 This word for know means I come to know, learn, realize, I am aware; properly, to know, especially through personal experience. I have heard the truth, now faith requires that it becomes a reality. This is the concept of faith without works it is is dead. Head knowledge without application is dead faith, or no faith at all. But sometimes I need repetition of scripture to help my faith.
Without understanding or knowing the truth is I can not be set free. And truth that is partially taught is not truth at all, it must be the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help us God. When the Bible speaks, "you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." it speaks to this. Malachi the prophet spoke of God's anger for the priests taught partial truth. With the statement, "the truth will set you free" I see the whole truth is not so easily expressed. First, I am spirit, and in spirit I am born from above, saved, redeemed, sanctified, perfect, "in the heavenlies" with Christ Jesus. Second, I am in a cursed body, un-redeemed, sin dwells in its members. to ignore the whole truth is detriment for setting free. We see this concept of "working out" my salvation, or soul salvation.
We see this trinity, if you will, of humanity; spirit, soul, and body. Adam sins, man dies in spirit. Jesus the second man, comes to give life; such life is in a "born again" spirit. If we are only spirit and body then what happens when someone dies without being born from above in Spirit? they are dead in spirit, without God, without hope, dead in sin, so it is safe to say, the soul goes to hell. When we believe we are born from above, sealed by the Spirit of God, given a Spirit of Adoption, children of God we are, unlike any other creation. Now, can I say I am just spirit? no, the Bible says we will one day have a redeemed, glorified body as Christ has. Am I just Spirit and Body? well, the person who dies without Christ, has a soul, do not I? yes, we have a soul, it is made up of our personality, character...
Paul writes, we are between two laws, the Law of Spirit and the Law of Sin; or Spirit and Body. This implies a soul. I have a new heart the Bible says but my mind is at enmity with God. Working out my salvation is knowing or becoming the reality that I am in my spirit. Something I can not do if I have no born again spirit, sin is my nature, I am "practicing" sin because I am dead in sin. But in Christ I reckon sin dead, I have been baptized into His dearth and raised into newness of Life. Is sin dead? no the Bible does not say this, I am no longer a slave to sin. Is my body redeemed? no, as such the mind is still at enmity with God, I must be renewed in the Spirit of my mind.
If I do not learn to reckon sin dead, then I am a wretched man. What is in my inner being will never become a reality. I can make emotional pleas, use rules and regulations of "do not touch, do not taste,..." to try to rule over sin, bu these are legalistic measures that have no power over sin and will ultimately fail. The history lesson of the Bible, I nee a greater power than dependence on the flesh to rule over sin, such the Law does not give. Some estimate that two 2 million Jews went into the wilderness, and one million died because of disobedience to the Law, even Moses lifted up a serpent for salvation, symbolic of Jesus being lifted up. The point the consequences of sin is death but the people, they had no power to rule over sin. We must learn to obey and rule over sin through power given by Spirit, such power in Christ.
Sin will take opportunity through the Law to kill you. Partial truths will kill you. Repentance is a truth but the Bible says it is of the will of God, without regret. Judas repented and hung himself, the Bible says Satan entered into him. Satan loves to kill through the very same power that the Law gave sin, sin abounds and so does death, and he wins. Worldly sorrow and regret, such leads to death. Turn from sin, what a heavy burden to put on someone. Only Jesus has such power over sin, this is my command that you to believe in the name of Jesus. Partial truth becomes stumbling blocks.Now. sometimes I see the truth, but my mind just refuses to accept or believe it, "I do believe; help my unbelief!."5
"Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." This is my flesh, that is given for you, My flesh dies when I die in His death, with Jesus. Now sin is not my nature but If I do sin I remember this principle I have died with Him, I am dead to sin so I have an advocate with the Father. I repent and am baptized, cleansed by the Spirit, I boldly approach the throne of Grace. Grace gives me the opportunity to learn to rule over sin, unlike the Law in the wilderness, sin does not abound through Grace. Is not water symbolic of this death of the flesh? I die in Christ, in Faith, I am raised into newness of Life. "Consider yourselves to be indeed dead to sin, moreover living to God in Jesus Christ." You see it? I hope so, the power to rule over sin.
Lord I believe, help my unbelief... I have died with Christ and have been made alive, In Christ, I am dead to sin... In Christ I am dead to sin... I am dead to sin... I am dead to sin... Sin is not my my identity, I am a child of God, not my nature, I am dead to sin... Help my unbelief... The principle of persistence is key to believing this. Sin is such a powerful thing to reckon dead. Persistence is to read these scriptures over and over again until I "know", until it becomes not just head knowledge but truth which sets free. Reckoning, considering is important in the renewing of the mind,
I am learning to abide in the vine, walk in the Spirit, and this is by faith. Logos, the considering, taking into account, reckoning of the Word of God is important in faith a kind of knowing that is of personal experience. To be renewed in the Spirit of the mind is to have the mind of Christ, the mind it is the regulator, by faith. This reckoning, considering of the word until it becomes life, a knowing, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free...
"reckon yourselves to be indeed dead to sin, moreover living to God in Jesus Christ."