The answer lies in the Gospel/Good news itself. Understand how we are reconciled to God and you will know how we are saved and made pure.
So first step, How are we reconciled?
In order to grasp this we need to understand a couple of things about who we are.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
This means that all the good things we do are not good enough. even if they are spawned from our love for Jesus. Our love is always tainted with selfishness. Thus our good works can not save us because they are not pure.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
We can not trust our own thoughts, they are wicked and deceitful Thus we may think we are good but the word of God tells us above that our good works are filthy rags.
Thus we are unable to save ourselves. So how does God reconcile us to himself?
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
These four verses tell us that Jesus died for us while we were: Weak, ungodly, sinners and enemiesof God and thus through His death on the cross we are reconciled.
This is the first step of salvation to be reconciled or to bridge the gap that sin has made. before our sins separated us from God.
Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
but now through the death of Jesus we are reconciled to our heavenly Father.
So first point, We did nothing in fact we could not do anything even if we tried to reconcile ourselves to God. Thus Christ did this for us. now notice that it does not end there.
notice verse 9 and 10,
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
These two verses have two stages 10 repeats 9 in different words.
stage 1 from verse 9, Justified/declared right, by His blood. this matches stage 1 in verse 10, Reconciled by Jesus death.
So we are declared right and reconciled to God through the blood and death of Jesus. so what next.
Stage 2 verse 9, saved from wrath through Him, stage 2 verse 10, saved by His life.
So we are saved from wrath by His life.
Paul outlines two necessities of salvation The cross does not save but rather reconcile us to God, it is the life of Jesus that saves. what is this life?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Notice that Paul makes it clear that If we die "with him" in other words accept His death and lose our own life. then we will walk in a newness of life through him being raised. verse 5 clarifies this as the resurrected life of Jesus we receive. Praise God.
Paul is saying that we receive the life of Jesus in us, the life after the resurrection. Paul said it like this else where.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Paul understood that One had to die in order to have the victorious life of Jesus living in us.
Jesus put it like this.
Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
We can not receive the life Of Jesus in us until we give up our life. God will not sit on the throne of our hearts until we get of that throne. self must die so that Christ can live. now if Jesus live in us then will Jesus sin?
Thus if I continue to sin then I must not be letting Jesus live in me. There must be some part of me that still lives.
listen to Romans 5 again and notice the two gifts.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Notice that we are justified/declared right, by "Faith" so then we by faith are reconciled to God through Jesus. notice what comes next.
verse 2 says by this same Faith/believing Gods word, we have access to Gods grace. So again not by works. Many today receive the gift of Jesus death on their behalf by faith. however they often do not crucify self with Christ. this is why Christ does not live in them.
The gift of Jesus life is also by Faith. but we can only have it if we die with Christ first. Remember Jesus death reconciles us to God. but our righteousness and our hearts are still faulty, that is why Jesus did this for us while still sinners. the only way to have true sinlessness is to be dead and for Christ to live, He is the only one who can live a sinless life. thus it has to be Christ in you the hope of Glory.
Gift of His death plus Gift of His life = sinlessness.
Paul illustrated this point in Romans 7
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Notice that this person understands the claims of the law. Paul's point in the beginning of this chapter is that there needs to be a death first in order to be free from the law. Then above he illistrates the person who has come to the cross yet has not died to self and thus is still enslaved to sin. This person has not yet received the life of Christ by which we are saved and freed from sin.
Thus the cry "O wretched man that I am!" We must come to that place where we see the true nature we have and understand that it is wretched. it is then that we will see the gift of God and proclaim that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing.
Thus Romans 8 is the reception of the life of Christ.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Through the Spirit we are freed from walking after the flesh. And thus the law is fulfilled in us because by the Spirit Christ dwells in us.
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
notice this next verse.
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
notice that when the Spirit comes in which we receive by Faith then the life Of Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith.
Its that simple. two gifts for the taking.
Jesus death by Faith reconciles us to God.
Jesus life by Faith Saves us.
Jesus said these words.
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Its not about trying harder its about accepting the Gift of Jesus death and life.
If you find you are still stuck in sin then ask yourself. have I given up my life? Have I accepted Jesus in my stead and died with Him? or am I still living? without our death there can be no new birth.
Then have I asked and do I claim by Faith the Holy Spirit in which I Receive the life of Christ?
notice these words of Jesus.
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Notice we must be born of both "water and SPirit" not one or the other but both. Water is baptism which is the reception of the death of Jesus in which we die with Him by faith.
The Spirit brings the life of Christ into the believer.
Did you die with Christ?
Are you alive with Christ?
Do you believe?
This is the good news. you can have victory but only by Faith not by works. works are a result of the life of Christ in you. Hope this makes sense blessings.
