GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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FREE FROM THE LAW
Living Under Grace
Part 2 of 4
By Richard Jordan


Gal. 4:1,2 demonstrates the twofold use of the law:

"Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

"But IS UNDER TUTORS AND GOVERNORS until the time appointed of the father."

A "tutor" is one who teaches, while a "governor" is one who controls, restricts and restrains. These are the two basic functions of the law: to stop or control sin and/or to teach how to bring forth fruit that would be acceptable to the justice of God.

To thus use the law, however, only demonstrates our own inadequacy, for the problem with the law is really the problem with us---it points out our inability. As Rom. 8:3 reminds us:

" .. WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO, IN THAT IT WAS WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH... "

The only answer to the condemnation of the law is to deal with sin by some other means.

The law can never stop sin in our lives simply because sin is there. Rather the law makes sin active and alive for "by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). Thus Rom. 7 tells us:

"For when we were in the flesh, THE MOTIONS OF SINS, WHICH WERE BY THE LAW, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."

"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I HAD NOT KNOWN SIN, BUT BY THE LAW: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

"But SIN, TAKING OCCASION BY THE COMMANDMENT, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. FOR WITHOUT THE LAW SIN WAS DEAD.

"For I WAS ALIVE WITHOUT THE LAW ONCE: BUT WHEN THE COMMANDMENT CAME,SIN REVIVED, AND I DIED.

"And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

"For SIN, TAKING OCCASION BY THE COMMANDMENT, DECEIVED ME, AND BY IT SLEW ME."

"For we know that THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL: BUT I, AM CARNAL, SOLD UNDER SIN" (Rom.7:5,7-11,14).

It is our identification with Christ at Calvary that frees us from sin. In Rom. 6 our freedom from sin is based squarely on the fact that we have been crucified with Christ:

"Knowing this, that OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM [CHRIST], THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN.

"FOR HE THAT IS DEAD IS FREED FROM SIN" (vs.6,7).

In Rom. 7 we learn that this same identification with Christ at Calvary has also made us free from the law:

"Wherefore, my brethren, YE ALSO ARE BECOME DEAD TO THE LAW by the body of Christ. .. "

"BUT NOW WE ARE DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, THAT BEING DEAD WHEREIN WE WERE HELD; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter" (vs. 4,6).

To be "free from the law" means that Christ has delivered us from trying to "be good" in order to be accepted by God. No longer is it necessary to be under external enactments, under conditions of performance and duty. "In Christ" we already have an eternal standing in grace---have already secured Divine favor, by a sovereign act of God which has not only reckoned to us Christ's redeeming work but has  placed us fully in His present acceptance with God!

This deliverance from the law gives us liberty from sin's dominion in the details of our lives. The relationship between sin and the law is explained in I Cor. 15:56,

" ... THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW."

Our problem all along has been sin---and the law points out sin on its every occurrence, thus condemning us. Having been made free from sin through the cross-work of Christ, however, the law has lost its job, as it were. Thus the cross also makes us free from the law:

"BLOTTING OUT THE HANDWRITING OF ORDINANCES THAT WAS AGAINST US, WHICH WAS CONTRARY TO US, AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE WAY, NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS" (Col. 2:14).

Since the cross has so effectively dealt with sin, should we then use the law for its other purpose---to motivate us to live in a godly manner? Let's see.

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FREE FROM THE LAW
Living Under Grace
Part 3 of 4
By Richard Jordan



LIVING UNDER GRACE



Paul declares that it is grace that teaches and motivates the believer today to "maintain good works."

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, "TEACHING US THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY, in this present world" (Tit.2:11,12).

Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness---to stop sin in our lives---and to live soberly, righteously and godly---to bring forth fruit that will please God.

