Now, if dead with Christ, believe that also you live with Him.*
Live with is one word which speaks of living, continuing in life with someone. From this we see the concept of walking and abiding in truth comparable to living with Christ. Paul writes, "if we die together we also will live together."* Such speaks of the truth revealed through the teachings of baptism, and what I will write about today to help you Believe that you have died with Him, also to believe you live with Him.
For those dead; justified from sin. Now, if dead with Christ, believe that also you live with Him.*
In this verse, "justified from sin," is often translated as "set free from sin," but the word "set free" really means justified. While, through justification comes freedom Paul is saying we are justified from sin, and that if we are justified we participate in His death, his blood cleanses us from all sin, thus we are justified by His blood. Here is the important point, being dead to sin is not conditional for my salvation or my justification, the condition is believing. Righteousness is a free gift received by faith, it is according to grace so that I walk in newness of Life, so that I am living with Christ. Now, if I believed, I am justified, I am born of Spirit, having testimony of Spirit and blood. If I am justified from sin also I am dead to sin, and while it is true I am already victorious Paul is saying the condition of being dead to sin is dependent upon Christ and my believing it is true. If you believed that you have died with Christ, believe also that you are living with Him.
For sin rules not; rules over you since existing not under the law but under grace.*
This is an important observation of truth Paul writes, if you are under the law or being justified by your works, like the Galatians, you have severed yourself from Christ, fallen from grace, listening to another gospel. There exists no other gospel, the true gospel is a gospel of Grace. Is the Law opposed to the promise of God? no, the Law was given on account of transgression, and that the promise would come through Christ. The promise of inheritance, of Life, was hidden in God in the beginning, to be fulfilled through the Seed. The manifold wisdom of God was manifested, the promise of Eternal Life coming through the Son, by faith according to grace so that the promise comes to all, all peoples and all nations.
Why then the Law? added on account of transgression, until the Seed comes whom the promise was made.*
I heard someone say the Law allowed man to have fellowship with God, but Paul writes there were two reasons the Law was given; first, "added on account of transgression" and second so that the promise comes through the Seed. The whole point of grace is that we boast in Christ in whom is all wisdom and understanding and in whom all the promises of God come. What does it mean the Law was added on account of transgression? it defined sin, saying this is sinful but also "the Law came so that the transgression increased. Now, where sin increased, grace increased."* The Law was given to increase sin, so that grace would abound. The promise would not depend upon the Law, but would come in whom the promise was made, the Seed. In His death the New Covenant or will of God would be established.
Is the Law therefore opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not, for if the Law had been given to impart Life, righteousness would indeed exist by the Law.*
The new covenant is a dispensation of Grace, one where the promise of life and righteousness comes not through the Law, but through Christ. The Law also exposed man's helplessness in achieving such a righteous standard. In this we see the curse, that if you break one small part, you have broken it all. Jesus became a curse for us dying on a tree and he nailed that which was adverse to us to the tree. Thus the Law was given on account of transgression, exposing man's sinful nature and saying there is none righteous, no not one.* We are not justified by works of the Law but by faith according to grace, thus the new covenant is not like the old, a ministry of death and condemnation. This is "good news" that Christ came, the gospel delivered on sandals of peace, and why the fruit of righteousness is developed in peace. The new is a ministry of reconciliation, of peace, of the Spirit and of righteousness. We are justified in Christ, also we have died with Him and if we have died with Him, we will live with Him.
What if God willing, to display his wrath and make known his power, producing with great patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?*
Under the Law they were vessels of God's wrath. Some believe today that God's wrath is being poured out on sin but the scriptures say prolonged wrath is cruel, "wrath is cruel, anger a flood, but who can stand against envy."* And we are told prolonged anger is a sin, to not let the sun go down on anger. Some people think that God is always wrathful and angry. But would not this make God cruel? and a sinner? though sometimes we do not understand His ways He certainly is not. God's wrath was poured out under the Law, for what purpose? "Even in order to make known the riches of His glory to the objects of His mercy, which he prepared for glory."* God's wrath was temporary and in great patience, through the vessels of His wrath we become vessels of His mercy, prepared beforehand for glory.
