Written by Pastor Mark Driskill
November 11, 2011
Read Ephesians 4:21-24
Sanctification, or the redeeming of the sinful life into the life of Christ, is not something that happens magically. Many live under the delusion that once the “sinner’s prayer” is prayed there is nothing more to be done. Many live under a salvation that is more akin to superstition than to saving faith. “Just pray the prayer and you’re on your way to heaven!” is spoken by many a well meaning evangelists.
Troubled sinners recite fervently the evangelical incantation hoping it will magically turn them into a new creature, like some kind of spell. But, the New Testament tells us there is more to salvation than reciting a prepackaged prayer at an altar. In our passage today we see it is true that receiving the gift of salvation is done by simple faith and begins with the utterance of a sinners plea to God for forgiveness and grace. But, after that, the ongoing work of transforming the believer into the image of Christ involves something more.
Paul reminds the Ephesian believers that they must intentionally and by faith put to death the old self and allow the new self, who is created in Christ Jesus, to emerge, as it says elsewhere, “From glory to glory into the same image (Christ).” We must remember that as crucifixion was central to our redemption, so our daily crucifixion is central to our sanctification. Jesus did not go to the cross so we could feel better about being sinners! He went to the cross, as John tells us, “to destroy the work of the devil.” That means more than forgiveness, but also deliverance.
Are you being delivered daily from your old life? Or are you attempting to drag around your old dead sin nature while pretending to be free? Are you putting to death daily the sins of your old life, and taking up the life of Jesus?
A farmer grew weary of his dog killing the chickens on his farm. One day he took the dogs latest victim and tied the dead animal to the dogs neck. For weeks the poor dog wandered around dragging the rotting corpse around his neck until it finally rotted off. Once the dog was finally free he was much more hesitant to consider killing another chicken. He wanted no more association with his past as a chicken killer. He was repulsed by the idea of it. He was a new dog with no more desire for the stench of his past.
Friends, when we came to Christ he set us free from the rotting corpse of our past life. Now that we are free we are losing our desire for the days of sin and death. We no longer want to drag around the death of our old life. We must put aside any connection to our former life and begin a new career as a child of God. Are you dragging around your old life, or are you walking in freedom?
Pastor Mark Driskill
Web Minister of Begotten By the Word web ministry
See our website at http://ourchurch.com/member/b/bbtw
and
www.facebook.com (to group “begotten by the word”)
Begotten By the Word is a ministry of Helping Hands Christian resources-Evangelism Outreach
www.hhcr05.org
(Feel free to copy in any way that will bring glory to God and further his kingdom.)
