SIGN-Spice International Gospel Network

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Good afternoon how r u?

Hi Recardo

Missing morning devotion

Hi Recardo Millwood

Hey Recardo what r u doing these days. No more morning devotion! Sure do miss it!

Hi Recardo how r u?

Hell'o Recardo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AND CONGRATULATIONS TO SING.SPICE INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL STATION.

** I am dead to sin, sin is not dead ** Most times we wonder if truly I am dead to sin why do I still commit sin? Why is it that I am still caught up in lustful thoughts, addictions, negative sayings and all sorts. Why? This message will address your concerns. Kindly give your 5 mins to read this . Romans 6vs11"In the same way count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" Are we whose life is found in Christ dead to sin? Yes!! Is sin dead on earth? No. I don't think the Bible teaches that. As long as there is the devil on earth, there will be sinners. Note, what makes a sinner sin? The devil (the father of sinners), he brings those thoughts into them. Since we are not of this world, we have been exempted from such a way of life. Are we whose life is found in Christ Jesus expected to live in such way? NO. We are dead to sin, but the truth is sin is not dead as long as we are in this world living in flesh. Take this illustration, the fact I am no longer in love with sister B does not mean sister B is no longer in love with me. Are we truly dead to sin? Romans 6vs1"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2"Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin continue to live any longer in it". Verse10"For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God" 11"Likeswise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God In Christ Jesus our Lord". Yes we are dead to sin! Is sin dead on earth? No. Are we alive to God in Christ Jesus? Yes. Is God alive to you in Christ Jesus? It requires a personal answer. In Romans 6 vs1-4,Paul's main idea is that our union with Christ in His death and resurrection is the foundation for separation from sin and walking in the newness of life. A spiritual picture of being dead to sin. Since we are in Christ, Christ took our sins and became a sinner. He died a sinner and resurrected as our Savior.In Him we died as sinners but resurrected as a righteous ones. Take this illustration. Lest say one goes to a morgue and try to tempt a corpse to commit sin, you will not succeed because he is dead. This is almost applicable to us but not totally. The corpse is dead to sin and sin is dead to the corpse. For us, it is a different story. We are truly dead to sin, but sin is not dead. We still live in an environment where sin grows rapidly everyday. Hence, once in a while one may fall short or sin(whichever one may choose to call it) but one is not permitted to live in sin (continuously) as if one is an enemy of God. Clearly, Apostle Paul does not mean that believers cannot sin or they are immune to temptation but what he clearly meant was that believers are not allowed to "continue to live in sin".Neither does John said that we can not sin at all because In I John 1vs8 he said"if anyone claims he has no sin, he is deceiving himself " And 2vs 1 he says"if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father".He meant that those born of God cannot continue in sin. The new birth removes them from it. John and Paul meant that those in Christ cannot continue in sin as a way of life. How can I be alive to God in Christ Jesus? The fact still remains that the devil is still out there, luring people to join him in the final eternal condemnation. He knows his destiny which is the lake of fire but he won't stop until he takes as much as possible of God's most priced creature. He is the god of this age. God Almighty gave him the power under His authority. In as much as he is still here, sin will still be here. In as much as we that live in Christ are dead to sin, sin is still very much alive in our environment (though not in us). If this was not so, Apostle Paul wouldn't have much written this in Colossians 3vs5" Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth :fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and coveteousness which is idolatry ". Since we are dead to sin, if sin were not alive in our environment, there wouldn't have been any need for Apostle Paul to write this. He said"PUT TO DEATH".KIll it. Don't respond to temptation. Kill it. Amplified version Colossians 3vs5"So Kill (deaden,deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members(those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin), sexual vice,impurity,sensual appetites,unholy desires and all greed and coveteousness, for that is idolatry (the defying of self and other created things instead of God). 6"Because of those things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience ". Meaning you ought not to live in that way any longer, because of this, God's wrath is coming on upon the sons of disobedience. It means for there to be a son there has to be a father. Devil is the father of disobedience, his sons act in such a way, now you are not his son any longer, live and walk in the newness of the Spirit as sons and daughters of God not as sons and daughters of disobedience. 