What then, sin because we exist not under the Law but under grace?*
I believe sinful man today is as man was before the Law, under the law of sin and death. Nevertheless, in Christ we exist not under the Law, and we are free from the principle of sin and death, "for the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus frees you from the law of sin and death."* Grace is given to us by the wisdom of God, given in our weakness, so that His power is being perfected in us, so that we walk in newness of life. The great spiritual blessings of adoption, redemption, and the forgiveness of sin is from the riches of His grace and glory.
Not knowing that presenting yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you exist of whom you obey, either of sin leading to death or obedience leading to righteousness.*
When we existed in the sinful nature we presented ourselves obedient to sin. This word for presented means "from, in the prsense of" and "stand, I cause to stand." Of course in Christ we stand, te whole point of Grace. When we believed in Christ we become righteous, obedient to righteousness. We are not slaves, Paul writes such because of our human weakness, using this analogy to help in understanding, we have become slaves of righteousness. Before we were slaves to sin, these things we are now ashamed of. The profit of sin is death, but as slaves of righteousness we profit in eternal Life, being raised into newness of life. A great promise exists, we will not continue in sin, as if we still existed in the sinful nature, we will be raised into newness of life to live as who we really are, alive in Christ Jesus. Fear of punishment doesn't accomplish such an end goal, it is God's word and power within us, a perfection in love.*
But if the Spirit, whom raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you, the one raising Jesus from the dead also gives Life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.*
If I have been born of Spirit, I received the promise of Life and of inheritance, that promise coming through the Seed. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives within me. Some teachings of authority would make you a slave to their doctrines and some traditions of serving and sacrifice would teach you to forgo freedom as some sacrifice for God, also excuses for some not to walk in truth, to not love one another. Why would a Church be more interested in serving outsiders than caring for its own? In building up the church in a faith that is active in love? Possibly it seeks the glory of men, possibly it is being justified by works, or possibly it doesn't know how to love one another. Paul writes to especially take care for the household of faith, and if you can't care for your own family you are not fit to minister. The Church is a family, so the same truth applies, if you can't care for your own family you are not fit to minister outside. If we truly believe our identity we would live as Christ, in righteousness.
and set free from that sin, now slaves of righteousness.*
If I am a partaker of God's divine nature then I am a slave to righteousness, again speaking in human terms because of our fleshly limitations. Those in the sinful nature are slaves to sin, "For when slaves of sin you existed free from righteousness."* If I am in Christ, I am a slave to righteousness, the sinful nature has died, and I am indebted to righteousness. Why? it is my true nature. As Christ died and lives, death no longer has dominion, so too the old man was crucified. This old man was under the law of sin and death, he did not die to the flesh, he did not accomplish some work by some form of self-basement of the flesh or by principles of do not touch, taste, handle..., no, by participating in His death he old man died. And if I believed this also I believe I will participate in his life. Now, building up, we have arrived at this truth, that if you believe you are "dead with Christ, believe also that you live with Him.*
But thanks to God that existing of sin, you listened from the heart to the type of teaching which you committed.*
The English word type originates from Greek, and in summary it speaks of reflecting, someone who is regarded as, or defined by.* If we are "in Christ" we should be defined as a "type" of Christ, defined by our new identity in Him or as a Christian, "Christ like." Our identity doesn't happen over night, John writes of three phases; child, young person, and the mature. If Jesus said the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another then we should be defined by our love for one another. But mostly this is not what we are known for, possibly because we put sacrifice and serving before loving one another. When teachings of serving excuses away loving one another, then we break the commandments of God by our traditions. We can say we are sacrificing loving one another in the household of God, by saying we love Jesus by evangelizing the lost but truly, without displaying love for one another we break the commandments of God. Without love our message is not appealing to a lost world and if we are not alive in Christ why would those dead in sin listen to us? If there is no understanding of such teaching what does this say about us? how can one teach without personally experiencing life in Christ?
