separation from God forever and only the shed blood of the Son of Man could have paid for our sin – and only the resurrection of the Son of Man would give us newness of life – a new life in Christ – a new creation in Christ.
Unreachable Standard
The unreachable standard of God’s Law was to be set aside for a new life in Christ. A man seeking to live by any Law must be prepared to keep every part of that law.
But a believer with a new life in Christ is to live his life by grace and not by works of the Law.
New Life in Christ
A man who seeks to live by the Law must be prepared to keep every part of that law, but the one who died to the Law with Christ has been given a new Christlike nature. A Christian with a new life in Christ must die to self so that Christ lives in him.
Impossible Standard
The reality that the Law, in which Nicodemus trusted was related to the flesh, must have been shattering to this religious-minded Pharisee – this esteemed teacher. Though the Law was God’s benchmark for the man that is born of the flesh it was an impossible standard to keep – but the new life in Christ, which is a gift of God’s grace to the one that believes, is a new work of God in man – a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Old or New
A believer must know and understand the nature of his new life in Christ and apply it, and he must understand the nature of his old sinful life to oppose it.
Before salvation they were enslaved by the old sin-nature – they were in bondage to sin and slaves of sin, but after salvation, they were given a new nature and became servants of Christ – with a new life and a born-again spirit.
Now we are servants of the new nature in Christ rather than the old sin-nature, and these verses contrast an unbeliever’s former relationship as slaves of sin with a believer’s new relationship to their new life-in-Christ, which we all receive at salvation and which has made us all servants of righteousness.
Death or Life
A slave of sin functions through the old sin-nature, while a slave of righteousness functions through the new life in Christ.
A servant of sin relates to the old sin-nature, while a servant of righteousness relates to the new life in Christ.
The old sin-nature is in servitude to sin and functions under the law of sin and death, while the new life in Christ is in servitude to righteousness and functions under the law of Christ – the Spirit of life.
A believer has two choices – he can either submit to the evil enticements of the sin-nature, or he lives his life through the new life in Christ.
However, the more we starve sin by submitting to the new life in Christ, the more our new nature will grow.
When, however, you and I are prepared, in simple humility, to make the fact of our death with Christ our daily basis of life and service, there is nothing that can prevent the uprising and outflow of new life, and meet the need of thirsty souls around us. -J.C.M.
It is only when our whole outlook is made radiant by His glory, because we are hungry to do His will and that only, that our activities will be quickened into new life, and others be truly blessed. -J.C.M.
Man’s 2 Natures
As children of God we were given a new life in Christ – a baby life that needs to grow. Our life should be a fruitful, victorious life that matures into a spiritual believer – a life submitted to the Spirit, so it may be conformed into the image and likeness of Jesus. But we still have a sin nature that seeks to gain supremacy over our new Christ-life. We were freed from its power over us, at the cross, but it remains our deadly enemy.
2 Opposing Natures
The more we feed one of these two bitterly opposing natures, the more it grows and develops – and the stronger it becomes the greater its capacity for good or for evil. The new life in Christ, we received at salvation, is the very life of Jesus Christ, that was breathed into us by God’s Spirit, so we could grow in grace and spiritually mature.
Old Nature and New Life
The old sin nature we received from Adam is at enmity with God and kept us in bondage and condemnation, but it was crucified with Christ, and its power was severed at the cross – freeing us forever from the bondage of sin and death.This new life in Christ is His sinless life – which was imparted into our very beings. The old sin nature is our terrible Adamic heritage – which keeps us in bondage to sin. Unsaved men can only function under the power of the old sin nature, and whatever they do, whether good or ill, is worthy of nothing more than God’s utter condemnation.
New Life in Christ
The new life in Christ should be nurtured, while the old sin nature must be subdued, and though all Christians are positionally sanctified, (set apart unto God), we must also grow in our Christian life to be practically sanctified – and it’s all by grace. Whether we are talking about our sanctified position or the sanctifying process that continues throughout life – our spiritual growth, our growing in grace, our maturing in the faith and the good works that God has prepared for us to do, are ALL by grace.
In this way the new life in Christ will have a chance to grow and mature, and gradually be conformed into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus. If we ignore the clear guidance in scripture on how to live a spiritual life, that’s pleasing to God, and submit to the old sin nature, we place ourselves back under the bondage of law.
Put on the New
Let us put to death the deeds of the body, so our new life in Christ can grow: for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Let us not copy the behaviours and customs of this world, but rather let us submit to the Spirit, so that God can transform us into a new person..
It is thus that we learn that the Spirit who has renewed our spirit must also sustain our new life; that we depend entirely on divine grace and strength, not merely to bring us to the Lord Jesus, but to keep us abiding in Him where He is.” -A.M.
Adam one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. (Romans 5:18 NLT)
We all know how our Lord Jesus, ere He could receive the new life from the Father in glory, and the gift of the Holy Spirit through whom He could impart His life to His people, had first to give up the life He lived upon earth.
And the life…(the new life ~ which is Christ in me and I in Him) … the life, which I now live in the flesh.. (my natural physical body) – I live by the faith of the Son of God – Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
His risen life, His new life – not my amended old life.
His risen new life comes from the second spiritual birth, in Christ Attempts to amend my old life is to deny that I am nothing.
We learn that “Christ’s life” is not a reformed self, but His new life.
End of Self
It is when Self is identified as irreparably damaged and incapable of improvement, that we are brought to the end of our self-life and cry out at long last. Self must no longer have sway in my life, for it is not the “old I” but the “new life in Christ” that lives – and it must only be Christ.
The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us – in our new life in Christ, for Christ is the power of God and that power has raised us up into newness of life.
Christ’s New Life
Being made in the image of God means we are made up of spirit, soul, and body.
The old sin nature of the old life in Adam must die, so that Christ’s new life can live. I assure you: unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself – but if it dies, it produces a large crop.
Imparted Life
The risen life of Christ is to be the inner experience of all that are born from above. The resurrected life of Jesus is to be the vital expression of the Christian’s new life. Because Christ rose from the dead His risen life is imparted to all who trust in Him.
