Tag: Galatians 3:2-3

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“Build, with God’s Power”

This episode builds on the first episode, emphasizing that all sanctification is fundamentally drawing on the power of Christ provided in the resurrection. We were born again through the resurrection of Christ (1 Pet. 1:3), and in sanctification, we progressively live out of the power that Christ has made available. "God's divine power has given to us everything pertaining to life and godliness..." (2 Pet. 1:3) The episode exhorts believers not to make the tempting mistake of the Galatians who sought "to be perfected by the flesh" instead of drawing on the divine power. (Gal. 3:2-3) New Years' resolutions often fail because they're based on fleshly resolve and power. The episode closes with the a summary of the numerous qualities that Christians are to walk in, based on abiding in Christ and His power. Even the Christian response is based on God's divine power. So, with respect to the constitutional metaphor, "separation of powers" doesn't refer to a Christian's response independent of God's power, but merely highlights human responsibility to ACT, in response to God's power.

Repentance from the Old Self

This episode contains my personal testimony of the futility of merely repenting from transgressions without repenting, turning away from the old sinful self. Many Christians see their salvation experience primarily in terms of resolution of sin-debt, without dealing with the primary culprit: the old self, the flesh. Sanctification is so designed to bring every believer to abandon hope of living the Christian life in their own flesh. This repentance from the old self (the full expression of repentance from dead works) lays the foundation for life in the spirit.

Repent of everything, especially the old self

This episode highlights the necessity of repenting from dead works in its fullest sense: we repent of transgressions AND we abandon hope in the flesh itself, specifically its ability to live the Christian life. If we don't embrace this holistic approach to repentance, we likely fall into the Galatian error, which is living the Christian life in the power of the flesh. Based on this all-encompassing repentance, we make progress in sanctification by identifying with the circumcision of Christ (the cutting away of the flesh) and the death of the old self on the cross, based on Romans 6:7. Holistic repentance from dead works makes sanctification possible.