So you too consider yourselves existing dead to sin, now alive to God in Christ Jesus.*
The English word logic comes from this Greek word for consider meaning "to credit, count, reckon; regard, think, consider, to set down as a matter of account." Its root word is logos with meaning; speaking to a conclusion. This considering is the laboring, of seeking food that doesn't perish, which food is the words of Christ, which are eternal Life. Its the nature of faith, when we are fully convinced it is confessed outward, its not the other way around, getting people to raise their hands to convice them, this doesn't produce faith, but when faith is developed, fully grown, it is fully convincing, we see fruit. Jesus said, "everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him has eternal Life,"* This word for behold means to behold with interest and attention, to contemplate mentally. Jesus said, "for that sown on good soil, this exists the one who hears and understands, who indeed bears much fruit and produces, some hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty."* The root word for faith is "to be persuaded."* This considering and beholding allows for God to give understanding, revelation in the truth which we know is by the Spirit.
Jesus therefore said to the Jews trusting in Him, if you abide in the truth you exist truly my disciples and you know the truth and the truth will set you free.*
Freedom comes in abiding in truth, when we abide we will know and in knowing we are set free. Abide means to stay, remain, live, dwell, abide; to be in a state that begins and continues. This word for knowing means to know, come to know, recognize, understand; to know, whether the action be inceptive or complete and settled; to perceive; to mark, discern; to ascertain by examination. Settling a thing is having understanding, a knowing which is dependent upon God playing an important role in giving such wisdom. As the parable of sowing states, understanding plays an important role in our growth, the increasing of faith. Often meditating on scripture allows for understanding, so we see in baptism, it is important to have understanding in its teaching. Paul writes it is a fundamental teaching which I believe will give testimony of water, sanctification. If we exist in Him and have been justified by His blood then we also have died with Him. If you have been justified, Believe also that you have died with Christ. And if you Believe you have died with Christ Believe also you are living with Christ.
now, at this very moment, set free from sin and enslaved to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification, and its finished goal, eternal life. For the profit of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal Life in Christ Jesus our Lord.*
I Will Rise
For those dead; justified from sin. Now, if dead with Christ, believe that also you live with Him.*
In this verse, "justified from sin," is often translated as "set free from sin," but the word "set free" really means justified. While, through justification comes freedom Paul is saying we are justified from sin, and that if we are justified we participate in His death, his blood cleanses us from all sin, thus we are justified by His blood. Here is the important point, being dead to sin is not conditional for my salvation or my justification, the condition is believing. Righteousness is a free gift received by faith, it is according to grace so that I walk in newness of Life, so that I am living with Christ. Now, if I believed, I am justified, I am born of Spirit, having testimony of Spirit and blood. If I am justified from sin also I am dead to sin, and while it is true I am already victorious Paul is saying the condition of being dead to sin is dependent upon Christ and my believing it is true. If you believed that you have died with Christ, believe also that you are living with Him.
For sin rules not; rules over you since existing not under the law but under grace.*
This is an important observation of truth Paul writes, if you are under the law or being justified by your works, like the Galatians, you have severed yourself from Christ, fallen from grace, listening to another gospel. There exists no other gospel, the true gospel is a gospel of Grace. Is the Law opposed to the promise of God? no, the Law was given on account of transgression, and that the promise would come through Christ. The promise of inheritance, of Life, was hidden in God in the beginning, to be fulfilled through the Seed. The manifold wisdom of God was manifested, the promise of Eternal Life coming through the Son, by faith according to grace so that the promise comes to all, all peoples and all nations.
Why then the Law? added on account of transgression, until the Seed comes whom the promise was made.*
I heard someone say the Law allowed man to have fellowship with God, but Paul writes there were two reasons the Law was given; first, "added on account of transgression" and second so that the promise comes through the Seed. The whole point of grace is that we boast in Christ in whom is all wisdom and understanding and in whom all the promises of God come. What does it mean the Law was added on account of transgression? it defined sin, saying this is sinful but also "the Law came so that the transgression increased. Now, where sin increased, grace increased."* The Law was given to increase sin, so that grace would abound. The promise would not depend upon the Law, but would come in whom the promise was made, the Seed. In His death the New Covenant or will of God would be established.