Paul says, "By the grace of God I am what I am" (I Cor. 15:10), and we need to discover in our lives what this means. It is grace that produces results, whereas law-keeping makes only for frustration. The gospel of the grace of God liberates us into a life of service for Christ and if it were truly understood it would electrify present-day Christianity. The problem of our present time is that the Church preaches a message that is little more than warmed-over Judaism rather than the liberty that comes from faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Let's understand this clearly: The Christian life is not earning credits and blessings from the Lord. Instead it is the grateful response to what He has already done for us in that He has given us everything in Christ. Rom. 8:32 sets forth our confidence:

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, HOW SHALL HE NOT WITH HIM ALSO FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS?"

The little word "for" in the middle of Rom. 6:14 is intriguing. We believe both parts of the verse---but why this "for"? The answer is the key to the Christian life: for the believer, being under grace brings  about what all his legal efforts could never attain. Thus it is all important to discern what it means to be "under grace."

The answer is repeated over and over in Paul's epistles: it is discovering that we have everything in Christ, believing it and resting in it.

We must never believe that these truths are merely abstract doctrines that have no relevance to our lives. The motivation for the marvelous ministry committed to our trust grows out of the great joy that comes when the truths of grace grip the heart. A clear understanding of and confidence in the grace of God is the only way to success.

GRACE WORKS

Grace is not against good works! It simply does not bless on the basis of good works. We receive blessing from God based solely on the merits of His Son---blessings freely given to us in Christ and nowhere else. The completeness that is in Christ means deliverance from trying to "be good" and "do right" in order to be accepted by God.

Never think for a moment, however, that good works are not important to grace. We must learn that grace is God's way both in salvation and the Christian life. It is the modus operandi for the Christian life. The good works the law demanded, grace produces.

The law demands good works and uses its terror---rejection, shame, fear of punishment, unanswered prayer, personal tragedy, etc.---as motivation. Here performance is a necessity to secure the blessings and avoid the curses.

Grace, on the other hand, allows us to serve on a different basis---not from fear but on the basis of love and gratitude, from appreciation and gladness for blessings freely given and freely received.

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FREE FROM THE LAW
Living Under Grace
Part 4 of 4
By Richard Jordan



This is the fundamental difference between the way law and grace produce results: the reason for doing the good works under law is different from the reason for doing them under grace. Two familiar passages well illustrate this:

Consider first, Matt. 6:14,15.

"For IF YE FORGIVE men their trespasses, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU:

"But IF YE FORGIVE NOT men their trespasses, NEITHER WILL YOUR FATHER FORGIVE YOUR TRESPASSES."

The motivation to perform the good work of forgiving others is quite clear: If a person forgives others, then they will also be forgiven. If not---then there is no forgiveness for them. This is the law principle and its motivation.

Now contrast this with Eph. 4:31-32:

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

"And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD FOR CHRIST'S SAKE HATH FORGIVEN YOU."

This is the program of grace---we do the same good work but for a different reason. Rather than being against good works, grace motivates and produces good works---but it produces them for a different reason than the law does.

Under grace we serve simply as the natural response of who we are in Christ. Are we to forgive one another because they perform up to our expectations---because they confess their wrong or make restitution? No. We forgive because by faith we are free to live consistently with who we are in Christ, simply out of gratitude.

As we rejoice in an understanding of how God values and esteems us in Christ, that understanding will motivate us to serve one another. Gal.5:13,14 instructs us:

"For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but BY LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER.

"FOR ALL THE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD, EVEN IN THIS; THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF"

Thus as we live "under grace" we are able to produce the very good works that the law demanded ---but which we were not able to accomplish under that system (Gal. 3:10).

A knowledge of the love of God so clearly demonstrated for us in Christ is His powerful motivation to encourage us to godly living and faithful service. It is the love of Christ which constrains us---not our love for Him, but His love for us. This is the motive of gratitude and appreciation. Our lives are lived simply as a "thank you" in response to God's unspeakable gift.

Sometime ago the writer witnessed an illustration of the power of love to motivate which all can understand: On the TV screen was a burning house. A young mother was in the front yard while her two small children were on the second floor, which was consumed with fire and smoke. Two big firemen were trying to restrain the little mother as she struggled to break free from them.

