Alive in Christ, Dead to Sin

Did that Facebook post intrigue you? I suppose it did since you are here now. I'll get right to it then.

Let me start by noting that I think most people who say I am sinner saved by grace mean to say I was once a sinner but I have been saved by grace. Furthermore, I think people should be saying the latter instead of the former! When I hear the former I hear the following context clues: I am sinner, I don't amount to anything, I am filthy, I am not a new creation, I didn't perform well for God today, etc. Notice who is central in each of those thoughts; you! Fellow believer, stop proclaiming you are not righteous enough (we know already!) and start proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ defeating sin and death through his own death and resurrection. Know that just as Christ was crucified, your old self (your sinner self) was also crucified (Romans 6:6 ESV). Believe for your own self that "one who has died has been set free from sin . . . and, [those] set free from sin, have become slaves to righteousness" (6:7,18). Additionally, "as slaves to righteousness [you are being led] . . . to sanctification and its end, eternal life" (6:19,22). In other words, since you have seen the glory of God you "are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" until we obtain our - and behold His - full glory in eternity (2 Corinthians 3:18). Your identity is Christ, not sin.

For the sake of your inner man please read Romans 6 for yourself. Study it, meditate on it, and ask yourself and God questions.

J. D. Smeltser