Is the Law therefore opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not, for if the Law had been given to impart Life, righteousness would indeed exist by the Law.*
The new covenant is a dispensation of Grace, one where the promise of life and righteousness comes not through the Law, but through Christ. The Law also exposed man's helplessness in achieving such a righteous standard. In this we see the curse, that if you break one small part, you have broken it all. Jesus became a curse for us dying on a tree and he nailed that which was adverse to us to the tree. Thus the Law was given on account of transgression, exposing man's sinful nature and saying there is none righteous, no not one.* We are not justified by works of the Law but by faith according to grace, thus the new covenant is not like the old, a ministry of death and condemnation. This is "good news" that Christ came, the gospel delivered on sandals of peace, and why the fruit of righteousness is developed in peace. The new is a ministry of reconciliation, of peace, of the Spirit and of righteousness. We are justified in Christ, also we have died with Him and if we have died with Him, we will live with Him.
What if God willing, to display his wrath and make known his power, producing with great patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?*
Under the Law they were vessels of God's wrath. Some believe today that God's wrath is being poured out on sin but the scriptures say prolonged wrath is cruel, "wrath is cruel, anger a flood, but who can stand against envy."* And we are told prolonged anger is a sin, to not let the sun go down on anger. Some people think that God is always wrathful and angry. But would not this make God cruel? and a sinner? though sometimes we do not understand His ways He certainly is not. God's wrath was poured out under the Law, for what purpose? "Even in order to make known the riches of His glory to the objects of His mercy, which he prepared for glory."* God's wrath was temporary and in great patience, through the vessels of His wrath we become vessels of His mercy, prepared beforehand for glory.
What then, sin because we exist not under the Law but under grace?*
I believe sinful man today is as man was before the Law, under the law of sin and death. Nevertheless, in Christ we exist not under the Law, and we are free from the principle of sin and death, "for the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus frees you from the law of sin and death."* Grace is given to us by the wisdom of God, given in our weakness, so that His power is being perfected in us, so that we walk in newness of life. The great spiritual blessings of adoption, redemption, and the forgiveness of sin is from the riches of His grace and glory.
Not knowing that presenting yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you exist of whom you obey, either of sin leading to death or obedience leading to righteousness.*
When we existed in the sinful nature we presented ourselves obedient to sin. This word for presented means "from, in the prsense of" and "stand, I cause to stand." Of course in Christ we stand, te whole point of Grace. When we believed in Christ we become righteous, obedient to righteousness. We are not slaves, Paul writes such because of our human weakness, using this analogy to help in understanding, we have become slaves of righteousness. Before we were slaves to sin, these things we are now ashamed of. The profit of sin is death, but as slaves of righteousness we profit in eternal Life, being raised into newness of life. A great promise exists, we will not continue in sin, as if we still existed in the sinful nature, we will be raised into newness of life to live as who we really are, alive in Christ Jesus. Fear of punishment doesn't accomplish such an end goal, it is God's word and power within us, a perfection in love.*
But if the Spirit, whom raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you, the one raising Jesus from the dead also gives Life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.*
If I have been born of Spirit, I received the promise of Life and of inheritance, that promise coming through the Seed. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives within me. Some teachings of authority would make you a slave to their doctrines and some traditions of serving and sacrifice would teach you to forgo freedom as some sacrifice for God, also excuses for some not to walk in truth, to not love one another. Why would a Church be more interested in serving outsiders than caring for its own? In building up the church in a faith that is active in love? Possibly it seeks the glory of men, possibly it is being justified by works, or possibly it doesn't know how to love one another. Paul writes to especially take care for the household of faith, and if you can't care for your own family you are not fit to minister. The Church is a family, so the same truth applies, if you can't care for your own family you are not fit to minister outside. If we truly believe our identity we would live as Christ, in righteousness.
