Wayne's World...(8Oct09)

New Covenant Victory

Part 2

 

Why grace junkies sin less.

 

1.    The law has been cancelled

 

2.    There is a regenerated new nature

 

3.    The power of God flows in our veins through the Holy Spirit

 

In part one of New Covenant Victory we looked at the fact that the law has been lifted off us, its legal demands cancelled at the cross in Christ, and that under grace sin no longer has dominion over us.

 

Colossians 2:13,14 having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

 

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

 

Today were going to look at reason number 2.

 

There is a regenerated new nature.

 

We are those who have passed from life to death.

 

When we were not in Christ, we were dead.

 

Colossians 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him

 

Romans 5v12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned –

 

 15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18Therefore, as one trespass(Or the trespass of one)  led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness(Or the act of righteousness of one)  leads to justification and life for all men. 19For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

 

So we see here that sin entered the world through one man Adam, and as a result all that followed entered into that sin. We are born into sin. The result of that sin, was spiritual death, separation from God and broken relationship with Him.

 

BUT verse

 

17If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ 18Therefore, as one trespass(Or the trespass of one)  led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness(Or the act of righteousness of one)  leads to justification and life for all men

 

When we receive the gift of grace, we receive life.

 

So we were dead and condemned, but now through receiving Gods grace, we receive the gift of righteousness and life. 

 

This is also called being born again. Our spirits literally become alive. This is rebirth and renewal.

 

Look at what Titus 3 says

 

3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

Titus says we were once foolish, disobedient and given to various forms of sin, but that has changed. We have been washed clean, we are regenerated, and renewed, made new.

 

Last scripture here:

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.(Or creature)  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 

Ok so here it is. If you believe in Jesus, you pass from life to death. This new creature, this new creation is regenerated and renewed. It is a new life. This new nature lives for God, the old nature was bent towards sin, the new nature made alive to God is bent towards life, light and goodness. The most underestimated aspect of the Christian experience has been the degree at which we are changed at the point of being born again. We are literally a new breed on the planet, something that did not exist before the cross. We are filled with all the power of God. We are placed in Christ and co-seated with Him.

 

The effect of the new nature is that we live differently. We sin less for who we are has changed. And the clearer we see who we are, the more we will live as we truly are. The old has passed away.

 

It's critical that we see ourselves as we truly are. One of the most staggering scriptures in the bible is in 1 John it says "as he is so are we in this world".

 

Now this belief in who you are simply cannot be understated for "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he". What you think about yourself, will be your reality. Even amongst secular physiologists and motivational speakers, they agree. How you see yourself determines how you behave. I remember in business they said "dress like a professional, speak like a professional, believe you are one, and you will be one!" and it is true.

 

See who you are. You are a new creature, a holy creature, a powerful creature. A creature dedicated to God at its very core, a creature madly in love with the giver of life. A creature of light, a creature of anointing. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You can do anything you want! What do you want to do?

 

The New Creation changed by God has desires, and expressions. The new you wants out. It wants to live, it want s to express it self. Let it. The new you loves to love. The new you loves worship, the new you is addicted to the presence of God. The regenerated renewed you lives for fresh revelation. The born again life filled you, wants others to taste this life too. Your new nature loves to be with God. You want to do these things. If you do not want these things, you are still dead!

 

John Piper says:

 

"The commands of Jesus are a description of the way new human beings behave, who have been born again, and enabled supernaturally, to the glory of God"

 

Man I love that were new human beings.

 

Titus 2v14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good

 

He gave Himself for us, He has redeemed us from the grave, He has purified us, He has made us His very Own, He has made us eager to do good.

 

So He has done something to us that makes us live differently, He changed who we are. Were now a New Regenerated Creature.

 

This new creature sins less than the old. Seeing who we are, seeing the work of grace in us, helps us sin less. The more we see and the clearer we see, and the more we know about who we are, the less we will sin. Sin is not who we are, that person died.