Praise God, our spirit was redeemed, when the Spirit of God breathed in new life, Regeneration – salvation of the spirit. Praise God, our soul, through “patient endurance” in this life, is being saved. Sanctification – salvation of the soul.
Law of Death
The truths that Nicodemus learnt on his night visit to Jesus Christ were staggering. During an evening conversation his long-held religious values had been fragmented. The requirements of the Mosaic Law were impossible – unattainable to mortal man! The notion of a new birth with a new life – was beyond the concept of human reason!
Two Natures
The old sinful life can never be reformed – only the new life i acceptable to God.
The old nature must die to self and the new nature be conformed to Christ-likeness. The old Adamic nature cannot be improved – only a new nature is sufficient to God. My old life must die to self and my new life be conformed to the image of Christ.
A New Creation
Jesus wasn’t sent to teach a race of fallen sinners how to live under the perfect Law. He was sent to reveal that only a new life, with a new nature can satisfy the Father.
He came to demonstrate how the life He lived was the only life that would ever please the Father – a life that He Himself would impart to all who believe in His name – a new life – a new life in Christ – a new life born of the Spirit – a new creation.
A New Life
No surprise that Nicodemus did not understand all these concepts that Jesus taught – for the new life in Christ was a mystery – a mystery, which from the beginning of the world was hidden in the heart of the Father, Who created all things by Jesus Christ. The mystery of the new life in Christ was hid from saints and prophets of old. This was a mystery that had been hidden from ages and from generations – and yet it was a mystery which would one day be made manifest to his saints – to you and to me.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God right hand. (Colossians 3:1 NLT)
God did not help the sinner to be born again... He gave him a new life in Christ.
Your soul can allow the sinful flesh to raise its ugly head and rule your life. Never ask God to help your soul yield to His Life working in your new life.
A New Creation
A new creature; a new man; a new creation; a new nature; a new life in Christ. A new body that is being conformed into the image and likeness of her Saviour – a unique body that is possessor of the life of Christ and the nature of her Lord.
Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;Living with Jesus, a new life divine;Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
Self Identified
When Self is identified as irreparably damaged and incapable of improvement, we are brought to the end of our 'self-life' and cry out at long last, “self must no longer have sway in my life.” For it is not the “old I” but the “new life in Christ” that lives, and it must only be Christ.
To rise into the newness of His life in you – the old Life must remain crucified, until the NEW Life in Christ becomes.. not I that lives but Christ that lives in me.”
The new life in Christ takes a lifetime of growth.
Old and New Life
At the same time, the old self endeavours to get down from the cross and resume control – and a battle ensues between the old sin nature and the new life in Christ.
Tug-of-War
Sometimes it’s not an easy decision for a believer to submit to the Holy Spirit of Christ, for the old nature lusts against the new life in Christ.
Often a tug-of-war ensues between the old sin nature and the new life in Christ, but the old life and the new nature can never live in harmony with each other.
Christ is All in All
God’s long-term plan is that Christ is all and in all – and we are to be in Christ. As I cease to exist so the life of Christ begins to grow and develop in me. As my old self ceases to exist – so my new life in Christ begins to grow.
The new growth in the 'new life in-Christ'..
The new life takes time to grow – much time – a life-time of growing in grace.
All he needs for maturity is encompassed in his new life. All a Christian needs, is in his new life in Christ and he is complete in Him, for nothing can be added and nothing can be subtracted – for Christ is ALL in ALL. He is ALL we need and we are COMPLETE in Him.
The Old Life
But the old life in Adam contains the antithesis of the new life in Christ. The old, sinful Adamic nature is the entire opposite of the new life in Christ.
The new life in Christ must be the life within that grows into the likeness of Christ.
We are a new man, with a new life in Christ – and all that is of the old must go.
The old and the new must not be combined, for the old life in Adam is at enmity against the new life in Christ.
Remain Crucified
The new life is additional to the old life in Adam – but it alone must grow and mature.
BUT, and this is important, mingling the old nature with the new life – retards the process and prevents maturity.
Fruitfulness is all encompassed within the new life of Christ alone, and the new life in Christ is received at rebirth, by every believer.
God Works Within
We are to put off the old and put on the new and then... we are just to rest in Him, for it is God who works in us (through the new life in Christ) Both to WILL and to DO of His good pleasure.
A New Life
In Christ we belong to a new order – a new creation, with a new heart and a new life. The old self which used to be the dominating influence in our life has been exchanged.
We now have a new life in Christ and we are to dress ourselves in the spiritual man.
Put on the New Life
He reminds us we did not learn Christ in this way, if we were correctly taught. He continues in reference to our former manner of life that – you are to lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Godly Nature
Our new life has been created in Christ’s righteousness and holiness of the truth. And the old sin nature does not want to be superseded by the new godly nature.
We have all been given a new nature in Christ – a new life in Him - Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:24.
As with the seed that is buried once for all, but then disintegrates through a gradual process that sets free the new life, even so does the Father deal with our old man by delivering it to death with the Lord Jesus once for all, and then bringing about its mortification in detail through the circumstances of life, until the power of the flesh has lost its hold. -L.T.
The old sin nature meant that man could NEVER, EVER do what pleased God, but alongside the old sin nature was the new nature in Christ – the new life of Christ.
and because of His choice, we have His new life in US.
And because of His choice, we are been saved by His redeeming work have His new life in us.
Two Distinct Factions
The human race is divided into two camps – two parties – two distinct factions. Every member of the human race is either connected with Adam or with Christ. Initially, every person is connected with Adam from the moment we are born.. but those believing in Jesus are removed from Adam and put into Christ – forever. Those that move from Adam to Christ are born again into a new life.
Romans 5:19
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
Our stand and attitude from the beginning of each day is to be a settled matter as we rest in our risen Lord Jesus: the death of the Cross separates me from the enslavement of sin and self, and I continually abide in my new life, Christ Jesus.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. (Colossians 3:1 NLT)
Chapter 5: the glories of trusting Christ, contrasting the old life under law with the new life under grace, and Chapter 6: as slaves of Christ we are no longer slaves to sin and death.