and set free from that sin, now slaves of righteousness.*
If I am a partaker of God's divine nature then I am a slave to righteousness, again speaking in human terms because of our fleshly limitations. Those in the sinful nature are slaves to sin, "For when slaves of sin you existed free from righteousness."* If I am in Christ, I am a slave to righteousness, the sinful nature has died, and I am indebted to righteousness. Why? it is my true nature. As Christ died and lives, death no longer has dominion, so too the old man was crucified. This old man was under the law of sin and death, he did not die to the flesh, he did not accomplish some work by some form of self-basement of the flesh or by principles of do not touch, taste, handle..., no, by participating in His death he old man died. And if I believed this also I believe I will participate in his life. Now, building up, we have arrived at this truth, that if you believe you are "dead with Christ, believe also that you live with Him.*
But thanks to God that existing of sin, you listened from the heart to the type of teaching which you committed.*
The English word type originates from Greek, and in summary it speaks of reflecting, someone who is regarded as, or defined by.* If we are "in Christ" we should be defined as a "type" of Christ, defined by our new identity in Him or as a Christian, "Christ like." Our identity doesn't happen over night, John writes of three phases; child, young person, and the mature. If Jesus said the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another then we should be defined by our love for one another. But mostly this is not what we are known for, possibly because we put sacrifice and serving before loving one another. When teachings of serving excuses away loving one another, then we break the commandments of God by our traditions. We can say we are sacrificing loving one another in the household of God, by saying we love Jesus by evangelizing the lost but truly, without displaying love for one another we break the commandments of God. Without love our message is not appealing to a lost world and if we are not alive in Christ why would those dead in sin listen to us? If there is no understanding of such teaching what does this say about us? how can one teach without personally experiencing life in Christ?
So you too consider yourselves existing dead to sin, now alive to God in Christ Jesus.*
The English word logic comes from this Greek word for consider meaning "to credit, count, reckon; regard, think, consider, to set down as a matter of account." Its root word is logos with meaning; speaking to a conclusion. This considering is the laboring, of seeking food that doesn't perish, which food is the words of Christ, which are eternal Life. Its the nature of faith, when we are fully convinced it is confessed outward, its not the other way around, getting people to raise their hands to convice them, this doesn't produce faith, but when faith is developed, fully grown, it is fully convincing, we see fruit. Jesus said, "everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him has eternal Life,"* This word for behold means to behold with interest and attention, to contemplate mentally. Jesus said, "for that sown on good soil, this exists the one who hears and understands, who indeed bears much fruit and produces, some hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty."* The root word for faith is "to be persuaded."* This considering and beholding allows for God to give understanding, revelation in the truth which we know is by the Spirit.
Jesus therefore said to the Jews trusting in Him, if you abide in the truth you exist truly my disciples and you know the truth and the truth will set you free.*
Freedom comes in abiding in truth, when we abide we will know and in knowing we are set free. Abide means to stay, remain, live, dwell, abide; to be in a state that begins and continues. This word for knowing means to know, come to know, recognize, understand; to know, whether the action be inceptive or complete and settled; to perceive; to mark, discern; to ascertain by examination. Settling a thing is having understanding, a knowing which is dependent upon God playing an important role in giving such wisdom. As the parable of sowing states, understanding plays an important role in our growth, the increasing of faith. Often meditating on scripture allows for understanding, so we see in baptism, it is important to have understanding in its teaching. Paul writes it is a fundamental teaching which I believe will give testimony of water, sanctification. If we exist in Him and have been justified by His blood then we also have died with Him. If you have been justified, Believe also that you have died with Christ. And if you Believe you have died with Christ Believe also you are living with Christ.
now, at this very moment, set free from sin and enslaved to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification, and its finished goal, eternal life. For the profit of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal Life in Christ Jesus our Lord.*
I Will Rise