Old Thoughts for the New Day 13

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, (Romans 8:13—NIV)

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10—NIV)

The second death is death to sin. Through the Holy Spirit we are to put to death the passions and appetites of our body. The second resurrection is spiritual freedom and eternal life. This is Mount Sinai.

The third death is death to self. We remain faithfully in the prison in which we are placed, even to the point of death. The third resurrection is the possession of fruitfulness and dominion. This is the River Jordan.

To be fully dead to Adam and alive unto Jesus Christ we must experience all three deaths and resurrections.

Canaan is resurrection ground. It is eternal life in the Presence of God. The gaining of eternal life is the main theme of the New Testament, for it is eternal life that was lost in the beginning.

The churches of Christ understand quite well the first death and resurrection. They understand we must repent and be baptized in water if we are to be accepted of Christ.

To a lesser extent the churches understand whoever commits sin is the slave of sin. God wants a holy people who through Christ are gaining the victory over the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. The overemphasis on grace, as it is preached today, has done much to undermine serious attempts on the part of the believers to gain victory over sin.

The last death and resurrection, death to self and resurrection to fruitfulness and dominion, is hardly known to the Christian churches. Yet the remnant who are being called out today must submit to this operation.

The first sin was self-will, beginning with the rebellion of Satan and continuing in Adam and Eve. All other sin proceeds from self-will. The New Agers and similar groups emphasize that man must govern himself. This is pure Satanism.

We cannot cross over Jordan until we are willing to surrender our right to be ourselves and yield the throne of our personality to the Lord Jesus Christ. Until we do this we cannot possess the Kingdom of God to any significant extent.

Basic salvation and Pentecost have sufficed in time past. Today the drums of Hell are beating to the attack. All that is not proceeding from the Lord Jesus Christ will be shaken and collapse.

We simply must turn over our life to Jesus. It is not enough to be born again and speak in tongues. God is requiring infinitely more than this. He demands our entire personality with no reservations.

What did Paul say? "I am crucified with Christ. I am not living any longer. Christ is living in me." Paul stands in relation to Christ as Christ stands in relation to the Father.

Every individual who follows the Lord Jesus Christ in the attack of Armageddon is a dead-living person.

Continued. Old Thoughts for the New Day 14