Finally, in a burst of energy, she escaped their grip and ran into the flaming house to her death. While newsmen asked the TV camera, "Why did she do such a thing?" everyone viewing knew the answer.

Was it some city ordinance requiring parents to care for their children that sent that mother into the flames? Hardly! Rather it was a motivation that simply would not be denied---a mother's love. There is no other motivation like it---except the love of Christ. Thus Paul declares that "the love of Christ constraineth us" (II Cor. 5:14).

Knowledge of God's love for us in Christ is His powerful motivation to encourage us to present our bodies as living sacrifices. To view Rom.12:1,2 as a command is utterly wrong. It is to make a law of grace. Paul beseeches by the "the mercies of God, " which will bring about a submissive heart. Vows cannot obtain this. Even if they could, the sacrifice would not be acceptable to God, for "though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. "

How can this powerful motivation of love be produced in our lives? Paul has told us, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). The Holy Spirit and the Word of God always go together. It is as we look into the Word of God and learn the details of all that has been accomplished in Christ that we can rest by faith in God's amazing grace. It is our faith resting in the facts of Calvary that allows the Holy Spirit to empower those truths to transform our lives----thus the word of God "works effectually in you that believe. "

The Church will realize the greatness of its potential when it discovers not new methods but the message it professes to believe. It is grace that sets us free from the frustration of the performance system of the law.

We are made capable in our service for Christ in our own right when we see ourselves as children of God, set free from the bondage of the law and brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God---this by understanding His grace.

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FACTUAL FREEDOM
By Miles Stanford

"You were set free from the tyranny of Sin" (Rom. 6:18, Wey.)

There are two extremes that keep many of us in bondage. The one is ignorance as to the possibility of freedom; the other, ignorance as to the extent of freedom. Careful attendance to the facts of the Word will solve both these crippling conditions.

"The New Testament teaches that the flesh is representatively dead in virtue of the Cross, but it no where says it will become actually dead by standing on that fact. What it does say is that, when reckoning the fact true, self will lose its governing power over me. In Romans Six we find that through the death of Christ, sin shall not have dominion over you --- the idea is of bondage, ruling, governing, dominating. There is no such view presented as the annihilation of the thing, the exclusion of its presence, but the loss of its governing power. So you see if we are looking for the actual death of the old nature in us, we are looking for something that will never come to pass in this life." ---N.D.

"Our Lord has never promised that we shall be able to look within, and say that self is gone. Whilst we really believe God's Word that we have died with Christ unto sin, and count upon Him as the Living One to manifest His life through us, others will see that self is inoperative, whilst we are occupied with Christ."

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ hath made us free" (Gal. 5:1).

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The EXCEEDING GREATNESS of GOD'S POWER
PART ONE OF  THREE



What is the measure of God's power toward believers?
What can be accomplished in the believer by that power?
How can the believer appropriate and apply that power?

THE MEASURE OF GOD'S POWER TO US-WARD

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church" (Eph 1:18-22).

Such is the measure of God's power to the believer in the matter of salvation; salvation from sin. Something more than human power is needed to save the sinner from sin. Divine power is needed. And the very best news that any human being ever heard is, that Divine power is available. The news that there is power that will save from the power of sin is good news, or "the gospel." Every human being is utterly helpless to deal with sin. But the majority of sinners are more interested in being delivered from some of their sinful habits than they are in being saved from the penalty of sin. To be saved from the penalty of sin means to be saved from the wages of sin; which is death (Rom. 6:23).

God demands death for sin. Unless the sinner finds and appropriates the Divine remedy for sin, the death penalty is certain; it is fixed by the holy Judge. Apart from Divine merciful intervention, the sinner's doom is inevitable; Divine judgment is inescapable. So far as man is concerned he can do nothing to deliver himself from the presence of sin, from the power of sin, or from the penalty of sin. So far as God is concerned His very character demands justice. The question is, how can the helpless, powerless sinner escape justice at the hands of the God against whom he has sinned? There must be death for sin. Must each sinner die for himself? Is it justice for the innocent to suffer for the guilty? The world says, "No."

