This episode further explains the process of self-mortification in which believers know and consider themselves "dead to sin," based on the historical fact that the "old was self was crucified with Christ." (Rom. 6:6) The natural application of the death of Christ to Christian life is rejection and even mortification of the flesh's desire to manifest itself. While the old self was in fact crucified with Christ, this sin nature is still with us, and can even rule us, if we don't consider ourselves dead to sin. For this reason, Christians are called to "bear their cross," and consider themselves "dead to sin," even as the flesh is screaming to express itself, resulting in short-term pain. Consider Christ's command to those struggling with sexual temptation..."gouge out your eye and throw it far from you." (Mt. 18:9) This mortification of the flesh is not however an end in itself, but a necessary condition if we would walk in the newness of life. The whole goal of Christian sanctification is not the destruction of desire, but its reorientation and subjection to the will of God. We consequently present our members as instruments of righteousness. (Romans 8:13)
The Old Self: Dead Man Walking
This episode applies the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to sanctification, which rests on the historical fact that "the old self was crucified with Christ." (Romans 6:6) The result, the verse concludes, is "that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin." All sanctification rests on this fact, so believers do well to KNOW this and subsequently CONSIDER themselves "dead to sin, but alive to Christ. (Romans 6:11). "Knowing" which goes on to "Considering" is the process of applying the death, burial, and resurrection to our new life in Christ. The episode emphasizes that this new life in Christ is not automatic. Christians must do the work of knowing and considering to benefit from the historical fact that our old self was crucified with Christ. The result, that "the body of sin MIGHT be done away with," largely depends on Christian identification and application of this fact. This "already/not yet" dynamic largely explains why many believers are still, to some extent, slaves to sin.
“The Sound of ‘One Hand Clapping’ Doesn’t Sound like Salvation”
This episode begins with the provocative question: "can you put on the breastplate of righteousness and ignore the helmet of salvation?" The answer provided by Paul is a resounding NO. The breastplate of righteousness corresponds with the imputed righteousness of Christ, based on the double-transfer of 2 Cor. 5:21. The helmet of salvation implies the transformation of mind that progressively thinks more and more like Christ. The breastplate of righteousness principally addresses the PENALTY of sin, while the helmet of salvation points to the POWER of sin being broken, as believers put on the mind of Christ. Paul presents a holistic picture of salvation in Romans 8:1-6, in which both the penalty and power of sin are part of the salvation package. The episode notes that 4 of the first 6 verses begin with "for," alerting the reader that the entire passage is one thought. The primary thought is Romans 8:2, the optimistic resolution of the flesh/spirit conflict of Romans 7:14-25: "the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of sin and death." So the focus of Paul's argument is that the power of sin has been broken in salvation. Verses 3 and 4 undergird this fact. Sin-debt is paid in the substitutionary debt of Christ and, with the penalty paid, the requirement of the Law is fulfilled in those who are "in Christ," who now live a life according to the Spirit. The evidence that one has received the imputed righteousness of Christ is the mind set on the Spirit. The proof that one wears the breastplate of righteousness is that he ALSO dons the helmet of salvation. The episode concludes with a challenge to all to assess their understanding of salvation and modify it as needed, based on Paul's holistic description given in Romans 8:1-6.
Fawning after God and His Law
This episode spells out how the cultivation of love of God and His Law is the means of gaining victory over the flesh. This love is metaphorically captured in Psalm 42:1: "as the deer pants for the water brook, so my soul pants for Thee, oh God." Victory over the flesh is not found in merely knowing about God and His Law, but victory manifests when we PANT after God and His Law. It becomes an insatiable craving. New Testament believers, who delight with the Law of God in the inner man, can potentially have substantial victory over the flesh by setting their minds on the Spirit. (Romans 8:6) This is key to falling in love with God and His Law. And it also makes sanctification much easier. When God and His Law become our delight, His commandments are not burdensome, and crushing the deeds of the flesh becomes instinctive and natural. We pant after God and His commandments, and we do anything to satisfy our thirst.
The Law Helps to Think God’s Thoughts after Him
This episode exposes the fleshly arguments that some use to justify continued expression of the flesh. The argument largely rests on using Paul's own words in Romans 7 as an excuse for not forcefully advancing spiritually. Paul himself describes himself as a prisoner of the law of sin and death in verse 23. In verse 25 he observes 2 warring principles within, and neither is ascendant. Selective proof texting of Romans 7 is naturally a convenient rationalization for Christians bent on tolerating a fair degree of carnality. Romans 8:2 thoroughly debunks the flesh's convenient co-opting of Paul in Romans 7, insisting that substantial victory is available for Christians who set their minds on the Spirit. Love of God's Law also becomes the lens of the mind set on the Spirit.