Righteous acts don’t have their source in my old sin nature but in the new life in Christ: for in myself I can do no good thing, for all my righteousness is from the Lord… not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness which is from God by faith.” Philippians 3:9
Born-again Life
When we were reborn, we received a brand new baby life – our new life in Christ, but the old sin nature will remain in our dying bodies until we are glorified – until Christ comes to take us home to heaven.
But the old nature seeks to regain supremacy over our new life in Christ. Only the new, born-again life that is positioned in Christ is positionally sanctified – and Only that new born-again life in Christ can be progressively or practically sanctified. The old sin nature is incapable of godly living.
New Life in Christ
If we are to be practically sanctified, it can only take place in our new life.
Only our new life in Christ can be holy..
Only our new life, has been made alive by the imputed life of the sinless Lord Jesus. His sinless, righteous life has been given, by grace, to ALL who believe on His name.
Sinless Perfection
It was John who said that whoever abides in Christ does not sin – nor can sin. This has nothing to do with the erroneous teaching of “sinless perfection..” This verse simply refers to the new life in Christ – the new life does not sin. The sinless life of Christ that is imputed to all believers, does not sin..
Old Sin Nature
However, the believer who does not abide in Christ, and has not set their life apart unto God will live from the source of the old sin nature, which can do nothing but sin!! The believer’s old sinful life can never be sanctified, for it is riddled with sin. There is nothing in the old sin nature that is acceptable to God and any attempts to set apart our old sin nature unto God will utterly fail. Until we go to be with the Lord, both the old sin nature and the new life in Christ are in bitter conflict – for the spirit lusts against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit.
By the daily supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ' (Phil. 1:19), the believer united to his Risen Lord grows continually to a more perfect knowledge and likeness of his Creator,' and grows up after the image of Him that created him, in the sphere where Christ is all, and in all.' The child naturally grows up in the likeness of his father, and the new life communicated to the redeemed grows up in the likeness of Him who is the Creator of the new creation if so be that the death with Christ is unflinchingly recognized, and old things' are truly allowed to pass away to make room for the growth of the new man, which is after God . . .
Prayer is the outflow of the new life; as one grows, as the Cross frees the new from the old, there is the growth of effective prayer.Without the Cross, prayer becomes a mere religious formality - without prayer, the Cross is arrested in its purpose.
Christ in Me
We must start to realise that the new life in Christ is complete in itself. There is no need for rules and regulations, rites and rituals or laws that enslave us.
Life of Christ
And yet this perfect, abundant, eternal life is the start of so much more. This perfect, abundant, eternal life is not simply a new life which is immortal. The new life that He gives is His own perfect life – it is His life, living through us.
Our old life in Adam must die if the new life in Christ is to grow and be fruitful.
It is as our hearts are under the sway of that grace which is ministered to us through the Lord Jesus Christ, and as we are knit to Him in affection, that we touch and taste a new life, and are severed in heart from all that constituted the life of our old man.
As with the seed that is buried once for all, but then disintegrated through a gradual process that sets free the new life, even so does our Father deal with our old nature by delivering it to death with the Lord Jesus once for all, and then bringing about its mortifying in detail through the circumstances of daily life, until the power of the old man has lost its hold on us. -L.T.
It’s suitable for all occasions no matter what the time – and for all persons whether bond or free. God’s unutterable gift of His Son multiplies into a plethora of additional gifts, which explode into an astonishing display of God’s amazing grace and unconditional love. Spiritual death is removed and the new life of Christ is breathed into our dead spirit – we were dead in our sins, but made alive in Christ.
We are part of a new creation – new creatures in Christ, for our old sin nature was severed at the cross and we are imbued with a new nature – the new life in Christ. Our status of sinner is changed into saint.
New Life of Christ
Punishment from ministration of condemnation was completed at Calvary – and the ONLY requirement is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, for there is no condemnation for those that believe in Christ Jesus – for those that are ‘IN Christ’.
When we believe we are immediately given a new life – the perfect life of Christ, and when we yield to the Holy Spirit – HE works in and through our NEW life.
New Life
But until we can truly examine every nook and cranny of our life and say with Paul.. I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live – yet not I, but Christ lives in me…” Gal.2:20. Until that time our heart must remain rebellious towards the Self-Existent One – the Self-Existent God, Who loves us so much and gave Himself for us.
Spiritual Development
The babe in Christ likewise has a new life: the new life in Christ.
The immature Christian likewise has access to a new mind – the new-mind of Christ, but the new life and this new mind must grow and mature into Christlikeness, and there is only one way, laid out in Scripture to spiritual growth and maturity.
Seven 7-fold Work
There is a sevenfold work of the Spirit of God at our salvation, which can be resisted:- 1) He convicts us of our need of a Saviour (John 16:8-9) 2) He regenerates the forgiven sinner, giving a new life (Titus 3:5) 3) He baptises the new believer into the body of Christ (1Cor.12:13) 4) He indwells the new believer permanently and forever (1Cor.3:16 1Cor.6:19) 5) He anoints the new believer (2Cor.1:21 1John 2:20-21) 6) He earnests a first-fruit pledge of full fruit (Eph.1:14 Rom.8:23) and 7) He witnesses with an assurance of son-ship (Rom.8:16).
Children of Grace
All who have received a new life in Christ, BY grace, must be trained THROUGH grace. Grace brings to our understanding the great love and goodness of God towards us.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that every believer has TWO ‘lives’ the old life and the new life.
Succinct Outline
Metcalf gives a succinct outline of the problem and the solution – he writes:- The modern teaching of consecration, which is tantamount to the consecration of the ‘old man,’ seeks to bypass the death sentence and, and therefore, only leads to frustration and failure. When, however, you and I are prepared, in simple humility, to make the FACT of our death with Christ our daily basis of life and service, there is nothing that can prevent the uprising and outflow of the new life in Christ, and meet the need of thirsty souls around us.
