Deliverance

“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Romans 8:12-14 NLT)

Are you a child of God? Upon what do you base that conclusion? If you’re basing it on how you feel in this moment you could be completely wrong, because salvation isn’t dependent upon emotion, it’s dependent on faith alone in Christ alone. However, there are other considerations.

Paul’s contention in the passage above and their surrounding chapters and verses, is that a child of God is no longer dominated by their sinful nature, but by the powerful Holy Spirit who now resides in our life. We’re sometimes so relieved and grateful for no longer having to bear the penalty of our sin, we too quickly forget the price of our salvation.

Charles Spurgeon helps us when he writes: “Salvation is not deliverance from hell alone; it is deliverance from sin.” Yes, of course, that includes the penalty of sin, but it also includes the power of sin. Christ’s deliverance includes the power to break the bonds of sin that held us so tightly before He freed us. As Paul declares in the verses above: “…you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges…”

What does our sinful nature urge us to do? SIN! To blatantly and willingly disobey the clear and direct commands of our Savior to live and walk in holiness of life, just as He did. The writer of the Hebrew letter makes this clear when he writes: “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”

And just to be clear, our holiness is wholly of God, not of ourselves. The writer’s intent isn’t to put us under obligation to secure our own salvation, but to live the quality of life that verifies and gives evidence of the holy life we have in Christ. It’s all and only Him, but that doesn’t excuse or permit our laxness in seeking with every ounce of our being to live above sin.

Purity of heart, mind, soul, and body is our mandate, one for which we must daily strive, not simply for the sake of our own reputation and effective witness, but for the glory of our Master. He is the One to whom all glory, honor, and praise should be given for every inch of progress we make in our walk with Him.

To believe walking in holiness is a virtue that should afford us greater recognition with man or God is to be blind to our obligation to “put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,” not in our own efforts, but “through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature…” The Christian life is never accomplished through the energy of the flesh, yet, admittedly, it takes perseverance and effort to maintain our constant vigilance as we seek intimacy with our Savior.

Our walk with the Lord is a partnership, a companionship, a bond built and maintained by the Holy Spirit, between us and our Savior. I’m reminded of the verse from an article a few days ago from Ephesians 5 exhorting us to “Imitate God!”  We will never be able to do that without a conscious awareness of our deliverance from the evil one and his favorite tool – sin!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