Are You Really Dead?

In talking about dying to ourselves and coming alive to Christ I run the risk of sounding ever so redundant. However the apostle Paul felt it necessary to repeat himself a lot on the subject of crucifying the flesh, and living for and through Christ, and not for the flesh. Again the apostle states the following: Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:8-11 Redundant as it may sound it is important that we are constantly reminded that we are dead to sin. This is why Jesus commanded that we take up our cross daily and follow him. Luke 9:23

Dear Christian are you dead to sin? And by that I mean are you living for Christ and no longer seeking to satisfy the desires of the flesh? By this I mean do you hate your sin as God hates it? I am not asking if you never sin, I am asking do you hate your sin. Do you abhor when you sin, that is to regard it with extreme repugnance? Or when you sin do you merely laugh it off? If we are truly dead to sin then we hate sin as much as God hates it. It doesn’t mean that we are perfect, and never sin, but it means that when we sin it breaks our heart.

When you look with lust do you feel the weight of the sin afterwards, or do you eagerly await your next chance to look again. When filthy words come from your mouth, do you go red in the face from embarrassment, or do you make excuses why the words you say are ok? If for you to stop sinning it meant you had to get rid of your computer, or your TV, or your car, or you had to make new friends, would you be willing to do it? Or will you merely say that this is the way the world is and so what you are doing is ok. For Paul makes it very clear, as does Jesus, and John, and many others:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:5

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:1-5

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: 1 John 3:4-10a

Do you make a practice of sinning, or do you fall and stumble into sin? If you fall and stumble into sin and feel the weight afterwards then Christ can help you to become more holy if you will just trust in him and reckon yourself dead. If, however, you dive headlong into sin the progressive sanctification can never be yours until first you examine yourself and find out whether or not you are in the faith. Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 for a hard question.

Almighty God,
Speak to my heart, show me truly if I am a child of thee. If found to be your child then continue to work in me that I might count myself dead to sin and alive to Christ. If a child of yours I am not then lead me into true repentance and faith. May I worship you in spirit and in truth. In the glorious name of Jesus!