God's Word declares that "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God" (1 Pet 3:18 ). Then this question, "has the Holy Judge the right to be the sinner's Saviour?" Can He act as Judge and Saviour and be both just and merciful? The world says, "true justice knows no mercy." But the Just One, who has accomplished the redemption whereby man can be brought to God, was both God and man. The Offended One was delivered for our offenses. He satisfied His own justice by becoming the God-man and receiving the wages of sin; death.

The Lord of Glory was crucified; put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit. Christ died for our sins: He was buried and was raised again on the third day. He dealt with sin, which He put away by the sacrifice of Himself.  Then He abolished death and hath brought life and incorruptibility to light in the gospel.  In this redemptive work Christ proved His Deity, vindicated and satisfied Divine righteousness and justice; and fulfilled His word: "I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again" John 10:17-18 ). It must be admitted that such power is Divine power.

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The EXCEEDING GREATNESS of GOD'S POWER
PART TWO OF  THREE


God was ever well pleased with His Son; when He was Jesus of Nazareth in the midst of His people, and since He has raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the super-heavenlies. God manifested His great power in the act of the resurrection and exaltation of His Son. God manifests that same great power, to save from the penalty of sin, any and every sinner who believes this Divine gospel.

There is absolutely no saving message for anyone in the sinless life and holy example of the Son of God, apart from His death and resurrection. The penalty of sin is death. How could the sinner escape that death penalty by trying to live like Jesus lived? There would be no death penalty in such a struggle; but there would be utter failure; and eternal death after the futile struggle. It is the privilege of redeemed sinners to know Christ in the power of His resurrection; but not until they have escaped the death penalty by identification with Christ, "baptized into His death" (Rom. 6:3).

If the same exceeding great power that God manifested in raising Christ from death to the super-heavenlies is available for the believer to enable him to have power over sin, it would seem that the believer's defeat could only be the result of his failure to appropriate and apply that exceeding great power. If such exceeding great power is available for the believer, then the believer should be delivered from the power of sin.

ACCOMPLISHED BY GOD'S POWER

"How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom.6:2). The believer is baptized into the death of Christ, and having been crucified with Him he is raised to walk in newness of life (Rom.6:4). "Sin shall not have dominion over you" (Rom. 6:14). "Let not sin reign in your mortal body" (Rom. 6:12).

From these, and many other verses, it seems that victory is provided for the believer in Christ and that victory is expected of the believer in Christ. The believer is identified with Christ in death. Christ died unto sin.

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3)."If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1). What things are where Christ is? Not a thing that has to do with sin. A very high standard? It couldn't be higher. It is the "super-heavenlies" standard. It is the Christ standard. The things which are where Christ is are the things which are in Christ. And the believer is in Christ. The believer is raised with Christ. The believer is seated with Christ in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6). Because the exceeding great power God used to accomplish the resurrection of Christ is to us-ward who believe, the believer is exhorted to manifest that resurrection power in his life.

It is one thing to be kept by the power of God through faith unto that glorious salvation at the coming of the Lord; it is another thing today by day live in resurrection power.

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The EXCEEDING GREATNESS of GOD'S POWER
PART THREE OF THREE



As believers we fail to measure up to God's standard, but we have no Divine authority to lower the standard to the level of our failures. When we would do good, evil is present. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and we may not do the things that we should. But the exceeding great power of God is available.

APPROPRIATION AND APPLICATION

Believers are exhorted to pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:7). Quite a big order for one who has many other duties. But it is God's order. And the principle is always, "Be it unto you according to your faith. "

The believer is exhorted to study, to present, to resist, to let, to hope, to overcome, to live, to watch, to be vigilant and sober, to seek. Then there are many negative exhortations.

He is to put on the whole armour of God. He is to witness and work. He is to walk in the Spirit and make no provisions for the flesh. He is to yield himself to God and his members as instruments of righteousness. He is to put on the new man and to put off the old man. There is to be no let-up and no let-down; no unoccupied moments; no surrender to Satan or self; no compromise; but constant abiding in Christ, in fellowship and communion, yielded every moment to the Holy Spirit, saying with Paul, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).

