I see dead people! [my apologies to The Sixth Sense...]
Enough of trying to lay salvation over old, dead people! That old creature is DEAD! Enough! Bury it in baptism, and let it lie!
'Therefore if ANYONE is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE; the old things passed away; behold, NEW THINGS HAVE COME.' [2 Corinthians 5:17]
First of all, Ephesians 2:1 says we were already dead in trespasses and sin.
I love the way Colossians 2 puts it:
'For in Him ALL THE FULLNESS OF DIETY dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the REMOVAL OF THE BODY OF THE FLESH by the circumcision of Christ; having been BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, in which you were RAISED UP WITH HIM through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.'When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, HE MADE YOU ALIVE TOGETHER WITH HIM, having forgiven us ALL our transgressions, having CANCELED OUT THE CERTIFICATE OF DEBT CONSISTING OF DECREES AGAINST US, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had DISARMED the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having TRIUMPHED over them through Him.' [Colossians 2:9-15]'But thanks be to God, who always leads us in TRIUMPH in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.' [2 Corinthians 2:14]
Paul reiterated this in Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
And again in Colossians 3:3...
'For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.'
And it was God's will! He wanted to redeem us, to buy us back with the Blood of Jesus!
'But BY HIS DOING you are in Christ Jesus, who BECAME TO US WISDOM from God, and RIGHTEOUSNESS and SANCTIFICATION, and REDEMPTION...' [1 Corinthians 1:30]
Just Stop It!
Stop thinking and acting like dead people! 'Do not be conformed to this world [of dead people—author's comment] but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so you can PROVE what the WILL OF GOD IS, that which is GOOD and ACCEPTABLE and PERFECT!' [Romans 12:2]
Stop thinking and acting like dead people! 'Do not be conformed to this world [of dead people—author's comment] but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so you can PROVE what the WILL OF GOD IS, that which is GOOD and ACCEPTABLE and PERFECT!' [Romans 12:2]
We are called to prove that God is good, that His will is good, that anyone who will come to Him through Jesus can be restored to and re-united with Him! Our lives should show that Jesus paid it all and that we walk in the full blessings of God based on that sacrifice, not on our Christian performance.
Enter the rest of His finished works. Jesus paid it ALL and He's in us and we're in Him, one Spirit with the Lord. He's the only Spirit in that earthen vessel, folks, and He has the Name above every name with all it's rights and privileges.
