Since the crucifixion, the L-rd has been working to restore us to full relationship with the Father. Yeshua’s death on the cross was not merely for our salvation from hell, but rather for our reconciliation with the Father. And it was for us becoming new creations that are not hindered by the body of death. Yeshua, for those who believe (John 1:12) delivered us from bondage, to the freedom of sonship. He delivered us to a place where we are considered holy, chosen and dearly beloved (Colossians 3:12). He delivered us from the conflicted nature of Romans 7 to the single and holy nature as sons of Romans 8.
Do not believe the lie that is pop theology that says there is another law at work inside of us. Romans 7 does not actually apply to followers of Yeshua (more on explaining what that is later).
What happens when we are born again is we become a new creation. That body of death that was in us, gets expelled to the outside, and the attacks that were part of our internal war are now external to us and attempting to oppress us. This idea that we are somehow dual-natured is absolute garbage.
You are a new creation. Feel free to appropriate the new creation wherever you go.
I mean, unless you think perfection and holiness (Matthew 5:48) can be boiled down to a list of things you do and do not do.
If we spend so much time devoted to the list of things we think we are supposed to do in order to be perfect, we will never get into the car of our new identity in Messiah and drive off into all G-d has for us.
If we live with a mentality that is attempting to avoid sin, then all we will see everywhere we go is the opportunity to sin.
But if we live with a mentality that is aware of our calling, destiny, and our new identity as a new creation, then everywhere we go we will see our calling, destiny, new identity, and ways to fulfill that destiny.
This requires a deep shift in thinking and relating to both the outside world and the inside world and it also requires us to quit hiding behind the sinful nature that we no longer have if we are in Christ, and it also requires us to start walking and living as Jesus lived and walked. Furthermore, it requires rejecting the heresy that we are sinners saved by grace.
In part, while there are five areas that Father cleansed and made holy in Christ, holiness can be boiled down to a few things.
One, you do what you see the Father doing, and you say only what you hear the Father saying.
Two, you walk in accordance with your G-d-given design. That is, you agree that how G-d made you is good, and His intentions for that design were good.
Three, recognize the Source of life and walk in that Source of life.
Four, the fruit of the spirit.
Five, anger is an acceptable response when people are intentionally violating the principles of Scripture and refusing to change. Scripture says anger is acceptable, provided you do not exacerbate the situation by using your anger as a jumping-off point to violate the principles.
Six, it is about doing the one thing that the L-rd wants you to do.
Seven, resting is not about having one day as a sabbath day. Rather, it is finding our rest in the L-rd and doing with our seven days what He wants us to do. We get this mentality that rest is about not doing anything on one day a week and working the other six. This has nothing to do with the vision of the L-rd. Rather, our work week and the days that we work are to do what He has assigned us to do those six days, and if we have a day of rest, to be doing what He wants us to do on that day. For each of you, the order for the week might be different. But your job is to allow Him the opportunity to have input on how your weeks structured, rather than ignoring that prerogative. A lot of times we think rest means X without consulting with the L-rd, and we think that work means Y without consulting with the L-rd, and we can often get into trouble by not seeking Him with respect to the schedule of our days.
Now, all of those items can be applied to our time, the land we live on, our communities of fellow believers and ourselves, our birthrights, and the offices that we walk in. But I would boil it down further by saying, “find out what Father wants you to door not do and do that, or stop doing that.”
Be blessed.
In years of study, learning, etc…, one aspect of rightly dividing the Word has to do with who is the speaker in scripture addressing, the believer (follower) or the non-beliver ( future convert), or the general public, it makes a difference in how we perceive and act upon things, being holy.
Good word, sir, i like boiled down things, i dont have to say no to anything if i am saying yes to His things!