The believer is instructed to abstain from all appearance of evil (IThess. 5:22). He is exhorted to keep himself unspotted from the world. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:15). In fact, there are several hundred admonitions, injunctions, orders, warnings, beseechings and rules for his Christian conduct.

Such is the price of victory. Paul practiced what he preached. How are we getting along? Our sufficiency is of God!

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GODLY LIVING IN CHRIST
By Pastor John McKay



Scripture Reading: II Timothy 3:12


A Greek proverb states, "He who does not get thrashed, does not get educated." Depending on the student's attitude, of course, discipline is vitally important in any achieving or learning process.

The Lord teaches us how to live. He first gives us the warning, " ....let none of you suffer as ... an evildoer ... " and " ... what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God" (I Peter 4:15 and 2:19-20). It is evident that the Christian exercised by discipline from God's Hand, has profit, holiness, and the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Being "thrashed" by the Lord's gracious and tender Hand is proof that we are His children. It is definitely a part of the Christian life ("godly living"). See Hebrews 12:6-11.

Our own passage, II Timothy 3:12, has a second consideration. " ... all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Each believer will have a differing degree of suffering or trouble according to the will of God. To know who we are "in Christ" and what we have in Him, will not only bring us to conflict with evil (the spiritual warfare), but will enable us to "abide under the will of God" and not try to get out from under what He appoints. We must hold up in a courageous manner when suffering to obtain the benefit that Christ wants us to have. "If we suffer ('go through suffering' patiently'), we shall also reign with Him ... " (II Timothy 2:12). Don't thrash yourself, but accept God's thrashing. It will teach us godly living, and provide more reward for God's glory. See I Peter 3:17.

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THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
By the late Pastor Bob Hanna


The Holy Spirit of God has influenced lives in every dispensation, but not always in the same way. A great number of students of Scripture consider the Holy Spirit's appearance at Pentecost and His effect on those present on that occasion to be the beginning of a continuous influence, even to this present day. Such, however, is not the case.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit appeared in fulfillment of prophecy - a promise made by Jesus Christ to His apostles. When He was preparing to ascend to heaven, He told them, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8 ). He had already said to them, Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts 1:5). Thus there was to be a twofold action: empowerment, and baptism. The promise of His coming as made by the Lord when the apostles were assembled at passover: "I will pray to the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever" (John 14:16).

These conditions were exclusively related to Israel. "When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind ... and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them" (Acts 2:1-3). They were filled with the Holy Ghost, they spoke in other (unknown) tongues.

In this present dispensation our relationship to the Holy Spirit is entirely different. The apostle Paul explains, "That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed (or, upon believing), ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1: 12,13). "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you" (I Corinthians 6:19)? "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free" (I Corinthians 12:13).

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RECONCILIATION IN CHRIST
By RALPH BALOG




Scripture Reading: II Corinthians 5:19

When Christ died for the sins of the whole world on the cross of Calvary, it was not only God the Son dying but also the Father "in Christ" reconciling the world unto Himself. Such a truth can be reflected upon over and over and over again-without fully comprehending what all took place at the cross of Calvary. According to Eph. 2:7 it will take the ages of the ages for God to shew us what He did for us "in Christ" when God's part of reconciliation took place.

How many countless billions of human beings have passed through this temporary life not understanding that God had reconciled them to Himself because of Christ's sacrifice of Himself for them!

Don't we rejoice to hear when a marriage that has had problems is now fully reconciled? So, too, when enemies become friends. Yet why doesn't the world rejoice in the fact that God has reconciled them to Himself? Sin, my friend. Also, the god of this world blinds human minds. Nevertheless, God's truth continues to be truth regardless of what men say or do. Let us as ambassadors beseech the unsaved: "Be ye reconciled to God." He has done more than His share in this possible union. His work is fully done. Believe that the Creator, God the Son, died in your place as your sin-Bearer, and the Word of God assures that "reconciliation in Christ" is then complete. That is salvation full and free.