Within the inner ‘being’ of man are two continuously conflicting camps:- the old sin nature (the flesh or self-ego) is gained from the old birth in Adam, while the new life in Christ (the spirit of life in Christ Jesus) comes from our new birth.
The old sin nature opposes the new life in Christ, but the inner ‘flesh’ often manifests itself through good deeds, which are carried out in our physical body, by trying to do God’s will the wrong way.
All our inborn assets, however fine and splendid, are alien to the New Life in Christ.
New Life in Christ
So often this self-life we nurture and tend is the wrecker of our fruitfulness; yet this sentence of death to self is not the end of the story in your life or in mine.
This sentence of death is the start of a New Life In Him.
We are to take possession of our new life in Christ and let Him live through us, until the words I speak are Christ’s words not mine and the acts I do are His acts.
It is to be the new life in Christ that works through me not MY old sin-nature and His life in us is lived out in our life as the Spirit Himself lives in us. Christ’s nature is reflected in our new nature, as we yield to the indwelling Spirit.
A New-Life in Christ
As His children we were given a new LIFE in Christ – a baby life that needs to grow into a mature spiritual believer -– a life that will be fruitful – a victorious life – a life that will be conformed into the image of Jesus during the time we live on earth. But we also have a sin nature that seeks to gain supremacy over the new Christ-life. Oh!
Our new life in Christ must develop and mature, and our new man will grow and mature as we submit to the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Spiritual Realm
Only our new nature can fellowship with the Lord. Only our new nature is alive. Only the new life can function in the spiritual realm and commune with the Holy Spirit. Only our new life in Christ is spiritually alive and can worship in spirit and truth, for God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.
Practically Sanctified
Our Motto is, 'Holiness to the Lord' Exodus 13:12 His life is to be seen in every part of our new life in Him.
A process where the new life in Christ is lived out as Christ’s life in us.
One Step at a Time
All believers enjoy a wonderful justified new life in Christ, but not all believers yield to the beautiful, sanctified 'Christ-life', in you – the life of Christ which is daily, being formed in you.
His life is to be seen in every part of our new life in Him.
A process where the new life in Christ is lived out as Christ’s life in us.
He knew that our new life in Christ is the one and only thing for which we should constantly strive, in this sin-sick, fallen world - which, for the time being, is lying in the arms of Satan.
Paul traces the great plan of redemption from the first man-Adam to the last Adam-Jesus; from the old creation in the flesh to the new creation in the spirit; from the old sin nature to the new life in Christ; from the curse of the Law to the freedom of grace, and points out that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone and not by personal merit or through works of the flesh.
No surprise that the disciples could not bear these identification truths at that time for like us, they had to discover the inability of the old self life and that only the new life in Christ, which we all receive at Salvation can live a godly life.
In Christ is all that we need for life and godliness; in Christ we become a new creation and part of His Body, with a new life and new hope of glory; in Christ we have peace with God and access to the peace of God in our hearts.
The sinless Son of Man did not need to die, for sin is the reason for death, yet He chose to die and willingly gave up His perfect life so that our punishment was paid and also that we might receive His life in us, the new life in Christ, and that we might have it more abundantly.
MY peace I give unto you.The amazing love of God, binds us together in worship and praise to our Heavenly Father Whose loves for us is so profound, that He gave His only begotten Son to become our substitute for sin, while the supernatural love of Jesus is such that while we were yet sinners, Christ died on our account so that we might be forgiven of our sin, receive a new life in Him, become united with Christ and abide with Him forever.Faith, enables us to worship in spirit and truth.
They did not understand that in a few short weeks they would be indwelt by the Holy Spirit so that the life that they now lived in the flesh would be the new life of Christ living in and through them - a life they would receive by the power of the Spirit - for the life of Christ and the love of Christ was to be their eternal portion, and it is our eternal portion too.
We are challenged daily to let this mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus, and to choose to follow the path of the Cross by setting aside our own natural inclination to place self on the throne of our lives and, in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and by means of the new life of Christ, to empty ourselves of 'Self' and become a servant of all, for His sake Who loved us so much that He died that we might live.
But first, they must be spiritually enlivened when the Holy Spirit of God breathes the breath of new life into their cold, dead hearts, by their faith in Christ.
The Spirit who breathed into the nostrils of Adam is equally able to breathe the breath of new life into these scattered people: And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.
New life can only come through faith in JESUS, their Messiah.
There are two life principles by which a believer can live - death or life, law or grace, the flesh or the spirit, bondage or freedom, carnality or spirituality, the old sin nature or the new life in Christ.
He can submit to the old sin nature OR he can submit to the new life in Christ.
The old sin nature has to remain in the place of death, nailed to the Cross, replaced with a new life, the resurrected life of Christ - a new nature that we receive at salvation.
It is only by faith in the sacrificial death of Christ that our spirit can be regenerated and new life breathed into us, at salvation.
The old, soulish, fleshly life, so impregnated with sin cannot be renewed, but a new God-breathed life is given at salvation - the new life in Christ.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul had already outlined the importance of putting off the old life of an unbeliever and putting on the new life we received, in Christ.
We can either resist the temptation in the strength of the Holy Spirit as we walk in spirit and truth, in our new life in Christ OR we can yield to the temptation and allow it to take hold in our hearts and draw us away from truth and virtue.
When we were saved, we were given a new life - the new life in Christ.
Our old sin nature was replaced by a new Christ-like nature, and Paul tells us in many places to reckon ourselves dead to the old sin nature and alive to the new life in Christ.
And it is the same Holy Spirit of God, Who breathes the breath of NEW life into the lifeless spirit of a fallen man at redemption.
The NEW Life that Jesus promised to the narrow-minded religionists of His day, through faith in His name, is the eternal life that the Father gave to the Son, when He raised Him from the dead, to enable Him to give newness of Life to whomsoever He chooses - to those who believe on His name for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting.
