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FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
DISCIPLESHIP 101
Part 14 – The Issue of Sin - 3
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that
grace may abound?
2 Elohim forbid. How shall
we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
The natural desire and proclivity of the new man is
to do the will of IAUE. It isn’t because
the newborn man sees the law of IAUE as something he wants to do, now. No, it is not a choice to do good; it is now
his nature to do that which is pure and right and moral. Having a righteous
nature is to naturally do that which is righteous; hence it is to behave in a
way that is consistent with the will of IAUE.
Today, I want to discuss the
aberration of sin continuing in the life of a disciple of Yahushua
Messiah. In order to have clarity on
this issue, we need to revisit the definition of sin. For most people, sin represents things they
have said or done (or have thought to say or do) for which they feel
guilt. Many have done wicked things for
which they feel no guilt at all because they were done in revenge. They believe the person whom they harmed had
it coming...they deserved it. From this
light, one can see that sin, in the mind of man, is a highly subjective
concept. It is not anchored in the Law
of IAUE. It is based entirely on social
mores. Some cultures on the planet even justify murder. It is not perceived to
be wrong when it is committed for reasons consistent with their social values.
Sin is not subjectively
defined. Cultures and social mores do not define sin. Sin is not defined in terms of man’s
relationship with man. It is defined in
terms of man’s relationship with IAUE.
Until man relates his words, deeds and thoughts to how they measure up
against the law and nature of IAUE, man will not consider that he/she has any
need for repentance. To a Jew, brought
up under the Torah, this is self-evident; because the Torah (the Law) requires
the Jew to contrast all of his life against the standard IAUE has placed upon
it. To a gentile who is not born under the Law; he only has nature and common
sense to define what is right or wrong.
Though his life is lived as a progression from one sin to the next, he
has less reason to be aware of it than one born under the Law; hence the frail
and inadequate understanding of what sin is.
In past posts we have
defined sin as “disobedience to the will of IAUE.” This is a correct definition; but we can
refine that definition yet more; and this refinement will lead us to understand
why sin in the life of a disciple is an aberration which should not be tolerated
in his/her life.
Man sins…he disobeys the
will of IAUE…because his nature is one of unrighteousness. An unrighteous nature is one whose natural
impulses and desires are not moral, pure, good, just, selfless and holy in the
same manner in which IAUE is moral, pure, good, just, selfless and holy. Based on human culture and social mores, man
can think his words and deeds, even his thoughts, are good; but nothing
proceeds forth from man’s unrighteous nature that is not already tainted with the
darkness that defines who and what he really is. IAUE, on the other hand, is
moral, pure, good, just, selfless and holy in and of himself. His nature is to be that way despite the cultures
and social mores of man. IAUE is light; and in Him is no darkness at all (1
John 1:5); consequently, only purity, goodness, justness, selflessness and holiness
can proceed forth from him; because that is His nature.
We see, then, that there are
two natures: Righteousness, from which
proceeds words, deeds, and even thoughts that are born of LIGHT; and Unrighteousness
from which proceeds words, deeds, and even thoughts, that are born of darkness. It is the nature of man that made procuring
salvation from among our own ranks an absolute impossibility. One who is born in darkness cannot bring man
into the Light of IAUE. Only one born in
the Light can redeem man out of darkness. (This is why our redeemer had to be
born of a virgin. Any man born of the
seed of fallen man would himself be fallen…born with a nature of
unrighteousness; and thereby automatically disqualified from being a savior of
mankind.)
Now we can understand that
our redemption was based on freeing us from our own nature of unrighteousness. It was our lack of righteousness that
separated us from IAUE. We had to have a
new nature provided to us. With a new
nature…a nature that is righteous, our lives would then naturally be conducted
in a manner that is consistent with the nature of IAUE; and that means we would
be consistently obeying His will in all things (i.e., ceasing to sin). In other words, we can define sin as any behavior
that proceeds forth from unrighteousness; because the very nature of
unrighteousness is disobedience to the nature, hence the will of IAUE.
Let’s consider this concept
for a moment. If sin is behavior that is born of unrighteousness; then the
objective of redemption would be to eradicate sinful behavior by replacing man’s
nature. In so doing, man could live in a
manner that is consistent with the nature of IAUE. Forgiveness of man’s unrighteousness and
unrighteous deeds would be the first step; for there is a price demanded by
holiness against all unrighteousness.
Forgiveness, however, does not change man’s life. We saw in last week’s post, that forgiveness
merely pays the debt placed upon man’s unrighteous deeds. It is remission that delivers man from
bondage to sin; but even remission is not enough. Man must have a righteous nature in order to
act and behave righteously; to behave in a manner consistent with the nature
and will of IAUE.
Righteousness is the nature of
the New Man we become in Messiah Yahushua. If we walk in the spirit; if we walk
in the nature of the New Man, we do not sin for our lives are being conducted
in a manner that is by its very nature consistent with the will of IAUE. When we understand this, we can understand
how out of place sin is in the life of a disciple.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in
darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Master and Saviour Yahushua Messiah, they are
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is
happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own
vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
1 John 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that
doeth righteousness is born of him.
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins;
and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man
deceive you: he that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Elohim
was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of Elohim doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of Elohim.
This brings us to our
opening verses:
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that
grace may abound?
2 Elohim forbid. How shall
we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
We must understand that sin
has not been accommodated by forgiveness.
It has not had a place made for it because of grace. Sin is unrighteousness in action; and it has
no place in the life of the disciple.
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
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