“13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the Law, but under Grace.” Romans 6:13-14
At Calvary, Jesus Christ not only paid the penalty of sin for the believing sinner but He broke the power of sin for the Saint. So many know this Scripture. They know that sin shall not have dominion over them and strive daily not to yield their members as instruments of unrighteousness. To be sure, our mouths and what comes out of them are often times the members we unwittingly yield unto righteousness. Our intent is good but our fruit is unto death.
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” James 1:26
There have been many a vain religion come down the pike with the unbridled tongue as the member of unrighteousness.
Even as we know the Scriptures; we know that sin shall not have dominion over us because we are under Grace and not under Law, the majority of the modern church do not understand the Scripture; they do not understand that their faith has been placed in their own ability, self will, etc. to just say ‘no’ to sin. By doing this they are placing themselves back under the Government of Law.
Are they Saved? Sure…providing they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and have been Born Again by the Spirit of God. Because they have been Born Again, they (we) are alive unto God. Our spirit is quickened to the ways of the Lord. The Holy Spirit Who now lives in us isolates the sin nature which ruled and reigned in our hearts and He places in our hearts desires; desires which are God’s Will and not our own.
Do we always follow? Do we sometimes miss Him? Yes.
Does He leave us and give up? Absolutely not. As long as we keep fighting that good fight of faith in the Cross of Christ for all that we receive from God, the Holy Spirit continues His work in our heart. Cutting asunder the intent of our heart and removing the things that are not of God.
Many know the Scriptures; even satan (James 2:19). But many do not understand the Scriptures. There is no graduating class this side of Glory. We are all running this race and if the Lord has given one more understanding than another, that understanding is for multiplication…not preservation. Just ask the guy with the one talent who buried his talent as he tried to preserve it but instead it was taken away
“29 For unto every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has.
30 And cast you the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:29-30
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is given to be spread to the four corners of the world so that others may be set at liberty; so that they too may know this joy unspeakable and peace beyond understanding. No where in the Bible does it say to join the world to overcome the world as much of the modern church practices. No. No. The Gospel is enough. The Cross of Christ is the ONLY answer to man’s dilemma…that includes the Believer’s dilemma.
So many do not understand that when that ‘dilemma’ arises, whatever that dilemma may be, IS the Cross of Christ Jesus and instead they go about performing religious acts and rites in hopes to overcome this ‘dilemma’. What they have done is yielded their members to Law; to the Government of Law where sin reigns.
Their faith is still in the Cross of Christ for Salvation but has been moved to another way for deliverance from the circumstance at hand. That other way may seem right. It is very religious but has not power over sin.
With the Cross of Christ being made of no effect because we are not submitted unto God but unto man’s way, we cannot resist the devil’s temptations and he will not flee.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
So many don’t understand why the devil’s not fleeing, why they can’t NOT yield their members to unrighteousness and why sin’s dominion reigns.
“23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:23-24
The Cross of Christ; Jesus Christ shall deliver whosoever will believe from the bondage of sin but with our faith placed in another way, we are not giving the Holy Spirit latitude to do that which He is commissioned to do.
We all must examine ourselves whether we be in the faith…faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified…faith in the power of God to us who are Saved. Being determined to know nothing else among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified isn’t just for the new Believer but for the Believer who has been Saved 5 months or 50 years. This Gospel is for all the whosoevers.
“Know ye not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Cor. 3:16
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 