When we start to trust in anything other than the Lord Jesus, we are looking to the wrong source of supply and allowing the old sin nature to govern our lives, rather than the new life in Christ which we received at salvation.
Christ’s triumphant victory over sin, death, Satan, and hell, becomes our triumphant victory too, and the filthy rags of our old life in Adam are replaced with the glorious garment of righteousness which are imputed to us because of our new life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
How important to remember that the old 'me' is dead and that I have been 'born from above' into spiritual union with Christ, and my new life is hidden with Christ in God.
God knows that those that trust Him and believe His Word are truly rich – for the outcome of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is forgiveness of sins, peace with God, a new life in Christ, the indwelling Comforter, joint-heirship in Christ's coming kingdom, and a glorious and eternal heavenly home, among a multitude of wonderful blessings that are showered on all who are rich in faith by trusting His Word.
It is through faith in His redemptive work that we are given a new life, a deathless life, an eternal life, which begins the moment we are saved by grace through faith in Christ - and that life reaches into the eternal ages that are to come.
Some incorrectly consider that we can reach sinless perfection in this life, but this is unbiblical for our old sin nature, which resides within this mortal body, lusts against our new life in Christ.
As children of God, we have been born from above and have a new human spirit, our new life in Christ.
Before we were born again, we had a spirit that was dead in trespasses and sins, but when we accepted Christ as our Saviour we were given a new life in Christ, a new, free, human spirit, which is able to commune with His Holy Spirit Who is enabled to guide us into all truth.
As believers, we have been forgiven of our sins and have received a new life in Christ.
Let us seek to emulate our Lord Jesus in all things, by keeping our old sin nature nailed to the Cross and appropriating all that we have in our new life in Christ, for we have been called for this purpose: to suffer for Christ's sake Who left us an example that we should follow in His steps.
We should let the light of our 'new life in Christ' shine steadily in the darkness of this world so that all who see us will catch a glimpse of Christ reflected in our lives, and recognise our heavenly calling, giving praise to God, our Father of lights.
But also the Holy Spirit of God comes to indwell our body to teach and train us, to guard and guide us, and He also disciplines, chastens, and corrects our new life in Christ.
And God has given us all that we need for that new life to grow in grace and in a knowledge of Jesus, but we must do it God's way and not man's way.
But we have to grow and develop the way that God has determined, not by reforming, refining, or repairing the old nature through self-effort, but by yielding our new self to the Holy Spirit so that He works in us and transforms that new life into the image and likeness of Jesus.
We have put on the new self, and it is this new life and not the old sin nature that is being renewed, day by day, by the Spirit.
The new life that we received at rebirth is being renewed in knowledge, according to the image of Christ in Whose likeness we were made as a new creation.
All that is connected with the old creation in Adam is eternally doomed, which is why God is not going to transform the old sin nature but the new life in Christ, which we received when we were born again.
As Christians, our conduct should reflect the new life and not the old - and this is achieved as we come to know the Lord Jesus more and more.
The scattered bones are to be joined together as a physical nation first and live in the material world, after which they are to hear and respond spiritually when the Spirit of God breathes new life into the nation.
It is about the breath of new life being breathed into the dead corpse of the entire house of Israel.
They may celebrate their feast days and practice keeping the Law, but they do not know the Person and Work of their Messiah and King Who alone can breathe new life into their stony, cold, dead hearts.
The superabundant blessings that God gives to all who simply trust in the divine Person and atoning work of Lord Jesus Christ are ours according to the power that works within us. That inner power is not of ourselves but the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit - for He is continuously working in the inner man (that new life in Christ that we received at salvation), in order to transform us from glory to glory into the person and character that befits a spiritual man, a child of God, a joint-heir with Christ, and a citizen of heaven.
Our praises stream back to the cruel cross and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and our hallelujahs fly forwards to the glories set before us and our eternal home, for we are redeemed by His blood, born anew by grace through faith, and resurrected with new life in Him.
Those that are saved have a new life - the life and nature of Christ which can only do good in the sight of God (although until our physical death we can choose to slip back into an ungodly, carnal mind-set.)
It is because we have been raised up into a new life in Christ because we are Christ's spiritual seed, because we have become a brand new creation, and because we have exchanged our former earthly residency for a glorious new citizenship which is reserved for us in heaven.
When Christ rose from the dead, we too were raised up at the same time into a new life, as a new creation in Christ.
And so although there was a point in time when, having heard the gospel of grace, we trusted Jesus as Saviour and were born again into His new life.
Since we have been raised to a new life in Christ and since, by God's grace, we have been clothed in Christ's righteousness, given the free gift of eternal life, been showered with every spiritual blessing, received a heavenly inheritance, and been seated with Christ in heavenly places, we are called to set our heart and mind on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God's right hand.
As believers, we all have been given a new life in Christ which is placed alongside our old sin nature, and the thoughts of our hearts and the meditation of our minds can be influenced by either.
Whatever flows from our new life in Christ is pleasing to the Lord, but if we choose to allow our actions, attitudes, and the words that come from our lips to be influenced by our old sin nature, we may fool other people, but we can never deceive the Lord, for He alone knows the intent of our heart.
All who are credited with righteousness through faith, have the new life of Christ breathed into our soul, for though Adam became a living soul, Jesus became a life-giving spirit.
Sadly, the thoughts of the minds of these carnal Christians were continuously evil, for they had reverted to living the way of the world where they were dominated by the old sin nature rather than walking in spirit, truth, and love, being subject to their new life in Christ and yielded to the indwelling Spirit of God.
Grace and truth came to us through the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the transforming light that streams into the inner recesses of man's bitter soul, bringing new life and new hope and new joy into the inner recesses of man's spirit.
When we are united with Him, the power of the sin nature is severed so that we are enabled to live in newness of life in which grace reigns; the new life of Christ within.
The new life we received at salvation is being transformed into the image and likeness of Christ, as we mature in the faith, grow in grace, and gain a more intimate knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
But being saved by grace through faith and clothed in Christ is not the end goal but the beginning of our new life in Him, and every day we should strive to know Him more, to love Him better, to listen to His voice, to obey His Word, and to develop an ever-closer relationship with Him. This demands a singleness of purpose, a sole objective – one determined aim.