7"In which you once walked when you lived in them ".The truth of the Bible is this"You are either a son of God through Christ or son of devil (any belief system outside Christ). 8"But now you yourselves ARE to put off all these :angers, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, out of your mouth" 9"Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deed" The Bible says"You!You have put off the old man with his deeds, don't go there anymore. Never!! If you do! Quickly run back to God because it is inconsistent with who you are. The newman in Christ Jesus . 10"And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" Amp version "And have clothed yourselves with the new(spiritual life) which is (ever in the process of being renewed and remoulded into(further and more perfect knowledge upon knowledge after the image (the likeness of Him who created it".Gloryyyyyyy yyyy!Hallelujahhhhhhh!!!. This is it! The man you are now! You! The new man has been given a task to constantly be in the act of being renewed in the knowledge (knowledge upon knowledge according to the image of Him that created Him). This is simple. I believe if we all take this truth and put it to use, all unbelievers will accept Christ because they watch our lifestyle more than our preaching. Characterof the new man. 12"Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering. 13"bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you, so you must do" 14"But above all these things put on love which is the bond of perfection 17"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Is this hard to do? Now let's go deeper. Presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice. Romans 12vs1"I beseech you therefore, brethren ,by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. " This is deep. Look at it. Apostle Paul was almost on his knees begging the Romans. Let get some vital points clear on Grace. "You don't have to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God before you are accepted as a brethren to Christ " We were all saved by His mercies. Look at it "I beseech you therefore, brethren (You are a brethren even without presenting your bodies yet as a living sacrifice).By the mercies of God (You are a brethren only and only by the mercies of God). Now, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Now, Apostle Paul says"I beg you my brethren in Christ saved by mercies of God, PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY,ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE" Why? I Peter 2vs9"But you are a chosen generation, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light " You are now no longer just a brethren in Christ, you are now a priest who can stand in the gap for other people. Jesus has moved us from brotherhood to priesthood. Read Romans 12 vs1"You are to present as a priest, your body is the offering "Now we are like Jesus who was an High Priest and a offering .Aaron was a priest but not an offering. All the priests in Old Testament were priests but not an offering. They had something to offered up as offering(not themselves). The only person that was the Offerer and offeree is Jesus. Glory! Now Apostle Paul charge us in Romans 12vs1 to act like Christ(Presenter and Presentee). Hebrews 7vs27"who does not need daily, as those high priest, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for His people, for this HE DID ONCE FOR ALL WHEN HE OFFERED UP HIMSELF". He was a Priest who offered up Himself (His body) as a sacrifice to God, since we are in Christ, we also must do same. Since we are a royal priesthood, we ought to be a priest by offering our bodies as living sacrifice just like Christ. We should not be a priest without sacrifice.All priest offer sacrifices. If one claims he has a fellowship with God and feels no need to offer up sacrifice, such a priest is a priest without an offering. Anyone thirsty for Christ must be willing to present their bodies as living sacrifice, why? Fire only falls on holy sacrifice. The priests in the Old Testament who offer sacrifices to God were not allowed to touch dead things. In other words, we who are in Christ are dead to sin and therefore not allowed to live in sin. Conclusion (1)The grace of God is not a license to sin (2)If anyone sins, he or she has an High Priest and Advocate in Heaven. He or she must quickly repent and let go of the old ways (3)We are dead to sin, sin is not dead. As long as there is devil in this world, sin is alive because he is the father of all sinners. What are sinners expected to do? Sin. Therefore sin is alive on earth, but remember we are not of this world. (4)We are royal priesthood (Ist Peter 2vs9,Romans 12vs1).Hence we are expected to act as priest like Jesus presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice. (5)To live in holiness and as God wants us to live, we must submit to God and the devil will flee (James 4vs7) (6)Shall we continue to LIVE in sin and say that grace may abound.? God forbid. Christianity is not a continuation of life before salvation. It is a cessation of former life of sin into a newness and new life in Christ Jesus.