“For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin,” Romans 6:6-7, According to these verses we were crucified with Christ, our old self, or old man, that is Adam, was done away with on the cross of Jesus, and we are no longer slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.
Verses 10-11 say, “For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” These verses tell us that because Jesus has conquered sin, having died to it, we are to consider ourselves dead to sin [for we were crucified with Him], but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Something to note here are the words ‘in Christ Jesus.’ Because of these words we know that we are only alive to God when we are in Christ Jesus. As Jesus said in John 15;5, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” To be alive to God in Christ Jesus, we must abide in Christ Jesus. In this way, and only in this way, can we bear fruit, and the Father be glorified, (verse 8).
John 15:10 says, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” Verse 12 says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”
To love one another as Jesus has loved us, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross, and follow Jesus; that is, turn away from our self and its selfish tendencies and lusts, and consider ourselves dead to sin, [having been crucified with Christ on the cross], and follow Jesus in newness of life in the Spirit of God, having been raised up with Him into the heavenly places.
Having denied ourselves and having been raised up with Jesus, the love of God will most assuredly flow through us like rivers of living water; and we will be patient and kind and without jealousy; we will not brag or be arrogant, nor will we seek our own; we will not be provoked, nor will we take into account a wrong suffered; we will not rejoice in unrighteousness, but we will rejoice with the truth; and we will bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things. We will be in Christ Jesus, abiding, obeying, and loving all people; bearing fruit that glorifies the Father. And God will, in turn, manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Jesus Christ in every place, (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Please weigh everything I say on the scales of the Word of God.
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