May we never forget that we have an assurance that if we die to the old self-life and live the new life of Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, (as did this great apostle of God), our consolations will more than compensate for the inevitable afflictions and difficulties that accompany the lives of all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
The birth of every baby is a wonderful miracle of life, but the birth of the Lord Jesus was the miracle of new life that had been planned by the Most High God in eternity past.
He would be falsely accused, cruelly beaten, and sentenced to be crucified on a Roman cross so that all that believe on Him would be given the wonderful miracle of His new life in Christ.
When we submit our lives to the Spirit, day by day, we automatically do the good works that God has prepared for us to do, because it is God Who is working in us Himself, producing in our heart the desire to do the good works that He has prepared in advance for us to do, in the only way that is pleasing to Him (through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit), until it is not I that do the good works but the new life of Christ within.
It is not simply that our spirit is made alive and that the new life we received at rebirth will be conformed into the likeness of Christ, but our body will also be raised up on the last day.
Like all who trust in Jesus Christ, Paul had been given a new nature - a new life in Christ which delighted to spread the good news of the glorious gospel of Christ in spirit and truth, and which loved these believers with a Christ-like love.
No one is excluded and all who DO believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are given life - a new life - a new nature - the resurrected life of Christ.
All who do believe on the Son of God are made a new creation in Christ with a new life so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but should live for the Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us AND WAS RAISED, and we must never under-estimate the enormity of that glorious Resurrection.
All who trust on Christ as Saviour are given His resurrection LIFE, our new life in Christ.
When He died, we who are His seed died in Him - we died with Him - His death became our death - and His resurrected life became our new life in Christ - our new nature.
we are not sinless for we still have an old sin nature, and if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, but sin and death have no power over our new life in Christ - our new born-again life.
which results in a carnal walk, a fleshly lifestyle and a wasted life that is influenced by the old sin nature rather than being enlivened by the new life in Christ.
The whole generation of Israelites who were saved from Egypt may have started their new life beyond Egypt well, when they trusted God during the first Passover... but none of them lived the victorious life that was possible, because of unbelief.
Behaviour modification of the old sin nature may produce a superficial change that meets the standards of the world, but only the Holy Spirit alone can transform the old life in Adam into the new life in Christ that we received at salvation.
We were made alive by the Spirit of God and given a new life in Christ... and we have that life because we were born into a new creation by the Spirit.
And because we have a new nature in Christ, we do not need to respond to the persuasive pull of the old sin nature, but rather, we are called to exercise our new life in Christ by faith so that we may grow in grace and in a knowledge of our Lord.
All we need to do is to appropriate His new life in us.
We started our old sinful, guilt-ridden life, as part of the first creation in Adam when we were born into the human race BUT we started our new life in Christ the moment that we were born again by the Spirit of God, the moment we first believed.
Some, who certainly know that we DO still have an old sin nature that is at enmity with our new life in Christ, incorrectly mistranslate this verse by saying that whoever is born of God does not keep on sinning or does not make a practice of sinning, but this is not being true to the grammatical structure of this verse which simply says, Whosoever is born of God does not sin.
In point of fact, this is simply a reference to the new life in Christ that is given to each sinner by the Spirit of God, the moment that we believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and are born again.
Our new life in Christ does not commit sin.
Our new life in Christ will not sin.
Our new life in Christ cannot sin.
We are made a new creation in Christ and are given a new life - the life of Christ - a life that needs to grow in grace and be conformed into the image of Jesus, a life that cannot sin.
Such a life is available to us by means of the Holy Spirit and expressed through our new life in Christ, but only those who choose God-dependency over self-dependency can avail themselves of God's love.
He equips us to carry out His perfect will in each of our lives if and when we are willing to submit to His guidance, as we walk in spirit and truth, as we abide in Christ, and let Him live His perfect new life-in-Christ in us.
All those that are blood-bought children of God and who are walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus can be said to be walking in the truth of His Word – for those that are born again and living in fellowship with the Lord are those that are living their life in through their new, born-again spirit (their new life in Christ), and not living as carnal believers who continue to live their Christian lives under the influence of the old sin nature.
We can yield to the Holy Spirit doing a work in our new, born again life that we received at rebirth OR we can resist the work that the Holy Spirit desires to do in our new life and continue to live a carnal type of life under the power of the old sin nature (the old life that still fights for supremacy).
Jesus loves us so much that He died for our sin and gave us a new life that He longs will be conformed into His image and likeness.
He was the sin-sacrifice for the whole world so that whoever believes on Him would not perish but have life - His resurrected life - His eternal life - His abundant life - the new life IN Christ.
When we are IN Christ, it means that we have His life living in us and it is His life that delivers us from the power of sin - His life is our life - our entirely new life in Christ - our new life and not the old sinful pre-Cross life (which is often referred to as the old sin nature, the old man or the Adamic nature).
How precious to realise that our new life is hidden with Christ in God and that the day is coming when we will be with Him in heavenly glory as well as in character and conduct.
The old sin-nature is at enmity with the new, born-again spirit of God, and the new life in Christ is at enmity with the old self-life.
The new, born-again life (the new life in Christ, where works emanate be means of the spirit) delights in the Word of God.
The inner man (the new life in Christ) rejoices in His Word.
The former flesh-life is a slave to sin and displeases God but the new inner self (the new life in Christ), is a slave to righteousness and John tells us that this new life in Christ cannot sin.
This new life always delights in the light and life of God's law, and rejoices in the truth of His Word of grace.
God does not seek to change our old sin nature, but purposes to transform our new life in Christ into His likeness, as we grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
OH while I live in this fallen body, my sinful nature lusts against my new life in Christ BUT I am no longer a slave to sin and under the curse of the Law because Christ has set me free!
The moment I trusted the Son of God as Saviour, my new life in Christ was born and the old sin nature in Adam (a link and heritage from my earthly parentage) was nailed to the Cross.