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation".

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Our Union with Christ and the New Heart
Part 1 of 6
by Pastor Ken Lawson


What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-4).

The Human Heart

December 3, 1967 marked a milestone in medical history. Dr. Christian Barnard of Cape Town, South Africa successfully performed the first human heart transplant. This was followed a short time later by a similar heart transplant by Dr. Michael Debakey of Houston, Texas. These early transplants were only moderately successful because the patients' natural defense systems began attacking the new hearts as foreign invaders. With the use of trial and error, advanced technology, and better anti-rejection drugs, the outlook for heart transplant patients improved. Meanwhile, the heart surgeons who were icons in the medical community now became media superstars and they used that publicity well to raise funds for their heart clinics.

While being interviewed on a nationally televised talk show, Dr. Debakey told of the intricacy of the human heart and then added, "Only God can create a human body." While these doctors were catapulted to almost god like status, they had to confess that there was much they did not know about the heart and could, at best, only promise their patients a limited number of quality years.

God and Man's Heart

As we read the pages of the Holy Bible, we soon learn that God Himself also specializes in heart surgery. While He created the physical heart which pumps the blood that keeps us healthy, as the Great Physician, He is much more interested in implanting a new heart in man which will be humble and submissive to His will and which will also bring an eternity of great fulfillment to his soul.

As we search the writings of the Apostle Paul for us Gentiles, there is one passage of Scripture that deals systematically with the mechanics of spiritual heart surgery. Romans chapter six is the "how-to" of the Christians life. Although Paul centers on Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, he does not deal with initial salvation from the punishment of sins which results from forgiveness. He dealt with that previously in Romans 3:21-5:11 with the great themes of sin, judgment, God's love, faith, grace, redemption, justification, and reconciliation. Here he begins to teach on the issue of the believer's sanctification (or separation) with the view to produce fruit unto holiness. It answers the question, "Now that I am saved from the penalty of sin and have eternal life, how can I live a life pleasing to God?"

The answer is nothing short of radical heart surgery. The heart (or "kardia") in Scripture is used to stand for man's entire inner personal life and includes his mental, moral, and spiritual activity. It covers his intellect, emotions, thoughts, desires, conscience, and will. It is the seat of man's sinfulness but also the sphere of divine influence. There is a pure heart and an evil heart of unbelief (2 Tim. 2:22; Heb.3:12).

Although Paul does not write in terms of the word "heart" in Romans 6, the teaching is surely there in force as he writes of indwelling sin (the old heart) as well as partaking of Christ's resurrection life (the new heart). He begins by raising a rhetorical question which is really an objection raised by his critics concerning what they thought was the "fatal flaw" of his teaching of grace. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" People always raise this question when they begin to grasp the teaching of grace. But instead of rejoicing in it they jump to a wrong conclusion. They think grace teaching takes a soft stance on sin or even gives people a license to continue in it. Paul had written, "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom.5:20). The legalist reasoned something like this, "Paul, if it is true, as you say, that God's grace increases much more to deal with man's sin, why not continue to allow sin to run free in order for God's grace to shine through even more gloriously." Paul answers with the strongest "No!" in the Greek language. The King James version translates it as "God forbid!" Today we might say, "No, no way!" God protests sin as it is against His holy character. Then he asks his own challenging question, "How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" He is not expressing the impossibility of living in sin but rather how illogical and contrary to God's purpose it would be for believers to do so since we have died to it. The reason for the Cross was especially to separate man from his sinning.

[nChrist]

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Our Union with Christ and the New Heart
Part 2 of 6
by Pastor Ken Lawson




The Baptism that Counts


"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" How this passage has suffered from the intrusion of a water baptism ritual, thus losing the full force of its teaching! Water is not mentioned in these verses but "read into" by the minds of many. Actually, the word "baptism" in verses four and five means "identification with" or "initiation into" something---in this case, Jesus Christ. To be identified with Christ means that we become one with Him. To be initiated into Christ means that we are united to Him as our Source. This must be a spiritual baptism since a water ceremony could not place us into Christ or be the source of holiness. It is not a baptism into water or a church denomination that makes the difference but a baptism into Christ Himself.

