WBS.197
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
WHO AM I?
– I
Dead Man
Walking
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Messiah, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Today, we begin a new series of studies. It
could be argued that this should have been presented near the very beginning of
this blog, nearly four years ago. What we are going to be discussing over the
next few weeks is very foundational to genuine discipleship. I am simply going
to trust the Holy Spirit’s timing in this matter and believe that now is the time
for us to appropriate this message.
A common practice among Christians is to take
a single verse of Scripture and build concepts around them that simply do not
fit the context of the passage from which they have been extracted. We have
learned to do this from the thousands upon thousands of pastors and ministers
who take a single verse of Scripture every Sunday morning and preach on it
without ever reading the verses before and after it.
For example: “I can
do all things through Messiah which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13). For decades, I have heard believers cite this
verse to suggest they can do impossible things; or that they can achieve great
results in their endeavors, or overcome demonic obstacles. In context, Paul was referring to the
generosity of the Philippian believers who were the only church that
contributed to the support of his ministry.
When the support was there, Paul was able to eat regularly, and travel
and fulfill his call to preach the gospel.
When the support was not there, he was able to fast, to do without, to survive
conditions of want and need. He was able to thrive or endure because Messiah strengthened
him in either circumstance. This is
quite a different concept behind this verse than the context in which we always
hear it uttered.
So, too, is our verse for today.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Messiah, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This verse has a context that is seldom ever
applied to the discussion of the verse.
Let’s look at it for a minute.
2 Corinthians
5:14 For
the love of Messiah constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died
for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should
not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose
again.
16 Wherefore
henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Messiah
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
Just before Paul declares that those who are
in Messiah are new creatures, he declares that because Yahushua died for all,
then everyone is dead. What does that
mean?
Man stands guilty before IAUE. He was “altogether
conceived in sin,” and “death passed upon all
men for all have sinned.” The
sentence for committing sin is death. “The soul that sinneth shall surely die.” IAUE, however, did not send His son into the
world to condemn the world, for the world stood condemned already. Every man
was born into this world with a sentence of death written upon him.
In the American prison system, when a man who
has been sentenced to death is taken from his cell to be walked to the
execution chamber for his sentence to be carried out, he is referred to as a “dead
man walking.” Now, try to imagine with me (close your eyes and see this in your
mind), every single man, woman and child on this earth, each having committed
the capital crime of violating the will of IAUE, being walked from their cells
(the bondage of darkness and captivity to sin) to the execution chamber where
their sentence is to be carried out. (Picture yourself as one of them, for at
one time you were one of them.) Armies
of tens of thousands of the angels of Heaven fill the sky, crying out in
massive unison, “Dead man walking!” You enter the chamber, and you see the device
of your execution waiting for you. The
proclamation of your sins and your guilt is read aloud along with the sentence
decreed upon you: “Death.” Your name is called; but before you can be
brought forward to your judgment, another person steps into the chamber in
front of you. His name is Yahushua. He looks straight into your eyes and says, “I love you;” and he is executed before you. The sentence upon your life is paid in full. What
does this make you? You were guilty
before the Creator. You were sentenced
to death. Your sentence was carried out.
You are no longer a “dead man walking.” You, simply are a dead man.
You sit there in shock, awe, disbelief,
wonderment, relief…for three days; and then Yahushua rises from the dead, immortal,
untouchable by death ever again. He
looks at you again. Your eyes look into
his; and he says to you, “I love you. Come and follow me.” What do you do, now? Well, you have a choice. You can remain in your cell in darkness and
in bondage to disobedience to IAUE’s will; or you can live for him who died for
you.
Every man, woman and child on the earth,
today, once had a contract out on them for death. The assassin has been robbed
of his prize because another has legally died in their place. They now have a
contract out on them for LIFE; and that contract is executed upon them when
they believe on Yahushua Messiah and enter into His resurrection life. This is the setting, and the context, for
Paul’s declaration:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Messiah, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Yahushua Messiah was born of Mary in Bethlehem
and lived 33 years upon the earth. That
is not the one we are “in.” Yahushua Messiah
died upon the tree and was buried. That
is not the one we are “in.” Messiah
Yahushua was raised from the dead and declared to be the Son of IAUE with Power
(Romans 1:4). THAT is the one we are “in.”
We once were dead; but now we are alive
in Messiah. We are something altogether
new. Our cell is gone. Our darkness is gone. Out bondage to sin is gone. All of these old things have passed
away. We do not bring any of the old
trappings with us into Messiah; for none of that exists in him.
Colossians 1:13 Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son:
IAUE revealed His son to us and drew us unto the
person of Yahushua; and when we responded and came unto him, IAUE transferred
us out of the authority of darkness and placed us into one realm of His
son. In practical terms, it would be
like someone coming into a dark and wicked country ruled by an evil usurper and
finding you imprisoned in a jail there.
The person tells you about his benevolent and loving king, and wants you
to know that his king already paid in full the sentence that was upon you. You are only in jail, now, because the evil
usurper does not care to let you know that you are free to go. He has left you
to rot in jail just because he knows you still think you belong there;
and you still think he has authority over you; and that you still think
you have no choice but to obey him. (“There is a
way that seems right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Proverbs 14:12, 16:25) The person sharing this good news with you says that you
can leave this jail, leave this evil usurper and leave this wicked place on one
condition. You must decide that you will
live for the king who died for you and rose again. You kneel.
You close your eyes; and you say, “Yes. I will live for you, Yahushua,
my Master and King.” You open your eyes
to discover you are in a completely different place, filled with righteousness,
peace and joy. The King is standing
there looking at you with great joy. It
seems almost impossible to you what has happened; but you have literally been
delivered from your bondage. You have
been removed from the evil country and its control over you; and you have been
transferred to utterly new surroundings.
Light is everywhere. The sounds
of joy fill the air. The King is
beautiful and glorious.
Then…then, you look at yourself for the first
time…and…you can hardly believe your eyes.
What you see is so astonishing, so beyond comprehension, that you say,
before you even know the words are leaving your lips. “WHO AM I?”
That is what we will be answering in the weeks
to come.
Be blessed.
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
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