Life in Christ Trumps Sin and Death
This episode spells out the answer to the question raised in the previous broadcast: "Why do many REGENERATE believers have less appreciation for God's Law than the UNREGENERATE author of Psalm 119? The short answer is that many Christians' theology of sanctification is the pessimistic lens of Romans 7:14-25. Perpetual war between the flesh and the Spirit is the defining description of their sanctification experience and critically, their perspective hasn't been qualified by the clear promise of Romans 8:2: "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." Paul set up his argument for Christian freedom in Romans 7, where Romans 8:2 is the optimistic conclusion. The key to growth and spiritual victory is verse 6, where the "mind set on the spirit is life and peace." Based on what Paul just declared in verse 2, the mind set on the spirit is stronger and more powerful than the mind set on the flesh. Christian failure to appropriate victory is sometimes a casualty of bad theology where the pessimistic lens of Romans 7:14-25 is divorced from the optimistic conclusion of Romans 8:2. With respect to appreciation of the Law, a pessimistic adoption of Romans 7:14-25 as the final word understandably colors one's view of the Law. A holistic love for God's Law is one of the many benefits believers should experience when their sanctification expectations are informed by Romans 8.
How an Exclusive Romans 7 Theology Undermines Delight in God’s Law
This episode provides another possible reason why many Christians do not have a full appreciation of the Law, and this lack is made more salient because the psalmist in psalm 119 wasn't even born again. The psalmist was nevertheless beside himself with love and delight in God's law. So how is it that NT believers, who by definition are born again, have less delight with the Law of God than the unregenerate psalmist in Psalm 119? The episode first addresses the presumption of many that the psalmist was born again, showing that the Scripture indicates regeneration is a result of the resurrection (1 Peter 1:3) and the glorification of Christ (John 7:39) Believers consequently were NOT born again in the Old Testament. They nevertheless put their faith in God and even delighted with the Law of God, based on the influence of the Holy Spirit. So again, how is it that the unregenerate psalmist, who is INFLUENCED by the Spirit, delighted more with the Law than many REGENERATE Christians today? The episode contends that the sanctification expectations of "Romans 7" Christians stunt appreciation of God's Law. If Christians are at best divided souls, where the fleshly and spiritual principles are intractably at war, WITHOUT the expectation that the Spirit gains the upper hand, then the natural consequence is that these believers can never attain a holistic appreciation of God's Law. But this purely Romans 7 theology collapses in light of Romans 8:2, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." The episode closes by exhorting believers to embrace the substantial victory of the Spirit over the fleshly principle and as a bi-product holistically delight in God's Law.
You’ve Been Freed..Why Are You Still in that Prison Cell?
This continuation of "Don't Be a Romans 7 Christian" focuses on Romans 8:6, "The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace." This statement articulates the intentional effort required of every believer to engage the mind on the Spirit. We are free to engage either one, and intentional choices to live for Christ lead to substantial victory over the flesh. The victorious message of Romans 8:2 is that Christians have ACCESS to a higher, more powerful source to live according to the Spirit, "The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." All believers experience the tug-a-war between these two competing principles (Romans 7:14-25), but Christians who INTENTIONALLY engage the mind set on the Spirit access the power to get victory over the flesh. Unfortunately many believers resign themselves to being Romans 7 Christians because they are unaware that they've been liberated. This freedom however requires intentional engagement with the Spirit. The last 20 minutes of the episode provides practical tips on how to set the mind on the Spirit.
Don’t Let Your Gifting Lead to a Sifting
This is a follow up episode addressing the half-and-half strategy of Nehemiah, in which builders are called to carry a sword while they build. In like manner, believers in the body of Christ should actively engage in ministry but also adopt a defensive posture against their own residual evil. But the struggle against the flesh should never be waged alone. Just as the trumpeter along the wall of Nehemiah alerted other builders to come to "hot spots" on the wall, so every believer should avail himself of the assistance of other Christians in their struggles with sin. The alternative strategy of maverick Christianity, where builders struggle against sin alone, is often based on presumptuous self-confidence and leads to a "sifting." A half-and-half strategy is ultimately more effective in building the kingdom.
Don’t Be A Romans 7 Christian
This episode challenges all believers NOT to be Romans 7 Christians. Many believers correctly observe that half of Romans 7 describes the struggle between flesh and spirit in gory, pessimistic terms. Paul even states that he is a "prisoner of the law of sin and death."
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