In Bible times, when the color faded from a piece of cloth, they would send it to a fuller and he would dip or immerse the cloth in a dye. After a time, it would be removed and hung up to dry. In the process, the cloth would take on itself the color of the dye and become one with it. Spiritually speaking, we can apply this in a similar way to our baptism into Christ. If one insists on immersion as the definition of baptism, then it is an immersion into Christ. by the Spirit, thus, making us one with Him (1 Cor. 12:12-13).
 
This "oneness" extends beyond His death to His burial. and resurrection for verse 4 goes on to say, "Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." When Christ died, there is a very real sense in which we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried with Him. And when He rose from the dead we rose with Him. This actually happened almost 2000 years ago when Christ died and rose again, but it is not made a part of us personally until we believe the gospel of grace.
 
This is where it starts to get deep because we cannot appeal to human experience to prove this.  We do not feel it or perceive it with our senses. The only way that we know about it is by reading about it in the Word of God, and that takes faith. I do not know how God put me to death with Christ two- thousand years before I was born, but I believe it because He said it. The problem is our perspective. We live in the present; God inhabits eternity. We see a little sliver of human history; God sees the end from the beginning. There is nothing too hard for God. Our union to Christ is what Bible teachers refer to as "positional truth." All believers have a present position in Christ as being united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection.
 
Perhaps a better word for "buried" in verse four is "entombed" as Christ was not buried under ground but placed in a sepulcher from which you could walk on level ground. This positional truth is more than just theory because Paul takes it and teaches us how we can translate the position into everyday, practical living in righteousness.

[nChrist]

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Our Union with Christ and the New Heart
Part 3 of 6
by Pastor Ken Lawson



The Root and the Fruit

In Romans chapter six, Paul does not address "sins" (plural) but "sin" (singular). "Sins" refer to acts of sin that people commit. (Paul dealt with this in chapters one through five). "Sin" deals with the root source within us that causes us to commit acts of sin. Many Bible students find it helpful to think of sin here as "the sin nature" or as verse six says, "our old man" (self). Sin is the root; sins are the fruit. It is truly wonderful to know that God saved us from the punishment of sins by forgiving our sins (plural) through the blood of the Cross. Now He wants to save us from the power and dominion of sin (singular) in our Christian lives. Christ not only died "for sins," but He also died "unto sin once," thus breaking the power of the sin nature over us.
 
You may say, "I must have missed something for I know I am saved, but I still struggle a lot with sin. It sure doesn't seem like I am dead to it." Be encouraged for Paul dealt with the same problem (Romans 7:15-24). God apparently allowed Paul to experience the failure of Romans chapter seven that he might be an excellent teacher of God's solution in Romans chapters six and eight.

You see, everyone seems to think that the answer to sin in a believer's life is to appeal to will power or to legislate against it. However, Paul wrote " ... to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Rom. 7:18b). If the holy apostle could not will the victory over sin, neither can we. Another way is to set up rules and regulations against it, but that only serves to inflame sin within us and provoke it to life. "But sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (evil desire). For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died" (Rom. 7:8-9).

So much for legislating moral goodness. Many have found that when they put up a sign like, "Don't touch wet paint," people are prompted by something within to do that very thing. Then they wise up and print something like "Please don't touch wet paint." Now it is in the form of a polite request rather than an order. Even when the law is successful in restraining outward acts of sin, the sin nature simmers beneath the surface waiting for the opportunity to express itself.