That old sin nature will remain in bitter rivalry with my new life in Christ which must grow in grace and mature in the knowledge of Jesus.
The old man, which was severed at the Cross, is crucified, and yet continues to unleash its assaults against the new life in Christ which was born from above and lives forevermore.
It 'lusts' against the new life which, through re-creation, is dead to the world and dead to the law, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Saviour.
How dearly does my new life need to grow in grace, but how impossible in my own strength to combat the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life!
But God in His wisdom and grace, did not leave my new life in Christ to overcome alone.
His death annulled our relationship with the Law of sin and death, and His resurrection guaranteed all who believe on Him the new life in Christ, freed from the power of the Law and no longer bound by its righteous requirements.
But the psalmist was inspired to write words that would look forward to the God-Man, Who was wounded for our transgressions and bore the sin of the world on His shoulders, so that all who trust in Him can identify with His death, burial, and resurrection to a new life, and state confidently, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
We are given a blessed new life-in-Christ in exchange for our filthy, old, sinful, unsaved heart of stone, when we trust Him as the sacrifice for our sin.
Everyone is given an opportunity to become a completely new person, with a new nature and a new life.
When the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, He entered His new life - His heavenly ministry.
This new life is an abundant life, with a totally new nature and an eternal destiny.
This new life in Christ is given to each believer as a free and eternal gift of God's grace.
In the same way, the new life of a believer, which is in union with Christ, is to live out this earthly life in Christ and for Christ - only saying and doing those things that we hear from HIM - daily delighting to do HIS will.
Only when the old self life remains nailed to the Cross and the new life in Christ feeds on Him in our hearts, by faith with thanksgiving and praise, can that love of Christ be manifested towards others: And this is the way that we will know that we love God's children, if we love God and obey His commandments.
We are to grow in grace so that in His power, we will be conformed into the likeness of Christ, but the Spirit will ONLY sanctify our new life in Christ and not our old original sin nature.
But when, by faith, we submit to the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to govern our new life in Christ, it means that we put to death those ungodly lusts.
It means that we allow the Holy Spirit to do a good work within our new life in Christ, which will grow in grace and become more and more conformed into the likeness of Christ.
As we allow the Holy Spirit to govern our new life in Christ, we will also be holy in all our conduct and behaviour.
He came into the world as LIFE... to breathe 'new life' into the lifeless spirit of man that lay dead in trespasses and sins, and with no hope in the world.
They were to repent of their careless attitude towards their Saviour - and they were to return to the devoted service that characterised the early days of their new life in Christ... to return to the days of their deep love for their Lord. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
And if we walk by the Spirit and live in the light of His truth, we will not gratify the desires of our fleshly lusts or the works of the law, for the old sin nature, with its fleshly inclinations and legalistic practices, stands in stark opposition to all that the new life in Christ represents.
But this requires us to be able to say NO to the continuous pull of the flesh and to resist the old sin nature, that constantly and consistently is at enmity with our new life in Christ, our new born-again spirit which was made alive by faith in Christ.
When like Paul we discover our old sin nature waging war against our new life in Christ, attempting to once again make us captives to the law of sin and death (that emanates from our fleshly nature), may we never forget that it is CHRIST alone Who will rescues us from this body of death.
We are commanded to abide in Him from the moment that we have been placed in Christ, and we can choose to abide and remain in Him and to walk in the new life of Christ OR we can choose not to abide in Him and walk in the old fleshly sin nature.
BUT if we abide in Christ we cannot sin, our new life in Christ cannot sin, for no one who abides in Him sins.
The 'life' of Christ dwells within the new life we received at salvation - indeed John tells us that the new 'nature' we received when we were saved cannot sin.
we still have an old sin nature which tries to dominate our new life in Christ..
As believers, we know that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one, but we also know that we are of God, and that in Christ we have the power to overcome sin and Satan, through Christ's imputed power and His sufficient grace - as we die to our old sin nature and live our new life for Christ, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Because we are a new creation and have left all the ties to the old creation behind, we begin a new life, which is why Paul explains that circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing to the born-again saint.
Early in his gospel, John not only stressed that Jesus had come from above, but made it clear that the requirement for our reconciliation with God and our eternal salvation was a rebirth from above - the New Life in Christ that only comes by faith in Him.
But after we are resurrected from the dead, we will not only be saved from the PENALTY of sin and its POWER over us... we will also be set free from the PRESENCE of sin, when our old, sin nature will be fully discarded for the new, sinless nature of Christ, 'the new life' we received at salvation.
Paul also talks about putting off the old Adamic life, which is dead in sins and at enmity with God, and putting on the new life in Christ where we are covered in His own righteousness.
There are many mysteries of our new life in Christ that are hard to understand, which remain a reality in the life of all who believe, and Paul's illustration of a believer's 'death to sin' through their 'baptism into Christ' is a difficult concept to grasp, while remaining a glorious truth in which to rejoice.
There are many mysteries of our new life in Christ that are hard to understand, but this one staggers the mind.
The unsaved man is without God and without hope in the world, but in Christ we have a living hope because our Saviour has breathed His life into our bodies - our new life in Christ.
However, the old sin nature is still there, and the believer has the free-will to plug himself back under the power of the old sin nature which causes our thoughts and actions to be influenced by the world, the flesh, and the devil, instead of the new life in Christ.
The power working in a believer either comes from the old sin nature or the new life in Christ.
The sacrificial death of Christ paid the penalty for our sin, but His glorious Resurrection broke the power of sin and death in our lives, for we were made a new creation in Christ and given a new life in Him.
We are to keep the old 'ME' nailed to the Cross and allow the new 'ME' (the new life in Christ) to abide in Him, rest in Him, be nourished by Him, and depend upon Him in all things.
By grace through faith, we have put off the old Adamic self and put on the new life in Christ, for having been baptised into Christ's body and becoming a new creation in Him, we are to remember that we have also been baptised into His death.