So first step, How are we reconciled?
In order to grasp this we need to understand a couple of things about who we are.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
This means that all the good things we do are not good enough. even if they are spawned from our love for Jesus. Our love is always tainted with selfishness. Thus our good works can not save us because they are not pure.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
We can not trust our own thoughts, they are wicked and deceitful Thus we may think we are good but the word of God tells us above that our good works are filthy rags.
Thus we are unable to save ourselves. So how does God reconcile us to himself?
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
These four verses tell us that Jesus died for us while we were: Weak, ungodly, sinners and enemiesof God and thus through His death on the cross we are reconciled.
This is the first step of salvation to be reconciled or to bridge the gap that sin has made. before our sins separated us from God.
Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
but now through the death of Jesus we are reconciled to our heavenly Father.
So first point, We did nothing in fact we could not do anything even if we tried to reconcile ourselves to God. Thus Christ did this for us. now notice that it does not end there.
notice verse 9 and 10,
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
These two verses have two stages 10 repeats 9 in different words.
stage 1 from verse 9, Justified/declared right, by His blood. this matches stage 1 in verse 10, Reconciled by Jesus death.
So we are declared right and reconciled to God through the blood and death of Jesus. so what next.
Stage 2 verse 9, saved from wrath through Him, stage 2 verse 10, saved by His life.
So we are saved from wrath by His life.
Paul outlines two necessities of salvation The cross does not save but rather reconcile us to God, it is the life of Jesus that saves. what is this life?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Notice that Paul makes it clear that If we die "with him" in other words accept His death and lose our own life. then we will walk in a newness of life through him being raised. verse 5 clarifies this as the resurrected life of Jesus we receive. Praise God.
Paul is saying that we receive the life of Jesus in us, the life after the resurrection. Paul said it like this else where.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Paul understood that One had to die in order to have the victorious life of Jesus living in us.
Jesus put it like this.
Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
We can not receive the life Of Jesus in us until we give up our life. God will not sit on the throne of our hearts until we get of that throne. self must die so that Christ can live. now if Jesus live in us then will Jesus sin?
Thus if I continue to sin then I must not be letting Jesus live in me. There must be some part of me that still lives.
listen to Romans 5 again and notice the two gifts.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Notice that we are justified/declared right, by "Faith" so then we by faith are reconciled to God through Jesus. notice what comes next.
verse 2 says by this same Faith/believing Gods word, we have access to Gods grace. So again not by works. Many today receive the gift of Jesus death on their behalf by faith. however they often do not crucify self with Christ. this is why Christ does not live in them.
The gift of Jesus life is also by Faith. but we can only have it if we die with Christ first. Remember Jesus death reconciles us to God. but our righteousness and our hearts are still faulty, that is why Jesus did this for us while still sinners. the only way to have true sinlessness is to be dead and for Christ to live, He is the only one who can live a sinless life. thus it has to be Christ in you the hope of Glory.
Gift of His death plus Gift of His life = sinlessness.
Paul illustrated this point in Romans 7
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Notice that this person understands the claims of the law. Paul's point in the beginning of this chapter is that there needs to be a death first in order to be free from the law. Then above he illistrates the person who has come to the cross yet has not died to self and thus is still enslaved to sin. This person has not yet received the life of Christ by which we are saved and freed from sin.
Thus the cry "O wretched man that I am!" We must come to that place where we see the true nature we have and understand that it is wretched. it is then that we will see the gift of God and proclaim that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing.
Thus Romans 8 is the reception of the life of Christ.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Through the Spirit we are freed from walking after the flesh. And thus the law is fulfilled in us because by the Spirit Christ dwells in us.
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
notice this next verse.
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
notice that when the Spirit comes in which we receive by Faith then the life Of Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith.
Its that simple. two gifts for the taking.
Jesus death by Faith reconciles us to God.
Jesus life by Faith Saves us.
Jesus said these words.
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Its not about trying harder its about accepting the Gift of Jesus death and life.
If you find you are still stuck in sin then ask yourself. have I given up my life? Have I accepted Jesus in my stead and died with Him? or am I still living? without our death there can be no new birth.
Then have I asked and do I claim by Faith the Holy Spirit in which I Receive the life of Christ?
notice these words of Jesus.
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Notice we must be born of both "water and SPirit" not one or the other but both. Water is baptism which is the reception of the death of Jesus in which we die with Him by faith.
The Spirit brings the life of Christ into the believer.
Did you die with Christ?
Are you alive with Christ?
Do you believe?
This is the good news. you can have victory but only by Faith not by works. works are a result of the life of Christ in you. Hope this makes sense blessings.