[nChrist]

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Our Union with Christ and the New Heart
Part 4 of 6
by Pastor Ken Lawson


The Grace Way

 
To overcome sin we must not rely on rules and regulations, the law, will power, or anything in ourselves. The grace way is the only thing effective because it is God's way and the method by which He works in His own children today. "For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). What Paul teaches here about being dead to sin but alive to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the most valuable lesson he learned from God for complete victory over sin. You might think of it this way: if I were to die today, there would be one positive; I would not be able to sin against God anymore. The negative is that I would not be able to serve Him any more in this life. Similarly, when we receive Christ as Savior, God puts our old self to death (affected by Christ's death) and we become disconnected with our old nature. Thankfully, He doesn't leave us in death but now imparts new life (Christ's resurrection life) to us by which we have strength to serve Him.
 
Romans 6:5-10 is a further explanation of verses three and four. It does not deal with the future death and resurrection of the body but our current spiritual death and resurrection with Christ.
 
vs 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
 
vs 6 Knowing this, that our old man is (was) crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
 
vs 7 For he that is dead is free from sin.
 
vs 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

vs 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more: death hath no more dominion over him.
 
vs 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
 
To be "dead to sin" does not mean that sin cannot affect us nor does the fact that "our old man is crucified" with Christ indicate that he no longer bothers us. Dead men affect us every day. Our parents and grandparents affect who we are, how we think, and how we react. Even dead presidents affect us in ways we don't even realize. But we need not be enslaved by a dead man. And we need not be controlled by the old man within that God has put to death.
 
It may be helpful to think of death as separation. Physical death, for example, is a separation of the spirit from the body. Likewise, the Romans chapter six form of death is a separation of our sin nature from us. When we believed the Gospel, God affected this separation by a spiritual circumcision in which He cut off (or surgically removed) the old heart (self) and a new heart (Christ) was replaced as the life-giving Source. Lack of knowledge, unbelief, and selfishness wait in the shadows to derail our spirituality. The old heart can be reconnected and take control of our lives if we allow our spiritual life to flounder.

[nChrist]

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Our Union with Christ and the New Heart
Part 5 of 6
by Pastor Ken Lawson



A Prophetic Voice and a Contemporary One

The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel spoke of a time in the coming kingdom when his restored people, Israel, will receive their heart transplant. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them" (Ezek. 36:26-27). Their hard heart will be replaced with a soft heart which will be ready to do His will. While Israel's stony heart will be removed, God, in His wisdom, allows ours to remain within, and while separated, we still have the freedom to yield to its destructive ways. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the, flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal 5:17).

Years ago, I heard a message on Romans six from Pastor Win Johnson of Denver, Colorado. He spoke at the annual Bible conference of the Berean Bible Fellowship. When the venerable old saint ascended the platform, the first thing he said was, "I wonder if I could amend the title of the message tonight. The title as it appears on the program reads, 'A Change of Masters.' I would like to change it to be 'A Choice of Masters.'" He, was right and I never forgot it. While we do have a change of masters in standing and position before God, it is nevertheless true that in our state and condition in the world, we have a responsibility to reckon it to be true of us personally and to yield ourselves to God as alive from the dead. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

What Paul says in verse six about "the body of sin being destroyed" doesn't mean that our bodies cannot become the instruments of sin. That notion is dashed by what Paul says in verses twelve and thirteen as well as our own experience. All too often we open the coffin and consult with the old corpse of sin, The word "destroyed" does not mean annihilated but "rendered inoperative" or ineffective. It is potential.

Think of this illustration: Mark and Carol have been married for 15 years. Mark thought that it would be a wonderful wedding anniversary gift if he would surprise her with a new car. When the day came, Carol looked out the front picture window to see a bright, colorful, new car with all the accessories. She was delighted! But then Mark thought of a devious joke to play on her. During the night, he got out of bed, went to the garage, and disconnected the battery to the new car. The next morning, Carol got in the car to head off to work. Mark stood in the kitchen listening and laughing as she tried desperately to start the car. Carol finally walked in the house in tears and said, "Mark, I think we got a lemon!" Mark explained the prank and in a few months she thought it was funny too. The new car was in perfect running order. Mark had just separated it from its power source.

So Christ has positionally separated us from the sinful nature (or old heart) and connected us to Christ with His resurrection life. What God has joined let us not put asunder, and let us not join together what God has separated!