...or do anything else for that matter!
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. -Romans 6:1-4
It's true...dead men tell any tales, nor do they react to anything going on around them. They can not be lured by the smell of food nor can they be seduced with physical pleasure Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE DEAD! Dead men don't do anything except stink up the place when they are not properly cared for and buried!
There is something stinking within the Christian Community...it is the stink of dead men who have not been properly buried, the stink of partially dead men who are fighting to hang on and hang around. The bible tells us that as Followers of Christ, the old sinful part of us has been nailed to the Cross and a New Life...a New Man whose Life rightfully belongs to Christ has emerged.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. -Romans 6:5-7
One of the reasons why we have so many people struggling with sin and addiction and living mediocre lives within our churches and the Christian Community is the fact they have not let the old man die and be buried. We used to be the slaves of sin...used to be not anymore friends we are no longer the slave to sin and if we are ever to begin to truly walkin righteousness (God's Way of Doing things right) and Holiness we must Bury the old man...put him to rest for good.
In fact in some cases some of us need to put out a hit on the personality and characteristics of the old man and "one" them! In other words put them to death, that's right murder them! Check out Collisians 3:5-11
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Strong language..."Put to death" we must put to death all of the identifying markers of our old nature and characteristics...we must kill them...not just repress them or make excuses for them, or pray and ask God to take them away from us...we must kill them. How? You ask...by living our lives according to the Spirit of God within us...by putting off anything that resembles our nature and learning to walk in our new nature after the Spirit of Christ...by following the example that Christ has left for us...
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God -Romans 8:12-14
Fam, it's time that we do better. The very foundation of our Christianity hinges upon the fact that we believe that Christ died in our place, and that we recognize this and are now submitting ourselves to the "Christ Life", Christ living out His Life through us...because it is rightfully His.
To live any other way is to both deny Christ, His Power and His Blood that cleans us up and makes us new.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8
It's time for us to set our minds and sights on the things of the Spirit of God and stop looking for grey areas and loopholes that will allow us to get away with or excuse our sinful behavior. Our Christianity should be marked by the desire to do whatever it takes to walk in righteousness and lead others to Christ...not by living a life of compromise and excuse making...
Let's do better fam!
Holy Ridaz