You Are Dead

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Good morning DP followers, and for the Nigerians among us, I wish us a very happy new era. I pray that the glory of this latter dispensation of administration shall greatly surpass the former. It’s a good day to be alive, especially as a Nigerian. However, today we’ll look at the fact that you’re DEAD. Understanding this spiritual principle is the primary key to living a holy and victorious Christian life. Like I have mentioned in past posts, Grace is not a license to sin, rather it’s an empowerment to live above sin. This reality of living a holy life will not be achievable without having an understanding that we are actually DEAD to sin.

Rom 6:6-8
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

We must know, believe and reckon that we are dead to sin. If we know and believe that, then it becomes impossible to live on in sin. A dead man cannot respond to stimulus, he can’t get angry, he can’t be aroused, he can’t sin, simply because he is dead. The bible tells us that we also are dead to sin and cannot be tempted by its elements. He that is dead is freed from sin, like verse 7 declares. The resurrection of Jesus gave us the empowerment to live above and beyond the reach of sin.

There should be a holy pride within us, which resists us from submitting ourselves again to our old slave master. If you have been set free from him, how dumb is going back to him to keep serving him? This is what many believers do not know, sometimes we see believers calling themselves “sinners saved by Grace”, you can’t be a sinner and be saved at the same time, once you got saved, you ceased to be a sinner, it’s not humility to say such spiritual schizophrenic statements. You’re either a sinner or you’re a saint, but blessed be God for we have become saints through Jesus Christ.

So why do believers get tempted to sin, even now that they are saved, if indeed they are dead to sin? Very intelligent question. The answer is simple but might be confusing, but I trust you will get it. It is because the body of sin is yet to be destroyed. The old man in the body is totally dead, very dead, couldn’t be “deader” than he already is because he was crucified with Christ several years back. But he left a body, which won’t be destroyed until Jesus returns, that’s the body we must train ourselves out of obeying its lust. So vs 11 says;

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You must “consider, count and impute” yourself to be dead INDEED unto sin, that’s what the word “reckon” really means. Believers must understand, believe and behave this reality, else the believer, though saved, sanctified and purified would keep obeying his former master as though he was never made free. Sin has its natural, physical and societal consequences, and it’s just simply stupid to continue sinning believing there are no consequences. You go about sinning and it won’t be long before you realise how grave, the consequences of a sinful lifestyle can be. You’d end up in heaven, but spend more time in jail on your way there. Sinning is stupid, especially for a believer, but God still loves you stupid and is patient enough till you get this understanding. It’s like a millionaire’s son living under bridges because he wants to be “humble”, that’s not humble, that’s silly. I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just speaking the truth in love. You’re better than living a sinful life and covering it up in the name of Grace. God expects more from you.

I know this article hasn’t quite tickled your fancy as much, however its purpose is not to excite you, but to enlighten you and get you out of that middling mindset of “Grace will cover up for me”, awake unto righteousness and sin not. You are sinless, perfect, sanctified and holy in your spirit, bring out that reality into your life and begin living a very victorious and holy Christian life. Let me quickly make a quick address to the verse of scripture in Hebrews 12:14;

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Overtime, this verse has been interpreted to mean that if you’re not holy (sinless) in your lifestyle and actions, you won’t make heaven. That can’t be true, or else, no one will ever make it there. However, it means only by holiness will men see God through your life. If you say you’re saved but continue to live in sin, men can’t see God through you, because God is not sinful, He is holy. God is peaceful not a trouble maker. Remember the beautitide?

Mat 5:9
9 Blessed are the peacemakers:for they shall be called the children of God.

This scripture goes right along with Heb 12:14, it says they shall be called children of God by men, that is men will see God in their lives. If you’re a true ambassador you will live a life worthy of the citizenship of heaven, so that men will see heaven in you. Without holiness indeed, no man shall see the Lord, ok! If you make mistakes and fall into sin, the focus should be on your advocate, 1John 2:2, and not on your sin, else you will keep repeating it. You can only reproduce what you’re conscious of. Understanding this will get you living a holy life accidentally (unintentionally), more than you have ever tried to live on purpose. I hope you’ve learnt something new today. It’s been fun and fulfilling writing these posts on Redemption Realities these past weeks. God bless you, God bless NIGERIA!