When the sinner becomes a Christian, he receives a new nature from God; he becomes a partaker of the Divine nature. Because the Christian does not lose his old sinful nature, he is soon conscious of a warfare within. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary one to the other; so that ye may not do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17. Christians have tried all kinds of religious schemes and joined all kinds of fanatical movements to get rid of their sinful natures. Many of them have deceived themselves—but no one else—into believing that they have been successful. There are many who claim for themselves that they have reached, through a second work of grace, the state of sinless perfection. Such a doctrine and position is not only contrary to Scripture, but contrary to the experience of any and every Christian. However, there is victory in Christ for every fully yielded believer.
The apostle Paul has well described the believer’s experience in these words, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. 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.” Romans 7:22 and 23. Notwithstanding this warfare, he exhorts his fellow‑saints in these words: “Let not sin therefore REIGN in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” Romans 6:12. It is one thing for sin to dwell in the believer; it is another thing for sin to reign in him. The believer is urged to be constantly on his guard, to be sober, vigilant, prayerful, yielding himself moment by moment to the Lord.
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” I Corinthians 10:12 and 13.
This does not mean that the Christian will lose his salvation, but he can fall into sin, if he does not do that which he is commanded to do: “Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:13. He is likewise commanded, “Submit yourselves unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4. It is because of this great fact that God instructs us: “Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11. For said Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13.
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16.
There is victory for the Christian in the Lord, and this victory comes by walking in the Spirit. All who thus walk fulfill the righteousness of the law by manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. Romans 8:4. Galatians 5:22.
“And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” I John 2:1.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9.
We shall deal in subsequent chapters with the Christian’s conflict with the world and the devil, but we are here dealing with an enemy which in this life never leaves us nor forsakes us, but which will hinder, defeat and disgrace us unless we are ever and always yielded to the Lord, and can truly say, “The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and Who gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.
When we are born of our parents we inherit a nature of sin which abides with us as long as we abide on this earth. When we are born of God we receive a Divine nature. We are born from above. With such Divine power we can put to death the deeds of the flesh. The old man came to an end at Calvary. Romans 6:3 to 6. Believers died with Him. But the believer must constantly put off the old man and put on the new. “That ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man . . . And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24.
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ Our Lord.”
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
“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.”
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

 

 

 

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