We have been bought with a price and received the life of Christ, but too often we allow the old sin nature to surface in our lives, and Paul warns that allowing sin to take control in our hearts rather than the new life in Christ, causes the indwelling Spirit (Who has sealed us unto the day of redemption), to be grieved and distressed.
Our present condition is irredeemable for a fallen creature can never change, but when He raised Christ from the dead, God exchanged our old life in Adam for our new life in Christ.
And it was the Holy Spirit of love Who wooed us and challenged us, convicted and finally breathed new life into our fallen frames, birthing us into God's family, and enlightening us with the abundance of His life.
The power of sin that enslaved us, condemned us and separated us from God has been broken, because we have received a new life - the new life of Christ, which we were given when we first believed.
Our life in Adam was part of the old creation - which condemned us, but our new life is now hid with Christ in God, for we are part of a new creation - which is outside the realm of sin, the influence of death, the jaws of hell and the jurisdiction of the law, for there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus..
The old sin nature lusts against our new life in Christ and vice versa, but in Christ we have all we need to keep the old self in the place of death - for His grace is sufficient - His power is made perfect in us..
Having been renewed in the spirit of our mind, the inner fruit of that new life in Christ should, through God's almighty power, be made manifest by a life that is righteous and holy.
Because we have put on the new self, we have a brand new position in a brand new creation, with a brand new life and a brand new nature.
That brand new life was given to us directly from God's Holy Spirit when we were born-again, and that brand new self, which is in the image and likeness of God, has been created in the righteousness and holiness of God Himself.
We were born into newness of life and given a regenerated spirit, a new life in Christ.
Because we are no longer are part of the old life in Adam but the new life in Christ, we should no longer exhibit our original corrupt nature but our new, born-again nature, and this is done, by the renewing of our minds.
It is the God-breathed Scriptures that renew our minds, day by day, and enables our new life in Christ to grow and mature.
The first is a vision of a valley filled with dry bones, representing the dead nation of Israel being resurrected into new life, while the second prophecy is a symbolic act, where the prophet used two sticks to relay God's message to His people.
And just as the Spirit of God caused the breath of life to trigger the creation into being and breathes new life into the one who is born from above, He is also the One Who causes flowers to fade and the grass to wither with a single blast of His nostrils.
He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit, and generously poured out His Spirit upon us, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
As far as God is concerned, our new life is already eternal because we are in union with Christ: For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Once we are saved, we are to be firmly established in the Word of the Father, established in our new life in Christ and established in the truth of the Spirit.
We identify with His life, His death, His resurrection, and His righteousness. Those who trust in Jesus as Saviour are made a new creation in Him and receive a new life in Christ - His death becomes our death, His resurrection becomes our resurrection, and we are clothed in His perfect righteousness.
When we move from being a sinner to being saved, we receive a new life (the resurrected life of Christ), and by the power of the Holy Spirit we are returned back into fellowship with our Creator, and finally have peace with God.
It is not our old sin nature that is given understanding in everything, but our new life in Christ - the new nature we receive when we are born from above.
Although our old, sin nature will continue to lust against our new life in Christ during our sojourn on earth... nevertheless, we must reckon our OLD self dead to the desires of this world and our NEW life alive to God.
The surrendered believer who is walking in spirit and truth, is yielded to the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit Who works through our new life in Christ, and over time we discover an inner discipline at work.
The Holy Spirit is working in us, day by day, transforming our new life in Christ into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our new life in Christ, our born-again nature, is positioned in Him.
Our old sin nature was severed at the Cross, and our new life in Him is hidden with Christ in God, to His praise and glory.
What beautiful truths are shared about our new life in Christ, where we discover that we are all members of His Body, united together in Him, free from bondage to sin and the curse of the law, each one with his own distinctive gifts and ministries, but each looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the power of the Holy Spirit, and then generously poured out the riches of the Holy Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ, simply because we trusted Him as our Saviour.
But because He is rich in mercy and not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and turn from their sins, He washed away our sins and gave us new life in Christ, by the power of His Holy Spirit, and the one and only 'condition' is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
Love is the source and the summation of righteousness, and love is the new commandment that Christ gave His disciples as He prepared to leave them to be His witnesses upon the earth: Love as I have loved you.Love flows from the heart of God to us, and love is to flow through us to others as we are filled and replenished with His love in our hearts. Love for the world emanated from the heart of the Father to a world of lost sinners, and love breathes new life into the dead spirit of all who believe on His name.
At the same time, our faith in Christ secured the salvation of our soul, and we were made a new creation in Christ and given His resurrected life (our new life in Christ), so that instead of following the lust of the flesh we were enabled to walk in newness of life, with the indwelling Holy Spirit as our Comforter and Counsellor, our Guide and Teacher.
But for the rest of our life, we are being delivered from the power of the old sin nature... as the old flesh lusts against our new spiritual life and the spirit lusts against the flesh (our new life in Christ is at enmity with our old sin nature).
We came into our positional union with Christ at salvation when we received His new life within, and we are to continue living for Him by reckoning God's Word to be true and by acting upon it in our individual lives.
Our old sinful self can never be made righteous and so God, in His grace, gave us a new nature - a new life - the resurrected life of Christ which He imputed to us by faith at the point of salvation.
At salvation, we received Christ's resurrected life, which gives us the opportunity to draw on His sufficient power, for without Him our old nature can do nothing, but in Him our new life can do all things for He is the power of God, from Whom our strength is drawn.
God foreknew whether you and I would place our trust in the death, burial, and Resurrection of His only begotten Son, and in ages past He preordained that our old sin nature would die to self, and our new life in Christ would be changed into the very likeness of Jesus in His humanity.
The action of the Word of God on the spirit and soul of every believer is a life-long process that continues to cut away all that is of the old man and conform the new life we received at Salvation into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
but we are to abstain from worldly pursuits, evil desires, sensual passions and carnal cravings, which cause an internal turmoil and inner conflict with the new life we received at salvation - and which can sadly result in an unfruitful life that does not honour our God and Saviour.